Faithfulness, abundance, and generosity.

If there's one thing ministry partner development (MPD) through InterVarsity has taught me, it's that fund raising is not simply a money transaction, it's the opportunity to develop a relationship.

Raising funds was never really a big, scary thing for me.  I think that's probably really strange to most people, particularly as an Asian American woman.  But when I think about the kind of environment I grew up in and how I responded to my circumstances, it makes sense. 

My dad was a pastor of a small English congregation in a Chinese Alliance church for the first 10 or so years of my life, and then went full time into directing a non-profit para-church organization, continuing to this day.  My mom was a stay at home mom (which I loved and am so grateful for), and so my family didn't exactly have a stable income or the nicest of things.

But in the midst of how different my family's lifestyle seemed to be in comparison to others, we never had to worry - we always had just what we needed and then some.  We swam in a vast ocean deep with grace, generosity, and provisions every single day.

God often expressed His faithfulness, abundance, and generosity in our family through the love of my parents and my community. Whether it was through tangible materials, opened homes, or the occasional unique life experience, it was all rooted in relationships our family had with others.

Now that I think about it, I don't think it's a big surprise that ministry partnership is not just about transacting funds.  The primary ways I've experienced and witnessed God's faithfulness, abundance, and generosity has been through the context of relationships with others.  In fact, I would even say that the very foundations of my childhood are based on them.

I guess as a child I was more often at the receiving end of what these beautiful relationships between my family and others developed.  Now as a staff with InterVarsity, I'm learning how to develop, cultivate, and deepen my own relationships so that I may learn how to extend that same faithfulness, abundance, and generosity from the Lord to others.

Who will go?

As someone who has grown up in a Christian family, there's often a temptation to let certain verses or passages from the Bible that I've heard so many times to just slide over me like the way water slides over a dolphin's skin.

Sometimes I need to ask the Holy Spirit to help me fight that temptation and be intentional about re-examining, meditating on, or letting sink in what this specific part of His Word means for me in this season of life.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit just lets it hit me like a ton of bricks; it often hurts.  Other times, it's a gentle light bulb turning on that connects my heart and my mind.

Jesus says to his disciples, "Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest" (John 4:35).

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I've heard this verse, and the phrase, "The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few," many times in my life, but there's something about hearing it recently that has really stuck with me and started to sink in a bit more than before.

Our Regional Director sends everyone stories of what God is doing among campuses around the NY/NJ region, and that's mainly where this repetition of "The fields are ready for harvest," has come up.  And God has been using this word and these stories in a number of ways to challenge me:

Celebrate with my colleagues.  Maybe you don't really have this issue, but I realize that when I'm not trusting Jesus and am placing my identity in my work rather than God Himself, it's easy to be insecure, envious, or jealous of the fruit my colleagues are seeing in their students and among their campuses.  Over time, with intentionality, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, I've been challenged over and over again to trust and obey Him and place my identity in Him, not solely in the work I produce.  When I do so, I can experience the deep freedom and genuine joy of celebrating with my colleagues the fruit God has graciously given us the opportunity to partake in and witness.

Healthy discontentment.  That being said, instead of feeling resentment that I am not seeing the kind of fruit my co-workers are seeing, these stories and reminders that the harvest is plentiful create a desire for me to keep pushing forward and build upon a confidence that God is working on RIT's campus.  We cannot stay where we are.  

A sense of urgency.  I don't know about you, but when I hear, 'Lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest,' I don't hear Jesus saying, 'Hey, the fields are ripe!  That means it's time for you to kick back in your lounge chair and wear a pair of shades.  Here, have an exotic drink with a paper umbrella in it.  Just sit back and get ready to watch all of these ripe fruit pick themselves while you relax and be as comfortable as possible.'  I don't hear Jesus saying, 'You're right - let's keep this scarcity mentality until something worthwhile happens; there's no immediate work to be done, so you can wait a few months until all of the circumstances are perfect and your life is in order.'

I hear Jesus saying, 'There is more than enough fruit ready and they're ready now.  What are you waiting for?  The question is not When? or How? but Who?  Who will go, right here, right now, just as they are?  Will you?'

February prayer: Day 29

Thank you so much for partnering with us this month in prayer! 

A few more illustrations to show how God is answering:

Jainnie (staff in Long Island) writes about her students’ living out the gospel:

Becky has been praying for her friend. They have had numerous spiritual conversations. Becky has been sharing her faith.   Her friend is interested. This spring break (March 17-23), Becky's friend will actually be staying with her! Becky feels she can take the step to ask her friend about following Jesus. 

Kevin found out that his theater professor is a Christian and attends a local church. This has given him boldness to approach his theater friends and start conversations about Jesus!

Eric chose to engage his Japanese suitemate instead of watching TV this Saturday night. They had a great spiritual conversation. Eric's friend has downloaded an online version of the Bible and will start reading the gospels. Wouldn't it be amazing to see Eric's friend amazed by Jesus and deciding to follow Him?

Dan's friend is ready to explore faith. He has been praying for her and nurturing their friendship. He took the next step in asking her to study Jesus and Christianity together. 

And this from Glen Ewart, we’ve been praying for their proxe outreach at Clarkson/Potsdam:

This past week we thought we were being appropriately ambitious by setting a goal to guide 120 students through the station with at least 60 follow-up requests.  But, by the end of Monday, we could see that God was already “doing more than we could ask or imagine.”  Over the course of the week 200 students walked through and heard the gospel and 96 follow-up requests were collected!  

Last night we held an event at the center of Clarkson University featuring a local Christian band, which performed several popular songs related to the theme, and our speaker, who made it clear to those in attendance that only in Jesus can we find complete satisfaction.  To have the opportunity to proclaim the gospel in Clarkson’s Student Center Forum - a very open, public space - was a tremendous answer to prayer and a great Kingdom opportunity.

In the last 30 years there has not been a week when we shared the gospel with as many students on these campuses as we did this past week!  Seeds like never before are being sown and watered.  Please pray with us for God to provide the increase.  Specifically, we are praying for at least 11 students come to faith in Christ this semester, but we hope that God will, once again, surpass our expectations.