Well folks, it's been a long time coming, but here is an update on what's going on. I will try to have some more regular postings from now on.
First of all, school is in full swing, with this being my final semester. Marshall has been a great place so far, and I am looking to finish here as strong as I can. Our Fellowship of Christian Athletes Ministry is continuing to grow, and athletes are coming to know Christ, as well as continuing to grow in his word, and are being sanctified through Him. It was great as we had 38 people from Marshall that were able to attend the Athletes in Action (http://www.athletesinaction.org/) winter conference a few weeks ago.
For me, I have seen a great growth in the area of servanthood, and my willingness to serve others. The Lord has allowed for a few great opportunities to do so. This started when a man named Mike came to River Cities Community Church (http://www.rcccwv.com/) to talk about the Christian Motorcyclists Association (http://www.cmausa.org/) and their homeless outreach that they have every Saturday morning down at the riverfront in Huntington. At first, serving the homeless was intimidating, as some of the people that we were serving were not in a great mental state. However, this soon wore off, pride was pushed aside, and talking and serving to them was a joy. Knowing that I, as well as every one of the homeless are God's children, and he created us in His image (Genesis 1:26-27 - http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%201:%2026-27&version=ESV) made things even easier, and more of a joy. Just as Christ washed the disciple's feet, we too can serve others in ways that they would never think possible (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2013&version=ESV). Sometimes, this is as simple as having a conversation with someone, or just learning their first name.
One name that comes to mind is a man simply known as The Colonel. My roomates and I have been able to learn more and more about this man who is homeless on the streets of Huntington, and often is picking through our dumpster looking for empty aluminum cans to sell as scrap. Only through the Lord blessing us with grace and humilty can we approach this man and attempt to learn more about him. We can continue to serve him through prayer, as well as simply asking him about Jesus, and telling him about Christ, and we know he will never turn down any food or empty cans! This is just one example of the servant heart that God is shaping for me, and I am thankful for this growth.
Look for more updates on The Colonel and the rest of the crew from the riverfront as the time goes on, and I am able to update the blog more often.
-chris
