December, 2014

Merry Christmas everyone!

Wishing you the “holly”-est and “jolly”-est of Christmases!

Does God really care about me?

Does God really care as much as we do?

Is God actually better than us?

These have been some of the essential primal questions that several souls here have basically been

asking this past semester when I hear - “…I don’t like that you say Jesus is the only way…” (*what does that

mean for our hearts? - check out the side note, last page)

I think our hearts mission and desire this past fall semester has been to invite and go out and intersect

the precious and loved-lives we are already around and in…and to pray for and hope for and do our best

to engage others in these conversations to help bring as many as we can – as far as we can in HIM. To

help American students and international students – all of them, to have conversations that make sense

and help us all see you, Father God, for who you are and help them have some clarity about what is

important and what is true.

Thank you God for you, for your Son, Jesus and for the Holy Spirit. Thank you Father God for just loving

us and coming for all of us!!! …you gave you very best when we were at our very worst –

…you are the only King forever…almighty God we lift you higher…forever more you are victorious!

Thank you everyone...HE is using all of you to help students and others here at Truman State University

to hear that God DOES really care about them and loves them, and to help everyone come farther along

in HIM, wherever the process of their faith is.

When people ask “Hey, how is the BSU doing?” I like to respond with stories of actual lives here being

influenced and impacted by HIIM and for HIM and of how we are working intentionally “formally” and

“informally” to just help people experience God and meet Jesus wherever they are in life. So it is for us

programmatic and also missional, both. So, since it was good enough for Paul to list out people by

name…let’s do it.

(Check out how the last chapter of Romans reads, Chapter 16 – so crazy, just a list of names right?

Not hardly – thanks to Steve Easterwood – loving retired pastor, who shared in “the house” with us

and helped us to see just how much God is so about wanting a relationship with all of us –

individually, dynamically, daily, and passionately – and to share that love and be a spiritual

father/mother/brother/sister to another…to make disciples of all – Mathew 28:18-20).

…so let’s start with the missional and just the lives we are hoping we are bringing deeper into a love

relationship with Jesus in every way.

Greet Mandy, Kendra, Hannah, Shelby, Gabe, Jody, and Megan, such dear students to us, who

have been the leadership formally and informally to so many here. Hearing how their best

friends have become the ones on leadership, of how they are just trying to run the race and

leave the things that hinder and the sin that so easily entangles (Hebrews 12), how they are just

trying to love people really, and love them with the hope of helping them know HIS love and

inviting them into their apartments to bake cookies or to hang out…our to huge thanksgiving

feast that college students pull off beautifully on their own with their own resources (and a BSU

building to eat in), having conversations of just what HIS plan is and to wade into some “not so

easy” conversations of desiring to help others “embrace the plan and not try to erase it”, of

doing crazy things like hanging out in dorm lounges (which is a huge leap of trust and

conquering fear for some) - to just hope to meet and know others more to build relationships

and really love them and intentionally hoping they can know God soon if they are interested, to

letting students crash in their room because they are having a huge need to be loved (aren’t we

all?!) – and they do it...they actually let them stay awhile and love them…to all of these who are

doing so much not in the building or in a meeting or an event “only” –but so much not on the

stage, but in their lives, to help others “have a date” (I love how one guy said it in a conference

– We can’t make anyone fall in love with God…can’t make them do that at all…but we can set up

dates…”) (1 Thessalonians 2:8)

Greet “wee” Shannon, who is on our leadership team and has been studying abroad in Italy this

fall semester – but will be back with us in January – yeah!!!! And who has been able to connect

with some local believers and just be able to share together and walk with Jesus together. And

she has had some super sweet skyping missionaries here in the students here who keep her

connected and encouraged, and vice-versa. (this life with HIM was never meant to be a Jesus

and me faith, but a Jesus and “us” faith; check out Paul’s writings and also even Ecclesiastes 4:

10)

Greet Jacob, Fisher, Jack and Gabe who has been the worship leader with these guys who all

who work very hard to bring us to His throne in worship, and who help us to see that our life is

now and our faith is not about what you can’t do – it’s about the one phenomenal thing we can

do and that is that we can approach God…and speak freely with God…confident that HE is going

to love us and respond to us. Thank you “boy band” for helping us have a confidence in our

hearts that God will respond to us. (Ephesians 3:10-12; Hebrews 4:15-16; James 4:8)

Greet Celia, who has labored with us to help others know HIS love in so many ways including

driving lessons that became a part of a story of one little girl from China hearing HIS love thru so

many, including Celia, that God used to pursue this girl who is now alive in HIM with joy and

with a heart that has been ignited by Grace with a desire to live for the One who sets us all free.

