"Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I've come."

“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us." 1 Samuel 7:12
 “If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” – 2 Timothy 2:13

I could say so much about all that has happened here in Aggieland over the past few months. We have had so many fun events, a retreat, large groups, small groups, and the list goes on and on.

Fall Conference

Cat Choir Performing at KANM (The College Station of College Station)

Midnight Yell with freshmen girls

Freshmen "Fish Bus" at Santa's Wonderland

RUF group at Santa's Wonderland

Above all things this semester, I have experienced the faithfulness of God. As I work with students, I watch the Lord go before me and behind me and work in spite of/through my shortcomings and my sin. I am reminded constantly that the Lord is with us and for us even in the midst of great pain. I know He is faithful because He has given us everything in Christ but I see Him pouring out His new mercies every morning and honestly His goodness feels too beautiful to comprehend at times.

 Now this does not mean that everything is easy, not at all actually. There has been much brokenness, lies from the adversary, and many trials. But I know that our Lord has defeated death and will one day wipe away every tear. He is making all things new and He is redeeming an ugly world full of injustice and sin. He will not leave us as orphans and this hope will not fail us. I am constantly reminded in my time here of the Ebenezer stone- the stone of help- and think of the Lord’s continued faithfulness from generation to generation. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Praise God, who is unwavering from age to age.

I would ask you to join me in praying for God’s continued faithfulness in providing financially for this ministry. I am still short about $3,000 and need this to be able to stay through next semester. You all have been so gracious to give and to pray for this ministry already and I know the Lord will continue to provide. If you are interested in giving, no matter how much or how little, please visit the “Support RUF” tab for instructions. (Note- you can still pledge even though we are halfway through! Just send a note to bstandridge@ruf.org  and notify her of your monthly giving plans)

Grace and peace to all of you! God is faithful!

Anna

Two and a half weeks in AGGIELAND

HOWDY!
So before I give my usual spill, lets have an A&M fact, shall we?

Here in Aggieland, "Howdy" is the official greeting, as it says here on the traditions council website (oh yeah, I do research):

"Howdy" is the official greeting of Texas A&M University. It is our way of ensuring that no one feels like a stranger. The exact origin on this tradition is not known. However, "Howdy" is what sets us apart as the friendliest campus in the world.

It's everywhere. I walked into the bank to set up an account and what to my wondering ears did I hear but a friendly "HOWDY! How can we help you today?" Whenever anyone needs to get the attention of a large group, guess what they say?? HOWWDDYY!! Then they reply "HOOWWDDYYY!" Simply put, I really hope they make a t-shirt that says, "You had me at Howdy."

I want to go ahead and apologize for the delay in my posting here. Quite honestly, moving to a new city and trying to figure out life is kind of crazy. Then trying to learn how to do ministry in that new environment is a whole other challenge considering there is a lot of new things going on around me (not to mention the crazy stuff going on in my heart that I had no idea about)...but I digress/I'll share more later.

This is my new room! I downloaded a special panorama app just so I could post this picture for y'all. I have loved living here. I drive to campus every day but it is only a 7 minute drive. My roommates are so wonderful and all work in ministry which is a really cool connector.
-------------
The weekend before school started, we took our ministry team to Boerne (pronounced like Bernie), Texas for our ministry team retreat. We played games, ate good food, bonded (of course), and watched this video on vulnerability. You should watch it.


So if you watched the video, hope it resonated with you as much as it did with us. It really opened up the floor for a lot of encouragement and transparency among our team which is always difficult but necessary to emulate the Gospel.

A shot of our ministry team
-------------
Large group this semester is on the book of Ephesians.

It has been such an awesome experience for me to see how consistent the Gospel is in the midst of my inconsistency. Also, it makes me appreciate this little gold nugget called RUF. We have what is called a "fixed theology with a flexible methodology." This means no matter where you go to RUF, whether it is in Mississippi (holler) or in Texas (holler again) you will hear the same message strait from the Word. It may look a little different in style or set-up but my campus minister reminded us during our ministry team retreat to "hold our preferences loosely." How often do we hold our theology loosely but our preferences with a firm grip? Interesting to think about... Pictures from large group (courtesy of an RUF student- Margaret Stroud):

announcements

 worship

 visiting before large group starts

outside of All Faiths Chapel on campus
-------------
Y'all, Angleball. (see picture below)

We play this every Tuesday with people from RUF and Westminster PCA Church in Bryan, TX. This sport is a mix between quidditch, water polo, ultimate frisbee, yodeling, idk it's all things at once. All I know is, this is my sanctification. 

