Summer Happenings

Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters,

In June, we had the opportunity to work with Ohio and Indiana Chi Alpha students who attended CAST (Chi Alpha Student Training), which was held in Columbus, Ohio.  It was exciting to help students catch the vision for Chi Alpha and their role in reaching their peers for Christ. Our goal was to help “jumpstart underclassmen into leadership.”  CAST was a practical, hands-on learning experience for students. Charity had the opportunity to co-lead a student small group and teach Time Management skills to all the CAST students. 

In July, we had the opportunity to share our calling with the Assemblies of God pastors and missions’ directors that attended Missions Roundtable in Columbus.  It was an awesome opportunity to connect with pastors and churches.  Dr. Jim Bradford, the General Secretary of the Assemblies of God, was the keynote speaker.  Tom also had the opportunity to preach at a church in the Columbus area. 

A few OSU students joined us for the 4th of July at our home:

As we are continuing to raise the last of our budget (less than $300 per month), we have felt the Lord press upon us the NEED for us to begin prayer walking the Ohio State campus.  We believe for a move of the Holy Spirit and look forward to prayer walking this week!

Praying that we will be full-time on The Ohio State University campus soon!  We cannot be full-time on campus until our complete budget is raised! Will you help us get there?  Thank you to those who have already partnered with us, both financially and prayerfully. Blessings!

With Love,
The Kurz Family

An Urgent Update

Dear Family, Friends, and Supporters,

We hope that you are each doing well!  So grateful for each of you.  We are truly blessed to know you. :)

We wanted to give you the urgent update.  We currently have $500 in monthly support left to raise, according to the National Office.  We know that many of you have given verbal commitments or promised to pray about supporting us.  Thank you for that!  Can I have permission to share urgency with you?  We are in a place in which we have to raise the remaining $500 quickly or we will not be able to support the OSU students as Chi Alpha missionaries.  Our time is running out!  We believe that God hasn't brought us this far to let this drop, but HE needs you; WE need you.  If you have verbally committed to give or if you have been praying about giving, will you make the decision today to sign up for monthly giving?  You can do that on the Missions Giving tab or by clicking on this link:
Missions Giving

We know that God has a plan in all of this!  Will you join us in living out His plan?

Much love!
The Kurz Family

Quick Update!

Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters,

Just a quick update to tell you that our current total raised is $2240, which means we have only $560 left to raise!  This can be raised BEFORE May!!!!!  If you have been waiting, please do not delay any longer.  We are ready to get to campus.  The students are ready for us to get to campus.  Are YOU ready?  Click the Missions Giving tab at the top to set up your monthly giving.  ALMOST THERE!  

Thank you to all of those that currently give and pray!  We couldn't do this without you!

In Christ,

The Kurz Family

Another EXCITING update!

Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters,

We are excited to announce that we have only $625 in monthly support left to raise!  THANK YOU to each of you for supporting the call of God on our lives! We have to wait until the giving transfers to monthly support for it to be official, but this is GREAT news.  This means that as soon as we raise the remaining $625 (in monthly support) we can get to campus.  If you have been waiting to give, please consider doing this quickly.  The faster you give, the faster we get there!  We can see the finish line.  Will you help us cross it?

Much love!
The Kurz Family

BIG update. :)

Hi Friends, Family, and Supporters,

I hope that as you read this post that your faith will be encouraged as much as ours has been!  We have hit the 70% of our budget raised mark!  We still have more to bring in to meet the deadline by April, but God is so faithful!  We know that He does what He needs to do through His people.  If you have not yet submitted your faith promise, will you do so today so that we can be to on campus this summer?  Seriously, we can be there this summer!  So exciting!  Thank you for your continued prayers and support; don't stop now, we need you.  Many blessings to each of you!

Much love,
The Kurz Family

Sharing v. Justifying

Hi Friends, Family, and Supporters,

This isn't your typical update on how much we have brought in this week.  Although that is very important to us, I believe what I am going to share with you right now is just as important.

Being a missionary can be difficult.  Missionaries, whether US or World, have to become accustomed to new surroundings.  They may, at times, question God's call.  It can be a lonely place.  I don't think anybody ever wakes up in the morning and says "I want to be a missionary and I can't wait to experience all the uncertainty that comes with the calling."  Seriously.

The Lord has been using this time in my life to help me understand a few things:
1. I am not in control and that's okay, and
2.  I do not have to justify the calling that God has on my life.

