Jacksonville (JAX) – Summer Training Program (STP)

Bill and I spent three weeks in June with these choice friends. We lived in the dorm with them at the University of N. Florida. About 15 of those pictured are Navigator collegiate staff from several mid-west universities who also leave their homes, pack-up, and move their families for about 10 weeks in the summer to lead the program. John Anderson from Wichita State University, the second from the left, with two of their three sons directed the program. For the little ones it’s like an eight week vacation Bible school. There were five young ones all together. Our role was to shepherd the staff team. The rest are students representing many campuses who have committed their summer to growing in their Christian life. Just living a half hour from the ocean is a big draw for these mid-west natives.

All the students are divided into teams. During the day they work full-time jobs. The evenings are for Bible study, large group teaching, and meeting one-to-one with their team leader to process, pray, and receive individual attention.

When Bill and I were college students and for a few years before getting married, we attended similiar programs. It was like moving into a spiritual greenhouse for the summer. That hasn’t changed.

God uses these programs, not just in the student’s lives,
the staff (us too) leave knowing we have taken a step forward in our own spiritual lives.

Five lessons for me personally defined our three weeks at JAX.

I love meeting with God in his creation. Florida offered me new experiences to live this out. I discovered my favorite spot by a small pond on campus and headed there in the mornings when the students left for work. When I’m home in Colorado, the Aspens and the Ponderosa Pines set the stage for being with God. God’s amazing creativity in nature was a gift to me.

And in Colorado, I never get to watch baby alligators swimming just a few feet in front of me!

God revealed more of who he created me to be. I arrived fairly confident that I could minister to the staff. And fairly insecure about ministry to college students. Although we’re on several campuses during the school year, I mainly connect with the staff women.

I left realizing when I live out of my created identity as the beloved child of God, the age of the audience was less important. I enjoyed eating in the dorm cafeteria with a different team of girls five nights of every week. They ministered to me as they shared their stories as much as I ministered to them. Here I am (the silver-haired one) with Eva’s team.

Bonus! I didn’t need to cook for three whole weeks!

I left re-motivated in scripture memory. The examples of many around me re-fueled my desire.  The Navigators have a scripture memory plan called The Topical Memory System. I completed it  years ago. But those verses were rusty. I’m cleaning the rust off by using their truths to feed my prayer life. You can get it for your phone or iPad here.

I was affirmed as a gramma (my spelling). Yes, I was old enough to be a grandma to both the students and the staff. During our time I heard many stories about how grandma’s ministered to their grandchildren. They often heard the best affirmations from their grandmas. Grandmas protected and provided needed resources. In two cases, the student lived with her grandparents. I met some of these grandmas. They traveled to Florida to be with their grands for parent’s weekend. I left with the desire to be more intentional in initiating toward our six GRANDS.

“One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.”
Psalm 145:4

Speaking of generations … Tessa, a student at Iowa State University is the GRAND-daughter of a couple who served along side us on Navigator staff when we all lived in Illinois. I originally met Tessa at one of our trips to Iowa State. It was a double joy to be with her again.

Ben Nugent, our National Collegiate director, came to JAX for a few days while we were there. He spoke on the promises of God. God met many of us through his words. He encouraged us all to pay attention to the word “will” in the scriptures. It indicates one of God’s promises for us. So simple, yet, I had not thought about that before.

“Cast your burden on the LORD,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”
Psalm 55:22 (italics, mine)

And we had a lot of fun. This alligator showed up right outside our door one morning.

The most thrilling thing about JAX are the stories we are hearing this fall. The students left motivated to share with their classmates. This wordcloud pictures the names of just some of the new believers on the campuses across the nation who have committed their lives to Jesus for the first time this semester. Many of them were introduced to Jesus from the students who attended one of our summer training programs. (JAX was one of many across the country.)

“Classes are going well and I’m having a blast with ministry this semester! My older brother who is here with me at ISU and is in Navs here too got engaged last weekend and it’s super exciting!”  I love receiving texts like this one from Tessa.

Like the students, I’m working on living out the lessons God taught me this summer.

 

Copyright: Sue Tell, October 2022