The following is from Ahmi (Gracepoint Fellowship Church – SF campus) and I’m sharing it here with her permission:

Thursday, August 28 – Journal
Yesterday: It was Berkeley NSWN as well as Austin. These were bookends to our church – the oldest and the youngest churches doing the very same thing. 1400 students at Berkeley, 90 at Austin. It does not get old. Though it is on one hand the same thing, it is still new, because the students are new, and with each new person, new generation, there are new challenges. At SF State, it’s the 4th NSWN, coming off the heels of last year’s heady experience of unprecedented number of students staying for the program, because we changed the order to have food after the program. At USF, it’s the first Fall NSWN, after the Spring effort we made earlier this year. It does not get old because the people are new, but that’s okay, because God’s mercies are also new every morning. With each passing day, He gives new grace to me to carry on. There is no challenge, no “newness” that is so great that God’s grace and mercy cannot carry me through.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 says:

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

Florence shared this morning at Taiwan / Austin prayer band of how the new students on campus need to not “put their hope in wealth” as they come on campus. That’s right. As they come, especially in the beginning, they are “rich in this present world.” They are materially comfortable, academically rich, but we know – oh how well do we know – how “uncertain” and frail and insecure that richness is! Every one of us who have stayed after graduating and now ministering have personally experienced and know it, and that’s why we do what we do – we know without any doubt that they need to “put their hope in God” and the true riches He brings. I remember the days when I treaded those very steps as a student, wanting to remain independent yet curiously drawn to those who reached out to me. The gospel that came to me must go through me to others.

I also thought about us as campus groups, ministers. It is easy to become “arrogant” in the spiritual wealth that God has provided for us over the years. Being arrogant does not mean that we’re proud and pounding our chests and gloating in our wealth. Putting our hope in any of God’s blessings more than God Himself is arrogance. Riches of the number of students, of staff/interns/members, of material provisions (when so many student groups are struggling for funds) and manpower (when so many churches cannot get committed members). How easy it is to quickly get complacent and rely on these things – that is arrogance. I remember the days when our church did not have much money, when most things came out of our personal pockets and there really was no reimbursement process, when most things came at the expense of personal debt. Now, it’s easy to forget how much it costs to put something on, because there is a faithful reimbursement process and so many working tithers. These are wonderful blessings, yes, that God has provided over the years, but we ought not to become arrogant of these things and forget to put our hope in God. I remember the days when there were no helpers to do an all hands-on-deck but when it was the same group of people doubling, tripling up for the program, food, rides, everything. This too is God’s amazing provision that we can have groups that can come out and help one another! But we ought not to become arrogant of these things, because as good as they are, they are nevertheless “uncertain”. Through whatever means, they may no longer be here tomorrow. So, the only hope we can have is in Him who is certain and permanent and forever.

So, it is good when spiritual battles happen, when suddenly the schools give us a hard time about something. That is why we will not start or approach anything without church-wide prayer walks. We are reminded that our hope has to be in God and God alone, and, though we try our best and must be wise and strategic, it is by His daily mercy that we do what we do. Such battles force us to admit our limitations and helplessness and then see the truth that it is God we need to cling to and hope in.

Each person is so precious. Each student that is willing to give us the time of day as well as those who are reluctant is so precious. As streams of new students filed into Pauley Ballroom last night, I realized once again what a miracle that anyone responds each time, and we should never lose that sense of wonder and humility and gratitude.

I praise the Lord for the riches He’s provided over the years – for the 20th, the 4th, the 1st welcome nights throughout our churches – for providing us the money, the manpower, and the dedication to keep on going. And I praise the Lord for the prayer walks and the unique obstacles that face us each year, so that we know that it is Him who is our hope and strength. His mercies are new every morning…