I want to spend a few minutes discussing sharing my calling versus justifying my calling.  Most of you know that I work as a school counselor, I am finishing my dissertation, and I work with Chi Alpha.  On the support raising trail, people have asked Tom, myself, and others around us, why I cannot just work and support the ministry.  For years and months, I have struggled with having to justify that I am called to work with college students just as much as Tom is.  Thankfully, the Lord has provided work for me so that we can actually support raise and still have food on the table.  My work in the university as a doctoral student has opened opportunities to minister to faculty, peers, and students.  Over the last month, God has begun to show me that I don't need to justify my calling to people.  He has placed me where He has because He has a plan for all of this.  The favor that I have received in my field, in relationships, in presenting research, and writing has been overwhelming.  I want to share my calling not have to justify what I am doing.  God has reminded me that He is the one that justifies the calling that He has placed on my life.  I pray that the Holy Spirit prepares hearts to receive what we share about the vision and calling God has given us.  I believe that God has already prepared the way and I am not allowing myself to feel like I have to justify my calling anymore.

What is "justifying your calling" mean?  It means that you feel like you have to CONVINCE people that God has called you.  In the New Testament, did the disciples have to justify that they were called?  No.  Even Paul, who persecuted Christians, did not have to justify his calling.  He shared what God had done in his life and others came alongside him to support that calling.  "Sharing your calling" is the opportunity to share what God has been doing through your life and the vision that He has given you.  It's about answering clarifying questions but not about justifying what you are doing. God is the one that justifies our calling; I pray that people will see and feel that calling.

Can I tell you how freeing this has been for me?  The call of God has become so much more exciting to me rather than a thorn in my side, which is how I was feeling for some time.  It has allowed me to share more openly about what God is showing me without worrying about how it will be received on the other end.

Praying that God uses you this week in the mission field that He has called you to!

Blessings,
Charity

Another Update :)

Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters,

We hope that you are all doing well!  So excited to tell you that we are now officially at $1455!  God has been so faithful.  Thank you for believing in the call God has on our life!  It's so exciting to report to you weekly the faithfulness of God in this support raising process.  If you have been meaning to support financially, please click the Missions Giving tab towards the top of the blog to pledge your monthly support.  

We can't resist showing you this video about how our work is worship: click here.  Worship is more than what we do on a Sunday morning or the songs that we sing to God in the car or the shower.  Worship is a lifestyle.  It can be more than working in a church; it can be working in the Marketplace (your jobs) to be the light into the darkness.  It's serving as an employer or an employee.  It's offering your life as a 'living sacrifice' to reach your coworkers, neighbors, family, and friends.  

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." -Romans 12:1-2

May God show you how you can worship Him in the Marketplace this week!  

Much love in Christ,
The Kurz Family

Update :)

Hi Friends, Family, and Supporters,

I know many of you have asked about an update regarding Tom's most recent journey to northeast Ohio and our budget.  You asked, and now you receive.  :)

Tom (and Jeremiah) had the opportunity to travel to northeast Ohio last week to meet with pastors and churches regarding our work with Chi Alpha Campus Ministries.  Tom was blessed to share our heart and passion for students and the NEED for Chi Alpha support on campus.  During this process, we picked up a supporter and have a few verbal commitments.  We would say it was fruitful!  :)  We continue to pray that God would go before us and prepare hearts.  We believe that before we make any phone calls or have face to face meetings that the Holy Spirit has already stirred hearts to hear and see the call of God on our lives.

Many people have shared their concern for the deadline of April 2014 that was placed before us.  We want each of you to know that the deadline has actually been a blessing!  We are able to express the urgency of the students' need and our need to get to campus.  I think it puts a larger priority on completing the Faith Promise form (paper or online) for people who have verbally committed to support financially.  Currently, we are at $1345.00 in monthly support with a few verbal commitments that have not been processed.  This is HUGE.  This last month and a half has been a testimony of God's calling on our lives.  Churches and pastors have been encouraging and reminding us that we are right where we need to be.  The encouragement that God gives through people is what is sustaining us.  Support raising is difficult.  Seriously.

Most recently, a Chi Alpha student at OSU became a monthly supporter and she challenged other students and alumni via social media to give, no matter how small, in order to get us to campus faster.  You see?  God is in this.  He is SO in this.  So blessed.

