A Christmas Prayer For You

Dear Friends,

It’s beautiful outside, but so cold! Hope you are staying warm. The Lord keeps reminding me that sometimes the warmth we need the most is something to warm the heart. I pray that you have a heart-warming experience this week! We all need one every once in a while.

It’s PARTY TIME!

This Thursday at 7pm is our Christmas party. Just bring a gift (guys bring a guy gift, ladies bring a lady’s gift) that cost between $7-$10 for the “Crazy Santa” gift exchange. We’ll eat dinner, make tree ornaments, and watch “The Grinch.” It’s sure to be lots of fun.

Also, the time has come for our annual OPRYLAND road trip.

We’ll meet at the Wesley Foundation at 3pm and carpool down. We will eat on our way at the Rivergate Olive Garden. Then we’ll head on over to the Opryland hotel to see the lights. This year there should be plenty of time for shopping afterwards at Opry Mills for those who need to get gifts. This is a great event to come to if you have never joined us before. It is always a lot of fun.

Coming next week:

Finals week lunches—at noon at the Foundation on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Also Christmas Caroling on Thursday night; Jim and Michelle Schlinsog will provide a warm and tasty dinner before we head out into the cold to spread Christmas cheer.

Let me know if you have someone you want us to go sing to!

Now for Sami’s Ramblings About Jesus:

Last Thursday night before going out to shop for our Angel Tree gifts we thought about some things we wanted to ask God to bless our campus with this Christmas. Out of that list came the following prayer that we posted in today’s College Herald:

A Christmas Prayer for You—

As this crazy semester draws to a close

We pray perfect peace for each one of those

Straining within these halls of learning to see

Their futures bright with hope unfolding.

We pray for guidance, compassion, gratitude,

A heart full of love and a humble attitude.

We pray for peace, abiding and true,

Hope full of trust, strength to see you through.

We pray that your health will continue to thrive,

That graduation day soon will arrive,

That the joy of family and friends will surely bless,

That the weary and forlorn soon will find rest.

We pray for patience with end drawing near,

Travel safeties for all soon leaving here,

For contentment in life whether here or at home,

And the fullness of Grace touching needs not yet known.

As the holiness of this holiday comes clear

Know it is for you, dear one, that Jesus draws near.

He comes close with joy, the tenderest touch,

Just let Him in: His joy gladdens much.

As I read these words I am reminded once again how very tender the Lord is for each one of us He has created in love. There are thousands of faces on this campus that He lovingly crafted; hair, eyes, and facial features all distinct from person to person, and yet each is so intimately known by Jesus. I hear His heart longing for each of us this Holiday season. I wonder about all those students who are far away from Him during their college experience, who just haven’t found time or the right place to get connected to their faith. I hear his yearning. You may be reading this as one of those who are in a spiritually far off place right now. Can you hear those words, “Dear one,” spoken personally to you, from His heart? You are so dear to Him. You. Everything that is you sounds a chord in His being that isn’t resolved until He is able to relate directly to you. Gosh, I hope you are hearing His heart today. My prayer is that all of us would simply hear Him address us as “Dear one.” I think if we could honestly hear that in our deepest souls so much that is churning within would be resolved.

Know that you are loved.

Blessings,

Sami

Campus Minister/Director

Wesley Foundation (United Methodist Campus Ministry)

1355 College St.

842-2880

sami@wkywesley.org