-------------

On a more serious note, this transition has really revealed my idols. All transitions are hard and I need to give myself room to adjust and to struggle; however, I can see a little more clearly just how much I relied on other things back home or in Oxford to give me affirmation and worth. Now that I am in a new town without any real places to hide, I feel exposed and threatened which leads to questioning of who I really am. Here;s the beautiful thing though: Even though I feel like I have completely built my life around finding affirmation from things other than Jesus, it doesn't change how He feels about me. I was reading 2 Timothy 2:13 which reads- "If we are faithless, he remains faithful--for he cannot deny himself." I also find much comfort in Colossians 2:13-14- "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross." 

Praise be to God that my fickle heart is nailed to the cross and all of its sin is no longer mine to bear. I am adopted into the kingdom forever. 

So to all of you who have persevered to the end of this blog post, y'all are awesome. And to all of my supporters, whether you gave financially or have been praying, thank you for being an instrument of God in my life. I am still AMAZED that He has blessed me with friends who are willing to sacrifice time, money, energy, etc. in hopes that some may come to know Jesus as the lover of their soul.

Grace and peace in Christ who is our hope,

Anna

Texas Bound!

HOOOWWWDYYYY!!

Yes, it is official. I received the "green light" to move to campus today. I have no grid for this. 

All throughout the summer I wondered what this day would feel like. Would there be singing from the celestial choir? Would confetti fly from my bedposts as I woke up that morning? Of course these things did not happen (although it would have been awesome) but I did receive an email telling me I could head to campus. My car is packed and I leave in the morning. What an amazing thing.

As I look back over this summer one theme is consistent: He is able, He is willing, Doubt no more. His ability and my inability met this summer and it allowed me to stare my need for Him in the face. There was no hiding it, I could not do this by myself; although, I tried on almost every occasion to do it out of my own strength. He, being the gracious God that He is, was/is willing and called me to doubt no more. Those three lines are from a hymn we sing in RUF- Come Ye Sinners. That song has been such an accompaniment to my summer and I'd like to share the lyrics with you.

Come Ye Sinners

1. Come ye sinners, poor and wretched,

weak and wounded, sick and sore.

Jesus, ready, stands to save you,

Full of pity joined with power.

He is able, He is able; He is willing; Doubt no more.

2. Come ye needy, come and welcome;

God’s free bounty glorify:

True belief and true repentance,

every grace that brings you nigh.

Without money, without money

Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

3. Come ye weary, heavy laden,

Bruised and broken by the fall.

If you tarry till you’re better,

you will never come at all.

Not the righteous, not the righteous;

Sinners Jesus came to call.

4. Let not conscience make you linger,

nor of fitness fondly dream.

All the fitness He requireth

is to feel your need of Him.

This He gives you, this He gives you,

’Tis the Spirit’s rising beam.

5. Lo! The Incarnate God, ascended;

pleads the merit of His blood.

Venture on Him; venture wholly,

Let no other trust intrude.

None but Jesus, none but Jesus

Can do helpless sinners good.

What a beautiful picture of redemption and hope. I just pray that this summer would serve as a reminder to me that "all the fitness He requires is to feel (my) need of Him." Let us never forget our great great need and His plentiful grace.

Thank you all for your gifts. You were and are absolutely an answer to prayer and an encouragement of the Lord's faithfulness.

By His grace,

Anna

SO SO SO Close!

Hello Everyone!
So as you can see I only have $500 to go! I don't think I will be moving to College Station for freshman move-in this weekend but I am still trying to move to A&M in time for Aggie Welcome Week/Gig 'Em Week which means I need to meet 85% by Monday. I cannot tell y'all how much your prayers and gifts have meant to me. The Lord is so faithful and His timing is absolutely perfect. I am so grateful for you and your support during this journey!

I have broken it down to a few pledges and gifts to get me to 85%:

Pledges-

2 supporters at $15 a month= $300

2 supporters at $10 a month= $200

One time gifts-

2 gifts of $100= $200

4 gifts of $50= $200

4 gifts of $25= $100

Thank you so much for your interest and support!
www.ruf.org/donate

-Anna

The Final Stretch- It's getting SO close!

Hello Everyone!!

As I am sitting here typing this, it is hard for me to even comprehend how close I am to the end of this summer support raising process. I will be honest with you. At every benchmark, every benchmark, I didn't believe that the money was actually there. It was hard for me to imagine one day reaching 85% much less every percentage preceding that one! 

But the Lord is faithful and it is by His hand that all of this has come about. So, I am very thankful to inform you that I have reached 75% of my support as of this morning! Thank you to EVERYONE who has given. Whether it was small or large in your sight, it was and is a beautiful sacrifice and gift to the Lord. I cannot emphasize how much your gifts mean to me. I just cannot thank you enough.

