Hey Folks!
It’s been an amazing and busy start to the school year! I had the opportunity to go visit my brother and sister-in-law and their new baby just outside of Boston, as well as running over to New York to attend some meetings and to look over the lay of the land. God has been moving in remarkable ways, and I’m so excited to share my stories with you…
Jesus and Ballroom Dancing
Yes, I did put ballroom dancing! My co-worker, Tanya, and I have been taking free ballroom dancing lessons at the UT campus on Thursday nights. It’s great fun, it’s exercise, and we’re meeting all sorts of people. We decided to pray for and get involved more with that group. Our instructor is incredible, but very much in the dance world. While I was in Boston, Tanya called me up to tell me the most amazing thing. She was in our prayer room and she decided to put our names down on the wall that listed missional communities (organic groups that CRM staff and students are involved with that we want to relationally share and expose others to who Jesus really is). Later that very same day someone knocked on the door, and she came face to face with our instructor, Santos! Can you imagine how surprised the both of them were? He didn’t know that we worked at the Campus House of Prayer; he had come there because he had come for some sort of a meeting last year and he remembered it as a place of refuge. What happened was this – he had been going through some hard things and had hit rock bottom. A friend of his led him to Christ, and when he needed somewhere to go to pray, here he came! Still amazed, Tanya told him about missional communities and how she and I have committed his class to prayer and relationship. He was so excited and thrilled that he had other Christians in his class! What a great way to lay hands (literally) on everyone in our community! Oh, the story doesn’t stop there, though. Tanya invited him to her simple church, but he was already going to be going with his friend that led him to Christ. But that weekend, he was baptized by one of our student church leaders. The following week in class, the whole atmosphere was lighter and more free, and Santos has signed up to pray weekly at the CHOP.
In telling that whole situation to other people, not only do I see God working in amazing, miraculous, “coincidental” ways, I see the power of the testimony live and at work. Hope kindles in people’s eyes and hearts, and they are more encouraged to go to their communities, live life with Jesus at the center, and expect Him to do the same thing that they were just hearing. So why not Jesus and ballroom dancing, or Jesus and skateboarding, or Jesus and book clubs, or Jesus and whatever! Just a thought…
Fusion of Vision
One of the meetings I attended in New York City was a Fusion Group for Campus Ministers. You all are certainly getting an education in this edition! Fusion groups are leaders praying with leaders on a consistent basis to grow in relationship and partner in mission together for the transformation of a campus. So this group held quite a few leaders of well known ministries like Campus Crusade and Intervarsity, and we prayed through II Chronicles 34 and 35 for the campus in the city. As we prayed for the students, the leaders, and the atmosphere, what came out was a unified vision of transformation that I’ve been praying for since I myself was in college, but haven’t really and truly seen until that moment. I knew for sure that my heart was joined with theirs, and that this was a huge reason why God is moving me to this place. It was a powerful revelation for me, and has made me excited and more purposeful about the steps I need to take in order to walk out that vision. Will you join with us to see this amazing, influential city transformed by the power of God?
Austin President’s Banquet
For those of you in Austin, I would like to extend to you the invitation to come to Campus Renewal’s President’s Banquet taking place on October 14th at 7 pm at the University of Texas Alumni Center. This is a great time to hear Jeremy Story share his heart and the heart of the ministry in which I am involved. The tickets are $30, or $250 to sponsor a table of 8-10 people who would like to come along with you. I would love to see some supporting faces that evening! You can register here at www.campusrenewal.org/austinbanquet.
There’s always more happening than I can describe in this letter. I would be so happy to fill you in on anything that interests you, and would love to hear what God is doing in your own lives. The power of testimony works both ways, I love being encouraged!
May you be blessed beyond all belief!!!
Akpene
sweetspirit96@gmail.com
512.293.9107
akpenesadventures.blogspot.com
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