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Over the summer, the CSULB shepherds have been gathering together and strategizing about how we will ask all of the students in sight. During our meeting, Shepherd Remi divides the area into sections, and before we actually go to our specific territories, each person will take a minute to pray for our fishing journey. Such prayers are always so passionate, powerful, and full of praise towards God. The last person finishes their prayer with a decisive “AMEN!”- we are all pumped and we go into the battlefield.
Thus far, 613 students have agreed to meet in the fall for Bible Study. Our original goal was 600 – Mission Complete! Indeed, the harvest is ripe. Our other goal has been to study the book of Genesis with 10 students during the summer. In regards to this – Mission Complete! Several freshman sheep have already been able to meet, whether it be over the phone or in person.
My personal struggle during fishing is to express my love for God by blessing sheep through 5-10 minute on-the-spot Bible Studies. One Shepherd described it as ‘the work of a frontline soldier.’ I have been surprised by how responsive the sheep were. One week, I was able to have on-the-spot Bible Study with 31 of the freshman sheep!
The CSULB Soldiers also meet for a weekly prayer meeting; there we discuss our prayer topics with each other. Shepherdess Inez records each Shepherd’s prayer on google docs so that throughout the week, we can remember and support one another through prayer. Sometimes the prayer topics are for specific sheep we are wrestling with, or they are about our personal struggles against sin, or they have to do with practical matters.
We have been amazed to see how effective this prayer meeting has been. Every week, we begin the meeting by talking about the prayer topics that God has answered. Shepherdess Inez highlights that prayer topic in bright yellow. We were happy to see God answer numerous prayers. One in particular was for a specific sheep of one of the Shepherds. After weeks of fighting together for him in prayer, this sheep became so sincere towards Bible Study, even coming to see his real condition before God. He broke down in tears during Bible Study and made a decision to be serious towards the things of God. One Shepherd needed to secure a job closer to the mission field- God answered it. One Shepherd was bombarded financially, but God resolved the situation miraculously- we were all amazed by God’s support and love for that Shepherd.
All of the CSULB soldiers have been encouraged to see what happens, even quickly, when we fight together and rely on God in prayer – God becomes active and launches his power in our lives. It has been cool and effective to work together with fellow soldiers at CSULB. These meetings have brought us ‘new wind!’ Praise God!
Even though there were several times I entertained the thought, “I am going to be humbled by freshmen again…,” the desire to love God and to give them the Word overcame my flesh. Thank God for the victory!
Victory indeed. Praise God!
Praise God!
It is very encouraging to hear such glorious mission report !!
This is so AMAZING!!! Wow, 613 sign ups! I can’t wait to see what God will do at CSULB! Our shepherds are really shrewd as snake and innocent as dove >:D I’m also encouraged to have bold prayer topics for UCLA!! The field is indeed ripe for harvest!
Summer is always a hard time for me spiritually because I have to fight hard to not drift away from God, but fishing and prayer meetings and studying the Book of Daniel this summer really have been “new wind” for me personally.
Also, I think our goal at the beginning was 200 students, but when we saw how many students were signing up we increased it to 4 or 500 and then increased it again to 600! God really blew our socks off!
As I look back I see that God doesn’t want me to underestimate what he can do and what he is doing. I should expect great things from God and attempt great things for God!
Whoaaa so cool! I bet God is just as excited to see you all on campus, like “FINALLY! MY TIME HAS COME! You, turn left, and you, turn right, wait wait speed up–yes!”
Amen! It’s so fun to cowork with God!
Finally the post is up!!!
I had such a wonderful times co-working with all the shepherds. Those young sheep are very cute and precious in our eyes.
Looking forward to doing this again with everyone next summer!!!
Hey Darius, thanks for the wonderful pictures and making me look good!
BTW the always lovely and beautiful Wendy and Sarah L were there also!
Wow!!! I’m amazed! 613 freshmen!!!!! God blessed and used all of you. Surely our prayer for 200 disciples will come true this year. I believe that God will help us to make more than 200 disciples this year. Your testimony supports this. I pray and hope that for this fall semester USC freshmen will be responsive like CSULB freshmen.
What a powerful mission report. It is encouraging to see God working powerfully like this on this campus!
You’re right, more than 200 is totally possible! I pray for many of them to be USC students
Wow, this is really inspiring. May God bless CSULB team greatly. I am encouraged to pick up more spirit for my campus on El Camino. Such prayers and dedication is really wonderful in the sight of God. May God bless us in our labor of love for our sheep on our respective campuses! 🙌😁
Only God knows why Amira keeps getting some sort of injury, but it shows me she’s a warrior. 😆
And Hey! What about that epic moment when Remiel gets stopped for ‘soliciting’ by a staff member, but as we all kept on going, we never were talked to again??! It’s like God put on us super stealth mode…
To me, it was totally a ‘even if he does not’ furnace moment… 🔥🔥🔥
it was so funny but glorious to see Amira fishing with her crutches. Even still she caught 3 sheep that day. I thank God that I can be encouraged by such wholehearted and passionate generals.
Hmm probably because they’re not supposed to be saying that! First amendment rights 😀 But that reminds me of Nik Ripken when he said that we are as free to preach Jesus in persecuted nations as we are in America. I’m glad you guys didn’t let it bother you. Often I feel shy or anxious when there are staff around, but I want to pick up courage and worry more about what God thinks I should be doing.
I’m still so amazed to see at how many of our prayer topics have been answered in just a short period of time. God indeed hears the prayer of his servants. I feel so privileged to be able to do God’s work with CSULB’s Bible study and prayer warriors, and I cannot wait to see God’s mighty work on our campus next semester as we pursue the advancement of God’s kingdom as one army of God.
I wish there was a “love” button or an “amen” button on this blog! Ha!! This is great. I love all the action shots. I was actually really touched to see the picture of me smiling while talking to one of the sheep. When it first started, I was 100% terrified. Getting rejected by one student at a time was humiliating enough….but getting rejected by a group of students at the same time?! Deep water for sure. On top of that, I was so fearful of other staff and faculty seeing me. But about halfway through, my fear melted away! I felt so free walking up to a table, and even being rejected by every single student at the table! I’m so thankful that God has blessed our fishing abundantly! I’ve even found dedicated freshmen sheep through it. May God bless these 613 sheep to taste and see his goodness and love!
I just realized…you guys had 613 sign ups and 10 Genesis students. In the Old Testament we have 613 laws and the Ten Commandments.
*mind explodes*
This really inspires me and the unity between the OCC warriors this upcoming semester. It makes me look forward to being deployed this upcoming Monday with spirit and strategy.
It’s so cool to know that the CSULB shepherds are pioneering CSULB with sincere enthusiasm and love for Jesus. Amen! May that campus continues to be a blessing for college students.