Roadtrip!

This week’s agenda of working at home seems a little mundane after recently completing a whirlwind of a road trip. I spent 5 days of last week travelling through Memphis, Oxford, Jackson, Birmingham, Ft. Payne, Mentone, and then finally back to Nashville. It may have been the hottest week of the summer, but it was a wonderful trip! I had the chance to attend summer RUF in both Memphis and Oxford, saw a lot of familiar faces and met a lot more. I also received a couple of tours of my new home, Oxford; I was taken around campus, saw my new office (!!), drove through the square, toured my cousin’s house, and by necessity tested out a nearby pool. Oxford seems amazing, and right now I am feeling incredibly blessed to have been placed in such a desirable town. And Ole Miss is of course gorgeous; although I don’t think I’ll have a true feel of places such as the Grove until the fall.

I was especially glad to make it for RUF at Les’s house on Wednesday night; he introduced me to the crowd (a lot of students for a summer meeting!), gave a talk about pride that really hit home, and then people hung out afterwards and I met many many new friends. And already knew some people, which is always a comfort. I really was able to spend some good time this weekend with Les, his wife Ginger, and another intern (and mentor, predecessor, friend), Lauren Babbitt. I also made it onto the Ole Miss RUF website!

Through this trip I also got to spend time with Emily (intern friend at Rhodes), my sister Molly and her baby Kate, my grandparents in Jackson, the Mississippi Mass Choir at First Baptist Church in Jackson (that church will never be the same), Libbie (intern friend at UVA), and numerous friends at DeSoto, including my sister Margaret (the current DeSoto preacher) and my friend Michal (the photographer who can claim both works of art on this site so far).

I am back in Nashville now, reading Trusting God by Jerry Bridges as a part of my study program, and working on raising support. I still have a ways to go and sometimes updates are a little disappointing, but when I look at the individual donors I am overwhelmed and encouraged. This process is breaking me down a little and helping me realize my need to rely on the Lord for his provision. I’m learning that I need to work towards this support as if it were up to me, but be at peace as if it is up to God (because it is).

Thank you for your continued prayers!

Getting Started...

So I've never done anything like a blog before, and I'm still not too sure about it, but it seems to be the thing to do for new RUF interns so I'm jumping on the bandwagon.

Right now I am in the slow process of raising support; I still have a ways to go, but the responses so far have been overwhelming and encouraging! I was told to expect this, but it really is cool to see where the support comes from. It's not what you would expect. Right now I'm in a state of gratefulness (that there is actually money coming in), humility (that people think this is a worthy cause to give to; it is bigger than me, they are giving towards God's plan for his kingdom at Ole Miss), and responsibility (that I can't back out now: there are people depending on me to do something!). Already this process has been one full of lessons and blessings; I wish everyone had to do something like this at some point in his or her life.

Last week was RUF Orientation in Atlanta for new interns and ministers, and it was a wonderful week. I had the pleasure of meeting 35 of the other 41 interns in our "class", and the opportunity to hear details and wise words from some of the leaders in RUF. We also attended a Braves game, rode MARTA, discovered Taco Mac, and ate out all approximately 374 restaraunts in the vicinity. Overall, it was a great time of learning and fellowship. We'll have another training in July, but for now I'll continue to work on raising support, thanking supporters, visiting people, trying to prepare for the new campus I will soon be thrown into, and enjoying the summer.

It still is beyond me that anyone would really be interested in reading my scattered thoughts, but if you've made it this far than obviously I have a lot to learn about blogs!