And who know leaves Truman to go into a new mission field in Asia thru the International

Mission Board (IMB) in January...we are so excited for her!!!

Greet Katie, our little missionary girl who took off a semester and left a full ride scholarship that

was all hers to possibly not get back, to go and live in Venezuela as a missionary. And who is

back and continues to be “a missionary” here. Oh yes, that is so our heart Katie and you are

living it, that we all can see the lives around us and not be about just “addition” to our crazy,

over scheduled lives, but about “intersection” of the lives HE is putting in and around us. Pray

for a girl who continues to love not just the students, but also the faculty, on a campus that God

has allowed her to experience the pressure of “walking a different way” with HIM. (Isaiah

30:21)

Greet Calley and Ben and Steve and Jenny and Danielle and LeWain and the Stephanie’s and

Maddie and Miranda and Lydia and Trung and Maya and Brinesha and Lianh and Lu and Netra

and Anushri and Cuong who continue to just invite people into their lives and to seek to just try

and walk with HIM today…and tomorrow…and are such a huge blessing in just helping others

know HIS love – and who are our fellow brothers and sisters as we all ride with Jesus as the

captain of our hearts and souls. (Philippians 1:27; Philippians 2:9-11)

Greet Maya and Trung and Phuong and Jingfa and Stephanie who as students are now alive and

in a love affair with Jesus!!! Yeah God!!!!!!! ….and who we love and who are already sharing

with others and continuing to grow as followers of the cross. (1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 3:7-8

Greet John and Margie who fell in love with God 4+ years ago and who have labored with us in

so many ways to love students and help them know that God cares for them and who are so

dear to us!!! Their cooked mega meals, driving lessons, open home to 15+ students on several

and yet several more occasions, fishing pond and snow sledding and trips to Kansas City for

students to know HIM more…all of it – has been amazing to the work HE is about here at

Truman.

Greet Matt and Brian and Keevin and Stephanie, and Derrick and Meegan and Chris and Reed

and Wade – just amazing people with amazing hearts for HIM who just love so compassionately

students here in every way they can!!!

Greet the loving local churches - Hamilton Street Baptist Church, First Baptist Church, Rehoboth

Baptist Church, Fellowship Baptist Church, and Timberridge Community Church and the

Thousand Hills Association - and all the friends of the BSU - who share so much with us and pray

for us and give of their hearts and time and energy and finances and resources to just allow us

as missionaries – this missionary outpost-the BSU, to exist and help this campus know that God

really does care for them and has come for them to give them life (John 10:10; Deuteronomy

30:15-20)

Lastly, greet our alumni who give to the BSU in an incredible myriad of ways and who live and

love formally and informally to the ends of the earth, who keep working to make disciples and

to bring the news that really is good news of great joy. That, we’ll pardon the vernacular, but

“Man – for you and me – all of us – we should be happy there is a way at all; that somebody

actually loved us enough to sacrifice on your behalf and mine – for our sins; he sent his one and

only son into the world that we might live; this is how god showed his love among us; this is love

…Jesus.” (Mark 16:15; Luke 2:10; John 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10)

o Just a few of the alumni who are so loving because they are so loved…Dr. White, Zach

and Amy, Jason and Twila, Tim and Rachel, Lizzy, Amanda, Nicole, Ryan and Megan,

Heidi, Kenny and Sarah, Chrissy and Phillip, Big Will, and Little Will and Julie, Brent and

Ginger, Steve and Nina, Chad and Tonya, Kevin and Jessica, Amy, Tara, Jen, Darlene,

Judah and Jenny, Phil, Jay and Miki, Dave and Melissa, Dave and Joan, Charles and

Deanna, Dave and Teresa, Bob and Audra, sir Ed, Darrin and little Jane, Rob, Peter,

Dorian, Mike and Pam, David and Nancy, Tom and Heather, John and Mechelle…wow…I

even forget just how many there are…and counting…thanks God for allowing us to

experience you here on this campus over soooo many years thru the faithful giving and

loving of so many before us... and with us now!!!!

