A quick look at Davidson

Two weeks ago today I was moving to Davidson. Now, at least compared to my co-intern (who has been here less than 24 hours at this point), I'm decently settled. In fact, my life as an RUF intern is in full swing, or sort of...

Last week was a blur of awesome and crazy. Monday morning I was concerned because I had nothing to do, and then, suddenly, the week filled up, and I was hanging out with sweet people from the RUF Servant Team, and having my first one-on-ones with a handful of freshmen girls (plenty of butterflies in the stomach before those)! Although Davidson's first RUF Large Group was not until last night (details in a moment), we went to the Student Activities Fair on Thursday night, and then had an open-invite BBQ in the middle of campus on Friday. So lots of meeting people and trying desperately to remember faces and names. I could overwhelm you with details, but I'm trying to be semi-succinct.

So far, I've begun to see how very different Davidson is from Samford. Not that I'm very surprised, since Samford is basically a little Southern Baptist bubble. But really, just walking around campus and watching students interact, or talking with freshmen who have come to our events, I'm struck with the sense of lost-ness here. The Student Activities Fair was a good picture of that. About 150 organizations came to entice students to get involved with their particular activity, and these organizations were divided up accross the grass into sort of categories. So RUF was naturally lumped in with all the other religious organizations. Our area of the lawn was a varitable assortment of Christian ministries, muslim, interfaith, and jewish organizations, and even a meditation club. From my vantage point, I was able to witness students meandering from one table to the next, picking up a card or putting down their name at each of these tables in turn. This is a different kind of lost-ness than what I have seen. And at the same time, it holds great potential for ministry, as these students desperately seek something to fill the gaping hole in their life that academics and social involvement cannot fill. Some students that I've had personal conversations with have given me this impression as well.

In all this, I've never felt like I needed to spend more time in prayer and confess my own weaknesses than now. As excited as I am for the opportunities that I'm already beginning to see at Davidson, I have never felt more inadequite. Seriously. I know that is where we are supposed to be, and the study program we are reading through is helpful in reminding us of Paul's confession in 2 Corinthians 12:10, "For when I am weak, then I am strong." Really believing this and living out of the riches I have been given is harder.

Prayer requests would be, first of all, that I would be comfortable with where God has put me right now - that is, that even though I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing every waking hour, or when I do know what I'm supposed to be doing, I don't know how I'm supposed to be doing it, that I would rest in the assurance that Christ is greater than my own insecurities. Also, pray that I might find a good church body to be a part of in this area. There are options, but I am impatient, and I'm struggling to choose between them and be okay with them. I'm lonely for the company of people I can talk to and get to know as friends, so please pray for friendships, and patience as I wait for those too! And do pray that God would work in the lives of students here, and use this ministry at Davidson to grow his Kingdom!

And last but certainly not least - THANK you so much for all of your encouragement - through prayer, phone calls, comments, emails...I'm incredibly grateful and know I would not be where I am without you!