Large Group and Other Activities!

Large Group:

We’re still having new students join us almost each week at large group, which is really fantastic. Many of my students are wrestling with understanding how to live for Christ in God’s strength rather than their own. Their view of God as a one-dimensional, demanding, taskmaster is very pervasive. This being said, our large group’s focus on Romans and dealing with sin has been a fantastic conversation starter for many students.

We are in a music leader transition, and we would love prayer for God to raise up confident, willing leaders who are willing to serve their campus by leading worship at large group.

Activities:

We had a bonfire/ barn dance in January, (see pictures below), I got to experience my first “Not a Date” night (designed to help students get to know each other without the pressure of a date!), and we’re headed to Fort Lauderdale for Spring break in less than a week! There are many other events that I would love to tell you more about, but for now, more about this spring break trip!

We’ll be working with HOPE South Florida (http://www.hopesouthflorida.org/ ), where we’ll jump into their work to combat homelessness and poverty in Fort Lauderdale. We’ll be serving meals to the homeless, deep cleaning their childcare facility, painting, and repairing homes. Please pray that God would use us to encourage the staff of HOPE South Florida, and to impact our hearts to love the people we encounter this week and beyond when we return to Tampa!

On a side note, I got to design the t-shirt for the trip, which made me very happy. :) The general idea is below. Stay tuned for pictures of us in the real thing!

We couldn't have asked for a better barn--complete with lights and picnic tables!

Action shots are the best.

The colors and fonts are a little different, but you get the idea. :)

Making Our Ears Attentive

Wow. A blog update is LONG overdue. In the next couple of weeks, I’m going to try to catch up bit by bit, all the while not repeating what’s in my newsletter. You should be receiving my newsletter in the mail in the next few days. Let me know if you’d like to receive one but don’t! (katie.carroll@ruf.org).

Small groups are going wonderfully. It is so rewarding to see students in the bible on a regular basis, and to watch as caring community begins to form for (maybe) the first time! It’s also encouraging students to come to church, as our ministry team talks with our new, weak Christians about what it means to walk with Christ day in and day out. My car this week is full on the way to church—that is a HUGE answer to prayer! We’re reading through proverbs right now. Join me in praying, for myself and for my students, that God would cause them to treasure God’s commandments, to call out for insight, and to seek understanding like sliver. God’s promises are powerful and nothing is impossible for Him!

            My son, if you receive my words

                        and treasure up my commandments with you,

            making your ear attentive to wisdom

                        and inclining your heart to understanding;

            yes, if you call out for insight

                        and raise your voice for understanding,

            if you seek it like silver

                        and search for it as for hidden treasures,

            then you will understand the fear of the LORD

                        and find the knowledge of God.

            For the LORD gives wisdom;

                        from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

            he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

                        he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

            guarding the paths of justice

                        and watching over the way of his saints.

(Proverbs 2:1-8 ESV)

Though I don't actually have a picture of a small group in action, these are some of the girls that I'm spending time with each week!