Will you continue to pray that God will lead us to the people that He wants us share with?  We believe that God is strategically working on hearts to support His work at OSU.  If you have been meaning to give or if you have verbally committed and never completed your form, will you do that today?  Each day as we check the file to see the activity on the account, it is SO encouraging to see the names of those supporting us.  We pray for each of you that God will use you right where you are because that's your mission field.  He has called you to your place of employment, your community, your church, your family "for such a time as this."  It's not an accident; God was very intentional.

Blessings,
Charity

Update!

Dear Family, Friends, and Supporters,

If you are living in Ohio, we hope you are out enjoying the nice weather today!  Heat wave?!  ;)

We wanted to take a minute and update you regarding our progress towards our support raising goals!  God has been so faithful to us; He is constantly reminding us that He has called us to OSU and Columbus.  He reminds us that He is gathering people to support the ministry.  He reminds us that this is a process that He is coordinating.  We must listen and be guided by the Holy Spirit!

We are excited to announce that we are at…drumroll please…$1315 in monthly support!  We need be at $2000 no later than April, but this is AWESOME progress!  For those of you wondering, our total monthly budget is $2800.

If you have not submitted your monthly faith promise, you can do so by clicking on the 'Missions' tab towards the top of the page.  The 'Missions' tab will lead you to our Assemblies of God Missions Giving page.

So excited to get to campus!  Your monthly giving helps us to get there faster.  Give away! :)

Many blessings!
The Kurz Family 

CRUNCH time...

Hi Family, Friends, and Supporters,

Have you ever been in that place where you are asking God, um…"what are YOU doing?" Well, we have for sure been in that place for a while now regarding support raising.  When we moved to Columbus, we thought, well surely this money is going to come in quickly because we know that we are called to do campus missions with Chi Alpha at Ohio State.  We got involved on campus minimally during the fall semester with the anticipation that our budget would be raising by the end of the semester or by the start of the spring semester.  That didn't happen.  We prayed and asked God to show us what we were missing.  Did we not talk to the right people?  Were we not supposed to be on campus?

God showed both of us, as well as our Chi Alpha leaders and friends, that we needed to get off of campus.  So at the end of the 2nd spring semester Chi Alpha meeting, Steve, our state director, announced to the students that we would not be returning to campus until our budget was raised.  Yikes.  We have been off of campus for at least 4 weeks now and have been pushing through support raising.  About 3 weeks ago, our state director gave us a deadline to raise at least $1000 a month towards our budget in the next 90 days.  Almost 21 days of the 90 have passed.  The URGENCY is being felt by both of us and we are hoping that you are feeling it too!  Students at Ohio State are in need of hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and of receiving support from campus missionaries.  THEY NEED YOU!  Actually, they need you to support us so that we can do what we are called to do there!  I don't believe that God moved us all this way and worked out all of the details to leave us hanging now.  Do you?  I believe in a God that has a DIVINE purpose and plan!  I can't tell you that I know all that He is doing, but I can tell you that we have never felt urgency like we have before…an urgency to share the Gospel and teach students what it means to live out their faith in the Marketplace.  Will you consider supporting us?  If you have been considering, will you take the step forward to give?  If so, click the "Missions Giving" tab at the top of page, which will take you to our giving page.

I will be using our blog to keep you all informed of our progress!  Let's believe that this won't take 90 days!  :)  And for those of you that are supporting us, thank you for believing in the work that God wants to do through us!  You are such an encouragement.

In Christ,
Charity

OSU Chi Alpha at SALT 2014 in Indianapolis, IN

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters:

We hope that you had a GREAT Christmas remembering and celebrating the real 'Reason for the Season!' Below are some pics from the OSU Chi Alpha Party:

Our Group Pic

Oh you know…just Justin under the mistletoe.  :)

Courtney!  (Volunteer Staff)

Adrienne, Warrior Princess, fighting Steve, a Reindeer.  

Andrew and Ryan

Tom practicing as Santa. 

Jon and Courtney sporting new 'staches!

Omar and Adrienne

Charity and Janelle

Janelle and Adrienne

Please pray as we prepare to attend the Great Lakes Chi Alpha SALT 2014 Conference: Metamorphosis, Become New Through Jesus beginning January 2, 2014 in Indianapolis, IN.  We will be taking four students!  Tom, Charity, and Laura (one of the volunteer staff members) are the leadership attending from OSU.  Please be praying that God will show Himself to the students and that they will have an authentic encounter with Him!  Looking forward to sharing testimonies when we return!  

