We're migrating, why don't you come?

No, we aren't moving the blog already. The title is a quote from our first Epic speaker. Good stuff man!

First it opened with a GREAT video intro! It was highly amusing, and well though out, excellently executed ... well, I'll let you watch it for yourself!




and that was our kickoff. I see things like that and I am so incredibly proud of our students and impressed with how far they have come since i was in school. You know, back when we rode horses.


Originally i thought we had around 10-15 brand new people. Those who pay attention and calculate those things have advised me that about HALF our nearly FULL auditorium were NEW STUDENTS!!!!!!!

Praise God!!!!!


It was truly great to see. The start of a new year is always a fresh start for the chapter and our leaders and students. and a fresh start for all the new students and returning students. I truly felt that our prayers were answered. He is so faithful!


Then our speaker did his thing. He spoke on The Ugly Duckling and how that relates to his personal story and our individual stories of meeting and developing a relationship with Jesus. The title is his way of saying what the Swans said when they met The Ugly Duckling. Their acceptance was automatic because they could see he was a Swan and he ought to be included. They accepted him.


One of his points was that Love and Acceptance are not the same thing. Most of us have, or are, living a live seeking Acceptance from anyone and everyone around us. And losing our true self in the process. But to seek His Love is another matter entirely.


He left our students with 2 challenges for this school year.

1) To start a journal. Just jotting down the things of the day. But not just the simple events. He challenged them to consider their Why. Why did I go to lunch with those people? Why did I skip that class? Why didn't I speak up when that topic came up? Why didn't I do x, y or z. To help them notice patterns and places that they are changing or places they want to change. John Maxwell often points out that we don't think about the things we think about. Our minds are functioning and thinking and we're doing things and making choices, but seldom are we actually paying attention to where any of that comes from or where it is leading us.


2) To build a group, 2 people, 5 people, 10 people, whatever, that will challenge each other as they run into each other and say "What did you do to get to know Jesus better today?" I, personally, thought this was a great challenge. Sometimes the lack of official structure can result in something happening more often than if there were set times and places etc.


I didn't attend the after party, but I am hoping that was a Raving Success! I consider our evening, at this point, not having checked in with anyone else, to be a Raving Success. Praise God for what he is already doing in the students and our campus!!