As 2014 wraps up, I wanted to take a moment to look back at all I had the privilege to do this past year.
-In January, I got to gather with (usually) 10 students to discuss C.S. Lewis' 'The Screwtape Letters.' Our times together offered some great conversation and some practical challenges to the realities of being a college student.
-During the Spring semester, I had many opportunities for regular individual discipleship with students. From leadership development to spiritual formation, they were great meetings that I hope have long-lasting meaning in students' lives.
-Over Spring Break, 3 students travelled to Milwaukee for a service learning trip. The Milwaukee Urban Program has always been a place where students are challenged in their understanding of how to live out their faith, and it was exciting to process through with Spencer, Katie, and Alia as they looked to apply all they learned about God's heart for justice and reconciliation back on campus.
-3 Hamline students traveled to Michigan for Chapter Focus Week, where we talked extensively about what God's desire is for InterVarsity at Hamline. They also spent significant time studying the book of Mark, I worked closely with 5 students from different schools in Wisconsin as they learned how to lead small group Bible studies, and we got some great teaching from the book of Jonah.
-Lots of conversations with new students, hearing their stories of how they ended up at Hamline...and that's also meant a lot of new faces starting to show up at InterVarsity events.
-In October, I led worship for almost 500 students, staff, and volunteers at CrossTraining, IV's annual Fall Conference.
-And in November, IV at Hamline partnered with several other student organizations to pack 101 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. With service being a key component of student life at Hamline, this was a great opportunity to share more about God's Kingdom with others from around campus.
It's been yet another year of learning how to better do my job (aren't they all?) and a year of transition as I stepped out of the staff role at St. Olaf. Praise God for showing up in so many different ways and for having so many different opportunities to invest in the lives of students.
Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, financial support, e-mails, jokes, texts, and everything else. I know without a doubt that it is a huge blessing to be able to work with college students, and you make that possible.
