This month has been a whirlwind of activity it seems, culminating in Woman’s Weekend ‘08. I had forgotten just how unique and powerful woman’s weekend can be. I had attended as a student during my first year at BGSU, and it truly was the beginning of God doing a work in my life.

I think the best way I can describe WW to you is by a comment my friend from the Middle East said to me near the end of our time there. “Is it common for Americans to speak so freely about these things to one another?”

Oh, how I wish it was! How I wish as women we were in each other’s life cheering each other on, weeping with each other for our sorrows, praying over breaking down strongholds together and caring for past wounds, as we journeyed together.

It really was a sweet weekend for so many women. I thank the Lord for the conversations I got to have with girls and a cool seminar I got to speak at (which is not really something I am accustomed to doing, so it was a bit out of my comfort zone). I was inspired by the women on my team who lead me and what gracious godly women they are. Just keep praying that God will be working in these college girls’ hearts and that our staff team will be given wisdom from the Lord as they lead them and follow through what was started this weekend.

Thank you God for answering prayer in ways we never would have expected.

Fall has arrived in BG, or maybe it is just Hurricane Ike, but I am loving it! I certainly missed Autumn last year. It was high on my list of “things I missed about America.” As the school semester really gets moving, I feel this real tendency to want to go and go longer hours and do and do more for CRU. I know the Lord’s work doesn’t need me, and it is simply a privilege that I get to be a part of it, so am trying to learn that balance of tending to others and tending to that “inner garden” with the Lord.

On a special prayer request note- Sam has a job interview today!!!! It is with a faith based non-profit in Toledo that works with the homeless, and he thinks it is an organization he could get excited about. Unfortunately, he is curled up in bed with a stomach bug, so he needs prayer for heeling, too.

By the way, have I mentioned that we live with rabid Browns fans……. yeh, luckily, we aren’t homeless after last night

God keeps working in neat ways and letting me bring international friends to church. I love that my Iranian Muslim friend now has a Christian Indonesian room mate. I think God is chasing after her! The Indonesian woman, Eka, is a middle-aged woman who came to church with me this Sunday, so we are praying Solmaz will join us one Sunday soon. I think Eka really enjoyed experiencing an “American” church, which was quite different from her traditional style church in Indonesia. In the photos below Eka is with our friend Joan Edwards, who had actually just returned from a visit in Kenya!