Some of the “formal” or programmatic pieces the BSU has been engaged this fall are: our weekly

worship gatherings in “the house” on Tuesday evenings have been a beautiful mosaic this fall of

students sharing and local pastors and leaders sharing how to just live this life in Jesus now on planet

earth by going thru the book of Romans. Our attendance is around 20-30 on average weekly.

Our girls have been engaged in a small group going thru a Max Lucado book and having some activities

to help provide a space for God to speak into the lives of the girls around them who are not in a love

affair with Jesus…not yet. Ladies tea party, game/movie nights, outings and more have been happening

with the girls. Our guys are few in number and do not have a small group that meets as a small group.

We do seem to have 4-5 who play in the worship band (the girls call them the “boy band”) and so as I try

to make disciples and meet with some of them individually weekly, my hope is their worship band in

reality is a place of a small group happening where they can open the word and pray together and grow

deeper in HIM together from all the time they work at helping lead us all in worship. We have been

engaged in several events to help create space for people to come and to enjoy life, such as the annual

Hayride with the Perkins family outside of Green City. They are always so super nice to us to come and

prepare everything for us and drive us crazy students around and just love on and listen to students and

this event always produces some wonderful spiritual conversations among those who come later at the

campfire or in the car traveling back. Thank you David and Martha!!!

Some other events have been redeeming Halloween with a fall festival to help others see how life in

HIM can be so good and enjoyed. The freshmen progressive meal that our super sweet local churches

host for the new students is so positive in helping students share some time together and actually have

some conversations longer than the usual “where ya from?”. Thank you pastors so much for the

welcoming space your church families provide for us – Hamilton Street Baptist Church, First Baptist

Church, Rehoboth Baptist Church, Fellowship Baptist Church, and Timberridge Community Church – you

guys are all so gracious to us!

There will be new events and activities next semester along with our spring break mission trip. And a

leadership conference we will go to and a winter retreat to help us start the year with HIM and more

ideas I am sure. It really is amazing to be a part of something that is missionary guided by my position

but very student involved and led. I love seeing how students get to have room to grow and lead and

even some space to challenge and try new things and see success and also space to make mistakes…and

the opportunities to grow. And I am amazed at how their lives come alive when they are engaging and

doing the work that is sooooo needed. Seeing them WANT His word in their lives. (Luke 10:2)

Thank you – thank you – thank you to you dearly loved ones who share with our heart of reaching

college students today!!! Thank you – you are so appreciated for all you are doing for and with us all!!

I hope you know how incalculable your prayers and just notes of encouragement and visits and gifts

of every kind from food to money to vehicles to borrow and buildings to use and homes to share are

really making a difference in lives here at Truman. Rest assured, He is using you here and much like

college students and this little community of people that seem to never sleep, He is alive and well on

Truman campus! (Psalm 121:4)

And we rejoice with our newest of alumni and are excited for them as they leave - Congratulations

Mandy and Lu and Celia and Loi! - (Psalm 121: 8)

We hope always, they leave with His love in their hearts and mission in their souls for HIM…to

make much of HIM on this planet. It is always bittersweet in this deal of collegiate ministry,

sweet they are getting to move on…and bitter- sad that we will not see them as often or hear

their crazy laughs or see their smiles as much. Til’ later when we are all together and all we can

say is – “Holy – Holy – Holy is the Lord Almighty, the whole earth is full of His glory.” - (Isaiah

6:3)

Does that not floor you…there is no other phrase; there is no other conversation; there is

nothing else to be said. And some might go and say “We’ll that’s kind of a boring life”.

No that is an amazing life!! To be looking at something so awesome that you can’t stop

saying how awesome it is! There’s nothing else to talk about...imagine that. There’s

nothing else to talk about but just how awesome the throne of God and the God of that

throne is. Wow.

