Let's backtrack a bit to enlighten you on my viewpoint coming into this. Two years ago, I was a high school senior freaked out because I had no clue where to go to college. I didn't know what God's plan was for me, I thought I had to figure it out (not exactly correct). I was the new principal violist of the Huntsville Youth Symphony, and on top of trying to figure out where to go, I was trying to figure out what role my love of music would play once I got to college. I was lost.
Two months later, while enjoying fall break at the beach, I got an email from my viola teacher, informing all of her students that she was moving in December. What was I supposed to do? Why was this happening? I'm supposed to give a senior recital, but there's no senior recital and no All-State Orchestra if there's no teacher! Those were just a few of the panic attacks I had. However, God had a plan. Despite my original thoughts as I read that email, neither he nor my teacher had abandoned me. She graciously offered to teach me via Skype through the end of my senior year, because she knew I didn't have time to find a new teacher. And I am so thankful for the time that God gave me with her, because she lifted me up and encouraged me in the Lord in ways neither she nor I fully understands.
Anyways, a few months later, in January, as I've finally decided that Auburn is the place for me to be (best decision EVER!), my senior class finds out that our headmaster, who was with us since we started high school, challenged us on our senior retreat to leave a legacy behind us at our school, was no longer our headmaster. It took us all by extreme surprise and left us wounded as we didn't understand what was going on and kept hearing all sorts of things from all sorts of people. Once again, I was angry with everyone around me and I didn't understand what God was doing. We were almost done with senior year! But once again, God had a plan. I'm not sure exactly what it was yet, but I do feel stronger since the experience, and perhaps his plan was to prep me for the next two obstacles I would face in the following year.
At the end of senior year, our beloved youth pastor and his wife stood up in front of the congregation and announced that they had accepted a call to pastor a church in Mississippi. Tears flowed freely for the next few hours and occasionally in the weeks and months to come. It was easier for me, as I was already moving out of Huntsville, and as I had expected it in the back of my mind for a while, but still, seemingly losing the man who had shepherded me throughout some of the toughest years of my life so far (high school - it's rough, man), and a woman who had become one of my dearest and most treasured friends during my tumultuous senior year was no cake walk. I was caught between being overjoyed for my friends at finding where they knew they needed to be and where I knew they needed to be, and being devastated at not knowing when I would see them again and watching my sister, still with two more years of high school, and knowing what I would feel in her place. And of course, at night my heart would attack me with "Why, God? Why now? Why are you taking everyone away from me?" Yet God is still sovereign. James 2:1-4 says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And steadfastness must have its full effect, that you may become perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (My life verse, since I was a freshman in high school.) The removal of that cherished family was not the end of the world, but an opportunity to grow in my faith. An opportunity for me to check how much I depended on figures around me rather than on God. And it was a trial that has prepared me -- now that I reflect on it, I reacted much better to the news this go around -- for the transitioning period in RUF as we move from one campus minister to another. God is doing great things for us!
Romans 8:28 says this: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." And because I can't put it any better, here is what the ESV Study Bible says about this verse:
God weaves everything together for good for his children. The "good" in this context does not refer to earthly comfort but conformity to Christ (v. 29), closer fellowship with God, bearing good fruit for the kingdom, and final glorification (v. 30).
Tonight, Les Newsom said to the freshman that THIS is the time to be getting involved with RUF. Of all the semesters of all the years, this is one of the best times to get involved. I'm not sure exactly what he meant by that, but here is my take on it. (And because I've only been in RUF one year, if anything I say is incorrect or unjustified, please talk to me and I will edit this post. This is just what I think at this current moment based on my acquired observations and time spent here.) For one, a change in leadership and even a lack of a campus minister does not mean that God has forgotten about us. To me, it shows that he is working in us. I see the not having a campus minister to be uniting those who come to RUF and awakening them to what they can do on this campus, in Auburn, AL. We are still a body of believers, a body of sinners, a body of people who don't have it all figured out, and who want to help each other figure it out. It took a month or more of RUF for me to really feel welcomed and included, (not from a lack of people reaching out to me, understand?), but I see people who I'm not sure normally would be, getting excited about meeting freshmen and trying to make sure they are included and feel welcomed. Freshmen, you have this opportunity to be a part of a community that is changing and growing, meeting an unexpected hiccup TOGETHER. Last year Richard emphasized so much the importance of a community of Christ and having that community here, and I see it coming into shape more than I saw it last year.
Verse 29 of Romans 8 says "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (emphasis mine) Learn Christ! As Les Newsom said tonight from Ephesians, come to RUF this semester and LEARN CHRIST!! Not just learn about Christ, but learn Christ. These trials are part of our sanctification. Everything works for our good, to conform us to the image of our holy Savior. It's hard to see as we balance on a brink of uncertainty, but God is at work. I have so much hope for what He is going to do over the next few years. And so I challenge you to come out to Dudley B6 every Monday at 8, and learn Christ.
