Archive for November, 2010

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Hope and a Future

Kevin Mannoia Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

May I offer a gentle reminder that hope is never dead when you humbly trust God. He has promised that He has plans for you – hope and a future. He will never leave you. The only variable in that promise is whether you trust or not. With the coming of Christ, God is telling us that He will stand behind His commitment and offer hope, whether you acknowledge it or not is up to you. Hope is alive in Jesus Christ!

If you have any prayer requests, just send them to me and our Prayer Partners will pray!

Blessings,
Kevin

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Invitation

Kevin Mannoia Monday, November 22nd, 2010

It’s thanksgiving and the temptation is to look around and base our thankfulness on how our circumstances are. If they are not so good, then maybe we’re not so thankful. If they are really good, then we are really thankful. But that makes you a slave to your circumstances and your heart of thanksgiving depends on how things are going. Consider that maybe a thankful heart will give you ability to see God at work in whatever circumstances you find yourself. He can bring good out of hardship. Being full of gratitude for God’s love and the privilege of being His child through Jesus Christ will give you eyes to see His hand at work whether things are going well or not. That is the essence of true thanksgiving. It lets you see the work of God whether in good or hard circumstances. Don’t be a slave to what goes on around you. Bring a heart of gratitude for the love God has for you, and then you will be able to see Him at work in making you His person.

Let me know if you have a prayer request this week. It’s a wonderful time to know of God’s love.

Invitation: I’d like to invite you to a Graduate/Professional Student Chapel at 7:00 – 7:30pm, Monday, December 6 in the VIP Room (just inside the Event Center upper doors). Your faculty member knows about this and is asked to take their break at this time. Brian Holland will be leading the service. I hope you will come.

Blessings,
Kevin

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Somebody’s Praying

Kevin Mannoia Thursday, November 18th, 2010

Paul made an interesting statement in Colossians 1.  “Ever since I heard of you, I have not stopped praying for you.”  Clearly it doesn’t mean that he’s on his knees praying with his eyes closed.  But it does mean that from the moment he heard of the people in that town, they have been on his mind. In the back of his mind he’s in a constant state of prayer for them.  How reassuring.  How uplifting.  What an amazing blessing to know that someone has you on their mind; that you are in the constant prayer of someone.  They are quietly and privately lifting you before God in Jesus’ name in the back of their mind.  Maybe it’s your mother or father; maybe it’s your grandparent; maybe it’s your spouse or children; maybe it’s your friend.  If you have none of these in your life carrying you personally in the back of their mind in prayer, I’ll assure you the Prayer Partners at APU are praying without ceasing for you.  Be uplifted and blessed in knowing that.

If you have specific prayer requests, let me know.

Also, I want to let you know a bit more about Exodus Interactive Forum led by John Selbak available to you on Sunday evenings at 7:00pm in the LAPC room on east campus.   It is a worship and teaching gathering where participants are encouraged to participate in the discussion, ask questions and offer their own views.  Current series is focusing on the book of Ephesians. More information at:  www.exoduspodcasts.com/faq.php

Blessings on your week,
Kevin

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All-Access Weekend ALREADY?

Megan Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

It seems like just yesterday that I was walking onto the APU campus for All-Access weekend. I was timid, shy, and confused, to say the least. I remember the feeling exactly. You feel like you look so much younger then everyone else and that you stand out like a sore thumb. It feels like yesterday, but a year seemed to fly by between then and now.

This past weekend I got the chance to host All-Access students as an Ambassador. Being an Ambassador means you get the opportunity to host All-Access students and other prospective students throughout your freshmen year. It is not a paid position or anything, just something to do if you want to get involved with the school from the get-go. It is a good way to get students hyped up for what APU is and what it has to offer.

Incase you haven’t heard of All-Access, heres a brief lo-down on what it is. Basically, All-Access Weekend takes place four times throughout the year, twice in the Fall and twice in the Spring, and lasts from Thursday afternoon to either Friday night or Saturday morning (depending on if you want to spend one or two nights on campus). You get to attend fun events, informative sessions, and stay with a Freshmen student at APU so that you can get a good feel for what a typical weekend is like. It is a good way to see the campus, meet some faculty, and begin to bond with other prospective students that might (…hopefully) will end up at APU with you. You get to go to chapel, attend a class, eat on campus, and get to know your Ambassadors.