We are continuing to raise our budget so that we can be full-time at the start of the new semester on January 6th.  If you are considering a financial gift, please remember that you can receive tax credit for 2013 through December 31st.  Please consider helping us be full-time at the start of this new semester!  The students NEED Jesus and they NEED you to help us bring Him to them!    

Happy New Year!  

With Love, 

The Kurz Family 

Oh where oh where has this semester gone?!

Hi Friends, Family, and Supporters,

I know that it has been awhile since we have posted but I wanted to take some time and update each of you!  We have had such an awesome semester getting to know the students and volunteers. Tom and I had a few opportunities to share at the Thursday night meetings.  I had the opportunity to work on developing the worship team.  I have been mentoring the worship leader and helping him to create a solid team who loves Jesus and loves to worship Him.  We attended the Ohio Chi Alpha Fall Breakaway at the beginning of October.  Here is a silly picture of the group:  

We had such a GREAT time at Fall Breakaway getting to know the students and watching them hunger after God!  We are looking forward to our last semester get together tomorrow night as we celebrate Christmas together.  Look for those pics soon!

On the support raising front, we have gained quite a bit of ground.  We are praying that the last $900 will come quickly.  We have some people that have promised to pick us up come January 1st so we are praying that between those faith promises and others that we pick up in the next few weeks that we will have this raised.  This is such a trying process.  Very grateful that I have a job to help us cover expenses.  Living in Columbus is EXPENSIVE but God has been faithful to us providing what we need.  Will you consider joining our team by supporting us financially and prayerfully?  The students at The Ohio State University need Jesus and they need you to support us so that we can have the opportunity to pour into their lives.  Universities and colleges are some of the 'darkest' places in the world.  Evil is concentrated on the college/university campus.  We are believing God to provide the financial need because we know that He has called us "for such a time as this."  Many blessings to each of you!  We love you!

Sincerely,

Charity

Fall is here!

Friends, Family, Supports...

We post more often through Facebook than on the Blog. I want to apologize for this. At this time it is easier for us to do that. Here is the link:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/KurzChiAlpha/

We are so blessed to have you all in our lives. We moved to Columbus August 1. Within 2 weeks The Ohio State University started its fall 2013 classes. We have been working with the current students on a part time basis as we raise our remaining budget. If you have not filled out a form to support us the Missions Giving option above will directly connect you. (or click here )

Charity started work 4 days after we moved in. Zechariah started Kindergarten this fall. Lots of change and opportunities, excitement and frustration. God is on the move at OSU and we know that Gods has us right where we need to be.

My burden is to be full-time come January 1st. This is extremely important. Not just to be able to help grow the current group at OSU but to be able to pour into the students in Chi Alpha and also reach out to the 56 thousand plus that walk by me every time I step foot on campus. We just got back from Fall Break Away the state wide Chi Alpha event. We had 7 students go and get challenged in their walk and faith they have in Christ. We are stepping out of our comfort zone and sharing Christ with those we come in contact each day. Currently I have been on campus about 1 or 2 days a week attending the Thursday night main meeting and meeting one-on-one with students. The rest of my week consists of meetings, traveling, letters and phone calls to get my support raised, so that I can spend more time on campus reaching students, teaching and sharing Christ this Spring.

As you have read, we have been busy getting settled in and learning everything we can about OSU and what we need to get the family settled. Please check out what our Executive Director of U.S. Missions says we as Christians do. This is exactly what we have been working on with OSU Chi Alpha students: http://usmissions.ag.org/resources/

We need to be on campus full time by January to help them start the spring semester. We have been reaching out to churches and friends all over the state.

As we seek out supporters, would you pray that God stirs the hearts of those that are to support us and step out in faith and join our team at OSU?  If you know anyone that believes in the need to reach OSU, please let me know. I would love to have to opportunity to share our burden and passion with them.  When people support us, financially as missionaries, they believe in the work God is doing and going to do through us!

Excited for what's to come,

Thomas Kurz
U.S. Missionary at The Ohio State University

BIG Update

Well, friends, it has been quite some time since we have posted on our blog.  Before we get to the BIG update, let us first let you know what we have been up to.

We have had quite a few roadblocks on our journey since our last post.  Tom had been support raising which was very slow.  Charity had been searching for jobs which wasn't proving to be successful.  So after much prayer and consideration, we felt the Lord continuing His leading of our lives to Columbus.  In obedience, we committed ourselves to moving to Columbus and looking for work specifically in the city and suburbs. 

