So yesterday I was too lazy to post, but here’s my fall conference update! For those of you who don’t know, I’m a member of and on leadership for Oxy’s InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Every fall and summer we head to the most beautiful camp on Catalina Island, and it’s always wonderful and God does amazing things there. It’s a really holy place, to me anyway.
But this year, God did big things in all of us.
He taught me that my apathy about life and about the things he’s doing is a problem, and that I need to really engage and be fully present for everything that’s going on in my life. From classes to relationships to my walk with him, I need to be fully alive and participating in his work. The speaker, Kevin Blue (an Oxy alumnus!), told us that our job right now where God has placed us (AKA college) is to be a student, and that we shouldn’t take that responsibility lightly. That was convicting for me, definitely.
Another thing he showed me was just true joy in him and in community with my brothers and sisters in Christ, something I’d forgotten in my apathy. There were so many joyful moments this weekend! The band was having an extra time of worship Saturday night, and they played the song Undignified, which brings me back to my camp days. Dancing and jumping with a bunch of Oxy and Claremont students was so great. We were literally jumping in the joy of God.
Another moment I loved was after the worship sesh, when I went down to the campfire. Ten or so Oxy students were linked arms in a circle, and I joined them. We were literally just being ourselves, which included swaying and chanting when glow sticks fell out of Annika's hair onto the ground. We harmonized this "merh" noise that we all make because of David, and we called it his symphony and he was really proud of us, haha. I just felt so comfortable and free in the presence of the amazing people God has blessed me with here. They are the reason I am here most days, and I don't know what I'd do without them. They're honestly the most important thing I have here.
But God didn't just do stuff in me! Caleb, a friend of Raymond's who was in my small group, became a follower of Jesus this weekend and we're all so happy for him! God brought him home. God asked Jane to come to him every day and that he would reveal his plan for her in their time together. Nancy learned to be brave, and to give a part of herself every day. CJ learned to be awkward!
Did I mention I got to watch the sunrise over the ocean both days this weekend? Well, I did. God is good everyone, and I'm so thankful for that and the fact that I have the best friends a girl could ask for!