I have been wrestling inwardly during this entire process, what is also known as sanctification, as the Holy Spirit has revealed to me my ugliness and sin. I have been so quick to doubt and so slow to trust. I have been so easily disappointed and so reluctant to hope. I am reminded often that we have been given everything in Christ (Ephesians 1:3) and thus adopted to be co-heirs with Him forever. Why would I doubt the depth of my Father's love and provision. He gives us what we need in His perfect time (Philippians 4:19) I so often forget that what we need (Christ) is already given to us and everything else is God's merciful and gracious blessing.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Please pray that I would remain in this posture of dependence and humility as the Lord remains faithful now and forever but especially in these next week(s) of support raising.
• Please pray that the Lord would provide the rest of this support and willing hearts to give
• Please pray for my patience during this process 
• Please pray for safe travels to Texas when I get the green light to move
• Please pray for students at A&M to know Jesus as their lover and and savior
• Pray for RUF and this internship, my co-interns (Lauren and Jeremy are also fundraising), and my campus minister's family: Ben (CM), Beth (wife), Hannah (daughter), Nathan (son)

Thank you all for being an instrument of encouragement to me in this! I look forward to the exciting days ahead!

Anna

www.ruf.org/donate

Support Update and Reflections on the Month

Hello Everyone!

So as you can see on the graph above, I have officially reached 65% in committed support! The Lord's faithfulness never ceases and His people have been gracious to give. I am once again completely humbled to think that the Lord chooses to use small means to accomplish His big plan. He uses the weak, the needy, the insignificant and weaves it into a beautiful story of provision and intimacy with Himself. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who have given. Whether it seemed like a lot or a little to you, it was and is exactly what the Lord has chosen to provide through your gift and I am simply overwhelmed by your generosity. So, thank you. I need about 20% or around $6,000 to move to campus. I feel so close but I know that I still have a little way to go! If you haven't given already, I ask that you prayerfully consider supporting me. You can donate at www.ruf.org/donate or you can send in a donation. There is more info on the "Support RUF" page if you are unsure how to go about giving your gift.

This summer has definitely been a unique one. Coming home after graduating college leaves you feeling a little displaced and ready for the next step. Of course, in my case raising support for the internship, the next step requires a great deal of trust. Almost every single one of my friends is dealing with the same stage of transition, the transition out of something familiar into something new. We are all learning what it looks like to trust and obey a God who has promised to never let us out of His hand. My friends and I have talked a good deal about the idea of "manna" or "our daily bread" that the Lord provides both in our daily needs and ultimately in Christ, the bread of life. I have seen my tendencies to try and manipulate God's provision or store away his blessings in case He "falls through" at some point. However, just like the Israelites in the desert, I find that the manna spoils when I try to keep it to myself or create a safety net of my own sorts. I am not made to have a fallback plan for God. He is all in all and all providing. I have tried so hard during this process to set up some sort of fail proof system so if the Lord doesn't provide, speaking out of my own ignorance here, I can still make it work. Fortunately, we serve a God who is constantly searching for the lost sheep and constantly providing manna for the grumbling Israelites. I have seen my identity in both of these easy targets for Biblical reproach and can now say I deserve to be called both more than I deserve to be called precious or righteous. The funny thing is, I have no idea just how precious I am to my God and just how righteous I am in Christ. The other underlying theme that has risen is the obviousness of my own hunger. I have such a hunger for stability, faithfulness, and consistency that can only be satisfied in Christ. However, I find myself expressing these hunger pains and feeding on my own inability, the empty promises of the world and ultimately self-glory. God will be glorified above all else and He also promises that one day we too will be glorified, but not on this Earth and definitely not in a way that worships our sinful heart above a perfect and holy God. These trials and revealings of my heart are simply put the most faithful thing the Lord can do for His children: sanctify them and make them like Jesus. This is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory, too great to comprehend with our finite minds. One day all of my ugliness will be washed away forever by the blood of the Lamb and I will praise the One who was faithful, forever and ever.

Praise the Lord. His mercies are new every morning.
Anna

Lamentations 3:21-24
But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him."

Prayer Cards

Just ordered these to send out to my supporters! 

Support Update!

Hello friends!
It has been a very stretching few weeks. I am starting to really see the mesh between being obedient to ask potential supporters to become actual supporters and trusting God in His providence to soften hearts towards this ministry. It is a strange balance but the best balance no less. It is so much like everything else in our lives, trusting a sovereign God while responding in faith and obedience. Our ability and motivation is rooted in our identity through Christ and it is His love that compels us. I won't lie, I have been so tempted to become complacent, stubborn, prideful and anxious. These are all very present in my day-to-day. However, I have also been shown goodness and mercy through the hands and feet of Christ. I pray when all of this initial support raising process concludes I will look more like Christ and realize the depth of my dependence on Him.