In the beginning of May, we had the opportunity to attend the Ohio Ministry Network Council.  Chi Alpha (XA) was able to host a display of information about each XA in the state.  Tom and I had the opportunity to connect with an incoming OSU student who was attending Fine Arts, which was also occuring the same time as Council!  Here is a picture of the display:

During our trip to Columbus to Charity interviewed for a school counseling position with a local middle school.  After the long process that is always needed in hiring at schools. We are pleased to say she is the newest employee of Grandview Height Schools District. We are also continuing to support raise.  Tom will not be able to be on campus full-time until the entire budget has been raised.  By supporting us financially and prayerfully, you believe in the work that God is going to do through us! We are planning the move to Columbus in August before the new academic year begins.  We are praying that this budget will be fully raised before we leave Pennsylvania. 

The students at OSU need your support so that we can minister to them on a full-time basis.  Will you join our team?

Help us, help students to find their true potential in Christ!  Help us, help students own their faith.  Help us, help students by joining our support team.

We love you all and are grateful for each member of our team! 

Blessings!
The Kurz Family
(Tom, Charity, Zechariah, and Jeremiah)

Winter Update

Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters,

We hope that each of you had an amazing Holiday Season celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and the new year!  We had a wonderful time with friends and family over the season.  Now we are just trying to stay warm here in the mountains.  :)

We are still continuing to raise our budget.  We could use your prayers.  At this point, it does not look like we are going to have our budget raised in time to be on Ohio State's campus in the fall.  But, we know our GOD is BIG and that He will do what He wants in His time.  So we are believing and trusting that He has it all in His hands!  Please join us in praying for direction over these next months.

The BEST is Yet to Come!

With Love,
The Kurz Family

Fall 2012 Newsletter

Hi Family and Friends,

We hope that your Thanksgiving was blessed! 

Below is our first newsletter.  Enjoy!  Blessings!  (Philippians 3:12-14)

 

XA Fall Breakaway Update/Giving

Hi Team!

Here is a quick update on Fall Breakaway 2012:

From October 12th to 13th, we had the privilege of attending Ohio XA’s Fall Breakaway 2012, hosted at Camp Lebanon in Lebanon, Ohio. This year’s theme was “What’s up with your cup?” with a focus on Ephesians 5.  Jeff Alexander, state-wide XA Director for Indiana, was the key note speaker for the event.  This was an extra special treat for us because we had the privilege, during our Youngstown State University undergraduate years in Chi Alpha to meet Jeff and his wife, Sara, as they served as the campus pastors at The Ohio State University.  Students came to the altar for prayer for the baptism of the Holy Spirit!  What an incredible weekend!  We also had the opportunity to start connecting with the OSU Chi Alpha students!  

We are continuing to raise support.  Please consider giving so that we are able to reach the freshmen at Ohio State!  

A monthly gift of…	Equals a yearly gift of…
$10	$120
$25	$300
$50	$600
$75	$900
$100	$1200

If you are able to give, please do so by clicking the "Missions Giving" tab at the top of the page.  It will take you to our Assemblies of God giving page.  We will continue to keep you updated!  More to come.  Blessings!

Team Kurz

Giving Update and Fall Breakaway 2012

Hi Team!

We just wanted to take a minute to update you regarding the progress on our monthly and cash budgets.  Currently, we have a few people supporting us at $100.00/month and our cash budget is at $1000.00.  We have to raise a total of at least $3320.00/month and a cash budget of at least $5000.00.  We have a LONG way to go but we are believing that God will provide every dollar to send us to Ohio State!  When God calls us to it, He makes a way!  If you are interested in becoming part of our team, financially speaking, please click on the "Missions Giving" tab above.  It will direct you to our giving page through the Assemblies of God website.

We also wanted to inform you that we are traveling to Dayton this weekend to minister to XA students from all across Ohio at Fall Breakaway!  There are 150 students registered!  Praise God!  Will you join us in praying for students' lives to be touched by the power of the Holy Spirit?  We pray that many will be baptized in the Holy Spirit and experience God in new ways.  We also pray that God will speak into lives through the keynote speaker and the breakout session speakers.  Tom will be teaching a breakout session titled Maximizing Your Devotional Life and Charity will be teaching a breakout titled Discerning God's Will for Your Life:  Hearing God's Voice and Being Led by the Spirit.  Please pray that God would use us and the other XA leaders to speak life into these young people!

