You Think Houston is Hot???

Summertime is such a sweet, yet very busy time for us and this summer has been absolutely no exception. From weddings, to family reunions, visiting with friends and traveling, we've been reminded over and over again how rich our life really is. I'd love to tell you all about it, but thankfully, I've already written a little bit about it all (including lots of pictures!) on my other blog. So, please go check it out!

I would, however, like to kinda highlight a few things from our trip to Phoenix, AZ. We were so excited to get to go out west (neither of us had ever been out that far) and spend a week with some of our dearest friends and XA family. This wasn't just a vacation and we knew that from the beginning.

All the directors and staff from all the Chi Alphas in the nation got together last week to celebrate what the LORD has been doing on each campus and to gear up for what is ahead. Not only did we get spoiled by getting to stay at this luxury resort (Arizona Grand Resort), but we also got to spend the week learning how to better reach the students on our campus.

Here are a few things we learned (or were reminded of):

1. The culture in America changes every time a new generation rises. Their questions about life/God/religion and the way in which they ask these questions are also changing.

2. Islam is really on the rise in America and on the American university campus. The best way to reach this group of people is to make one friend at a time...and to be committed to pray for them in love.

3. Our supporters (YOU!) want to hear stories about the people we deal with and want to know how to pray for them. (I also learned that if you choose to have a blog, it's important to update it frequently...I'm trying to get better at this.) :)

4. God's goodness is not contingent on our circumstances. Meaning, He stays the same and He's always good. Even though we may go through some tough times and experience some pretty crummy situations, doesn't mean that He's suddenly stopped being good to us. No, He loves us and if we let it, those crummy situations can be used to glorify Him.

5. True discipleship is like saying marriage vows to someone. "I choose to love you and walk beside you no matter what; for better or worse...til death do us part."

6. It takes a good 2+ days to drive from Houston to Phoenix. And it's not a boring drive at all. I took a big, fat book with me to read along the way, and didn't get very far because I kept getting distracted by God's creative handiwork. Here's a little of what we saw all along the way:

Texas Hill Country

Watch out for that killer cacti!

Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
(driving through El Paso right along the border)

I can't remember if this was taken in New Mexico or Arizona.
Either way, we were constantly in awe of the majesty of these mountains.
Can you tell we're from East Texas and have had very little experience with mountains?

We had such a significant time and were really reminded why we do what we do. And we've only been back for less than a week, but the LORD has already made it very clear to us in the last few days (stayed tuned for these awesome stories!) that we are His ambassadors to a very lost and hurting world...right here in Houston, TX.