The Wurglers

Its been quite a whirlwind since arriving in South Carolina last Tuesday the 17th. We got in to town just in time as everyone was at their wits end with traveling. Everything went smoothly for the most part so we are thankful for that. We have a nice little apartment in close proximity to the students and other staff here. Our first week was FULL of meetings as we planned and prepped for the students to come. Students arrived here this past Tuesday and we are already getting to know them well. All this busyness has allowed us to only spend time during our 1 day off at the beach, but it was worth it. We've already had the opportunity to hit the beach and do some evangelism. Praise the Lord that there have already been people who have trusted Christ. Aaron went sharing with Ryan, a student from North Dakota State, and we met Nick and Thomas, 2 college students from Kentucky here to soak up some sun and party. We had a blast talking to them and telling them about the love of God expre...

Time sure does fly. We cannot believe we've just finished our first year on campus. Also unbelievable is the time since we've last updated the blog. Our apologies. Life's been THAT busy. Ministry has been great; that doesn't mean its been easy or exactly what we've been praying for, but that does mean we recognize God is at work and He is sovereign over this ministry. What else can you ask for?!? We have learned a TON about ministry and seeking the Lord and portraying Him to the students in a Biblical way. One of the frustrating parts of ministry is not seeing more students engaged in reaching out to their fellow classmates/dorm mates. We've been trying several methods to show the importance of evangelism and how that can practically be done. I was reminded by another staff member recently that it can become wearisome for students to so often hear us preach sharing their faith. I think sometimes we forget that the goal is Jesus - He is the end, He is the goal. A...

Our eyes were opened today to how insensitive and exclusive we can be as Christians toward those who don't follow our same beliefs. Aaron has had the opportunity to spend a good amount of time with Eric, who you may have read about in our monthly newsletters. (For the record, we absolutely LOVE the new church we are attending. This by no means a knock on it and the body of believers who are truly the Church in its Biblical sense, but a calling out the church as an organization. We have learned there are no perfect churches because the people who fill them are imperfect. As a result, we can be prone to "doing church" to fit our tastes and comforts as believers, but often overlook the tastes and comforts of unbelievers who may attend.) Eric has had some issues with God for quite a few years. He grew up going to church and was even confirmed in middle school. But it was shortly thereafter when he felt betrayed by God, but perhaps mostly by those who carry the tag "Chris...

As we look back over 2010 we have so much to be thankful for! We are so blessed to be called to work with college students and it was an absolute joy to step on the campus of the University of North Dakota to begin ministry this October. God has already done so much in and through us. We praise Him to be in a season of ministry where we are able to see the fruit God is producing! God brought in 100% of our support over Thanksgiving weekend and we feel so blessed to be fully-funded. We had some one-time needs for the birth of our baby (which could happen any day:) and God provided all of that this December. God's provision is so amazing- we can truly trust Him for EVERYTHING. Psalm 37:23-26 "The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; thought he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever len...

With new transitions come many new things going on in our lives these days. 1) We are officially North Dakotans... or, the term we've chosen to endearingly embrace, "Southern Canadians." New drivers' licenses and license plates with buffalo on them say North Dakota like nobody's business. 2) We are making new friends, deep into the hunt for a new church, and living in a new home, all of which are such a blessing. 3) New weather patterns. More specifically, wind. You know you're in ND when you hear a guy on the radio the other morning say there were wind gusts of 80 mph somewhere in ND yesterday, 60mph in Fargo and that "today is going to be calm with the wind ranging from 25-30 mph." When the wind is more often than not at a higher speed than what is allowed for the speed limit on most streets, we've got issues. 4) New ways of seeing God's hand at work and being blessed to be a part of His work. 2 Corinthians 5 talks about the "ministry...

Exciting news everybody! We have successfully moved to Grand Forks. During a conversation with Jason from our leadership team last Thursday, we were given the green light to report to our assignment at the University of North Dakota. Needless to say, we were incredibly excited. We took the next couple of days to pack up the remainder of our things, see family and a few friends one last time and moved up this past Monday. Since then: ◊ We have been busy settling in to our apartment. Every day one more box seems to disappear. ◊ We have met with our team a few times already to talk about our roles in the ministry here. Aaron was asked to lead the "Freshmen Team." Details need to be ironed out as to what that will look like, but sharing the Gospel with them and finding those key students who want to be involved in Cru in a leadership aspect while training them to reach their classmates is a part of it. ◊ Aaron has already scheduled a meeting with a student who has indicated an in...

I've been thinking a lot lately about radical discipleship. God has given me a heart for world missions and I feel that as a part of the Body of Christ it is my responsibility to be a part of what He's doing around the world however I can. I pray and ask God to show me and yet I feel unwilling to do whatever it takes because it's more difficult as a family. Sometimes in America we worship the god of safety. Everything needs to be safe and in order to make it that way we attempt to control as much of our environment as we seemingly can. I've never felt such a strong pull toward that until I became a mother. I attempt to control what Emma touches, everything that goes in her mouth, where she goes... etc. God has called me to be her protector, especially now when she can't do much to protect herself. Sometimes that protective instinct wants to override everything including the Lord's voice. I have to ask myself as we pray about where God is leading us- am ...