Students are students, and students are AWESOME!

Today was my first day of ministry activity on CSULB. Me, Sarah, and a few students passed out free water, helped move, and gave directions to lost freshman as they were moving in today. It was hot, and the agua was very appreciated :)

I got to talk to one of the IV students a lot, which was AMAZING (we will call her "A"). She is such a strong woman, I am already impressed by her faith and her belief that God is in control. She is married and her husband is in the navy. From how she describes her, her life is a constant question mark. They never know more than a week in advance what the situation is. They may even restation him in another state in January! She is constantly forced to be flexible, trusting, and hope in the LORD. Hearing more of her story and relationship with God, I am blown away (and honestly SCHOOLED!) by her steadfast belief that Jesus is in control and won't drop her. My financial situation (part-time job may not be enough money...ugh) seems so small in comparison. But, more than anything, I am reminded to TRUST AND HOPE IN THE LORD! AMEN! :)

As for the students I met... here are two stories:

First, I met an RA (we shall call her "K" to respect privacy). We were helping a family find the nearest restroom, and it was in the lobby of K's dorm. A and I starting talking to K, and eventually we told her that we were with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF). She told us that she was a Christian, and that one of our fellow IVers is a friend of hers, and a strong partner in faith. It was encouraging to find another Christian, and she seemed interested in our group. At the end of the day, after passing out most of the water bottles, I brought K a couple leftover. I told her how much of a blessing her being an RA is to the students, and that I am blessed to have a sister caring for others on campus. She said we needed to encourage and support each other, and that we would be a light at CSULB. Her faith impressed upon me how vital it is that I am here for this season, and reminded me how much God loves CSULB that He is putting His people allll over. I took down K's info to contact her about IV stuff, and asked where she goes to church. I hope to visit with Brendan, Sam and Daniel soon :) She was awesome, and I look forward to getting to know her better!

I also met a guy (J). So J pulled into the parking lot with a car full of stuff and no one around to help. A and I offered, and he was very grateful. When we started, some basketball players came to help (many sports team and those in the Greek system were there to help today, mandatory I think). We had so many people helping J, he was floored. I started talking to him, asking him how he felt about the year, where he was from, his major, etc. We talked about various things, and after two trips with 7 or so helpers, he was mostly unloaded. He told us he would get the last few things and thanked us for our help. I wanted to tell him who we were, but honestly froze. I felt bad as I left the dorm, and I told God "if only I had another chance." Then here comes J, walking behind me. He says he left something he needed in his car, and I tell him who we are, that we have BBQs and stuff coming up, and if he would want to give me his information. He says yes, and now I can follow-up with him later! I ran into him a few more times (his dorm was by our FREE WATER stand).

So, those are my DAY 1 stories. Please pray for J, K, the other students we met, those we have not yet met, that God would continue to ordane moments like these where we can love the students of Beach State!

Throughout the day, I noticed quite a few differences (the ethnic diversity, the amount of transfer students from community colleges, the size of the place, the lack of discussion amongst first year-aka no real bonding stuffs yet/random convos like in the dorms of Scripps)... but I noticed one similarity: college students are college students. Conversations with them are not unlike those I had back at Scripps welcoming first years. Though I have much to learn, this much is true: God has called me to LOVE students; it is a ministry that, for this season of my life, causes me to rejoice and be glad for all the LORD has planned!

One Full Day

Just a few quick updates (yes, all happened yesterday):

I have two jobs! One is a coaching position for water polo in Santa Ana at a high school. The other is an office assistant/tutoring position in Long Beach. The dilemma? How many hours is TOO many hours with my internship also?

Please pray for discernment on how many coaching hours to take on, if any.

I was in a car accident. Nothing too serious. I've been a little sore, but my car is totally fine.

Please pray for healing, that this soreness is all I'll experience.

Now, we are waiting to hear about a few apartments.

Please pray that we can find a good place soon!!!

That is all :)

God is my Victory

Just some short thoughts, not about interning persay, but some reflections.

Things have been hard, personally and spiritually, as of late. I feel like I'm in a bit of a dry season, a desert. The irony? I asked for it...

When Brendan and I were praying about UCI or UCSB, God told me and my friends that He was calling me into the desert. He promised oasis, but a desert nonetheless. I was afraid of going to UCSB, and God called me to trust Him and be open. Brendan ended up at UCI, but God transformed me (us both, actually) in the process... and for me, He called me into the desert. My prayer for the last month of school or so was for a season of trials. Not because I like them. I hate when things are hard. But, because I felt so comfortable in my faith, comfortable with where I was. A desert, a season of trials, while it would be a dark and hard time, would end with experiencing and understanding more of God than I ever have before.

Sometimes, God gives us exactly what we ask for. I believe God has a lot to teach me in this hard, dry time. I believe He wants me to know more of Him, to experience more of Him, to lean on and delight in Him more than I have ever before. I've been hopeless and discouraged lately, but I also find myself surprised by how good God is and how much He loves me, how much He is walking alongside Brendan and me, how much He protects and provides, how good and trustworthy He is.

Please pray for me to experience more of God. Honestly, I wish things were easier. And on my weakest days, I feel alone in the fight. Yet, though I don't always feel it, I know this is true:

"I see the King of Glory, coming on the clouds with fire, the whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakesl I see His love and mercy, washing over all our sin, the people sing, the people sing, Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!"

And though sometimes it takes all my strength, and sometimes I forget to pray, I believe:

"I see a generation, rising up to take their place, with selfless faith, with selfless faith; I see a near revival, stirring as we pray and seek, we're on our knees, we're on our knees; Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest"

Despite the pain, the exhaustion, the hopelessness, and the weakness of my faith... I trust in the LORD, and this is my cry:

"Heal my heart and make it clean, open up my eyes to the things unseen. Show me how to love like You have loved me! Break my heart for what breaks Yours; everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause, as I walk from earth into eternity (with YOU!)"

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Someone said that revival begins in our hearts before it can begin on our campuses. LORD, have Your way!