Looking forward to posting an update soon!  Blessings!

The Kurz Team

Entitlement v. Servant

Why?  It's a question that I think we all find ourselves asking in various times in our lives.  See our society allows us to feel entitled to answers, entitled to quality, and entitled to the "American Dream"...entitled to "why."  As Christians, even though we are children of God, we are not entitled to anything.  God graciously offers forgiveness, love, mercies, and the list goes on.  We never deserve those things; God chooses to give them freely to us.  I have heard sermons before on being entitled because we are children of God and I agree to an extent.  But God chooses to graciously give when we give our lives to Him.  He doesn't have to give because of entitlement, instead He CHOOSES to give. 

In my own life, I have felt entitled to answers from God.  Reasons why things happen the way that they do or did...As evident in my last post, I felt entitled to a reason for why God put us in the middle of State College in the midst of the turmoil what would erupt a few months after moving.  Why did He place us in this community?  Wouldn't we have been better off where we were?  With family, friends, and ministry we dearly loved?  For over a year, I have been asking God these questions without any response.  Oh see He would answer me in other areas and He would show me things not related to our move, but He kept silent for over a year on this particular topic.  It was a tough year not truly being able to recognize His plan in all of this.  To be honest, I did feel entitled to an explanation.  We picked up our family and moved 300 miles east, for what?  I have sacrificed things as a mom, as a wife, and as a minister. 

Last spring, when God began to open our eyes while He opened doors for ministry with XA, I began to see hope and see past the entitlement.  I began to see that God was at work all along!  He had ordained the moments and He had laid steps for us to walk.  It was Him that opened doors for His will!  When I began to focus on just hearing God's voice and being attentive to His leading, my entitlement attitude began to fade.  Things began to look differently.  Don't get me wrong, I still wondered about His reasons for placing us in this community, but I was able to see it from a different angle.  I began to understand that it wasn't necessary for me to have the answers that I felt I needed, but it was necessary for me to trust His leading.  He has never left us or forsaken us.  In whatever He has called us to do, He has always provided. 

So this past Sunday, I went to the altar to remind myself and God that I truly live to serve Him.  While kneeling in His presence, I clearly heard Him speak to me regarding the reasons I wanted.  He said to me, "I sent you to State College and to the University for the people.  See the main reason that I sent you there wasn't to earn a degree but to bring them Me.  I sent Jesus to bring Me even to those who spit on Him and treated Him with contempt.  I sent you there to bring Me even to those who hate what you represent.  Your main purpose there is to bring Me."   

Wow.  It seems so simple:  The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20).  I am here to bring Him to the people. 

The question then is:  am I doing that?  Am I living a life of worship (Romans 12:1-2)?  Are people seeing the Light of Jesus in the darkness?  What am I doing to contribute to their view of Christians?

I think that these questions are for us all to consider as we think about where God has placed us.  Are we truly living the Word in our lives?  Do we love our neighbors even when they show contempt? 

I am writing this entry not only for myself but for each person reading it.  We are not entitled to anything; God has blessed us with His Son, Jesus.  He has blessed us with His gifts of mercy, grace, love, hope, and...you can fill in the rest.  My prayer is that each us would grab hold of the truth that we were created to worship Him by serving Him with our lives.  When we recognize that we exist to serve Him, to do His will, our perspective changes from entitlement to servant. 

Who needs Jesus?

I (Charity) wrote this as a blog post about a year ago...I think that it still has meaning for me today and I thought that I would share it.  

When the Lord called me to complete my Ph.D., I was and still am unsure as to what I will be doing with the education after graduation.  In fact, I am not sure why He called me to the particular school and community that my family I currently reside.  I know that Jesus came to provide salvation for ALL people.  I also know that the people in the realm of academia “get forgotten” when it comes to ministry.  I am not sure if this is because we are afraid to talk to those with “degrees” about Jesus for fear of rejection or if we already assume that they will not accept the message of salvation.  Regardless of whatever qualms may be, we need to recognize that Jesus came to save the academician as well.  He not only came to save people in other countries and others less fortunate, but He also came to save those who work in our nearby universities and schools.  My prayer is for all of us working with academicians (or if we are academicians ourselves)…that the Lord would give us wisdom and would prepare opportunities for us to share the ‘good news.’  After all, He does call us to go into ALL the world, even our universities, and share the good news!  Many blessings! 

(Matthew 28:16-20)