So, yeah when I see how much others are doing for HIM and just following HIM and living for HIM and

genuinely letting HIS love motivate them—and they are light years ahead of me and I am light years

ahead of them in “age” – so ancient to these 20+ year olds…it is so encouraging and challenging. And

part of me, actually a lot of me fears I am not good enough for this – this ministry of amazingly loving

and bright and super smart and humble and mature students that are here at Truman. So I guess let me

end with a verse that I find so much encouragement in, and how it was shared from someone else, to

just propel you thru Christmas and into the fresh start of a new year….and to motivate you out of the

unsurpassing love of HIS heart…for you.

Wishing you all the Merriest of Christmases!!

The BSU tribe and the Xander’s

Ephesians 3:8 goes “Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me:

to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ…”

I want you to be encouraged today…because God is showing us something in this passage. Why would

Paul say less than the least? From his point of view he wasn’t saying, “Oh of course God is going to pick

me!” And we do that, “Oh, I have done pretty good I bet God is going to pick me.” Paul was thinking

that he totally was not in a good place earlier - he was an enemy and his mission earlier was to snuff out

Christianity and defend true Judaism. But God met him on his way to persecuting more; Jesus

appeared- knocked him on his feet - blinded him, and his world was shaken up by the presence of Christ

in his life. And his sight was restored and God has chosen him. God has intentionally picked the least

likely guy to proclaim that all people are welcome. Why does God do this? We’ll, is it that God has a

sense of humor or “#B” - God does the crazy upside down thing so that at the end of the day all we can

say is the only explanation for that is that God must have done that. And that is what God is thinking

about your life today. Cause in your mind you’re like “I am probably the least and least of all the saints”

And God’s thinking, “I know you; you are my son or my daughter --#A….and yeah if you want to stack it

up in how you have done and where your path has led –Yeah you may not be like “the leading

candidate” right now to do what I am calling you to do, but that is the beauty of God – see; God doesn’t

need you to be the leading candidate to do what God is calling you to do…He needs you to be available

to do what He is calling you to do and then the story is going to be “How in the world did that person get

chosen to do that…?”

And that’s where God laughs and says, “I get to do the choosing and I get to take the weak

things of the world and confound the strong of the world. I take the lesser or not so intellectual

things of the world and confound the wise because I am powerful enough to use anybody,

anytime, anywhere to do anything.”

So what’s the message here? We have to receive this possibility today that nothing is disqualifying us

from being used powerfully by God to open up the gospel to all people on earth.

There is nothing disqualifying you. And you are like ‘ “Well, I went thru this…” And HE is like – “I know

and that maybe isn’t what you wanted to go thru and if we could rewind it all maybe you would not

have gone in that…” - but nothing is disqualifying you from being used powerfully by God to do

something phenomenal in this world.

And the enemies’ primary mission is to remind us of our failure and convince us that because of our

shortcomings we will never to do anything great in the kingdom of God. And Jesus, in the power of the

Spirit is saying, “Your shortcomings are overwhelmed by Jesus’ accomplishments and all that Jesus has

done and that Christ in you is great…Christ in you is great. And I really believe that over this Christmas

season God wants to crack something off of someone out there, because you have been convinced that

you’re going to have to take a lesser role because of the shortcomings or failures in your life and God is

like, “NO, I will actually redeem the shortcomings and the failures of your life and will use you in a more

powerful way to proclaim the gospel.”

…Listen to Jesus of Nazareth; answer His call.

…Perfect submission, all is at rest,

I in my Savior am happy and blest,

Watching and waiting, looking above,

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

*(side note from page 1: if your reading this and are like, yeah, where did God say that Jesus is the only

way - check out John 14:6 and think of it as Erwin Mcmanus related this in saying – “…just know what

Jesus IS NOT SAYING is ‘Hey, I’m trying to establish some kind of arrogant, narccisstic exclusivity’ – but

he’s telling you – “I’m the one who loves you - I’m the one whose pursuing you – I’m the one whose

willing to pay the price for your love… for your life – choose me and live.” It’s not that God is trying to

stop you from finding other sources of life – God’s trying to stop you from choosing death because he

has always wanted you to live. God has always been for you - for all of us.)