By Mary-Grace

Thanks for all your support.  We've both been in the haze of sickness on and off for a few weeks, but we know that despite how we feel, God is always working his purposes out, and he doesn't need us, but graciously uses our weak efforts. We've been reflecting on God's goodness in our training over the last 2 years, as we think forward to the future. We are thinking hard about how we use these skills in service over the next couple of years, whilst we hope to be further trained in knowing, loving and serving (a lifetime pursuit, I know, but thinking particularly about Bible college). I'm also thinking hard about knowledge management. I used to work in the area...one of those 6 month job placements in 2002. I want to make sure that all that I've learned I can share with others, through forums, common ownership of files, personal conversations, and how I use my skills in the future.

So, next Thursday, we're having a ISM morning training, where all local students involved in the international student ministry can shar, pray and be trained particularly for this minstry. Pray that God would really use this to help us be initiative taking, risk taking, loving and sensitive as we seek to share Jesus and our lives. Pray that God would build the international student ministry for his glory!

Just yesterday, I was talking to a Christian Korean guy - he's been in the country 1 week, and came along to our Bible study group. His English is poor, but pray that we were able to encourage him and build him up in Christ. We were looking at Colossians 3 - thinking about our new identity in Jesus...

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory..."

He was so nervous, but managed to understand the change based on some fantastic diagrams, and analogies about taking off old clothes and putting on new clothes.

Here's some of the questions that were asked by the others in the group:  How can we have died with Christ? Hasn't he died instead of us? I'm alive now, how is my life hidden? How is Christ my life?

Because their grasp on English is developing, it really makes us think hard about what the Bible says. Praise God for that. But it was so encouraging to see them wrestle to understand the Bible.

I'm very thankful to my assistant leader, who prepared a summary of the events of the Bible - creation, sin and it's consequences, Jesus' life, death and resurrection, Jesus' return and the last days, what it means to live now in repentence and faith. We plan to refer to this overview each study, to help them see where in God's story we are, and what events it looks back on and looks forward to. This is how we helped them find the answers to their questions, by looking at the framework. Please pray for God to be continuing to work in them so they can read God's word without feeling completely confused. Thank God he has brought my entire group to faith in Jesus.

Toby beat me to posting!

Anyway, just love to let you know about 1 or 2 people in my life you can pray for.  We've had 3 weeks back at uni this semester...I started a God's World (investigating Christianity course) in week 1. There were 3 of us. Week 2 they asked another friend, so there was 4. Last week another 3 friends came - there were 7. There are another 2 joining us this week...and I wouldn't be suprised if God brought along the whole friendship group...they're a bunch of double degree engineers who are high achievers (sounds like me when I was at uni). They're all Asian-Australians. God seems to bring me into relationship with these people so regularly for which I am grateful. Pray for the Christians in this group to remain faithful! And pray that God will continue to change the  hearts and minds of the not-yet-Christians coming along. Praise God.

It's also been really encouraging to see the girls who were investigating Christianity last semester join small groups, and really grow in their new-found faith even in the last couple of weeks. They've all signed up to do the Leading People to Christ evangelism course and are loving the challenge of understanding the gospel more fully and thinking hard about how to use their friendships to talk about Jesus. One of the people in my God's World course currently is friends with them, and I'm sure God is using the change in their lives to help him consider the climas God has on him. Please pray for these lovely girls, that nothing will snatch them from whole-heartedly following and loving Jesus.

THanks for your prayers...you are just as important in God's work on campus as the role we play...never underestimate the effective prayer of God's saints...thanks guys