1/2 Way!

Well, well, well - here I am again, finally. It's these times where I think that I probably shouldn't have a blog, because it's pointless if I don't keep it up-to-date. Hmm, what do you think? As for now, I'm just going to share some random thoughts and maybe (?) I'll be a little more thorough later. It's chilly in Berkeley! I did buy a good winter coat though so that helps. I've been crocheting occasionally - making some gifts. . .though it's really hard to find the time. I'll be finishing a project after typing this because tomorrow I'm having brunch with a friend (at a place that sells banana pancakes with chocolate drizzled on top, sounds so amazing!) and we're exchanging gifts then. Fun! This morning I "skyped" (online phone call with video) with a former Cal student/friend in East Asia. She's on STINT and it was so amazing to see her, hear her voice, and share our lives with each other again. We were support raising buddies in the central valley this summer and she's a huge blessing. I got to hang out with 2 awesome Crusade San Fran interns that I went to college with last weekend. We had Thai food and then saw the movie "Slumdog Millionaire". Please see it, that's all I have to say. This week has consisted of wrapping up on campus and ending out my small group Bible studies for the semester. This included my first time eating sushi on Monday night with my freshmen (no thanks) and chocolate fondue with my sophomores (yes please). We as a new staff team who have no history at Cal are learning a lot and are realizing that this week before finals is very stressful for students and that even a short hangout can be too much to ask for - we'll probably be doing our fun wrap-up times the week before dead week next semester. So different then at Cal Poly. . .where memories of finals week included going to the beach, fun hangouts with friends, and a free schedule. It's hard to believe that my first year here is already half way done! Well, we as staff spent the rest of the week evaluating, planning, and prepping for next semester. These meetings were long but actually very energizing - I am so excited about where God is leading us and it's fun to implement change in light of that. A new role that I will have next semester is the leading/coaching of our weekly Thursday night meetings (which will actually be happening weekly from here on out!). This is a role I had in Santa Monica (summer project) as well and I really enjoyed it. This includes mapping out the night, coaching the MC on what to say, making sure we have a well-stocked info table, delegating student to various roles (worship leading, name-tag making, tech, etc), as well as encouraging and thanking all those that played a role in the meeting afterwards. Looking forward to this and a lot more too! Well, off to send lots of Christmas cards, finish my crocheting project, and then I'm going to bundle up because I'm going ice skating in the city with friends from church. Thanks for reading!

Fall Conferences

The Fall is conference season in Crusade world. It starts with Fall Retreat and then we move on to conference-o-rama which I just came back from yesterday. I attended 3 conferences, but thankfully they were all back-to-back and at the same lovely location in Ontario, CA. I really had such an amazing time! Intern conference was such a felt-need for me, at times it feels isolating to be the only intern on my campus. . .it was so sweet to connect with all the first and second year interns in our region. We heard from great speakers, gave feedback on our experiences, and had a blast together. Then came regional staff conference where the approximately 200 staff of our region got together for fellowship, refreshment, vision, and guidance. We got to hear from the National Director of Campus Crusade which was such an honor. . .it's nice to know that head quarters in Florida is thinking about us out here on the west coast. And then came Crossroads, my all time favorite conference that Crusade puts on. It's for juniors and seniors - the Lord always moves in big ways at this conference, this year was no different, and I believe He moved in the biggest ways in the history of this conference. Once again, several great speakers, an awesome worship band, lots of sweet one-on-one significant conversations, late-night fun, and more. Oh how I love college students - especially when their focus is to love and serve the Lord completely, so exciting to think what God will do through their fully surrendered lives in light of eternity! Because Thanksgiving is a few short days away (made a turkey burger for dinner in preparation) here are a few of the many things I have been thankful for lately:
- the completely undeserved gift of the forgiveness of our sins
- flying to and from Ontario
- a new friend, my sweet roommate at the conference
- unexpected blessings
- the warm southern cali weather
- my mini staff team
- the Word and how God uses speakers to illuminate Himself
- Chipotle chips and guacamole
- students choosing to obey and follow the Lord as workers into the harvest
- family to head home to tomorrow
Well, a very Happy Thanksgiving to each of you! I love that no matter the circumstance we will always have countless things to be thankful for as believers. I am thankful to God for you!

Hello!

