Quick update from Emmaus.

First. I am writing this at midnight and after our chapter sharing time.

So a couple of really neat things. Our chapter brought 23 people and nearly half were freshman or sophomores. This was exciting to me because it means that our chapter is passing on the vision of the chapter to a next generation.

Some highlights from Emmaus thus far: On the first night, we were encouraged to consider living in the tension between thoughtless consumption of media and retreat/isolation from media. Then on Saturday morning we had seminars to speak gender, our worldview, success, and money. I got to speak about the ways the Lord wants to speak to us and thru us in our culture. Then tonight we spent time disengaging media for the sake of plugging in to God.

I'll share more from our chapter time and post some pictures some time next week. Thank you for your prayers.

-matt

URBANA 06

I dont feel like I can adequately describe for you the overwhelming and huge experience that urbana actually is. What I would suggest is that you take the highlight video tour online at www.urbana.org The videos are arranged chronologically. In my opinion the best 2 talks from the week were by Brenda Salter McNeil Dec 28 evening and Sharon Cohn from International Justice Mission on Dec 29 evening. If you listen to nothing else listen to their talks. And if you want to hear someone not from America talk about the potentially deadly flaws of the western church then give a listen to Oscar Muriu Dec 28 evening.

What I would say in talking most with people who were at urbana is the overwhelming truth that we are each a part of the image of God. We reflect and care about different things and that is how God uniquely chooses to act in the world; through the Church, his body. And that we (college students in particular) are in the most unique and potentially amazing time when we really believe that we are going to change the world.

I'd say if you run into someone who went to URBANA 06 watch out. They probably are about to blow your mind. This is a picture of some UNCW and Cape Fear Community College students who are a part of that calling. Some made commitments to become missionaries, some to serve on campus, some to give up things. All have committed to do something.

On a side note, St. Louis as a city was shocked to see what 22,000 hungry college students could do in a matter of hours to the local restaurants. There was a constant line about 30 people long. Some places had to close because they ran out of food. Mostly we provided an economic boost to a city that could use some encouragement. and they took notice.

Finally, on a sad note, while playing frisbee barefoot the night before the conference officially kicked off, I lost my last, best frisbee when a staff intern inadvertantly threw my NOVA (a sweet brand of disc) too high over traffic and it landed on the roof of the Edward Jones Dome. thankfully, discs are super cheap. most importantly we didn't hit Tom Boyle, a national VP with InterVarsity.

Well I'm out. I'll add more later. Currently, I'm in Charleston with the Webers enjoying staff prayer and bonding.

URBANA 06

As most of you know from December 27th to New Years, InterVarsity in partnership with campus ministries from across North America and throughout the world hosted its 27th missions conference URBANA 06. I will be posting soon with student testimonies, pictures, and what the conference means to UNC-Wilmington and our call to change the world.

What I would like to do in the mean time is invite you to experience a taste of what our students (along with 22,000 of their new best friends) were a part of this past week. On the website www.urbana.org much of the audio and video from the conferece is accessible to the general public (with the exception of a personal statement from Bono exclusively for URBANA attendees). In particular I would invite you to watch Brenda Salter McNeil and the Testimony of Sharon Cohn from IJM.

I have to catch my flight. Talk to you soon.

-matt

Another thought,

My niece is super cute.

Quick thought for today.

here is Christ's word to Martha in Luke 10:41 after she invites him into her house only and then is too busy for him:

"You are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion and it will not be taken away from her."

Strikes me that I let Christ sit on the couch but not look in the closet, not sweep out the dirt, not wash the dishes.

Why do I do what I do?

Thats why.

Here, I'm working on the talk that I am going to give at our chapter retreat. I didn't know that my students were watching me. Sometimes life is too hard, and I can't do it. Those are the best moments of my life. Thats when God reminds me just how real He is.

Later that night, we had a chance to spend time with God and I got to walk past my students as they were each experiencing God's presence with waves crashing and sand between their toes. There are moments when you can't plan what God is going to do, you can't control the conversation with him, and you can't even stand in his presence.

Thats what happened that night. I knew that God had done something great, and that I got to be a part of it.

But (Christ) made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant...he humbled himself by becoming obedient... Philippians 2:7-8

I remember something a friend said one time, "God do a great thing through me, but don't let me see it." And that has stuck with me. The moment I surrender to God, is the moment that He turns andn can use me to do his work. But thats the exact moment that I become prideful and think I can do it on my own.

When I look back at this picture, I remember that I am so small and God is at once more beautiful and powerful.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. Psalm 111:10

I decided that this week was crazy. Here is story to prove it. After Large Group, my dad called and since I was talking to a friend, I ignored the call. About 18.3 seconds later my brother-in-law called and again, I was talking to a friend so I again dismissed the call, however I became growingly suspicious that I needed to gas up, pack a bag, and head to Greenville any second. Without listening to the panic-laced message, I called my dad to see how things were assuming the worst, or actually best. What I failed to mention was that my sister is about 8 1/2 months pregnant and I'm almost out of clean clothes. (that for my non-English studying friends, is known as a supposed non-sequeter: a phrase that on first glance does not follow from the previous statement [see the root word sequence, non-sequence, nonsequeter; neat isn't it, try to use it this week in conversation] **side note, I have a minor in Literature not grammar please don't even try to correct my horrible sentence structure, I only read books. back to my main sidenote following the parentheses {i can't spell well either} anywho) So my sister is wicked pregnant, which by the way is a really good book, that is going to be someone mentioned in this story's birthday present (the book title is Wicked, its about the wicked witch of the west and how she became so wicked), which was what really had me anxious. I assumed that my phone calls were with respect to her being pregnant and the process by which she would soon no longer be such. However, they were in fact concerned for my safety. See, I took my first hot shower the day before and they thought I had died.

Explain. OK, I will. I have an old house, which you know. I have old appliances, duh. I have an old water heater which is gas powered. I got it turned on and they thought I died because of Carbon Monoxide poisoning, despite me installing a detector.

So we were both freaked out. But nothing really happened.

Therefore, this was a crazy week.

Finally, something I just discovered about women from the internet.

Outreach joy.

Today we have our first really big IV Outreach event. We are having a picnic at the Gazebo on campus complete with FREE hot, Krispy Kreme donuts, CiCi's pizza, Chick-fil-A sweet tea. I'm not advertising just bragging. That brings me to my main point. This town, these students, and this college are a blessing. When we were chalking the campus last night, I had the privilege of going around with Kathryn (who got us the free tea) and was overwhelmed with how outgoing she was. Literally every person we passed she made feel like we were hosting the picnic just for them. With chalk-coated fingers , a "y'all come on" southern accent, and a smile we invited groups of freshmen women taking their first trip to Wag (dining hall), guys too scared to talk to those girls, the soccer players, basketballers, volleyballers, and people on bikes trying to find their classes 3 days early because they were bored with IM. Probably my favorite thing about last night was when a group of black students on their way to dinner, stopped and hugged me because we were going to have free Krispy Kreme donuts. All I offered was a fried ball of dough, and that was enough. This is the place where the gospel will make a difference. Watch out.

On a side note, I found a great coffee shop. I'm not super excited about their drinks, or their bagels. They don't have wireless or wired internet. Although their coffee cake is really good, none of these are as cool as what I saw when I was there. Everybody knows everybody. Besides, I could (in theory) walk to it from my house.

house update: new additions (insulation in 1 room, a closet w/ door, an almost passable backyard, an almost complete outlet to power my oven, and an idea to put lights on the corner outside) random object found this week (mummified baby opossum)