Ginger has taken a campus ministry position with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA. This is the letter she's been sending. (If you haven't received one yet, don't be sad. I'm sending them slowly.) If we don't have your mailing address, we'd love to have it! Or, if you'd like to join the prayer list, sign up here. If you want to donate now, click here.
Dear Friends and Family,
I want to share with you an exciting decision I made this summer. When I was in college, I had specific map for the next few years of my life as I followed my plan to become a licensed architect. However, I began to wonder if I had a calling to campus ministry. Although I found the idea appealing, a three to five year commitment did not fit my schedule.
Then God set aside my schedule. He did not eliminate the passion and knowledge encouraged by my studies, but I no longer felt obligated to pursue architecture. God had been preparing me, giving me opportunity to use my writing and teaching skills during four years of leading dorm Bible studies and mentoring other leaders. I felt a clear line drawn between the ministry work I loved and excelled in, and the school work which was unfulfilling. But when I graduated, doubt held me back from entering full-time ministry. Since college, I have worked a variety of positions, and none were in architecture or leading into a career.
This summer, God gave me a second chance to pursue this dream. The campus ministry which had greatly impacted my life has appointed me as a university staff member. I had fears until the moment I said yes, and now I am joyful that God has set me in the right place.
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) is an inter-denominational, evangelical campus mission serving more that 32,000 students and faculty in more than 550 campuses in the United States. I believe the university is the most strategic mission field in our country. For many young adults, their college years are a time when they pursue or abandon faith, and set the direction of their future.
The IVCF vision is “to see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed, and world changers developed.” I witnessed this during my time at Texas Tech, and I long to take part in it again. Many of my peers had transformative moments, whether accepting Jesus as Savior for their first time or moving beyond a childhood belief and choosing to center their lives on Him. I want to take what I learned about interacting with the campus to this new place, to share love and provoke curiosity about Jesus. Most of all, I am excited about training student leaders to be bold in faith and to use their gifts wherever they go in life.
This academic year, I will be based at Rhode Island College (RIC) in Providence. I have already met several members of the chapter. They are full of enthusiasm and love to interact with their campus through social justice events. I hope to encourage their excitement to connect with other students while centering on Jesus.
As a staff member for IVCF, part of my responsibility includes fundraising both my salary and ministry expenses. InterVarsity will provide me with extensive training, mentoring, and support. I hope you will be able to participate in this mission with me, financially and in prayer. Investing in students will multiply over and over. Matthew 6:20-21 advises: “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Please pray and consider how God could use you in campus missions.
Thank you for the support and encouragement you have already given me. I would not be ready to continue this ministry on my own.
Love in Christ,
Ginger
No comments:
Post a Comment