Wesley Foundation E-letter

Dear Friends,

Hope you are all doing well on this cold day. Amazing how the weather can change so
drastically so quickly. Kind of like the unpredictability of all aspects of life. It's
good to know that there is a warm winter coat in the closet on a day like this. Just
the way it is always good to know that God's peace and provision are always available to
lean on when we need it.

Anyway, SOLID ROCK CAFE is tomorrow night at 6:30pm. We will be having homemade soup, compliments of our dear frie nd Karen Ray. If you haven't met her, you should stop by. She is an awesome cook! We will be making plans for the rest of the semester, and then heading over to "AfterDark," at Van Meter at 8pm.

SUPERBOWL PARTY

We will meet for our annual Superbowl Party this Sunday at 5pm at the Wesley Foundation. There will be free food (Sami's chili), and we will project the game on the big screen in the living room. Come for a wonderful evening of fun and fellowship.

Now for Sami's Ramblings About Jesus:

This morning I have been sitting with the following scripture: Guard me as the apple of the eye (Psalm 17:8). Sometimes I go looking for scriptures to think about. But this one seemed to come looking for me. As I sit with it, I can't help but think about my boys. They are both the apple of my eye. I heard once that this expression comes from th at particular thing that happens when one's focus is so fixed on the another person that he or she could see their reflection in one's eyes.

This is how I look at my boys. It's as if I am trying to memorize everything about them in that moment so I wont forget, so my heart will always feel the joy of seeing their little selves, so I can always look back at that time and instantly be there again. When I am with them I watch over them in just this way. And I am immediately available if there is a need. I can steer them clear of danger. In the intenseness of my gaze I am a part of whatever they happen to be into.

And this is how God looks at us. He guards us as the apple of His eye. When I think of God guarding me as the apple of His eye, I am filled with such a sense of well-being. I know that He is watching out for me, ready to intervene if I need it, enjoying me, and being a part of my life.&nbs p; I think of the surety of a mother's gaze. Not much is likely to get by me. And if my boys are that safe in my gaze, it overwhelms me to think of how safe we are in God's.

Somehow understanding God this way takes the pressure off. The worries that would normally keep me up at night seem to lose their power when I really take a hold of this concept. I don't have to be all-seeing and all-knowing anymore. I don't have to be anything other than what I am.

As I think of the pressures and challenges of college life, there are so many pitfalls that are available for falling into. And yet in this most important time, God is there with you, guiding you, enjoying the fabulousness of who you are, always ready to step in do what God does best: save the day.

I guess I just want to challenge you with this thought: You are the apple of God's eye. He delights in you and watches over you with great joy.& nbsp; People in your life may not understand you, but God is immediately connected to your deepest being with His deepest self. And He wants you to enjoy the great love He has for you. So join me in a day of sitting in His gaze, and being an apple.

Blessings,

Sami


Rev. Sami Wilson
Campus Minister/Director

WKU Wesley Foundation
1355 College St.
Bowling Green, KY 42101
(270) 842-2880

Wesley Foundation E-letter

Dear Friends,

Hope this finds you well. We are off to the start of another great
semester.

Solid Rock Cafe this Thursday! Faith UMC's praise band is bringing
music and a great
home-made meal will be provided by Broadway UMC. I hear they are
bringing breakfast!
Come for free food and a time of starting the year off right. We will
be looking at how
to make the best start of things with God's help.

Now for Sami's Ramblings About Jesus:

Often a new year brings many changes. For my family, the biggest
change is the addition
of our newest member Isaiah Wesley. He was born on November 10th
weighing 6lb 5oz. It
is amazing how crazy life with a newborn and toddler (Noah, my other
son, is 2 years
old) can be. But in the midst of all the craziness, God always seems
to know how to get
my attention.

Like when I spent three days over the break watching the "Lord of the
Rings" trilogy. I
thought I was finding a mind numbing distraction from the endless
cycle of feeding,
burping, and changing diapers. But in the midst of the distraction,
God spoke to my
heart. Mr. Frodo, the hero of the movie, is desperately trying to
complete his quest to
destroy the Ring that rules all others. It is a terrible burden
because the Ring exists
only to dominate and rule all others. The bearer of the Ring faces
tremendous
temptation to give in to his or her own evil desires of domination.
Even the person
with the best intentions can find his or her will to do good
eventually eroded by the
Ring's power and seduction. So Frodo is chosen as the one who must
destroy the Ring by
returning it to the fire in which it was forged. Now Frodo is a
hobbit. A small
creature that has none of the skill, prowess, or powers that others
do. Frodo often
doubts his own abilities. At one point, the Queen of the Elves
encourages him by
saying, "Even someone who is small can change the future." No one else
could do what he
alone was chosen to do.

As I have pondered this, it struck me that this is how God works in
our lives. We may
not think we are much by the world's standards, but with God working
in us, we can do
great things. The familiar scripture says, "I can do all things
through Christ who
strengthens me." I have often looked at the enormity of ministry and
wondered how
someone like me could do something like that. In one conversation with
myself I even
said, "Whatever made me think I could do this?" And in that instant
these words came
into that place in my heart where God speaks: "I did."

But here's the thing. We often cannot do these God-sized things alone.
As a mother and
a minister I face this reality everyday. God always is supplying
someone to make the
burden lighter. And this leads me to the best part of the "Lord of the
Rings" movie.
It is in the final moments when Frodo is nearing the end of his quest.
His faithful
companion Sam is with him as they draw closer to the volcano where the
Ring must be
destroyed. Sam sees the complete exhaustion Frodo wears upon every
ounce of his being.
Knowing Frodo cannot go any further, Sam says to him, "I cannot carry
your burden, but I
can carry you." And with that he picks Frodo up and carries him to the
completion of
his journey. That picture reminds me of the devoted friends who
carried the paralytic
to Jesus, even lowering him down through a hole in the roof to deliver
him right at
Jesus's feet. So many times we need someone to carry us there. It's
hard sometimes to
admit we need to help of others. We have to be humble enough to accept
help, especially
when we need it most and want it least. But praise God for those Sam's
in our lives who
recognize our need and lend themselves to seeing God's vision for us
completed in us.

I want to encourage you today, at the beginning of a new semester and
a new year to
believe in yourself. You have a special and unique purpose on this
earth that only you
can fulfill. God has plans for you that are important, that fulfill a
wonderful part of
the purpose He has for His kingdom. Don't doubt yourself simply
because you don't think
(or others don't think) you measure up to greatness. Allow God's
greatness to be
revealed in you through your obedience to the purpose He has given
you. And finally, be
humble enough to admit that you may not always be able to do it on
your own. God always
sends us help when we need it. They cannot complete His mission for
us, but these
faithful friends can carry us to that place where we can complete our
mission for Him.

Blessings,

Sami

Rev. Sami Wilson
Campus Minister/Director

WKU Wesley Foundation
1355 College St.
Bowling Green, KY 42101
(270) 842-2880