Urbana '09

So, I recently got back from a missions conference in St. Louis, which takes place every three years and brings in about 16,000 college students with a heart for global missions. Simply put, it was LIFE CHANGING! I could not even begin to explain all that God taught me in the five days that I was there, but I am going to try to just express some of it in words.

In the days leading up to Urbana, I was a little pessimistic about the whole thing. I had heard stories of the amazing things God had done in various people's lives at past Urbana conferences, but I guess I just didn't fully believe that God was going to do anything that awesome in my life. It was just a lot of spiritual warfare. Satan was trying to convince me that I really did not need to be at this conference at all, but boy was I wrong! The first full day was completely overwhelming. There were about 250 booths from different mission organizations set up in the center where the conference was held, and, upon my first visit to some of these booths, I found nothing that really captured my attention. Actually this first visit made me want to burst into tears haha. Looking back, I see that I was trying to force God to speak and failing to recognize that God's timing is better than mine. The second day was better and I definitely felt more peace about a lot of things, but I was a little discouraged when I saw how God was speaking to other people and not to me. Also, this was mixed with a bit of confusion about my calling to the DR. You see, all of the speakers at Urbana were touching my heart as they spoke of all the tribes and nations that need to hear the Truth of the Gospel, and I was questioning whether I should be focusing instead on some of the unreached people groups. Just for clarification, unreached people groups are those who have never heard of Christ or the Gospel message. The Dominican people are consider a reached people group because most of them have heard of Christ before to some degree. So, the third day was really when I began to see God moving, although I now see that He had been all along. In the morning Bible study session, I was able to bring something to the light that has held me back from serving Christ wholeheartedly in the past. After this, Satan was attacking me almost the whole day, but his attacks were not strong enough to overcome the work that the Spirit was doing in my heart. Honestly, that day it felt like I had come to know Christ all over again. God taught me more about His grace and forgiveness and my need for Him in that day than I can even explain. He reminded me of the fact that apart from Him I can do nothing and without Him I am nothing more than a sinful and powerless human. I was broken over my sins and ready for Him to put the pieces back together. I had finally become resigned to the fact that maybe I was not supposed to go to the DR as an intern during the summer like I had hoped, and I was truly ok with it. Then God surprised me yet again :) I went back to look at the booths again, and this time it was not nearly as overwhelming. Finally, when I was about to go meet my group for dinner, I went to one last booth. The bold text written on the booth's background said, "SUMMER INTERNSHIPS: DOMINCAN REPUBLIC". Wow! Really?! I was in shock for a second! Finally, I began speaking to a man at the booth and finding out more info about the group. It seems like a great opportunity! Even if it does not work out for me to go this summer, I know that my visiting that one last booth was not a coincidence. God has a purpose in that!

Ok so I could go on all day about all that God taught me and all that, but I don't think that's necessary and it would probably take me all night. I do, however, want to share one more thing. How we brought in the New Year...As midnight rolled around, the 16000 students present at Urbana '09 were singing the words, "Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so! Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so! Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so! say so! say so! I am Redeemed!" I will never forget this image. As we rung in the New Year we sang of being made new by our Mighty Saviour! Thank You Jesus for being our redeemer!

I didn't even mention the fact that the theme for the week was "He dwelled among us," but hopefully I will apply that to my own life and have stories later about dwelling among the people I know who don't have a relationship with Christ yet! Christ lives in me, so I must show my love for others by going outside of my world and comfort zone and into theirs, just as Jesus did! So I'm going to end on this note for now and encouragement in regards to the Incarnation: "..Together may we learn to wait. May we learn to hope. May we learn to turn to the God who did not remain distant or remote from our situation but stepped right into it, to bring healing from the inside out."

~Linds

Oh, I almost forgot one of the most exciting parts...In my time at Urbana, I committed to serving the Lord through global missions for at least two years of my life along with about 1500 other students! Hallelujah!