return

Greetings from St. Louis and a belated welcome to 2011! I've been back on campus at Wash U for the past two weeks and I must say that the spring semester is off to an exciting start.

After a wonderfully encouraging week at InterVarsity's National Staff Conference in early January, held in downtown St. Louis, I dove back into ministry on campus with a renewed sense that I have been called to love the university and to be a part of bringing renewal to its people, structures, and ideas. I've forgotten that far too easily in the past as I've faced challenges and found myself tempted to believe the lie that the soil at Wash U is simply too hard.

I'm done paying attention to lies.

I've spent more time in prayer for Wash U's students, faculty, and administration in the past two weeks than ever before and it's making all the difference. I walk on campus each day asking God to show me how I can join Him in what He's already doing on campus.

I kept hearing the phrase, "sowing in tears, reaping in laughter," as I was hanging out at Wash U last week. I couldn't remember the reference, but I was delighted to discover that it comes from Psalm 126.

I've spent a lot of time in the Psalms of Ascent over the past three years. I love that they are the songs of a journey, with all of the ups and downs that come with it. I've cried a lot of tears over Wash U during my time on staff here, but God is using this campus and its people to give me new reasons to sing. This is a beautiful thing and I am deeply grateful to the One who is allowing me to experience it.

Psalm 126

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with sounds of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, LORD, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

I feel like doing this a lot. Does anyone have a spare trampoline that I could borrow?