National Staff Conference

In 3 hours me and Ariel are leaving to Phoenix to catch a plane to Florida for our national collegiate staff conference which happens every two years.  We’re pretty tired going into this, but excited nonetheless.  The last staff conference we went to with just our region was an extremely refreshing time filled with a ton of great training that left both Ariel and I super encouraged to return to campus.  We’re praying this will do the same.

Jerry Bridges and some other famous authors will be there giving us some talks.  I’m attending a workshop by him on how to be an effective teacher. Ariel is attending one on how to make the house a place of hospitality. In addition to a couple of other workshops we’ll get to see some of our close friends from around the US.  We’re stoked. We’ll be returning to campus Nov 3rd, where upon I’ll be furiously cramming to give me first NavNite talk (which is also my first time ever pubic speaking to a group of more than 10 people. It will be more like 120.) :/

Posada san Pedro

It seems God is not going to allow me into this residence hall unless I pray my way in.  One committed student in a freshman Bible Study lives there, and I’ve been on his floor once already this semester. Please pray he would adapt Acts 18:26-27 as his calling verse to his dorm, and that people there (despite it being a historically closed off dorm) would begin to be social and come to a knowledge of Jesus.

Camping!

Thanks for all your prayers!  Some highlights from the trip this past week are:

- TONS of new people came!  About 1/3 of the trip were freshman, and several people were non-believers

- Everyone really enjoyed themselves. We spent all day Saturday on the beach and the common feel throughout the day was that everyone was genuinely enjoying each other.  That’s I believe that’s a direct answer to praying Romans 15:5-7 for trip!

- Despite some set backs (involving a stingray, 2 blown tires, and a caravan getting lost) everyone arrived back home in Tucson safe and sound.

- There is a night/day difference in the freshman class after the trip. They know who each other are, enjoy each other, and feel like the have found a “family” they belong to.

Please continue to pray that the effects of unity would be that “with one heart and mouth we would glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Camping, 09 Trip

This Friday we’re taking almost 100 UofA students to camp in CA near the beach on our first Nav trip of the year. A lot of planning has gone into this trip and our prayer is that it God’s love will be shown to the several non-believers coming on the trip.  Pray also it would be a great time to bond the group, especially the freshman.

Romans 15:5-7

⁵May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, ⁶so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Colossians 2:6-7

Japanese friend named “M." We spent the summer of '06 together in Tokyo, and he's flown out to Arizona to visit twice. This last week I traveled to Long Beach and Irvine to visit him. He's shown here with '09 setter Dan.

⁶So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

snakebite update

After seeing more doctors and giving more blood than I ever want to again, the verdict for now is that I can go to CA this weekend for our annual Navigators Regional Kickoff (yay!) and I don't need to get more antivenom.  So that's really good!  My blood is still screwy (read: really thin), but the doctor told me as long as I'm careful and avoid major activities for the next 2-3 weeks I'll be fine and it should thicken out eventually.

Thanks for your prayers!

Recovery

Keep praying I recover quickly from this dumb snake bite. I’ve been dizzy and way weaker than I though i would be. Today I had to cancel 2 out of my 3 meeting time with students. It’s even more frustrating because I’m heading out of town next week and don’t feel like I’ve had much time to “sow” during this extremely valuable sowing season.  Pray for energy and that God would lead clearly on who to be investing in during this precious time at the beginning of the semester.

And for your viewing pleasure, my best scar from this whole experience is in fact totally unrelated to the rattlesnake bite.  While in the ambulance the EMT tried putting in an IV right when we went over a bumpy bridge.  The result was an IV that slipped out, lots of blood, a ruined shirt, and a sweet bruise :)