Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
The sun has popped out here in Cambridge, MA, and the effects it has been having on students is very, very, very apparent! Kresge Oval (one of the quad-like areas on MIT's campus) has been filled with loungers, pick-up-soccer players, frisbee extraordinaires, and slack-liners (I didn't know what this was until I stepped foot on a campus that actually had green space in it--sorry, I went to NYU). (And in case you don't know what that is: Check it out!) The change you see in students makes me almost want to spend an entire month's salary on buying a giant heat lamp for the campus so they can soak up the Vitamin D all year round.
I've found myself simply sitting in the midst of all this activity, prepping Bible Studies, preparing for discipleships, and just reading. The number of students who just stopped to talk to me was amazing and so heart-warming! Vanya and Megan stopped on their way to class. Emily stopped to talk about our upcoming Student Missionary event. I got to talk to Caitlin and Laura as they did homework outside. I know this might not sound that exciting, but on any other normal relatively cold and cloudy day, the students would never seem to have time for me, but now that the sun is out and the world--I mean the temperature--is heating up, they have moments to spare! What a blessing this is!
Because of this magically appearing "time," I've been able to have beautiful and amazing conversations with students! Just today I went on a splendid walk with Laura along the Charles River (a sight that could be seen on our travels: Row Boats and Skyline) and then we looped into Kendall Square and finally back to MIT in time for Bible Study. On this walk, we got to catch up on life--she performs in MITSO, the MIT Symphony Orchestra, has decided on a Major (Course 6--Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), has completely fallen in love with MIT, has taken up running, is excited to see her family over Spring Break, and so much more! Obviously there was a lot to catch up on. But then we also got a chance to talk about Bible Study last semester--we went through The Crux--and how that applies to us now. Mostly, I got to walk through the overarching theme of the study, which is very simply a Gospel Presentation.
The Gospel, or “good news,” can be broken down into one very simple narrative: we are created for relationship, specifically a relationship with God; however, that relationship has been broken and severed by sin. In order to bridge this gap between us, God sent down his only Son, Jesus Christ, to be sacrificed for our sins, giving us the opportunity to be reunited with our Father in heaven. Yet, it does not stop there. We are given a choice: to accept or to deny Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Only by this choice can we truly demonstrate our love.
Not only that, but Laura has been trying to grow in a relationship with Christ, and has been building up her prayer life this semester. She asked me for different pointers and ideas about how she might further come to know our Lord and Savior. Obviously, I got very excited and talked a heck of a lot about the Sacraments. After that, we got to sit down and learn more about Christ by learning about his mercy and forgiveness in one of the Lenten Bible Studies we're leading on campus.
It was such an amazing and beautiful day! And I am so glad I could share it with you, my dedicated readers!
God bless and later days!
Ann
I've found myself simply sitting in the midst of all this activity, prepping Bible Studies, preparing for discipleships, and just reading. The number of students who just stopped to talk to me was amazing and so heart-warming! Vanya and Megan stopped on their way to class. Emily stopped to talk about our upcoming Student Missionary event. I got to talk to Caitlin and Laura as they did homework outside. I know this might not sound that exciting, but on any other normal relatively cold and cloudy day, the students would never seem to have time for me, but now that the sun is out and the world--I mean the temperature--is heating up, they have moments to spare! What a blessing this is!
Because of this magically appearing "time," I've been able to have beautiful and amazing conversations with students! Just today I went on a splendid walk with Laura along the Charles River (a sight that could be seen on our travels: Row Boats and Skyline) and then we looped into Kendall Square and finally back to MIT in time for Bible Study. On this walk, we got to catch up on life--she performs in MITSO, the MIT Symphony Orchestra, has decided on a Major (Course 6--Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), has completely fallen in love with MIT, has taken up running, is excited to see her family over Spring Break, and so much more! Obviously there was a lot to catch up on. But then we also got a chance to talk about Bible Study last semester--we went through The Crux--and how that applies to us now. Mostly, I got to walk through the overarching theme of the study, which is very simply a Gospel Presentation.
The Gospel, or “good news,” can be broken down into one very simple narrative: we are created for relationship, specifically a relationship with God; however, that relationship has been broken and severed by sin. In order to bridge this gap between us, God sent down his only Son, Jesus Christ, to be sacrificed for our sins, giving us the opportunity to be reunited with our Father in heaven. Yet, it does not stop there. We are given a choice: to accept or to deny Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Only by this choice can we truly demonstrate our love.
Not only that, but Laura has been trying to grow in a relationship with Christ, and has been building up her prayer life this semester. She asked me for different pointers and ideas about how she might further come to know our Lord and Savior. Obviously, I got very excited and talked a heck of a lot about the Sacraments. After that, we got to sit down and learn more about Christ by learning about his mercy and forgiveness in one of the Lenten Bible Studies we're leading on campus.
It was such an amazing and beautiful day! And I am so glad I could share it with you, my dedicated readers!
God bless and later days!
Ann
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