Pause & Pray 02/23/2012

This is an invitation to pray, a call to pray, and a plea to pray…would you be willing to Pause & Pray every Thursday for Texas campuses, students, and BSM staff?

Collegiate Day of Prayer:

Today is National Collegiate Day of Prayer.  The college campus has the potential to be a place of Spiritual Awakening – history has proven this fact.  Students are faced with choices on a daily basis that will impact the remainder of the lives.  Join with us and thousands of people across the United States in praying for God to be glorified on the college campus.

Pray specifically for Texas college campuses.  Find a campus near you to bathe in prayer.

Use this guide to help you pray for college students.

Pausing & Praying with you,

Texas Collegiate Ministry Team

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Ways to Pray:

• Follow this prayer guide.
• Pray for an Open Heaven – A Posture of Worship & Adoration
• Pray for an Open Heart – A Posture of Humility & Submission
• Pray for an Open Hand – A Posture of Joyful & Sacrificial Giving
• LAST 3*3*3 Go Now Prayer Request: Pray for students as they begin to hear about where they have been appointed as Go Now Missionaries.  Pray that they see needs, not places and How God wants to use them.  Pray for discernment as they commit to serve.

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Staff Spotlight

Chris Holloway

Campus: Dallas Baptist University

I went to college at… Well… Dallas Baptist University  
Why do you invest in college students? Simply, the Lord has called me to it. I had a great experience as a college student with many people investing in my life, and I grew so much as a result. College students have so much potential for the kingdom, and yet it is the pivotal point of life where college students can decide to follow Christ or forsake Him.
What is your ringtone? Never Once by Matt Redman
When I have 30 minutes of free time, I pass the time by… Read a good book or take a nap
What is one of your favorite quotes? “But let us not tell Jesus what love is. Let us not
instruct Him how He should love us and make us central. Let us learn from Jesus what love is and what our true well-being is. LOVE IS DOING WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO TO HELP PEOPLE SEE AND SAVOR THE GLORY OF GOD IN CHRIST FOREVER AND EVER. Love keeps God central. Because the soul was made for God.” –John Piper
Who do you admire and why? Besides my parents of course, I admire a guy named Dan Heefner, our head baseball coach at DBU. He is a wonderful example of what it looks like to live a Godly life in his personal life, with his family, and in his vocation.
My favorite snack is… Honey buns (If I’m not training for a half-marathon) :)
The #1 song played on my iPod is… Anything by Beyonce

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Ways to Pray for Chris:

• May the Lord grant wisdom and leadership as the BSM enters into new ideas to reach and pray for students.
• Please pray that the Lord will allow students to come to know Him if they do not or fall more in love with Him if they do know Him.
• Pray that I may also fall more in love with the Lord as well.
• Pray for Corey to come to know Jesus as Lord of his life.

Pause & Pray 02/09/2012

This is an invitation to pray, a call to pray, and a plea to pray…would you be willing to Pause & Pray every Thursday for Texas campuses, students, and BSM staff?

Go Now Discovery Weekend:

Nearly 183 students will be gathering Friday-Sunday at First Baptist Midlothian for Go Now Missions Discovery Weekend.  Go Now staff is anticipating their largest group of students to ever to apply to serve as Go Now missionaries!  Students will be seeking the Lord in small group settings to discern how the Lord desires to use them this summer and in the upcoming year.  With the increase in students applying comes and increase of places and funds needed.

Will you join with us in praying for Discovery Weekend? 

Pausing & Praying with you,
Texas Collegiate Ministry Team

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Ways to Pray:

• Praise the Lord for the students who have been obedient in saying “yes” to serving the Lord this summer.
• Pray for students to actively seek the Lord throughout the weekend.  Ask the Lord to give wisdom and discernment.
• Pray for wisdom and discernment as the Go Now committee decides how to accommodate the increase in numbers.
• Pray for funds to be provided.
• Pray for the Go Now staff (Brenda, Gloria, Laura) as they prepare for the weekend and as they welcome the students.
• 3*3*3 Go Now Prayer Request:  Discovery Weekend is this Friday-Sunday!  Pray for discernment and energy for the Small Group Leaders, Prayer Team, Servant Team, Worship Team and Go Now staff.  Pray for students as they seek to follow God’s direction.  Pray for wisdom as appointment decisions are made on Sunday.

