Who: Everyone's invited!
What: General Interest Meeting - Learn more about who InterVarsity is and why we're here on campus.
Where: Lecture Hall 14
When: Doors open @ 9:30pm
Why: Because God calls us to be way more than your average student group, and we invite everyone to come join us.
Yesterday I was at the Susquehanna/Hillside Pillow Night NSO and someone asked me what InterVarsity was. I gave a lame answer, saying that we were a student group on campus that was on a mission to change the world. What does that even mean?
When I thought about it later, I thought about how much God was so relevant in my life, in our generation, and in our world today. I thought about how InterVarsity means to me and how much I've learned that there a big plan that God has that goes way beyond me, but still God invites me to be a part of it, and how He has empowered me to come alongside of Him. And I thought about how so good that is that there's just no way we could keep it to ourselves. God's inviting me, He's inviting you, and He's inviting the people of this community to strive for the world that God had intended.
And then I thought...why couldn't I just say that when I was asked??
When I was walking home from running errands today there was a girl with a t-shirt that said, "A goal with a plan is just a wish" on the back. How true is that?
Brothers and sisters, God has a big goal and a big plan, and InterVarsity is here to help carry that out, to be the answers to the very prayers so many are praying for.
Take a few minutes to just think about what drew you to InterVarsity in the first place, and share that with the new friends we make tonight.
See you at the pillow fight in the peace quad!
*Tammy
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
God blows my mind. (Winnie Lee)
Karen Ching, our prayer coordinator once said, “God is so distracting.”
This statement is so true.
When she is distracted with her love for prayer, I can’t stop sharing God’s love. But I only got to this point because He’s been doing some major surgery on my heart.
I really felt like I wasted last semester: I let myself get comfortable. I put God in a box.
But, coming into this semester after Urbana, I was renewed and changed. I am amazed at His love for us. Not just for me, but for EVERYONE! I was slapped in the face when God revealed His heart for Binghamton University. It might seem bold or unrealistic, but I am 100% convinced that God will revive our campus and I knew I had to do my small part.
So coming back on campus, I realized how much God wanted my suitemates to draw closer to Him. I am developing great and long lasting relationships with them. Not only that, but I started a PIG (Person Investigating God) and have had some of the most wonderful conversations with these individuals.
It has been so encouraging to see people in our fellowship stripping away their selfishness and following Jesus even when it’s uncomfortable. God has been so prevalent in the relationships around me. For example, I will be living with two of Sarah Dill’s current suitemates next semester. The crazy thing is, I had no idea! I am so excited to see God’s fingerprints all over the place.
Something that I have been convicted by is how God blesses obedience.
There was a big turnaround from last semester to this semester, and I am having the time of my life. So I encourage y’all, to be bold! God bless. Try it out - what do you have to lose? I thought I would lose my comfort...instead, God gave me PWESENTS!
This statement is so true.
When she is distracted with her love for prayer, I can’t stop sharing God’s love. But I only got to this point because He’s been doing some major surgery on my heart.
I really felt like I wasted last semester: I let myself get comfortable. I put God in a box.
But, coming into this semester after Urbana, I was renewed and changed. I am amazed at His love for us. Not just for me, but for EVERYONE! I was slapped in the face when God revealed His heart for Binghamton University. It might seem bold or unrealistic, but I am 100% convinced that God will revive our campus and I knew I had to do my small part.
So coming back on campus, I realized how much God wanted my suitemates to draw closer to Him. I am developing great and long lasting relationships with them. Not only that, but I started a PIG (Person Investigating God) and have had some of the most wonderful conversations with these individuals.
It has been so encouraging to see people in our fellowship stripping away their selfishness and following Jesus even when it’s uncomfortable. God has been so prevalent in the relationships around me. For example, I will be living with two of Sarah Dill’s current suitemates next semester. The crazy thing is, I had no idea! I am so excited to see God’s fingerprints all over the place.
Something that I have been convicted by is how God blesses obedience.
There was a big turnaround from last semester to this semester, and I am having the time of my life. So I encourage y’all, to be bold! God bless. Try it out - what do you have to lose? I thought I would lose my comfort...instead, God gave me PWESENTS!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Prepare for Awesomeness. (Priscilla)
Prepare for awesomeness.
That’s the tagline for Kung Fu Panda (the movie). I mention this because I have just finished watching it on this cozy snow day. Po, the protagonist panda, also says, “There’s no charge for awesomeness," but I beg to differ. The awesomeness that we are preparing for is Jesus, the One who is coming again, but there is a charge. It’s not a monetary charge, but a charge of our lives.
