Ok, the thief probably didn't look like this....but my bike was stolen from campus this week!  It was sad and pretty frustrating that someone would do something like that!  I came to the bike racks and saw my lock (should have bought a better one!) laying on the ground broken, the combination numbers had been ripped off with a pliers or something.

Oh well.  It had served me well.  But this incident reminds me of a conflicting belief that we see all the time on campus, and in our world.

When talking with students on the Quad or in the Union here, we find that most hold a belief that human nature is basically good:  that most people aren't too bad, except for a few bad apples.  They would say (at least initially) that most people's good deeds will outweigh their bad deeds.

God's Word paints a different picture, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are rendered spiritually dead by our sin.


Which picture more accurately reflects reality?  It's easy to see good in people...we know nice people around us and we want people to think well of us.

I'll sometimes ask a couple questions that, for most, lays bare the truth of God's Word.

• What if I took a projector and speakers, put them out in front of the Union for a week.  During that week, that projector and speakers would display every single thought that you think.  Would you be up for that?  [no one has said yes!]
• If you really believe people are good, why not leave your laptop unattended while you run to the restroom?  Why not leave your keys in your car when you run into a store?  Why worry about locking your bike up?

Oops.  Guess I'd better listen to my own advice and buy a better lock.

Thanks for partnering with us.  Please pray for wisdom for us as we dialogue with students, Christian and non, each day.


With you,
-Noah

This Friday Update is a "Special Edition" coming from Katie on Ellie's behalf.... "24 Hours as a Navs Staff Kid" :) Today is a good example of the flexibility we ask of Ellie all of the time!

Last night was Nav Night.  Thanks to an incredibly generous friend, Noah and I are BOTH able to go as a former Illini Nav has volunteered to watch Ellie every Thursday Night from 8-11 pm.  The great thing is, Ellie doesn't even know she has a babysitter as I put her to bed before I leave!

Today Noah headed to campus as usual and a student came here to meet with me this morning.  Ellie got to play with us for awhile, and then went down for her nap.

Ellie woke up just in time for me to throw her in the van and drive her to campus. I had a Nav Night planning team meeting at noon with a group of students, so Ellie got passed off to Noah for a "Daddy-Daughter picnic lunch" on the quad.  

It worked out that today was also a THREADS day. The Navs sell bracelets made my women and children in the Philippines. The proceeds are split 50-50 between the Illini Navs and Threads of Hope. After my meeting, Ellie and I stayed on campus and "helped" sell Threads.  She enjoyed all of the action going on on the quad!

Ellie came home for another nap and then we will host a ministry partner/friend for dinner tonight from out of town.  Then we will go pick up a student to babysit Ellie while we head out to watch the Illini Volleyball game!

Whew!  

This semester has brought a unique new challenge- Noah has commitments 4 evenings per week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday).  Not to mention whatever is going on throughout the weekends.  What does this mean?  We are staying up REALLY LATE!

Ellie is also a 1 year old- and she loves sleep (for which I am so grateful!) but there is no such thing as sleeping in or making up for lost sleep when you're a parent. 

I'd prefer to be a night person, but it seems each morning I regret that decision more and more! I'm feeling like I'm trying to be on BOTH a toddler schedule AND a college student schedule.  (It's not working all that well in case you're wondering) :) 

As much as it feels like I'm keeping odd hours, maybe this is God's way of preparing me/us for baby #2.  I guess maybe all of these college students do have something in common with newborns... they're the two most likely people to be wide awake at 2 am :)

God's doing amazing things in the lives of students every day, which we're extremely thankful for.

But sometimes, something will happen that just amazes us a bit more.

One of our seniors recently sent out an email to all the other upperclassmen Nav students.  He heard about an opportunity for students to raise money for their organizations by working at Illinois football games.  Great thing, but this student very thoughtfully wanted the upperclassmen to join together for something specific.  Here's what he said:

What if many of us volunteered to raise money through this opportunity and use it to bless the freshmen.  We all know the solidifying effect that Fall Conference has on the illiniNavs community, and that our staff tries to subsidize the cost of attendance for the freshmen in hope that they will join us there.  If we raise enough money we could subsidize their cost even further, and if we raise a lot we might be able to get them there for FREE!  What a blessing that would be! 


One event that generates incredible momentum for us each year is Journey, our regional fall conference, where students join with Navs from other campuses to for a weekend of great teaching, worship, and fellowship.  Our biggest hurdle is getting first-timers (usually freshmen) to this conference.  Once they've gone once, they're hooked...and greatly blessed by it.

What a great example of this young man looking to serve and bless the next generation, helping them to jump-start their walk with Christ.  We're finding that in this way, and many others, our students are growing up.  This will be the subject of an upcoming newsletter that you'll be receiving in the next month.

Praise God for the wonderful student leaders He's given us!  Happy weekend and God's grace to you all!

-Noah

I thought it was only fair to post a baby-bump picture WHILE carrying Ellie as this is my life :)  I never expected to be here... carrying both of my girls so often, as we patiently pray and wait for Ellie to learn to walk on her own.  But I am, and I couldn't be more grateful.  Being a mom is the best thing in the world, and I can't believe we will have another daughter in our family VERY soon! Ellie is keeping us very entertained these days and we can only imagine how much fun our life is about to get with two!

I had to get Noah to take a picture of this as I realized it's kind of funny, but this is honestly how I end up carrying her much of the time. May look uncom-fortable, but it seems to work :)

Ellie is getting practice at being a big sister.  She LOVES to push around her Baby Stella.  (Thanks Gma Lu for the stroller & Cousin Claire for the doll!) Aunt Laura also found Ellie the most awesome book- about a little girl named ELLIE becoming a big sister!!!!  Thanks Aunt Laura!  :) Less than 3 months now.... 

We hosted the Upperclassmen Men's Bible Study tonight for their kick-off dinner.  Noah met with a student today who is helping to lead the study and asked him, 'how many people are coming?

His response :  5 or 6 guys have RSVPed, so I think we should expect 15 or 20.

Classic!

(In case you were wondering, I think the total was 15 guys + Noah. )