Highlights. I just got back from a mens retreat and then a week long training class in Dallas on methods to be more effective in reaching international students. I confess, my head is swimming. The material presented at both the retreat and the class were extremely valuable and used by God to convict and encourage me. From the retreat I learned more about the dual blessing of God's command to 'not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' Not only is knowing and treasuring His word in our heart necessary to defeat satan and his temptations it also means to allow it to dwell in us so we are abiding in Christ and it is nourishing our growth in Him. From the class I learned even more how to honor my ministry partners (you) with the challenge - Do you see your donors and not just their donations as gifts from God? I also was convicted of my need to move forward more on my knees than in my efforts. To see my ministry partners and the students as the same in terms of what God has called me to do in love and in prayer. Both of these I am taking as my 2 highest actionable priorities right now.
I start our leadership development focus tomorrow and will continue it throughout the summer. I have 6 great Christian students who will help lead our Internaltion Students club at Sac St for next year. The next group is with 7 Christian students who are involved in the outreach at the other 6 campuses in the area. I am very excited about both groups of students. They all truly reflect God's beauty in their lives.
Our ISI presdient, Dr Doung Shaw has started a Blog. I can not say enough good things abou this man. He has been one of the major reasons I got more involved with ISI in the first place. He is so kind and gentle but firm in his desire to reach international students and yet always be in dependens on the Lord and to wait for His leading. He is also a metrics guy and always updates us on our progress with tangible data. Here is his blog: http://www.dougshawblog.com/
Lowlights. Today was the last outreach event for this school year. We only had 2 students show. As noted above, I really need to get more on my knees and seek the Lord on this. Is this His will to filter these 2 students to the top, revealing their commitment or are we doing something wrong? Did He take a turn and we missed following Him?
Story 1 - Esther
I might be jumping ahead of myself on these 2 stories.These are 2 girls that will be in the leadership group for our Sac St club next year. I have known both equally for one year. Esther comes from Taiwan. Although she was from a Christian family, they had a serious financial fallout before she came to the US. Like most people the fallout created an awful lot of stress within the family and as stress is prone to do will eventually push us away from God and each other, if we let it. At the worst point in it all, Esther was even thinking of taking her own life. Long story short, God spoke into her heart in her deepest need and she rededicated her life in even a deeper way to Him. Her family is healthy again and the relationships healed. Esther now wants to share what God took her through with as many people as possible. She now helps lead the high school group and worship at her church.
Story 2 - Natasha
Natasha is from Moldova.Just like Esther, when you meet her you can see the beauty of the Lord and you immediately sense her gentle and caring spirit. Her major is child development and you can see she has the spirit to touch children. She also comes form a Christian family and from her stories the gospel is spreading like mustard seed there. However, she spoke of many troubles within her country, both economically and natural disasters. Her family left the country when she was in high school and they are all living here by Sacramento St as their children are pursuing their education here. She is very happy and engaging and bold in her ideas to reach more students.
Metrics
http://isiervthomas.weebly.com/metrics
http://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Document/2015/by-the-numbers.pdf
Pics
Prayer Requests
- For our leadership development over the summer. We have 13 faithful, humble Christian international students to pour into over the next 3 months. We really need God to show us what to pour into them. How to get them ready to minister next year, for sure, but also just to build them up in their own most holy faith.To use this opportunity just to bless them and help them become more goldy men and women, in general.
- God will continue to bless our open door with ELI and the Indian engineering students. That we can grow these groups and reach even more students <<I have been waiting on the reinstatemnt of our charter but maybe there is something we can do with ELI over the summer to bless them and further our relationship?>>
- God would show us why the attendance at our Talk Times and Bible studies have been decreasing. Does He want us to just focus more on the ones that are coming or be more creative in meeting their needs while communicating the gospel? <<Still don't know>>
- Reinstatement of our club charter so we can meet in a classroom once again. <<Still waiitng! :( Hopefully, by start of Fall semester>>
Admonition
“This is one of the most deplorable results of sin; it injures us most by taking from us the capacity to know how much we are injured; it undermines the man’s constitution, and yet leads him to boast of unfailing health; it makes him a beggar, and tells him he is rich; it strips him, and makes him glory in his fancied robes...
Sin, like the deadly frost of the northern regions, benumbs its victim before it slays him!" - CH Spurgeon