I cannot thank all of you enough for your generous support funding my summer in Panama City Beach with Campus Outreach. It seems like I have been gone from Berry College for a year already and like I have been in Panama City Beach for three months! Every day has been filled with spiritual growth, fun community, and ministry toward the younger students and to the people of Panama City Beach. Much of my work involves leading a team of students in spiritual growth. As such, the work changes regularly. The only thing that has remained a constant part of my job description has been taking myself and others to the Word of God for wisdom and leadership, and praying as often as I can for the spiritual growth of those on project and those we meet in PCB.
This has been a spiritually stretching time for me, as I feel unequipped in many ways to be a spiritual leader. I have been wrestling with God's goodness, and learning how to fight sin as I see more and more of it in my life. However, throughout the difficulties, God has led me repeatedly to return to his word and see that he is a good shepherd (John 10), he is a father who runs out to meet the prodigal son (Luke 15), and that he knows how to give good gifts to his children (Luke 11).
So far, we have seen three students make professions of faith! They are being trained by many faithful leaders in how to walk in a manner worthy of the calling they have received. (Ephesians 4). We are praying expectantly and faithfully that God will give his Spirit to those who will ask him over the course of the project, as we continue to share the gospel and lead in growing in prayer, understanding the Bible, evangelism, and fellowship.
It would be ridiculous of me to not give you an opportunity to pray for the work that is happening here. Although sometimes it is hard to see, prayer has a greater value than financial support (John 15:5-7). I am learning to pray, asking that God would show me what to pray. This has given me a desire to pray bold and expectant prayer (James 1:5-7, 16-18). Please join me in this endeavor so that we can worship all the more when God answers prayers that only could have been answered by God.
-Pray that God would give supernatural understanding of his Word to those who hear it! Pray expectantly from Romans 10:17
-Pray that God would provide endurance for the room leaders, who are leading 2-3 men or women in spiritual growth while working a minimum wage job 4 days a week with those they lead. This is the first time many of them have had jobs, and it is a stretching summer. Pray expectantly from Romans 5:3-5
-Pray that God would lead students to genuinely give their lives to Christ for his glory and their joy. Pray expectantly from Romans 5:8-11
-Pray for me, that God would give me words when I am given opportunities to share the gospel or speak into another's life. Pray expectantly from Ephesians 6:19-20
-Pray also against laziness in my own heart, that when I have free time, I will use it to know the Lord deeper through his word, or use it to faithfully plan for a conversation with a student. Pray expectantly from 1st Peter 3:14-16
Thank you all so much for your time and support.
In Christ,
Jared
Campus Outreach, Summer Project