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Staff Spotlight

Christopher Mack (C-Mack)

Campus: Baylor University

I went to college at…University of Texas at Austin
Why do you invest in college students? College is a time in life where students are reassessing their sense of identity and purpose. For most students, it is the first time that they are venturing out into a real sense of independence and more fully questioning and discovering who they are and their place in the world. The opportunity to journey with students through this time of growth in the areas of identity, calling and faith formation is a high privilege.
What is your ringtone? Brother Moon by Gungor is my primary ringtone, but I like making customized ringtones and text tones to assign to friends and students on my phone
When I have 30 minutes of free time, I pass the time by…Catch up on some light reading via my kindle while listening to some music.
What is one of your favorite quotes? “The movement of the Spirit of God in the hearts of men often calls them to act against the spirit of their times or causes them to anticipate a spirit which is yet in the making. In a moment of dedication, they are given wisdom and courage to dare a deed that challenges and to kindle a hope that inspires.” ~ Howard Thurman
Who do you admire and why? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and his commitment to incarnate the gospel of Jesus Christ in ways that transform society and open us all to   following Jesus through love of the poor, forgiveness, love of enemies, and inclusivity.
My favorite snack is…Chips and queso
The #1 song played on my iPod is…“Wake Up Everybody” by John Legend and The Roots

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Ways to Pray for C-Mack:

• That I can give control to God and be at peace at the center of my being.
• Pray that I live for what matters, for life in its deepest sense and that my life is pervaded with a kind of calm-freedom from the Holy Spirit.
• That I might be anchored to an awareness of God’s love deep within and live my personal life and serve in my calling as a minister from that place.
• Pray for Chris, (one of C-Mack’s students) he came by the BSM and asked to meet with me to talk about life & finding purpose. We had several really good conversations where we were able to talk about who Jesus is and what a life connected with him is all about, but he hasn’t come by in awhile.

Pause & Pray 02/09/2012

This is an invitation to pray, a call to pray, and a plea to pray…would you be willing to Pause & Pray every Thursday for Texas campuses, students, and BSM staff?

Challenged to Share Their Faith:

Throughout the state students are being challenged to share their faith on a consistent basis. Joe Osteen, director at UT, Tyler, says “God is stirring among the students at the BSM. We are feeling a tremendous call to prayer and to share our faith with both boldness and humility. At our first organized outreach of the semester, students handed out free hot chocolate and asked students to answer survey questions. We were able to survey 26 students that morning. Of the 26 students, 8 clearly expressed being non-Christians. Many wonderful conversations with these students resulted from the surveys. It was also a wake up call to our BSM students that they cannot assume the students around them are Christians. Since that day, our leadership students have partnered with their fellow community group leaders to hold each other accountable to share their faith. Some of them have committed to use their lunchtime to meet new students and share the gospel. Some have committed to continuing to do surveys. Some are hosting weekly pancake nights in their apartment. God’s word will not return empty!”

Not only is God calling out students to share their faith at UT, Tyler, he is also calling out students to be intentional at Texas A&M, Commerce.  Students were recently challenged to commit to 40 days of praying each day to be available to God to intersect someone’s life with a conversation about Jesus.  Director Joe Schmidt said, “We had 88 students accept that challenge and ask to be held accountable for praying and sharing!  We are looking forward to some amazing divine appointments!”

God is calling students out to be obedient in sharing the abundant life offered by following Jesus Christ.  Join with us in praying for students to boldly share.

