Maugenhard Retreat and Life Decisions

   
Dorm Update

         Last weekend we had our Maugenhard dorm retreat several hours away at a retreat house in Switzerland.  We mixed up the guys' rooming situations, so that they were able to bond with people they do not normally seek to know.  Amazingly, the rooming, our hiking adventure (see pictures), free time, and Blue Like Jazz movie discussion led to increased openness and unity with our guys.  Even though our guys do not always seem to engage life questions of substance, it is clear from this weekend that God is at work in their hearts.  Throughout the rest of the year we plan to revisit our Blue Like Jazz film discussion in our "Dorm Fellowships" and continue discussing related topics of life and faith, such as confession, doubt, culture, and gender.  It is exciting to hear them process!

Please pray for God to "water the seeds" in our guys' hearts as well as in our hearts.  The messages seemed to resonate with many of us.

Michelle Update
          Last semester a co-RA of mine read Unspoken Sermons by George MacDonald.  I started getting into this book just recently.  During this time when Chris and I have numerous, interrelated, life questions in our hearts about our present and our future, MacDonald's words resonate with my heart, and I ponder their message:

"[...] Not only does that degree of peace of mind without which action is impossible, depend upon the answer to [my heart] questions, but my conduct itself must correspond to these answers[...]."

Some well-meaning people urge: "Leave [the questions of your heart] at least till God chooses to explain, if he ever will."

MacDonald responds,
"No. Questions imply answers.  [God] has put questions in my heart; he holds the answers in his.  
I will seek them from him.  
I will wait, but not till I have knocked.  
I will be patient, but not till I have asked.  
I will seek until I find.  
He has something for me.  My prayers shall go up unto the God of my life."

"[If we don't seek, it] seems to me the foolishness of a worldly and lazy Spirit[;]
 [...whereas,] his Spirit - the Spirit which manifests the deep things of God, [is] to a man
the mind of Christ."

- MacDonald, George. Unspoken Sermons Series I, II, III. Amazon Cloud Reader. p. 353. 

My most recent art project

• Please pray for
  • an unquenchable desire for God, His Presence, and His Word.  May we not be deterred from seeking by fear, laziness, or disbelief.
  • deep rest and reorientation during my weekend off, starting tomorrow.
  • wisdom, good counsel, and faith as we make decisions, big and small.  Ideally, I need to let BFA know sometime in October what my decision is for next year.  I will have various meetings with people in BFA Personnel, TeachBeyond Member Care, and my mentors about my strength, weaknesses, passions, interests, relationships and God's leading for this season and next.
  • my relationship with Chris and wisdom and patience for us.

Thank you for your love, care, prayer and support.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Love, 

Michelle

New & Old Faces Warm My Heart

            Six new students and their families arrived at Maugenhard Dorm on Sunday afternoon.  

We welcome Seth (Senior), Taylor (Junior), Dylan (Junior), Daniel (Sophomore), Yobel (Sophomore), and Andrew (Sophomore).  

Returning students and staff filled Monday and Tuesday with enthusiastic reunions.  Seeing these students and staff again and their love for one another warmed my heart.  I can't believe my mother's words are coming from my mouth: "It just warms my heart to see them enjoying each other."  I feel like a proud mother!  :)

Daniel

Yobel

Seth

Timothy (Right - returning after 1 year away) 

Taylor

Andrew

             

             This year Maugenhard will have 19 students (7 Seniors, 7 Juniors, 4 Sophomores, and 1 Sixth Grader) and 4 staff (Mark, Sue, Frank and Michelle).

Please pray for the new guys' adjustment and integration into the dorm. 

            But as I think of the returning guys, and even the new ones, a lyric I heard once from Wicked the musical comes to mind: "Who can say if I've been changed for the better/but because I knew you/I have been changed for good."  These words seem cliche but capture my current sentiment remarkably well.

Dylan (far right) 

             I've heard the second year as a Resident Assistant is so much easier/better than the first.  Already I can agree.   I am blessed to have a foundation of friendship, trust, and common experience laid with many of these guys here.  This year I get to build on that trust and friendship.  I am already learning a great deal as I observe Frank, the other RA this year, about how to relate better to teenage guys.  Overall, I am excited to see what God is going to do in, through, and around me this year.  I really love these guys.  They are dear to me [but I say it less girly to them ;o)].

Love,
Michelle