Unhurried Presence: Praying for Community at USF

Graduate & Faculty Ministry Update — October 2025

Dear Friends,

This week, I had the joy of welcoming the Graduate Faculty Ministries National Leadership Team to the University of South Florida. Their visit took place right in the center of the weekly Bull Market, when students, organizations, and campus life spill into the courtyard in a swirl of color, conversation, and activity.

And right in the middle of all of that, we walked the campus and prayed.

There is something powerful about choosing to move slowly in a place that is always moving fast. As we walked, I was reminded that God does not rush us. Jesus walks with us at the pace of real relationship, step by step, conversation by conversation, moment by moment.

When we walk, God walks with us.
And love moves at the pace of presence.

🌱 Praying Over the Campus Grounds

During the walk, we passed a large lawn that was quiet,  empty of the community it was built to hold. It should have been full of laughter, connection, and belonging.

We stopped and prayed that God would:

• Fill empty spaces with Christian community

• Let His presence abide in hidden places

• Stir hunger for truth, love, and wisdom

• Awaken students and faculty to belonging in Christ

We prayed for a campus that flourishes, not just academically, but spiritually, emotionally, and relationally.

This wasn’t just intercession.
It was invitation.

God is preparing hearts.
He is preparing space.
And He is preparing me to step fully into this work.

🧑‍🏫 Lunch & Listening with USF Faculty

We later gathered for lunch with two USF faculty members, and the conversation became deeply meaningful.

On the Future of Teaching

Both professors spoke of the pressure and uncertainty created by the rapid rise of AI. Teaching styles, course design, and even the way students learn are all shifting quickly.

One professor said something that felt like truth rising to the surface:

“AI can help produce sentences, but it cannot teach meaning.
Meaning is formed in the soul.”

The classroom is changing.
The pace of adaptation is exhausting.
Faculty need community, grounding, and spiritual support.

On Identity, Surrender, and Calling

As we listened, stories of loss, transition, and rediscovery came forward. Identity is being reshaped.
Priorities are being reevaluated.
God is drawing hearts back to Himself.

We prayed.
Tears came.
And the presence of God was so gentle and near.

🔥 What This Means for My Calling

Friends, this visit confirmed something for me:

The harvest is real.
The need is real.
And the time is now.

I am in the final stretch of preparing for full-time ministry at USF, and I am currently $17,000 away from being fully released onto campus.

Yet God gave me this moment—
before I have even “arrived” fully—
to see what He is doing.

The word the Lord keeps speaking to me is:

Purge and prepare.
Get ready.
Make room.
The fire to disciple is rising.
It is fuego.

🙏 How You Can Pray With Me

Please pray for:

1. USF faculty navigating leadership change and academic pressure.

2. Students and scholars searching for community, clarity, and belonging.

3. The final stretch of my ministry partnership development, that it is marked by peace, joy, and provision from the Lord.

🤝 Ways You Can Join the Work

Would you consider:

• Becoming a monthly ministry partner

• Giving a one-time gift toward the plant

• Joining me for a Wednesday prayer walk in November

• Serving as a volunteer or connector on campus

Your presence and support matter more than you know.

Give or learn more:

https://givetoiv.org/JorgieMarshall

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“Blessed are those whose strength is in You,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.”
— Psalm 84:5

Thank you for walking with me
— unhurried, prayerful, and full of hope —
as we prepare the ground for what God will do at USF.

With faith and joy,
Jorgie