June Orientation!

A week ago I had the opportunity to go to Denver, CO for orientation along with over sixty other interns. While there, we learned more about RUF and our role as future interns being sent all over America. I was overwhelmed by so many kind new friends and thankful to God for bringing us together. The intern department and RUF National led many different seminars on several topics, such as the history of RUF, ministry, how to build our personal stories, and fundraising. In the mornings, we were led in worship by some talented interns and had a time of devotional. In the evenings, we were allowed to spend time getting to know one another in Denver.

One of my favorite parts of orientation was spending time with my prayer group. The entire intern class is split up into different prayer groups. I and three other women will be in contact with each other for the next two years sharing our celebrations and our concerns, and praying for and encouraging each other. Though we only met a week prior, we had already become close friends. I am so excited to see how the Lord will be working at each of their schools.

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Study Program

One of my responsibilities is the study program. Every month I am required to read different theological books and books from the Bible. I am very excited about this aspect of the internship because the hope is that this will help me grow in my own faith and equip me more to minister to the students given to me. This month I am reading the books of Genesis and Exodus, Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller, and Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund. I am already learning so much about God’s loving heart toward us as sinners.

Chapter six of Gentle and Lowly focuses on the verse John 6:37 “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” This chapter really spoke to me and helped me understand that no matter what my failures are, Jesus will never cast me out. Ortlund says, “We cannot present a reason for Christ to finally close off his heart to his own sheep. No such reason exists. Every human friend has a limit. If we offend enough, if a relationship gets damaged enough, if we betray enough times, we are cast out. The walls go up. With Christ, our sins and weaknesses are the very resumè items that qualify us to approach him. Nothing but coming to him is required — first at conversion and a thousand times thereafter until we are with him upon death.” I have been afraid of how I might fail in this job, but this was a reminder of Christ’s promise to me that it is His work, not mine, that will change lives, and that He will walk with me every step of the way.

I would love to hear any of your thoughts on these readings!

Connections

I wanted to give a brief shout-out to my Campus Minister, Daniel Hightower. He and I had a fruitful conversation the other day about RUF at JSU and the different ways that I can help out. He and his wife Courtney have been very supportive and helpful toward me during my support raising and transition into this new job. I am very excited to get to know them and their four children better!

Support Raising!

I first want to thank you for all of your prayers and support!

Because of your continuous generosity and God’s provision, I am now 30% funded ($15,000)! I am 55% away from my goal of 85% needed in order for me to move to campus.

If you have not had the opportunity to give yet, I ask you to prayerfully consider joining my support team this month so that I can move to campus by August 1st!

There are a couple of different ways to give (all gifts are tax-deductible):

1. Give directly online at givetoruf.org
   Just type my name (Elizabeth Fortune) in the search box and choose an amount to give one-time or monthly. Monthly donations are taken out on the 1st or the 15th of each month.

2. Give by check
   Make the check payable to “RUF” and add my fund code (7157) to the memo line. This will ensure that it goes directly into my account.
   Mail the check to:
   RUF
   PO Box 890004
   Charlotte, NC 28289-0004

Prayer Requests

• Please pray that as I get closer to my financial goal I am able to find affordable housing in Jacksonville. This will be my first time living out of state on my own and I will need prayers for the transition!

• Continue to pray for my family as we all are trying to spend time with each other this summer before I leave. Pray for their own spiritual guidance.

• Please continue to pray for JSU and the Hightower family. Daniel is doing his own support raising this summer. Prayers that God continues to provide for him and praise for how God is using him and his family at JSU!