To Florida I Have Come!

Alli, Dad, and I entering Mississippi ~ Tropical storm Claudette from our motel room ~ Dad and I on Panama City Beach the next morning


A lot has happened in the last week. On Friday I left the mountains of Colorado and journeyed to the beaches of Florida. I pulled into Gainesville on Monday afternoon, had a RUF ministry team retreat on Tuesday and Wednesday, passed out fliers on campus Thursday, played capture the flag last night, and am going to a RUF dessert/pool party tonight. I have unpacked and settled into my new apartment with my awesome roommates, and started to figure out Gainesville. I have not figured out humidity yet, but I have discovered that one use is all you can get out of a t-shirt before it goes into the dirty clothes. A lot of things are different, many are the same, and Christ is still Lord over all.

Several people have asked what exactly I am doing here as an intern, and I usually have responded, "meeting new students, building relationships, and helping RUF at UF to better reach students with Christ." The reality of this last week is that I have no idea what I am doing here. I feel like a freshman myself, moving to a new city, new campus, trying to fit in. The students on leadership here are amazing; they could do my job so much better than I can. They know the town, the students, the campus and are organized, outgoing, and fun. Yesterday I was late to set up for capture the flag because I got lost, then couldn't find the supplies we needed in Walmart. I was stressing out, running around trying to find caution tape like the world depended on it. Then as I was rushing out to get to campus I got stuck in a traffic jam, getting frustrated and feeling quite inadequate. I was getting all worked up, and had to take a deep breath to calm myself and ground myself in the reality that my justification is not in how well I perform as an intern, or in how cool people think I am, or even in wanting to succeed, but my worth and identity is rooted and flourishes in Christ.

We talk often of our brokenness and how Christ's power is most clearly seen in our weaknesses, but I forget that feeling weak and broken actually hurts. The natural inclination of my heart is to turn in on itself to escape the pain, but by his grace I am learning to open myself to him in my hurt, loneliness, and sin; to feel his cleansing and supporting hand. I pray that I may offer this to others, that they would not see my strength but Christ's power at work. For without him, I am just a fake, running around trying to gain popularity points. With him, I can truly love others and find peace in any situation.

I have felt very welcomed and encouraged thus far, and though it seems overwhelming at times, know that I will find a place here. It is wonderful to see that wherever I go, no matter how different it is, Christ is still there. He is at work. In me, on campus, in RUF, everywhere I look he is creating a kingdom and a people for himself!