Hi friends. . .it has been a while, as usual. :) And as usual a lot has happened. The most exciting praise report is that Kelly, one of the girls in my freshmen small group, is now a believer!! We hung out one-on-one yesterday and she told me that she made the decision to begin a personal relationship with Jesus about a week after Fall Retreat. Praise God - and now please continue to pray for her, that she would grow in her faith. She once was lost and now is found! I just ordered a bible for her and we'll beginning meeting once a week for follow-up lessons on foundational truths that will help her to grow.

Another cool aspect to the week has been hanging out with nonbelievers and bringing them steps closer to making their own decisions for Christ, like Kelly just did. Pray for Afsoon, Alison, and Cailyn in particular. God is at work in the lives of students at Cal!

I am about to board a plane to head down to Ontario, CA for a slew of conferences. . .intern conference, regional staff conference, and crossroads - a conference for juniors and seniors, helping them to apply biblical principles to decision making for their future. Pray that the 144 students signed up would really hear from the Lord this weekend (particularly Maria and Lucky, the two students going from Cal) and that many would be led to intern or join staff in our region for the coming year. This is an exciting time! Pray that I too would continue to hear from the Lord about the direction He is leading me in for the coming year or so of my life.

Last week I spoke at our large group meeting and I thoroughly enjoyed doing so! The process of preparing and practicing was both fun and challenging and then actually giving the 30 minute talk was such a joy. It helped that I was speaking on a topic that I have been learning a lot about since coming here, unashamed love. Not sure if speaking at large group meetings is an area of giftedness for me, it's possible, but either way it's so fun to grow in this area and I'll get more opportunities to do so next semester.

The application process for summer project opportunities is up and running and we have students applying which is so encouraging! Pray for Justin and Melissa as they fill out their applications for Ocean City (NJ) Summer Project and please pray that Rebecca, Natalie, Kim, and many more girls and guys would go together and spend a summer serving and growing in this way!

So, things have been pretty encouraging here lately - thank the Lord! I personally am doing well, as well. Really enjoying my church and the fellowship there, making time for good swims/runs/workout classes through the YMCA which has been fun. Baking up a storm as usual. Setting aside quality time for my personal relationship with the Lord which is always God-glorifying and re-energizing.

And now I'm off to pack and head to the Bart station, which will take me to the train station - oh, how urban I've become. :) I'm so excited to see many friends, be refreshed, and see God move through this conferences. Hope you have a great rest of the week/weekend as well!

Week 12

Clearly Cal is on the semester system because it's week 12 here, in SLO we only went til week 10. Endurance is needed! Hello friends. Sorry it's been so long. . .once again! Since I last wrote I have come back from Holland, spent a couple days on campus, and then took a long weekend trip to SLO. . .and have no pictures to show for myself. I know, awful. But I can tell a few quick stories so here I go:

- Holland was awesome, absolutely no regrets! Yes it was quite the whirlwind and I seemed to spend most of my time traveling but it was completely worth it. My grandma's funeral day had many parts to it and I'm just so thankful I got to be a part of the process. During the service the pastor did a beautiful job of sharing the Gospel which was definitely a highlight of the whole trip! Also, it was so great to connect with the many aunts, uncles, cousins, and cousins' kids at a family dinner afterwards. Dutch people are so cool in their love for family, we need more of that here! Another highlight actually happened when I got back into San Fransisco on Monday. . .my parents surprised me and were waiting for me when I got off the plane. So awesome! We had a good time eating many of the goodies I brought back with me. Oh, and jet lag was basically nonexistent which was such a blessing!

- My time back in Berkeley was busy with prayer meetings, discipleship, evangelism, writing my newsletter (if you want a copy let me know!), as well as voting and seeing students respond to the outcome. . .pretty unforgettable.

- And then I was off to SLO for a couple of days. I had such an amazing time connecting with old friends, hanging out with students, getting my hair cut, spending time with my brother, enjoying meals with different families from church and supporters of my ministry, and more. Though the weekend was jam-packed I would not have wanted it any other way. It was so refreshing to be around people who really know me in a place that I really know and love dearly. I am realizing more and more that these little getaways are so crucial in terms of renewing my vision and calling to ministry. I'm looking forward to another trip back to SLO already!

- And here we are, back in Berkeley. Last night was a pretty rough transition because of a discouraging small group Bible study I tried to lead. I am continually needing to remind myself that God is at work and this is going according to His perfect plan. But couldn't it be a little more fun? :) Well, change is always on the horizon and with some talk about next semester at staff meeting I think that next semester may just be a little more enjoyable. If not I will choose to continue to persevere and glorify the Lord in the midst of the madness. On that note, I need to get going - sophomore girls coming over for dinner and Bible study tonight, need to prep for this week's discipleship times, and write the talk I'm giving (on unashamed love) at our large group meeting this Thursday. Please pray!

