Over the past couple of days , I have been reading articles and will start reading some books on community, and what it means to be in a community of grace. What does that look like? Is it even important? Well yes it is. We are called to be in community with one another, and it seems to make everything a lot easier, especially to be in a christian organization like Intervarsity. By us engaging in community with other Christians and people inside Intervarsity or any organization we do, it helps to build authentic relationships.

So key word here "engage" you have to be willing to feel uncomfortable and break away from your normal constraints and engage in relationships with others. One part of being in community with people in Intervarsity is the willingness to seek out each other as accountability partners. Holding each other responsible (accountable) for their actions, whether it is lying or telling a small joke. I feel that this is one of the most important things anyone could be doing, having accountability partners. People who you have genuine , authentic , growing relationships with, and who are there to pray with you. But of course with that comes vulnerability. In order for growth to happen, you have to be vulnerable. Yes, I know. people think you have to tell all your deepest darkest secrets to everyone. Not true. Having an accountability partner, or someone who you can be in constant prayer with helps us to fight all temptations or issues facing us. God has given us all the authority we need, through Him. Also Iron sharpens, Iron.


Im also not telling people to constantly hang out with only Christians, or people in their organization. First that can cause problems on it's own. People get tired of each other, it's like a family and there is times when everyone needs breathing space. But if we are constantly hanging out with other Christians, who is out there spreading the Gospel? And by us hanging out with the same individuals constantly ,is not us having a welcoming (invitational) community. So I ask you this what: Kind of community are you setting up and presenting to individuals not in your very own Community? Is it one of invitation and grace? Well until my next post. I'm out



Song of the Day:
It All Belongs To You
Damita Haddon

It has been almost a month since I have started my summer job working as a CFA (RA) for VCU's summer conference. Oh how I thought it would be easier. A lot of sweat, and labor goes into this job. Especially since more than half my residents are either foreign (Spain, Korea) or high school students that can only speak the language of their program which is not English. This is going to be fun!! Well it gives me a chance to brush up on a few languages I know. It's also really cool being able to connect with my residents on God , church , and campus organizations like Intervarsity. But the language barrier creates a little difficulty. So we will see how the rest of my summer turns out, may end up being quadrilingual. That would be awesome.


Anywho enough about conferences , I decided that I am going to share a song with every post. So here it is , one of my all time favorites . Sorry I can't post the video , but check it out


Song of the Day:
This is the Day
Fred Hammond

So it has been a fun and crazy beginning to summer. Figuring out where I am going to be living, since I moved out of the IV house. Helping my parent's move (still helping) , my brother's graduation and other stuff. But through it all I have been extremely blessed. This summer has possible been one of the best since coming to college. God has given me several opportunities on VCU's campus and just where my passions lie and I am taking them.



Of course everyone knows I am very active in doing stuff at VCU, sometimes a little too much and having a huge passion for the performing arts. Well I have been given this awesome opportunity to have two jobs this summer. One of which I am an RA that gives me free housing until August 10. So awesome since I still have no clue where I am living yet, and then the other is working in the card office on MCV. Well they might not seem like amazing jobs. But they are!! Especially the card office. Since working there one of my undergrad professors who I did research with last summer, saw me working and asked if I wanted to help her with some more studies that would be for the undergrad physiology lab. Wow!! I get to make studies that every other pre-health undergrad would be doing in their lab class. How crazy is that? To be an assistant researcher and still in undergrad. Of course I am taking this. I not only get to learn more: physiology and Portuguese, but this wonderful professor might be writing me a recommendation to Grad school. But besides that, one of my co-workers wife is a physical therapist at VCU, and did her PHD program here. How cool is that. I actually got to talk to her yesterday about her experience as a physical therapist and going to the Grad school I am applying for. And through talking with her I might be able to volunteer with her and get a handful of hours working with her. Amazing!!!



But with all this amazing stuff piling up, God just opens another door. I have the chance to audition for an Off Broadway National Tour. CRAZY!! This is the chance of a lifetime. And I am not going to let this one go. God has given me amazing gifts and talents and to not use them. Is a waste. By all means, im not saying I am good or great. But God has given me so many opportunities to use what He gave me a passion for, why not use them. After all I am trying to go into Performing Arts Medicine. Now I just need to figure out how to finish school, and do all this amazing stuff. AHH!! God is GREAT!!

So where to begin,
this past May I got the awesome opportunity to go to Rockbridge in Goshen va, a young life camp that Intervarsity christian Fellowship used for three weeks. Contrary to popular belief this was my first time actually going, and it was so worth it. I was so encouraged to see a group of college students (freshman to seniors) on fire for God. Since when does a couple hundred college students spend a week together and just worship God and grow in faith with one another? Not often. I got the chance to talk to people from other chapters and make better connections with people in my very own. A few people who really touched my heart were my IV peeps from UNCC, Salem, and Elon. They are all amazing individuals, and I was truly blessed to have gone to Rockbridge the same week as them. It was awesome to see how they constantly encouraged and were there for members of their own chapter, and willing to pray for each other. Not to mention outgoing. Man how I wish our schools were closer.


But that shall not stop me for visiting (hopefully). I also had the opportunity to go to a few seminars, most of which were for the C-team track. I was glad I was at Rockbridge and decided that I needed to figure out what exactly I am supposed to be doing on my own leadership team and where God is leading me. One of the many seminars that hit home for me was Wes Barts on "The Character & Soul of a Leader" : I mean this is why I went . To learn how to better lead my chapter. Through his talk , he mentioned Big kid britches and children, and so on. I thought it was funny, but the thing that hit home for me was when he mentioned ; " Are you being a Christian Consumer?" I am? Was I? I realized I was , I was not doing the job God had called me to do on my campus. I was being done when I was done, Not when God said I was. I needed to start seeing others with God's eyes and not my own. I was so ready to get back to campus and start fall semester, and use what I learned. This was a very good , but draining (in a good way)/ encouraging week.

If this week was not a taste of what Heaven would be like, I don't know what is