"Are you the Christian lady who does the talks on campus?"
My friends roared with laughter. They would not address or describe me as such. Whether it was the "Christian" or "lady" or the fact that I not only "give talks" but do hold up my end of most conversations . . . . Anyway.
I ignored them and answered the student respectfully, "Yes, I am. How can I help?"
"I'm interested in getting together with others on campus who are discussing faith and spirituality. I find it is an area of my life that is neglected. Something's out of kilter and I think it is because I am focused on the To-do lists and here-and-now."
I told her how she could e-mail me so I could forward her the times and place of gatherings she might be interested in. I told here about coffee groups and lunchtime discussions and groups reading through a set list of Scripture passages together. She made a note of how to email me and went on her way hurriedly to the meeting for which she was late.
I turned back to the table to rejoin the conversation of my friends only to find it had stopped. The conversation about weather, shopping, recipes and celebrity gossip had dissipated into a palpable silence. Smiling, I reengaged with my friends, sensing that the students' enquiry had accomplished far more than I could have in ten sermons or admonitions.
My friends roared with laughter. They would not address or describe me as such. Whether it was the "Christian" or "lady" or the fact that I not only "give talks" but do hold up my end of most conversations . . . . Anyway.
I ignored them and answered the student respectfully, "Yes, I am. How can I help?"
"I'm interested in getting together with others on campus who are discussing faith and spirituality. I find it is an area of my life that is neglected. Something's out of kilter and I think it is because I am focused on the To-do lists and here-and-now."
I told her how she could e-mail me so I could forward her the times and place of gatherings she might be interested in. I told here about coffee groups and lunchtime discussions and groups reading through a set list of Scripture passages together. She made a note of how to email me and went on her way hurriedly to the meeting for which she was late.
I turned back to the table to rejoin the conversation of my friends only to find it had stopped. The conversation about weather, shopping, recipes and celebrity gossip had dissipated into a palpable silence. Smiling, I reengaged with my friends, sensing that the students' enquiry had accomplished far more than I could have in ten sermons or admonitions.
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