I'd love to hear of some highlights of your past couple of weeks so if you get the chance shoot me an email or phone call, I'd love it!

-

Holland!

Wow - ok, I have to make this quick. . .and soon you will know why :)

My grandma, the one I've been named after, passed away (she was old and knows the Lord, it's a good thing :)) on Saturday. All my relatives live in Holland and my parents are there now. Not until this morning did I get the strong urge/desire to be there for the funeral. Well, the funeral is Thursday morning. . .so after some prayer, talking with my mom, and checking airfares I had to make a very quick decision. I have decided that it's worth it to be a part of this special time with my immediate and extended family that I love. So, though it is not quite ideal and certainly involves sacrifice in many different ways I trust that God's hand is in this and that I will not regret the decision to go. I am leaving tonight and will return on Monday. Thankfully I now live very close to the San Fransisco airport - such a blessing! However, I still have very little time to pack so I need to get going on that!

Please pray for smooth travel - though I am leaving CA tonight I will not arrive in Holland until 6AM on Thursday morning. The funeral is at 10:30 AM that day, therefore please pray that my flights will not be delayed. Pray for opportunities to talk about the Lord with those siting next to me on my 3 flights! Pray that God would be at work in the lives of my relatives, pray for a sweet time of closure and grieving for all of us, and please pray for smooth travel back to CA. Clearly this is going to be a whirlwind trip and probably one of the craziest things I have ever done. Thanks friends, I am so thankful for technology for it allows me to let you all in on what's going on in and around my life. Look forward to some great pictures and reports when I get back!

With love,
Arijaan

Fall Retreat is here!

Hi friends! Wow - what a week. The Lord definitely took me THROUGH some valleys and I am seeing my roots grow deeper and deeper in Him as a result. He is so faithful to be purposeful with every single day of our lives, both the good and the bad. I have a renewed active desire to remain steadfast in Him and I'm excited to have the armor of God at my disposal (Eph 6). Let's put off the old and put on the new as we head into this weekend!

My weekend will consist of many wonderful things. . .Lake Tahoe, an awesome speaker, 32 students from Cal (our staff team prayer faith goal was that between 30-40 students would go, if we include ourselves we're right smack-dab in the middle at 35!), a total of about 200 hundred staff and students (from UC Davis and Sac State as well), a thrift-store dance, a so many fun life-change moments!

If you'd like to pray. . .here's how:
- Safe travel. Students will be coming in at all different hours, some very late - pray for safety on the road as well as God-glorifying fun during the drive (about 3 1/2 hours from here)
- Jim Sylvester is our speaker. . .have heard great things. Pray that the Holy Spirit would give him the exactly words that each and every student (and staff :)) need to hear. Pray for energy and wisdom as giving 3 powerful talks in 2 days is certainly a God-sized job.
- Pray for the freshmen that are going. Well, first praise God for the freshmen that are going! :) Kim, Christine (both Christians but not sure which campus ministry they want to be a part of), Kelly (a nonchristian), and Frances (a believer who's struggling at Cal) from my small group are going! Pray that each of these girls would experience life change and a radical commitment to Christ that carries over back at Cal.
- Specifically for Kelly. . .I've had several chances to share the Gospel with her (the last time was through a phenomenal video - check it out, http://www.juststopandthink.com/) but she has yet to surrender control of her life to Christ. Pray that she will this weekend! Pray that God would use whatever/whoever it takes - including other students and the beauty of His creation at Tahoe.
- Pray for me. For the right balance of serving and ministering to as well as taking the time to be ministered to first and foremost by the Lord. It certainly is a "working weekend" for me and can be very draining but I want to be intentional with my conversations with each and every student. Pray for wisdom, and ability to connect, discernment, and the fruit of the Spirit to be present through me. . .all for God's glory!

Your prayers really are heard by the Lord and used to further His Kingdom. Thanks for praying in faith on behalf of the students, staff, and particularly myself. I know He is daily using you here and I'm so thankful for you! Now off to the thrift store to find something to wear for this dance. Then I'll be ready to pick up some students and hit the road. Have a great weekend!

