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USA (MNN) — You were made for something great. Urbana 12 seeks to compel this generation to give their whole lives for God's global mission. It seeks to show this generation that they were made for something great.
Urbana is a mission's conference for North American students hosted by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of Canada, and Groupes Bibliques Universitaires et Collégiaux du Canada.
Karlye Zattlin, a 3rd-year student at Grand Valley State University, is going to Urbana this year. "I'm a part of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at my University–Grand Valley State, and they've been a big part of promoting Urbana and promoting students going to Urbana," she says.
Students join together, listening for God's call on their lives. They listen to speakers, visit with hundreds of mission's organizations, attend seminars, participate in unique tracks, worship together, view performing arts, pray with other young people, and study the Bible inductively.
"I'm really hoping for more direction. There are lots of missions organizations out there, and [I am seeking] whether it's a next step as far as a short-term mission trip or a next step as far as a career,[whether] this could be where God wants me to go with my life," Zattlin says.
Urbana 12 is held in St. Louis, Missouri, December 27-31. "I think it's just pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; there's only one every three years," says Zattlin. "The reason I'm going is because there are hundreds of missions organizations represented and that just drew me like a moth to a flame. But it's also a really good opportunity to hear speakers who are experienced in this sort of thing, and to fellowship with so many other believers of the same age group."
Pray that Urbana 12 will encourage students as they head back to school in the New Year. Ask the Lord to light a fire in the participants' hearts. As the students learn about various ministries, pray that they will have guidance and wisdom from the Lord.
