October 22nd, 2008--

I have been in Long Beach for about 12 weeks now, and I would appreciate if you would take some time to pray for me personally, apart from my ministry. I am still adjusting to a new place, a new job, a new staff team, etc. I would love your prayers on the following issues:

1. Would you pray that God would continue to bless me by opening up his word to me each day? I think of Col. 1:9

We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

2. Would you pray that God would give me wisdom and direction as I consider my summer plans?

3. Would pray that God would continue to bless my fund-raising? I intend to some significant fund-raising over Christmas break.

4. Would pray this prayer from Philippians for me?

I pray that your love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best, and may be pure and blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here is a recent photo of me hard at work at a friend's wedding.

October 15th, 2008

Ben is a freshman in my believer's study. He is studying graphic design. Ben and I met at our survey tables and he expressed an immediate interest. It has been exciting to see his heart to grow and learn.

As I have been praying for Ben, God kept bringing up the phrase "Apollo, mighty in the Scriptures," which is how Luke describes Apollo in Acts. My intuition tells me that Ben can be a man who is mighty in the Scriptures. So I have been praying that for him lately.

Requests for Ben:

1. That the Word would be his "joy and delight" (Jer. 15:16)

2. That he would develop a heart for the lost.

3. That God would be calling out to his heart and molding him.

October 8th, 2008

The suites in Haroon's dormitory seemed to be designed specifically for successful Investigative Bible Discussions! Last night, for the first time, he and I read the Bible together in the common room of his suite, working through John 1. As I explained to him the oneness of God and the divinity of Jesus (important points for Muslims), around 7-8 people filtered in and out of the room, many stopping to ask us what we were doing, and a few even sitting down to listen and discuss!

The most amazing part is that Haroon himself is my recruiter! God clearly has a hand on his life, and I am fascinated to see what happens as we continue to read the Word together on Tuesday nights.

Pray:

1. For Haroon--continued openness, penetration of the truth, repentance.

2. For other students in the suite--Paul, Stuart, Charles (there are more that I haven't met yet)

3. That God would bless our time on Tuesday nights, that his Word would go forth with power, and that he would draw many men to himself!

October 1st, 2008

I Corinthians 3: 6-7--

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

This is one of those verses that is both encouraging and humbling. I am the planter of seeds, I am the waterer of plants...but I am nothing. All my planting and all my watering is empty unless God is causing growth.

This week, I want to come before God in humility, and ask him to cause growth in the lives of the guys he was brought me. He does this through my words, through my actions.

Pray:

1. That God would be causing growth in the lives of the guys in my freshman study: Cavin, Ben, Rudy, Andrew, and Andrew (not a typo, we have added a second Andrew).

2. That God would be blessing the seeds that I am planting in the lives of Haroon, Mo, Nick, Noah, Chris, Brandon, and others.

3. That God would cause growth in me as well!

September 24th, 2008

I just returned from a man-to-man with Cavin. It was such a joy! Cavin is one of the members of my freshman Bible study, and he and have been looking into what it means to have Christ as the center of our lives. Cavin is a real charismatic guy--as I walk around campus with him, every other person that we pass seems to know him!

Over the next few weeks, Cavin and I will be hanging out in his dorm, trying to read the Bible with his suitemates.

Pray:

1. For Cavin's continued growth in his walk with Jesus...increased devotion and the development of spiritual disciplines.

2. For opportunities to read the Bible and share Christ with his suitemates this semester.

3. For growth in the friendships in my Bible study.

September 17th, 2008

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

This is Colossians 1:13-14, one of my favorite verses. I think of it as I walk across campus to remind myself of what God is doing here at Long Beach. The dominion of darkness is real, and powerful! But God is redeeming men and making them his own, ushering them into the kingdom.

Pray:

1. For the kingdom to be advancing through me.
2. For non-Christian students to work with. I have met a few, but I would love to meet more.
3. For the students I am working with to gain a heart for their non-Christian friends.

September 10th, 2008

I apologize for being a day late.

I had my first freshman Bible study, so over the next four weeks I want to quickly profile the four members of the study. If you guys want to keep all four of these guys in your prayers on a weekly basis, that would be great. There names are:

Rudy, Cavin, Ben, Andrew

First, Rudy. Here is a picture of Rudy:



Rudy is a first-year student, studying music. He is a very talented musician who made the top band, a rarity for freshmen. He is has been fun to hang out with already because of his eagerness to grow.

1. Pray that the guys would bond together and become friends. They are very different.
2. Pray that God would continue to create a hunger for his Word in the study.
3. Pray for wisdom and humility for me as I lead.