Pausing & Praying with you,
Texas Collegiate Ministry Team

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Ways to Pray:

• Pray for students who have been challenged to be intentional about sharing their faith.
• Pray for boldness and obedience.
• Pray for divine appointments.
• 3*3*3 Go Now Prayer Request:  Students cannot be sent as Go Now Missionaries without prayer and financial support.  Each Go Now missionary will be asked to recruit a minimum of 25 partners.  It costs an average of $1300 to send a students to serve in the USA for a summer and $3200 to serve overseas.  Pray for individuals to commit to be prayer and financial partners for those students that will be appointed as Go Now Missionaries.

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Staff Spotlight

Lee Floyd

Campus:  Angelo State University

I went to college at… Texas A&M – Kingsville & Corpus Christi (Graduated from Corpus)
Why do you invest in college students?  God’s calling on my life & what better way to impact the world than through students
What is your ringtone?  Depends on who is calling – but the default is the theme song from ‘Mad About You’
When I have 30 minutes of free time, I pass the time by…  Finding something to read
What is one of your favorite quotes?  ”Only those who are obedient believe and only those who believe are obedient. Faith is only real in obedience.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Who do you admire and why?  Dietrich Bonhoeffer / Jim Elliot – faith tested by fire and found faithful.
My favorite snack is…  Popcorn / Peanuts – its a tie.
The #1 song played on my iPod is… Probably something from the 80′s.

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Ways to Pray for Lee:

• To be the husband and father I am called to be.
• Strength and stamina through the semester and beyond.
• For the wisdom and sensitivity to God’s spirit to lead well.
• For the discipline to stay connected to the Father through prayer and time in His word.

Pause & Pray 01/26/2012

This is an invitation to pray, a call to pray, and a plea to pray…would you be willing to Pause & Pray every Thursday for Texas campuses, students, and BSM staff?

Texas BSM Staff:

Each of these BSM staff members has dedicted their life to serving the 1.2 million college students in Texas!  Each and every day these missionaries give selflessly so that students would know Jesus Christ.  Join with us in praying for Texas BSM staff today!

Pausing & Praying with you,
Texas Collegiate Ministry Team

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Ways to Pray:

• Praise the Lord that each one of these BSM campus staff have been obedient in serving Texas college students.
• Pray for their faithful endurance as the new semester is underway.
• Each staff member serves selflessly in the midst of their own circumstances.  Pray for staff members who are struggling.  Pray for wisdom, peace, and guidance with their families and their personal relationship with Jesus.
• Pray for boldness and obedience in sharing Christ’s love.
• Pick a campus near you and pray for those staff members.  Even send them an email of encouragement.
• 3*3*3 Go Now Prayer Request:  Next week, Feb 6, is the application deadline for Go Now Missions.  Pray against any distractions or obstacles that would keep a student from applying.  Pray for students who are undecided about whether or not to serve this year.  Pray for willing hearts ready to serve where God can best use them.

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Staff Spotlight

Jenny Cummings

Campus: Amarillo College
 I went to college at…California Baptist University
Why do you invest in college students? College was the time that God really got a hold of my life and taught me what it truly meant to live for Him…and I want to be a part of helping students as they discover that truth for themselves!
What is your ringtone? Don’t Stop Believing
When I have 30 minutes of free time, I pass the time by…Currently, I’ve been running and also hiking in Palo Duro Canyon. But I also just like to be with friends!
What is one of your favorite quotes? “Humility is not about having a low self-image or poor self-esteem. Humility is about self-awareness.”-Erwin McManus
Who do you admire and why? Lots of people! But one that comes to mind is my mentor back home, Sandy. She truly loves the Lord and is an amazing example! 
My favorite snack is…Today it is bananas and peanut butter. 
The #1 song played on my iPod is…I listen to Grits a lot when I run…so something by them!

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Ways to Pray for Jenny:

• Please be praying that God will really move on the AC Campus this semester! Please pray that we will be very intentional on campus and that we will meet lots of students!
• Pray for Thomas to give his life over to Jesus Christ.