However, I would like to see this site remain active and useful.  Therefore, rather than devoting the necessary time to writing posts exclusively for this website, I will simply use this as a place to post content that I have already invested the time to create.  For instance, I already spend a good deal of time studying scripture or thinking about philosophy.  I might as well post my notes, comments and meditations here.

Therefore, the shape of this blog will shift to a more personal and less edited form.  It will primarily serve as a searchable repository for my own notes.  If these notes are of use or interest to anyone else, well and good.  If you would like to comment on them, wonderful.  If you find them inane and incoherent, pass them by.

When I first arrived on campus I was pretty pumped. I had a long list of things that I was going to do with myself. Being a Christian was somewhere on the list, but not very high. I soon learned that even if “being a Christian” was number one on the priority list, I was still missing the point. I had several clubs that I wanted to get involved in. My only problem was that I only had 24 hours in a day and one of the clubs I wanted to get involved in was the sleeping in ’til 11 club. I was looking for a new girl friend, I was searching for relationships. I wanted to have the best four years of my life.

I share all this to encourage you to reach out to new students as the semester starts up. A few days after I came to school, I went to something called Campus Rukus. It was a big party on Haggin field where all the student organizations had tables. I wanted to go and figure out which ones looked the coolest. However, as I was looking around at groups I heard God say to me, as clearly as he has ever told me anything, “I want you to go and sit in the corner of this field, you are going about this the wrong way.” A few moments later, a guy named Eric walked up to me and handed me a newspaper for UCF. This led to a whole series of events that changed my life.

My point is that someone talked to me. I came to school from out of state and didn’t know anyone. I was searching for people to hang out with and things to do. I don’t know what would have happened if I had talked to someone who invited me to a party instead of Eric. To be honest, I’d rather not think about what my life could be instead. We need to realize that there is a huge herd of people just like I was entering the school, and the first couple of weeks are critical in forming friendships and connections.

Toward that end, Billy asked me to brainstorm a few creative ways in which we can meet those people. My first thought was to simply go to the dining areas and look for people who are by themselves to eat with. I remember as a freshmen with no friends going to get food the first couple of weeks and sitting by myself, just wishing I had someone to talk to. Another good idea is to meet people as they move into the dorms. Move in starts tomorrow, and it is a wonderful opportunity to meet people simply by helping them carry boxes in from their car. Many freshmen are also looking to get involved in clubs around their interests. Going to these is another great way to meet someone who is interested in the same things as you.

I also thought I would list the official stuff that UCF is involved in so that we all know when these are:

Campus Rukus: Sat 10 PM – 1 AM. This is different this year, there will be no tables.

Wildcats at Worship: Sun 10 AM – 12 AM. This is not an outreach, so don’t wear UCF shirts or anything, just people getting together to worship.

Student Center Spectacular: Sun 9 PM – 1 AM. We can start setting up our table at 5:30 (yes we are registered).

All the info for opening week can be found at http://www.uky.edu/kweek

There is something about a big city that is entirely centered around governing this world’s most powerful nation that does not appeal to me. There is something about the crowds of people who are caught up in their all-important affairs that makes me a bit uncomfortable. Lexington I like. Perhaps I’m a bit biased because I live here, but I certainly don’t suffer from the ‘grass is always greener’ syndrome. I like a medium-sized American city where you can still drive to horse farms in 10 minutes. I’m certainly not in favor of living in a small town where you can’t get your hands on things you need and you have to drive to the nearest major city. The really major cities, however, like DC make me feel dirty. I feel like all the buildings are covered in dirt, and people are too busy to stop and say hello.

If you are one of my many friends that live in DC, please don’t take offense. I don’t mean to insult or attack the place at all. I just don’t know why big cities like DC get under my skin so much. I think there is a different focus there. It is much harder to talk about God, because there is so much there that has to do with this world and this life. There are a million and one distractions to pull you away. Somehow when you are in the middle of the political center of the world it is easier to think that man’s devices can actually do something about the evil that we see every day. Perhaps it is just that when I lived in DC I spent a lot of time running away from God, and that has changed my perception of the city in my memories.

Whatever the reason for my discomfort, I hope that this trip we can do some good. I’m going with a few of my church brothers and I hope to have a productive time with them. I hope I can see some old faces again and have some meaningful conversations. I also hope that my perception of Washington can be changed in my mind for the better.

I’m awfully sorry folks, but I will be going to a camping retreat with the high-schoolers from my church this weekend. I will not be able to make any post until Sunday because I will not have any internet access. However, there is a bright side to this devastating piece of news. I have asked Garret and Ben to write a few posts for me this weekend so you should be getting some great posts with a fresh perspective.

This retreat will be focused on teaching the high-school students how to effectively evangelize. I will be giving a talk on the basics of the gospel and I hope to share a summary of what the Lord shows me on this subject.