university happenings.

so much has happened in the last few weeks! i now live in sunny devon, and love it:) exeter is a gorgeous city to live in and i really like it. the work's set in, i'm settling into uni life etc.
i've been able to get involved in the christian union here in exeter which has been great. i have a hall group with three lovely hall group leaders (second years) and i'm enjoying studying God's word with other students. ecu (evangelical christian union) central happens on a tuesday night and that's where everyone throughout the uni meet up for a time of worship and fellowship and teaching altogether.

i've also settled into a church which is a real answer to prayer. st thomas baptist church is a medium-ish sized church about 2 and a half/3 miles out of exeter. there are about 8 students there which for me, is an ideal number as it gives me a chance to get to know people who aren't students! have been invited back for lunch to two different homes, which is so lovely but incredibly surreal in a really weird way.

today, i went to transformission, a conference style day run by uccf (the organisation who help in the running of the christian unions nationwide) which was all about making us transformed for mission. it involved CUs from the entire south west area- exeter, cornwall (falmouth and truro), bath, bristol, cheltenham and probably others that i've forgotten- and we had three sessions, "Who Jesus is", "What Jesus has done" and "How Jesus feels about us". The speaker spoke of a Christian martyr named Probus. He was tortured because he refused to recant his faith in Jesus Christ. When asked his name, he replied: "Men call me Probus; my real name is Christian." Oh that we would firstly be known as "Christian"!

I want to share with you a song we sang in ECU Central the other day- Majesty, by Delirious?

"Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine,

Since You laid down Your life-

The greatest sacrifice.

Majesty, Majesty,

Your grace has found me just as I am,

Empty-handed but alive in Your hands,

Forever I am changed by Your love,

In the presence of Your majesty."

Also this one:

"Show me how to love like You have loved me,

Break my heart for what breaks Yours-

Everything I am for Your kingdom's cause."

Jesus, you are mine and I am yours; I want to make you my everything.

I thought today about when I graduate (I realise I'm only a fresher!). I want to make sure that I don't look back at my three years at the University of Exeter and see three years of wasted opportunities. University is such a great opportunity- I'm already seeing this and I've only been here four weeks. I want to keep this right at the front of my mind- I want to live for Jesus in Exeter! "Knowing Jesus and making Him known"- ECU's mission statement (and UCCF's maybe?). I want to know Jesus more and I want Him to be known more on campus. I want to see a "touch of revival" (a quote from the guy who sort of originaally thought up CUs) in Exeter!

I love quoting songs and hymns, if you read my blog you'll know this! But the best place to quote is the Bible- the holy, inspired Word of God, which holds authority and is my Map in life. (Just on a passing note, someone once brought up in a home group that the Bible is our map and guide. I like to think that if the Bible is my map, then the Holy Spirit is my sat-nav, another form of guidance that will help us to reach our final destination!)

"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Philippians 3v7-8

Lord make this true in my life! Oh that I would consider everything a loss compared to You!

Over and out for now. I plan on writing more regularly soon. So excited for church tomorrow. I love Sundays! x