This week in Newing Small Group (WOOT WOOT), we studied Luke 9:57-62, The Cost of Following Jesus (sorry if this is a spoiler for you if you haven’t studied this in small group yet). In the passage, there is no explicit list of what we need to give up or take up to follow Him. But as we dig deeper into the passage, we see that there are things that we must be willing to leave behind. There are things we must change to live a life that is following Jesus. A man tells Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus’ response is, “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest His head." As willing as the man may have been to follow Jesus, Jesus reminds him that to follow Him, he will have to risk the possibility of having no place to stay. This may sound odd, because nowadays, we have motels, hotels, inns, etc. available everywhere, including places where we go to do the Lord’s work. But if we dig deeper, we see it is really Jesus telling us that the cost is much more than just a home, it’s everything. To the man who wants to bury his father, Jesus replies, “let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God”. And to the man who wants to first say good-bye to his family, Jesus answers, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God”. If we want to follow Jesus, we need to leave everything else behind and follow Him right now.
Our journey with Jesus begins right now.
This journey isn’t an easy one. It began with a sacrifice that Jesus made and now it requires sacrifice from us. It may be something big, something small, something long term, something short term, something cultural, or something that we have grown to love.
Sacrifice isn’t really sacrifice unless we do it with a humble and willing heart though.
Jesus doesn’t want us to be walking besides Him, grumbling the entire way about how we had to do this or give up that. He wants us to be joyful, because although we gave up something here on this earth, His glory here on earth trumps our desires and we are also expectantly looking towards the day where we will be with Him forever and ever (and if you ask me that will be pretty sweet).
If you have told Jesus that you are going to follow Him wherever He will go, how have you been following Him? Are you still holding on to things that are slowing you down, that are keeping you from walking with Jesus at a full pace? Have you been grumbling about how much you have had to give up or what you have had to do? Is He asking you to give something up for the kingdom of God? Do you need to re-evaluate where you have been walking?
Whatever it is, don’t wait.
Jesus, His Awesomeness, is coming.
He wants us, every part of us, so give your life over to Him.
As we prepare for Him to return, He is preparing for us a home in His kingdom for eternity.
That’s the tagline for Kung Fu Panda (the movie). I mention this because I have just finished watching it on this cozy snow day. Po, the protagonist panda, also says, “There’s no charge for awesomeness," but I beg to differ. The awesomeness that we are preparing for is Jesus, the One who is coming again, but there is a charge. It’s not a monetary charge, but a charge of our lives.
This week in Newing Small Group (WOOT WOOT), we studied Luke 9:57-62, The Cost of Following Jesus (sorry if this is a spoiler for you if you haven’t studied this in small group yet). In the passage, there is no explicit list of what we need to give up or take up to follow Him. But as we dig deeper into the passage, we see that there are things that we must be willing to leave behind. There are things we must change to live a life that is following Jesus. A man tells Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus’ response is, “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest His head." As willing as the man may have been to follow Jesus, Jesus reminds him that to follow Him, he will have to risk the possibility of having no place to stay. This may sound odd, because nowadays, we have motels, hotels, inns, etc. available everywhere, including places where we go to do the Lord’s work. But if we dig deeper, we see it is really Jesus telling us that the cost is much more than just a home, it’s everything. To the man who wants to bury his father, Jesus replies, “let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God”. And to the man who wants to first say good-bye to his family, Jesus answers, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God”. If we want to follow Jesus, we need to leave everything else behind and follow Him right now.
Our journey with Jesus begins right now.
This journey isn’t an easy one. It began with a sacrifice that Jesus made and now it requires sacrifice from us. It may be something big, something small, something long term, something short term, something cultural, or something that we have grown to love.
Sacrifice isn’t really sacrifice unless we do it with a humble and willing heart though.
Jesus doesn’t want us to be walking besides Him, grumbling the entire way about how we had to do this or give up that. He wants us to be joyful, because although we gave up something here on this earth, His glory here on earth trumps our desires and we are also expectantly looking towards the day where we will be with Him forever and ever (and if you ask me that will be pretty sweet).
If you have told Jesus that you are going to follow Him wherever He will go, how have you been following Him? Are you still holding on to things that are slowing you down, that are keeping you from walking with Jesus at a full pace? Have you been grumbling about how much you have had to give up or what you have had to do? Is He asking you to give something up for the kingdom of God? Do you need to re-evaluate where you have been walking?
Whatever it is, don’t wait.
Jesus, His Awesomeness, is coming.
He wants us, every part of us, so give your life over to Him.
As we prepare for Him to return, He is preparing for us a home in His kingdom for eternity.
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