My experience last year at All-Access was SO worthwhile and made me 100 times more excited for going to APU. I encourage you to look into All-Access weekend, and if you cannot attend any of those weekends, try and schedule a night or weekend to stay at APU in the dorms and experience it individually. I promise you its worth it.

Here are some questions I thought it would be helpful to cover that I got asked regularly by the All-Access students I hosted:

1. What is an R.A.? Each hall in the dorms, and each general living area in the apartments or Mods has an R.A. (Resident Advisor). An R.A. is an upperclassman- typically a junior or senior, sometimes a sophomore. Basically, their job is to make sure rules are followed, and even more then that make sure your experience is amazing.

2. What is an Alpha Group? The second you move into APU you are going to be placed in an Alpha Group. As a Freshmen, you are required to take a .5 Unit class called Beginnings your first semester that consists of about 300 students. The students in that class are divided into the Alpha Groups (about 8-12 people) and throughout the majority of the first semester you meet with your Alpha Group weekly to bond, talk about the class material, and have fun. This is one of the many ways that APU makes sure you do not feel alone once you step onto the campus.

3. How much homework do you get? It really depends on your major(s), if you procrastinate, and what professors you get. It varies heavily. Usually, I get roughly 2-3 hours of homework a night. Now, keep in mind this does not include procrastination. However, you can balance a social life and school for sure, you just have to be smart about it.

4. How do you like it here? Considering I am writing on the APU Blog and I am an APU Ambassador, you can infer the rest…. YES I LOVE IT HERE AND I INSIST ITS THE BEST COLLEGE ON THE PLANET.

5. Is there anything you would change about APU? Honestly, no. (And I am not just saying that because it’s on this blog.) The thing that I looked most forward to at APU was the people. In being here about two months there is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for the community here. People genuinely CARE, the love of Christ is so evident here its mind blowing. I love that I am surrounded by these people every single day. The school aspect of it hasn’t let me down either. My classes are amazing, the professors care about students more then I have ever seen or thought was possible, and I am learning so much. I never dread school, I enjoy it. And I haven’t always been like that, thats for sure. I love both campuses and I never find myself bored here. Two months and no boredom? Its true. (No wonder why its on the list for the best first-year experience!)

6. How much financial aid can you get? If you are struggling financially, do NOT rule out APU. I know many people that cannot at all afford this college but they ended up with enough financial aid to be able to go here. APU really helps you out in finding ways to afford school here, and if you put time and effort into getting financial aid, it will prove to be hugely beneficial.

7. What is there to do around Azusa on weekends? There is always something going on on-campus or somewhere to go or someone to hang out with. Donut man is a short drive away, and is one of the most popular hangout spots for APU students. It is delicious. Likewise, Cookie Mill is a hot spot that everyone goes to, you will always find an APU student in there. The most amazing ice cream sandwiches… ever. A lot of students go to the movie theater or out to dinner at Chipotle. Girls on my hall will go running on the track frequently and there’s a lot of just hanging out in a dorm room socializing. There will never be a dull moment, that I assure you.

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Destination: Kingdom

Lindsay Cooper Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

“…listen:there’s a hell

of a good universe next door;let’s go”

—e e cummings

Have you ever felt the desperate and earnest desire to simply go? Transportation, schedules, and destinations suddenly have no meaning; you need to GO—go away from your current location, go away from your comfortable life, and dive into people’s lives that are void of hope and rife with confusion. Your soul is restless, unable to solve the equation of life, but not necessarily looking to find the solution. No part of yourself feels connected to where you are—even your feet are loosed from the ground—and your heart is plastered against the back of your chest, broken and simultaneously aching to escape. Somewhere in the back of your mind is the constant beckoning to a neighboring universe that is standing at your fingertips; a universe that, if you would extend your hand toward it, would come sprinting to hear the truth, jump on your back and say, “Let’s go.”

Several times over the last few weeks I have heard questions such as these asked by frustrated APU students: What is the point of studying about a broken and dying world when I could just go out into it now? How can I be content to sit and learn about those who have lived lives without love, knowing that I am doing nothing to prevent it from happening again? Why can’t I leave everything and just go? Isn’t that what Christ calls us to do?

