Blowing doubt away.

http://threetrees-art.blogspot.com/2009/11/focus-focus-focus-and-then-focus.html

At the end of every fiscal year, there is always a time of panic... will God provide what we need this year? Even after nine years in ministry, depending on God, and watching Him provide for our budget without fail, my faith still wavers.

This year, because we have been disappointed and greiving, it has been that much harder to trust that God will come through for us in this area. It has also been a hard year for fundraising in general, with the recession catching up to us and our support base. BJ and I have struggled in prayer and in our minds, weary and frustrated.

Earlier in the year, I was praying and got an image of what we had left to raise, at that time $25,000, and God's breath blowing that number away. At first, I was excited and wanted to hold onto that picture, but also hold onto the ease at which our lack was blown away. As with many images or words from God, doubt crept in. Was that just my own imagination? Was that really a promise from God? And as we marched towards the end of our fiscal year and I wasn't seeing God blowing away our deficit, I really began to doubt.

Where was God's miraculous provision? We would hear stories of other staff receiving thousands of dollars in anonymous gifts, or people giving large gifts of $5,000 or $10,000. Why wasn't God doing that for us? Isn't that what the image was? Fundraising weighed heavy on us, and I wrestled with understanding if I heard the voice of God or not.

This June, and particularly the last few weeks of June, some sort of light has been breaking through clouds of anxiety and doubt. Everyday, we check to see if support has come in. Everyday, we see gifts appear. Friends, family, strangers... offering what they will to the ministry and our need. Everyday, chipping away the amount that is left to raise, and chipping away the fear that God will not come through for us.

We are very close now. With two days left, it really seems like all we need will come in. I was thinking about that image again, and wondering... did that actually happen? It doesn't feel like God blew it all away with one mighty breath. But then another thought quickly followed... many, many people have been blowing it away, slowly, surely, with the breath of God that is within them of generosity, caring, and sacrifice.


"But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding." Job 32:8

Stories of Student lives transformed (this year!)

Meet Sean. I met Sean when he attended our spring break camp, having only prayed once before in his life. He went in looking to see if God was real. By the end of the week, God became real to Sean when he saw his friend encounter God at camp. After that, Sean dedicated his life to God and just weeks later, he shared his testimony in front of dozens of fraternity and sorority students at a Greek IV event.

Meet Marshall. As an SDSU freshman, Marshall was high on drugs when the Holy Spirit put on his heart to repent and come back to Jesus. Marshall was raised a Christian but fell away from his faith. His mom continued to pray for him daily and Marshall had a drastic turnaround when he repented. He stopped drugs, sex and alcohol and began ministering to students through prayer and is now looking to enroll in Bible school. 

Meet Lisa. Previously a hardcore skeptic, Lisa was invited by her roommates (two SDSU InterVarsity leaders) to our annual Fall Retreat at Catalina Island (where I was the keynote speaker). At Catalina, she had an amazing encounter with Jesus but afterwards attempted to ignore God’s call. God did not take no for an answer and continued to press deeper into her life through her roommates. Towards the end of the Spring semester, Lisa came to faith in Jesus!

Meet Tyler, Joanna, and Marcus! Watch a video about three new Christians at UCSD!

This year 53 students became Christians at UCSD! And 149 students began their relationships with Jesus across the 9 campuses in San Diego InterVarsity! Praise God!!