Cookie Cutter Friend (Part 2)

Sweet! It is time for part 2 of my Cookie Cutter Friend series! (Yep! Calm yourself! I know you're excited!)

Okay! So my next CCF is Ben Nilsen! Yep, the only guy of the CCF club! :D ........ Have you ever had one of those friends whom you look up to so much you don't know what to do with yourself? One of those friends whom you are awed by because of all God is doing in their life and THROUGH their life? All the work they are doing for the Kingdom? All the encouragement they pour out? All the love and care they share? All the godly wisdom? One of those friends who pushes you to be MORE than your best? (And the list could keep going!) ........ Well, that is Ben Nilsen in my life!

The most amazing guy I know! So I had to put him on my blog ... and under the CCF posting!

Lately, he has been pushing me ... as he always does ... to step out in the ministries I'm called to - and so much further! He has challenged me to disciple! To disciple those around me. Whether they be on campus, in our group of friends, in my youth group ... he keeps asking me what I'm doing to disciple, how I'm doing it, and gives me extra encouragement and wisdom to continue. Other than Shelley Chambers, I have never had a friend do that! To push me to be MORE than I think I can be! To love me through it, encouragement through it, and help me do it all! ... And ya know? I help him too. :) It is a mutual thing! We encourage each other to step out for Jesus!

Just the other day ... wow! Yesterday! I e-mailed him to share my excitement about a couple of conversations I had on campus. Earlier in the week, Ben and I talked about ministries on campus and how to love people into the Kingdom. I asked him something like, "Ben, how do you do it? Do you just walk up to people and say 'Whatta think about Jesus?'" He kind of laughed. He simply said that he just talks to people. He goes out of his way to strike up conversations with people everywhere he goes, but specifically on campus. I got all loud and excited (as I ALWAYS do!) and told him about how I have always wanted to do that but that I'm not THAT outgoing naturally. So we talked about it some more ......... and yesterday (!), I did it! I was sitting outside, eating my lunch, on campus ... a girl sat down just a little ways off. I didn't really notice her at first, but then I just got up, walked over to her, sat down, and started talking to her!!!!!!! After she left for class, another girl who had been sitting near by sat right down next to me and started talking to me! ..... I almost fell off my seat - I was so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As soon as I got home last night, I e-mailed Ben about it! And later that night we talked for several minutes about how excited we both were!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Some of you are probably thinking, "Wow, Mical. Freak out. What's the big deal?" ;) But oh, it IS a big deal! That's the first step to REAL ministry on campus for me! ..... And I tell that story to say that I can't share that kind of excitement with anyone but Ben. ... I probably have something with each of my friends that I get excited about ... that I share with them and only them. And my (SUPER) excitement about ministry and discipleship is something that Ben and I get excited about! You all should find an excited Jesus Man friend too!

Okay ... so I am super long-winded. I can't help it! But Ben Nilsen is one of those friends who pushes me, encourages me, and keeps me goin'! I'm pretty thankful for you, Ben Nilsen!