Latest Correspondence from Emily :)

Dear Rachel,

Thank you for your application! We look forward to reviewing your application and working with you throughout this process.
Please note that your reference requests are sent out shortly after we receive your application. We do contact every reference listed so please be sure you have informed them that they are on your reference list. All references are due by February 1st and we must receive all your references in order to consider you for the position.


Now that you have submitted your application the next step is interviewing. We hold intern interviews in 6 different cities on 6 different dates in February (see list below). You MUST be able to attend one of these interview sessions or have a personal interview with a member of the RUM Atlanta Staff. Post New Year we will confirm with you your interview city, location, and assign you an interview time slot. We will assign you to interview in the city that is closest to your current location. If you are located on the West Cost, Mid-West, or North East we will work on scheduling your interviews on an individual basis if need be.

One week after you interview we will notify you if you will be placed for this coming fall or not. Upon that notification you have until March 1st 2011 to decide if you are 100% moving forward with the internship. We conduct placement of all intern applicants in mid-March and ask that if by March 1st you are unsure of your commitment to the internship you withdraw your application. We understand that many applicants are applying for other positions but applicant drop-outs after we place them on a campus creates huge issues for this process so we ask that you please make a commitment by March 1st to the internship. We understand if you cannot make this commitment and if that is the case we ask that you please remove your application for placement.

If you have any questions over any step of this process please do not hesitate to contact your Campus Minister or Emily Larsgaard. Thank you again for your application!

Interview Dates and Locations
Monday, February 7th in Charlottesville, VA (that's me!)
TBD in Charlotte, NC
TBD in Chattanooga, TN
TBD in Atlanta, GA
Friday February 18th in Jackson, MS
Tuesday February 22nd in Dallas, TX

Emily S. Larsgaard

"Hi, I Am Rachel and I Am A Control Freak"

I never would have considered myself a control freak until this semester but it is now glaringly obvious to me. Growing up I always planned things. I mean I have been planning my wedding since I was 3 years old (I wish I was joking). Everything is supposed to go my way. Things are supposed to follow my time lines and my plans. I want my will to be done. I hate not knowing the future. I hate when things don't automatically fall into place. I know what I ultimately want and I don't know any other way to get that except my way. How in the world could God possibly do anything other than the way that I see fit? This is something that I am always catching myself at. When I don't get my way I throw my temper tantrum "like a little two year old who wanted to play in the street with the cars zooming past."

God, why? Why don't things go my way? Why do things seem so right and then end up being completely wrong? What is the point of having desires if I constantly get thwarted in them? What is the point of having a passion if I can't fulfill it? Logically I know there is a purpose but my heart is breaking and has broken so many times. I have been here over and over again and I know that once I get past this point it will be ok but right now I am NOT ok. I am sad, I am lonely, I am scared, I am confused, I am a wreck.

At the end of the day when I lay down in my bed I am left with nothing but tears and asking "God why?" When it is all said and done I crawl into my Father's lap, bury my face in His powerful chest and wet it with my confused tears as He holds me and whispers in my ear, "Trust me. I love you."

RUF Intern Application

I got my internship application! This is becoming so real! It is starting to get down into the nitty gritty. It is becoming serious. It is not just a fun idea anymore and that is exciting and scary at the same time. I finished filling out the application Monday night and let me tell you, those questions were not easy. The toughest question was "What do you feel are your weaknesses." It really causes you to face your total depravity. The generic answers first came to mind like pride and not reading my Bible every day but then I really started thinking about it. It was quite convicting. I just kept thinking as I answered that question these people are not gonna want to hire me. About the only thing I have going for me is I love people. But the beauty of RUF is that it encourages honesty. It encourages realistic views of your sin nature. They are not looking for perfection. They are not looking for someone who has never made mistakes or who thinks they have never sinned or that they have it all together. That is one of the biggest things that I have learned from RUF is that I am not ok. I do not have it all together.

1 John 2:1-2

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.

But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ,

the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins

but the sins of the whole world."

This verse is so encouraging. I love it because it starts out with an unattainable goal. When you begin reading it your first thought is "Oh man I am out now." And then there is the most beautiful word in the Gospel, but. God knows that we cannot keep His law perfectly so He provides a way. He provides His Son. My weaknesses are taken and Christ's strengths are given to me. My weaknesses are no longer counted against me because Christ has taken my place and has taken on my weaknesses and taken the full brunt of my punishment for me. I will not boast in anything but Jesus Christ, my Lord. Praise God!

Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) - Tomlin and Giglio

Amazing grace how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me,

I once was lost, but now I am found,

Was blind but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

And grace my fear relieved,

How precious did that grace appear,

The hour I first believed.

My chains are gone, I've been set free,

My God, my Savior has ransomed me,

And like a flood His mercy reigns,

Unending love, amazing grace.

The Lord has promised good to me,

His word my hope secures,

He will my shield and portion be,

As long as life endures.

My chains are gone, I've been set free,

My God, my Savior has ransomed me,

And like a flood His mercy reigns,

Unending love, amazing grace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,

The sun forbear to shine,

But God, who me here below,

Will be forever mine.

Will be forever mine.

You are forever mine.