"So, how was this week for you?" my discipler asked me. "I feel very lonely," I replied. "Why is that? Aren't you attending the post-college fellowship and serving in the college ministry?" "Yeah...but the post college fellowship is going to disband soon, and I don't think the college students understand what I am going through...I don't blame them...its complex," I said. Since coming back to Sacramento, meetings with my discipler from my home church had been the biggest breath of fresh air. He had really stuck with me, listening and guiding me through my frustration, and giving me solid Biblical advice. "Well, what's on your mind?" He asked. "I feel like nothing exciting has really happened since I cam back," I said, "Sac is so boring (More on this in a later post). I know God wants me to be here, but why? Life is so monotonous." "Well," he began, "you are in leadership for college ministry right? You are impacting their lives. That should be exciting."
I began to reflect upon the college ministry the past couple of years. When I first came back, the leadership was non-existent and not very many people showed up. At the time, I felt a big urge to help out and serve, but I knew I did not have a big young adult community to fuel me up while doing this ministry. It would be very hard to go through an already rough transition and serve in a ministry. So, I decided to look for other fellowships in hope of finding a community that was much needed for me. But as more and more doors closed for fellowships, I realized God had given me the passion to serve at my home church. As a result, I bit the bullet and started serving in the college ministry even though I felt like I was about to cross a vast desert with only half a bottle of water. I remember struggling to keep my faith healthy while trying to help other people's faith.
Regardless how I felt, God began to work immediately with the college group when I decided to start serving. Within six months, the numbers jumped from six people to ten people. A fellowship leader was nominated and Bible studies became more structured. In a year's time, God had done amazing things with the college fellowship. He had relit the fire within the group, increased the attendance, and brought in a new student leadership. Once I missed a meeting and asked a leader, "How many people showed up?" and he answered, "Not very many...about 12." It really showed how much God had grown the group. In addition, I thought I would burn out helping the college ministry, but God provided relief and rest from my home church's post college fellowship and a discipler who had agreed to help me through the year.
I began to realize my life was a lot fuller than I thought it was. "Wow, I never realized how much God had done!" I said. It had been pretty exciting. I never realized there was much change in the people around me. "It is very amazing when we do think back on what God had done in our lives," my discipler replied.
As we closed in prayer, I began to realize what I want clouded over the great things that has been happening over the past two years. I wanted to stay in the Bay; I wanted to be part of a big young adult community; I wanted everything to just work out. But I missed all the great things that God did do; providing development in the college ministry; providing the leaders with ideas and consolidated them into reality; and even during the times that I felt like I was getting burned out and that I need community, God provided me rest and support through the post college fellowship and my discipler. God had everything in control all along. See, I might have been crossing a vast desert with only half a bottle of water, chasing after the mirage of a big giant lake. But all along God had lead me to many different small oasis, providing me just enough to continue and get across that desert.
I began to reflect upon the college ministry the past couple of years. When I first came back, the leadership was non-existent and not very many people showed up. At the time, I felt a big urge to help out and serve, but I knew I did not have a big young adult community to fuel me up while doing this ministry. It would be very hard to go through an already rough transition and serve in a ministry. So, I decided to look for other fellowships in hope of finding a community that was much needed for me. But as more and more doors closed for fellowships, I realized God had given me the passion to serve at my home church. As a result, I bit the bullet and started serving in the college ministry even though I felt like I was about to cross a vast desert with only half a bottle of water. I remember struggling to keep my faith healthy while trying to help other people's faith.
Regardless how I felt, God began to work immediately with the college group when I decided to start serving. Within six months, the numbers jumped from six people to ten people. A fellowship leader was nominated and Bible studies became more structured. In a year's time, God had done amazing things with the college fellowship. He had relit the fire within the group, increased the attendance, and brought in a new student leadership. Once I missed a meeting and asked a leader, "How many people showed up?" and he answered, "Not very many...about 12." It really showed how much God had grown the group. In addition, I thought I would burn out helping the college ministry, but God provided relief and rest from my home church's post college fellowship and a discipler who had agreed to help me through the year.
I began to realize my life was a lot fuller than I thought it was. "Wow, I never realized how much God had done!" I said. It had been pretty exciting. I never realized there was much change in the people around me. "It is very amazing when we do think back on what God had done in our lives," my discipler replied.
As we closed in prayer, I began to realize what I want clouded over the great things that has been happening over the past two years. I wanted to stay in the Bay; I wanted to be part of a big young adult community; I wanted everything to just work out. But I missed all the great things that God did do; providing development in the college ministry; providing the leaders with ideas and consolidated them into reality; and even during the times that I felt like I was getting burned out and that I need community, God provided me rest and support through the post college fellowship and my discipler. God had everything in control all along. See, I might have been crossing a vast desert with only half a bottle of water, chasing after the mirage of a big giant lake. But all along God had lead me to many different small oasis, providing me just enough to continue and get across that desert.
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