Vigilant Hearts

"Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy...be vigilant at all times and pray..." Luke 21:34

Happy Advent! The past month has been full of graces which I can only attribute to the peace and blessings that I gained from my Rome trip. Our team, students, and campus movement as a whole are truly catching a new stride. God's graces are abounding, and I am reminded more and more that this is His mission, not ours. This Advent, as we await the coming of our Lord Jesus, I am truly humbled by looking back on these past three months of the semester and realizing all that God has done, and preparing my heart for whatever comes next in this mission. Below is a short recap of the month's events and blessings:

Women's Night: Discernment (November 5th): 
We were blessed to have two Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George join us for our first-ever Women's Night. 20 women attended this lovely evening which held a discussion on discerning God's will in life-- from everything to deciding one's major to deciding one's vocation. We are looking forward to many more women's nights in the remainder of the school year, as they are a wonderful way to grow together as daughters of God.

Men's Night: Be a Man! (November 5th): 
The men of UW-L gathered together to "be men" and to listen to a talk from our very own chaplain, Fr. James. Being that I am not a man, I was not there, so these are the only details I know... but based on the way the men have been striving to honor us women lately, I think it went well! ;)

Thanksgiving Potluck (November 15th): 
Every year, the Newman Center puts on a lovely Thanksgiving potluck for all parishioners and students. There were about 300 people in attendance this year and more food than you could ever dream of for a Thanksgiving meal! It was wonderful seeing the students of UW-L interact with the parishioners of the Newman Center and enjoy a lot of hospitality from their home away from home. There were about 150 students in attendance.

Cultivation (Ongoing):
It's been wonderful seeing my team reach deeper levels of relationship with the students that God has asked us to invest in. We now have six students who have decided to make a deeper commitment in their relationship with God and begin a weekly mentorship with their prospective missionary in order to deepen their faith and begin sharing it more intentionally with their friends. Praise God for the boldness of these new "student missionaries!"


SEEK 2013 Conference (January 1-7th):
The first week of January, we are blessed to attend one of the nations' largest gatherings of college-aged students for an amazing opportunity to encounter God's grace and love in Orlando, Florida for the SEEK 2013 Conference, presented by FOCUS. These past two weeks especially, team UW-La Crosse has been hard at work praying, fasting, and inviting students to attend this conference with us. We will be taking 36 students with us to join the 6,000 other young adults in search of a deeper meaning for their life and their faith. For more info on the SEEK conference, check out the website: seek2013.com