My initial reaction is one of restraint—I want to convince them that getting an education is necessary to succeed in our society and to prepare them to face the world they are so eager to engage. But then I am forced to think again. Christ did not call us to succeed; he called us to serve. It wasn’t a matter of being educated, either. Preparedness meant nothing. Did He not call the unprepared and lowly to be His disciples?

I am not speaking against going to a university like APU—as an English major with a teaching emphasis I am absolutely convinced of the power and necessity of an education to refine a person’s beliefs, personality, and social and academic maturity in the world. However, when it comes to the yearnings of someone’s heart, my mind’s excuses should not be about the institution of a thing, but about God’s will and work in that person’s life.

In John 4 Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman at the well. I recently studied this chapter with my small group here on campus and was strongly convicted by Jesus’ words and choices. Everyone around Him—the woman as well as the disciples—are solely concerned with physical things; yet, when confronted with each of their excuses, Jesus presents a new way of thinking and gives a wider, more eternal perspective. The woman tells him that the concept of “living water” is impossible because Jesus (1) has nothing to draw water with, (2) could not possibly reach to the bottom of the deep well, and (3) could not possibly be greater than he who had built the well. Jesus responds, however, saying that He himself is the source, that from Him such living water flows, not from a man-made well. Later, when the disciples return and offer Jesus food, Jesus refuses their attempt to supply his physical needs and says, “My food […] is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” Jesus does not even acknowledge their objections, but rather encourages them to think differently.

To think eternally.

To put their faith in that which lasts.

To follow the will of the Father.

To trust His word and not their own feelings.

I cannot stifle the sound of a heart crying, “Hosanna!” and longing to go out into the world. But I cannot encourage their convictions without direction. Jesus’ food was neither to stay nor go, but to let the God who sent him direct his path. Let the Holy Spirit be your living water and your supply. Run with abandon to the Father and earnestly seek His will—He may send you charging to the battlefield of this world, moving you with an unshakable hope and a flaming passion to see His kingdom come.

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Ask God to show you HIS kingdom, not yours. Ask questions and drink of the living water that Christ freely gives.

“‘Sir,’ the woman said, ‘you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and rank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?’

Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:11-14 NIV

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The Providence of God

K.C. Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

What a beautiful fall day! It’s days like these that I am amazed at God’s providence. Truly, He knows our every need before we know it ourselves. I would like to share something that happened to me at chapel a few weeks ago — a story of God’s providence — and I hope that this inspires others to pick themselves up and be a part of life even when they don’t feel like it. Two Wednesdays ago, I was feeling down and didn’t feel like going to Kaleo. I know that when I feel this way, though, and I end up going, I am always blessed. In my mind, I rationalized this as well as the fact that I had to go for chapel credit, and trudged up the stairs. After I walked in, I realized I’d forgotten something and went back to my apartment. I wrestled with already being home, but remembered what I’d told myself earlier about being blessed and having to go, and picked myself up and walked back over. I was met with closed doors and empty handed chapel greeters — they were out of cards. I went to the other door to inquire as to what I was supposed to do when I was at chapel on time and it was already full, and before I could ask my question, the greeter recognized me and waved towards the stairs — he remembered me leaving a few minutes earlier. Up the stairs, I found that there was one chapel card left! Once inside, there was not a seat to be found, and I sat on the floor by the door. During worship, Woody asked that we pause for a moment and pray to God, letting Him know where we were at at that very moment. Well, for me, at that very moment, I was feeling tired, stressed, worrisome, and dejected. I poured all of this and more out to him, and prayed a very specific prayer, unsure that it would be answered the way I would have liked but rationalizing that at least I had expressed it to Him. At the end of the service, the girl sitting next to me asked if I had a couple of minutes to talk. My heart started pounding — was this the answer to prayer I had asked for? We stood near the door where we had been sitting, and she expressed to me what was an exact answer to my prayer. I was in awe. Had I sought my own way, had I not gone to chapel, I would not have experienced this very moment. God’s providence in that moment was amazing. His love is an agape love — unconditional and everlasting. He knows our needs before we think them. There is a verse that I’ve always held very dear that I’d like to share with you — the verse is Jeremiah 29:11, and it reads like this: “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” May we be reminded of His love, mercy and grace in every leaf’s turning, every fall breeze, and every beautiful sunset.

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