Urbana then and now.

Urbana 2009

At Urbana '09, I had no clue what to expect.  I had just finished the busiest school semester of my life, made some tough decisions about my priorities and responsibilities, and committed to another year of serving on the E-board of my InterVarsity chapter.  I was tired, I was nervous, but I was as ready as I could have been.

At Urbana '09, my mind was blown just by being there.  There's something amazing about being in the presence of thousands of other people attending Urbana who desire to see God's kingdom come to this earth.  The mission to make God's vision become a reality wasn't just for me, my chapter, or the other chapters in my region - it was for anyone who was willing to say 'yes' to Jesus.

At Urbana '09, I was a student.  I was figuring out what life could be like after graduation and where God was leading me next.  I was learning to be faithful with the things I had learned through my college experience thus far.  In being obedient in those small things, God would help lead me to whatever my future may be.

Urbana 2012

At Urbana '12, I knew what to expect...for the most part.  I had just finished my first fall season as a married woman living in the Rochester area and working a tough semester on RIT's campus.  I was excited to serve at Urbana and ready to go.

At Urbana '12, I was excited to serve the thousands of students who were being convicted and called, challenged and invited to take part in the work God is doing around the world and in their very own backyards.  I was looking forward to the stories that were to come - whether that would be a few days upon our return to campus, or even the many years down the line as students step into what it means to say 'yes' to  Jesus every day.

At Urbana '12, I was an InterVarsity staff worker.  I'm still figuring out what life could be like and where God is leading me next.  I missed a lot of sessions, Bible studies, and performances.  I missed a lot of opportunities to sit with my students in order to welcome late-comers registering, set up for a major join-in event, or count the very decisions students were making.  But I came to serve, not to be served.  I was fulfilling the roles I had so admired when I first came to Urbana as a student.  I am still learning to be faithful in the small things, and what it means to say 'yes' to Jesus' invitation.