Exploration to brokenness

NUMBERS 13

We read this passage this afternoon at our debriefing session after we got back from campus.  It was kinda cool because I guess you could say this was an early example of decoding ;) which is something we have been doing with our campuses.

It is really neat because I can totally identify with their situation.  They were sent into the promised land to check it out, see what kind of people inhabited it/to see if they were strong or weak, to potentially claim it, and to harvest the fruits...when the spys got back some of them said that it was impossible to overtake the people living there because they were too strong, but Joshua and Caleb, who trusted the Lord knew what God had promised and knew that he would see them through.  I identify with this because I totally get how scary it is coming to a new place, where the people are strong and can seem to overwhelm you.  That is how I have felt every day we have stepped foot on a campus.  The people are many, rebellious, and most could prolly care less about God...For example I have had two conversations with atheist in the past week...one was today...

Today my group went to our home college for the first time...all the way out in Coney Island(which is like an hour and a half commute) but its on the beach which is sweet.  So I partnered up with my home boy Aaron from Lenior Rhyne.  We were trying to see if we could sit with some people during lunch and start some conversation...our first attempt failed(cuz the girl would not get off her phone) so we just ate and talked about Jesus amongst ourselves...well I notice this girl sitting by herself behind us, so we decide to go talk to her...we were going to start with a survey and she said she would be glad to take a survey (surveys are used a lot with CRU because they are a great way to begin spiritual convos)...the survey went well...we asked her about her religious background and she said her dad was catholic, her mom was agnostic, and she was atheist.  So we get to talkin and we found out she is a big science person and believes that over christianity...I could sit her and talk about everything we talked about but that would take forever!  So I am just going to say that the conversation was awesome, we talked for like 45 minutes...we asked her a couple questions about her beliefs that she was stumped on and it was just cool how we could see the wheels turning in her head.  By the end of the conversation she told us that sometimes she is totally atheist, but some days she leans more toward being an agnostic...which means even though she doesn't admit it, she def. thinks about spiritual things and has def. though long and hard about what she should believe...She is such a sweet girl...she is an artist and loves to paint and draw (like me)...we talked a lot about that...I did ask her to consider how "if" there was a God...that he created her like how an artist would create a sculpture (she loves sculpting too) and all of the time, love, energy, and passion that goes into making it...she thought about this for a second and then changed the subject...she eventually had to go to class but said she would love to talk with us some more...good thing we are going back tomorrow and for the next 4 weeks be there twice a week...I know my words might not explain my thoughts completely but it was an amazing conversation!

ALSO...my friends Alex (my adopted little bro) and Andrea got an amazing opportunity today...Jesus used them to lead someone to Christ...so cool!

It is neat because even though sharing our faith on campus is scary and its like exploring a crazy world where the people overwhelm you and it seems like you will never win...God is on our side...just like with the Israelites...and if we stand up for him and are obedient to what he has called us to do...HE will see us through and we will harvest fruit from it...and today was such an amazing example of that, and it is so cool that we ended up studying this passage after all of that happened today :)

MERMAIDS 

This evening my friend Dorothy Wu came up to visit...she lives in Jersey and came up for the night...We tried to get the lottery for Wicked tickets but didn't get them :( but hey 3rd time is a charm right, so maybe next time...but congrats to my bible study leaders who lucked out! soo we were meandering down broadway at rush hour trying to figure out what we were gonna do...we were thinking about going to the Yankes game but then spotted the Little Mermaid sign...and we went in to see how much their prices were and thanks to our student ID's we got cheap tickets...well cheap for Broadway ($30) but that is only $2.50 more than I would have paid in the lottery for Wicked...ANYWAY so we get the tickets and we sit in the balcony off to the right side which is really close to the stage...IT WAS AMAZING!!! I have never seen anyhing like it...plus I love the little mermaid...uhhh It was so awesome...I am in love with broadway now :) my favorite song was "Kiss the girl"...it was just so sweet!  My second fav was "Under da sea"...it was so fun...Dorothy was so sweet too...I had so much fun with her...And I thank her soooo much for hanging out with me for the night!

so yeah how bout im really tired and I don't know why I am still awake so im going to bed...thats all :)