Here are ways you can pray for me:
1. Opportunities to share about my future with RUF at A&M
2. That the Lord would give me the words when I have the opportunity to share and that I would not be tempted to rely on my own ability
3. That my heart would remain in a position of humility and repentance during this process and throughout the internship
4. That people would support this ministry

Breakdown of the Chart:
As seen on the chart above, I am currently at around 56% (This is including verbal commitments). That means I am predicting that about $16,180 is raised. I am so incredibly thankful for all who have committed and who have already given. The Lord is using your gifts in such a mighty way to encourage me and give me a picture of the role of the Church. As you give in faith that the Lord will work, I wait for the days when we can rejoice in fruits of your gifts that the Lord will surely provide.

Here's the next step: I still need a little over $8,000 to move to campus. I need about $12,289 to provide for an entire year on campus, meaning I would be able to stay all year and not step off campus to raise support. Please pray with me that the Lord would move people to give and to pray. It has become so obvious to me that I cannot do this on my own. God is doing this for His glory and my good. HIS glory, not mine, is the most important thing now and forever so I pray that this support raising process would be nothing less than another opportunity for His name to be lifted up.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Ephesians 3:20-21

By His grace-
Anna

Training, Newsletters, and Summering...

So here I am... a week after training, a week after support raising and a few weeks into Summer 2012. All I can say is the Lord is so good.

 

Training

What began as 3am send-off in Hattiesburg, Miss. (with my intern pal-Molly Griffith), ended as a week full of new friends, amazing stories, seminars, and a confidence that the Lord is working all things out for our good and his glory. Our intern class was able to spend a lot of free time together which was encouraging and a lot of fun (note the pictures below taken by an intern friend Rachel Hagan [graduate of A&M no less!] at the cookout we had on the last night).

Some of the boys grilling

Our Intern class! (All 62!)

Some good RUF hymns thanks to Abbey and Haddon

A group of us eating

It is so awesome to see how the Lord brings people together from all walks of life in something as unique as the RUF Internship. We are all so different but united in Christ. It really was a wonderful reminder that the Lord is working in intimate ways in each of our lives while also being the God of the universe. He has put us together in this experience for a very specific reason and he has promised to equip us and qualify us to share the Gospel on college campuses around the nation. 

Newsletters

As of last Thursday, all of the newsletters I sent out should have arrived at their rightful destination. I could not be more excited/nervous. A lot of it has to do with the idea that this process has officially begun; a process that I have been waiting for since, well, a really long time. Yet, now that it is here, I am met with two different emotions: joy and fear. There it is!-the "fear" cat is out of the RUF Internship bag. Both of these emotions meet me daily and kind have a of tug-of-war over my general demeanor. Thankfully, we serve a God whose perfect love casts out fear- fear of failure, fear of vulnerability, fear of inability, fear of the processes associated with support raising, fear of the unknown. Also, what greater joy could I have than sharing how the Lord has been faithful through RUF? This is such a door for his name to be lifted up and how selfish am I to claim these opportunities as my own? Again, thanks be to God whose mercies are new every morning; whose steadfast love never ceases. (Lamentations 3:21-26) So as the support raising continues, I look forward to the days and weeks ahead in which the Lord will work and ultimately bring glory to his name. 

Summer-ing

This summer has already been so different from my last one with MTW in Brasov, Romania. But the funny thing is the theme has been exactly the same: Trust God. I have been reading Trusting God by Jerry Bridges (which is one of our required books for the Internship) and it has been such a gift during this start-up period. 

"It is just as important to trust God as it is to obey Him. When we disobey God we defy His authority and despise His holiness. But when we fail to trust God we doubt His sovereignty and question His goodness." p. 16 

"God will allow nothing to subvert His glory, so He will allow nothing to spoil the good He is working out in us and for us." p. 24

Bridges also refers to the verse I used as my theme verse for last summer: 

This God—his way is perfect;

the word of the LORD proves true;

he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

For who is God, but the LORD?

And who is a rock, except our God?—

the God who equipped me with strength

and made my way blameless.

(Psalm 18:30-32 ESV)

I can't wait to share more with y'all in the weeks to come! 

Anna

Oh hey video!

This short video gives a little insight into the internship! If you want to know more about the particulars of the internship visit this site. View on!

Howdy!...or "Hey Y'all" in other terms.

     First and foremost, thank you for taking time to visit the blog! I am just kind of getting started so there will be much more on here in the days to come. 

     Fundraising/Support raising has begun (yahoo!) and I could not be more excited to get this fantastic show on the road!

     I need so much prayer right now as I begin to enter this phase of my life as well as prayers for support and the future of this ministry. I will be writing on the blog certain prayer requests that arise during this time as a way to invite y'all to pray alongside me for very specific things. 


Also,
     I need to raise $28,470 total but I can move to campus when I have raised $24,200. Raising this money is my full-time job for this summer so updates on this aspect of my job will be posted on here as well so we can praise God together for his continued faithfulness. 
I won't bore you with the details now but I'll be glad to do as much soon!


In Christ,

Anna