The unexpected joys

I originally meant to write a post where I counted the costs of this year, and to be fair there’s been a lot:
– My heart has been significantly broken by students choosing fear instead of faith; anger instead of love; apathy instead of care; earthly comfort instead of heavenly riches
– I’ve taken a lot of risks that haven’t yielded good rewards
– I’ve seen ministry visions begin to be fulfilled last year and then come crashing down this year

But, as I sat huddled in RA’s dorm room with my other student leaders : Patchy, Pink, Swift, AP (obviously not their real names), I was filled with love as they sat in some hard scripture teaching,  and called out sinful patterns in their own lives and in our community. I had hope as the Spirit led and convicted them, and I’m really hopeful for how we’ll pursue community and ministry going forward.

I’m grateful that we have an office on campus. And we are recommitting to using it. I’m grateful that we have an “in” at residence and we can reach an unreached group of people. I’m grateful that grad students like AP are making sacrificial time commitments that lead them to witness and bring glory to God to other grad students and faculty.

I’m grateful for this ministry,  and yet I long for more: more students reached,  more lives transformed and more new commitments to Christ.

But things are growing,  and I have hope.