Kertson September Newsletter

Whirlwind of Grace
A Ministry Update from the Kertsons

These last few weeks have been a whirlwind. We had a pioneering specialist come out and hold a two day boot camp to help prepare our staff team of five to make an optimal impact on our campus. Two days later, freshman arrived and we spent the weekend connecting with San Diego State’s newest students. Our first Fall of “startup” ministry on campus was a little overwhelming, but we just kept reminding ourselves that it is God who does the real work, our job is pointing people toward what God is doing.

Our first weekend culminated in our first big welcome event on campus, “Freshman Mugging.” We had 100 freshman come get root beer floats (not to beat them up!). We made the event as intentional as possible to get those students who were interested in what Chi Alpha is about and to make sure we got to have meaningful conversations with those who came. We also have been canvasing the campus trying to get freshman to help us fight human trafficking by signing a letter to send to our California senators asking them to stand up against human trafficking from Washington, part of the International Justice Mission postcard initiative.

The rest of our time has been spent following up with those student we met through these outreaches and beginning to share Jesus with them and disciple them.

At our first weekly meeting on campus we had 20 people, a few of whom were new. We have been meeting outside on a lawn sitting on blankets because we have not been able to work out room space with the university yet. The amazing thing is that with every roadblock we face, we see God do even more amazing things. Our second weekly meeting, just Monday night, August 31, we had 30 people at our gathering. The highlight was certainly when one of the freshman we had connected with at freshman mugging brought her non-Christian friend to the worship gathering. This friend had grown up in family that practiced voodoo and since coming to San Diego State a week and a half ago she described that she had been experiencing demonic oppression that sounded pretty intense. After the message the two girls came back for prayer. Brandon prayed for her, but told her that only having Jesus in her life would give her complete victory over these demons. Brandon told her how much Jesus loved her, so much that he wanted to help her and that nothing, including demons could separate her from God’s love if she is in Christ Jesus. She said, she wanted to follow Jesus, so she started her new spiritual journey with Jesus on Monday August 31! There is nothing better than that!

It’s been a whirlwind, but it’s taking us deeper into God’s grace together.

Keeping Up With the Kertsons

The girls started school at the end of August. Peyton started 3^rd grade and Amber started 1^st grade. Eden will be starting her first year of preschool after Labor Day. Both Peyton and Amber are excelling in every area. Peyton has been showing here competitive side working hard and daily on her online math in order to stay on top of the leaderboard for the whole school. Amber is reading up a storm and knows three chords on the guitar (G, C, and Em).
Kendra started a new session of teaching with Christian Youth Theater. She is teaching a tap dance class that Peyton is in. Amber is doing the “Our Gang” class for 5-7 year olds which does basic musical theater.
Brandon’s Dad’s energy and spirits seem to have been greatly lifted in past few weeks. The scans that he has had done all look fairly positive. They are keeping him on the same chemo regimen just to be sure everything keeps going well.

Prayer/Partnership Points

We have been meeting on a grass lawn because we have had trouble with the university getting a meeting space. This has largely been due to a mixture of the difficulty we had becoming an official student group and the fact that they allow live sound in so few rooms to begin with. We have a strong lead for a space Monday nights. Pray it all stays on track for us to start meeting there September 14.
We have made some amazing connections with a number of awesome freshman. Pray for them to get connected and be discipled well. Our goal is to have at least 15 freshman connected to the ministry by the end of the year. Pray specifically for our Fall Retreat September 11-13. Called “Jesus and You” we are praying students will make a commitment to follow Jesus more deeply.
A number of students have been experiencing what can only be described as spiritual attacks. Pray for them to be strengthened and protected, but most of all to experience Jesus through these times. Overall, everyone is really encouraged still because we have been seeing God do such amazing things through it all!