It's Worth It. . .

but why? Why is it worth it? Why is it worth it to move to a crazy city, where it's cold and dangerous and big and hurried? Why is it worth it to meet with students day in and day out without much of a thanks, especially in the way of growth/change? Why is it worth it to be far from those who know me well? Why is it worth persevering and making this a place that I can be for a while even if I don't know how long that "while" is. Why is it worth it you may ask. . .I wonder the same thing daily - and this is what I must choose to conclude. . .it is worth it because (and only because) God is worth it! He gave His Son fully for me so that I could come to experience abundant life in Him as a result of the forgiveness of my sins and the relationship with my Creator King that is now in place. I have been bought at a price, and therefore I gladly am no longer my own. I submit and depend out of joyful gratitude - my life is all I have to give and I want to give it all to Him, to no one or nothing else. And how I want others to come to know this complete satisfaction in Christ alone and how the Father wants it more then me. He loves His creation more then I ever could, He pursues His people better then I ever will, He has made a way - and though I am willing to be used it is only He that can and will ever do the work. How I need to rely on the Lord and grow to know Him more - when this is not true of me I become overwhelmed, discouraged, and self-righteous, how quick I am to want to take things into my own hands. So foolish. God is God and am I not. Praise His holy name!

2 months

Today is my 2 month mark in terms of living in Berkeley. Time has both flown and crawled by these past 60ish days. I must remember God's Word and celebrate His faithfulness. . .each and every day. Take this day for example. Had sweet time with Him in the Word - He's so faithful! Enjoyed a water aerobics class - He's so faithful! Had lunch with a new friend from church - He's so faithful! Prepared Bible study content for both my small groups this week - He's so faithful! Encouraging small-talk with my roommate - He's so faithful! Opportunity to hang out with a student with the desire to share the Gospel with her in the very near future - He's so faithful! Oh, and there's definitely more but simply the exercise of purposing my mind to recall His faithfulness increases my desire to love and serve Him fully. Ultimately, He's so faithful in His provision of Christ crucified. . .this is what I want to remember in my 3rd month at Cal and beyond. Thanks for being on this journey with me!

wow

I am so behind with the blogging - and I have so many thoughts, I really don't know where to begin. A word to describe ministry currently would be "fragile". . .it's hard to see what God is doing and I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up tomorrow morning with no girls left in my small group - still waiting for things to settle, perhaps they won't for a while. Fall Retreat is coming up - really trying to encourage students to go, praying that sweet community will be build there and then carry on over back at Cal. Hum. We need the Lord!

Good weekend - although feeling a little under the weather, both physically and emotionally. 2 sweet friends that I led in Bible study and discipled for 3 years at Cal Poly came to visit. It was such a sweet time. Yummy Chinese food, fun day in the city (saw the Blue Angels!), and lots of laughs. Sad to see them go. Dad and Oma (grandma) visited today after the farmer's market - these lunch times have been very sweet. . .and how I love the flowers too! Went to a yoga class this afternoon, my first one ever - fun and a great chance to meditate on the LORD and scripture, I'll go again. I've joined the YMCA - lots of fun classes and a swimming pool. So urban!

I wonder what this week will hold. I desire to glorify the Lord with it - to find a balance where He will be most glorified always proves tricky for me. Praying that He'll increase my faith and help me to hope and trust in Him alone. Praying the same for all of us!

Hello!

Hope you've had a nice weekend! Mine has been active and fun. Took a swimming technique class yesterday, went to my first Cal football game (3 of my neighbors participated. . .a player, a coach, and a band player - so cool, oh and they won big time!), hung out with friends from church, helped out at the nursery at church, and went to my SNAP (Special Needs Aquatics Program) volunteer training. But, I am also rather under the weather and am feeling very low energy right now. I'm in the middle of baking cookies for my small groups this week. . .and it's my turn to clean the kitchen - we'll see what my body thinks about that. Pray that energy comes back soon! I think it's going to be a somewhat "normal" week - it's nice to have a rough schedule in place again. Friday the staff team is taking a field trip to San Fran - if you have any tips about how we should spend our time there let me know! My mom and grandma fly in from Holland this week - looking forward to seeing them at some point as well. Have a blessed week!

And. . .

I forgot a fun highlight - I bought a pair of rain boots at Target for $5. . .super sale! They're black with while pokadots and bright pink on the inside. So cute! In the past I refused to buy rain boots because I firmly believed that would encourage the rain to come. Well, I now realize that there will be no stopping the rainy season (it even sprinkled a bit on Friday) here so I better embrace it and try to look trendy while I'm at it. Here's to still hoping for a sunny week even if that means I don't get to wear my steal of a deal!

Highlights

You just never know what a weekend might hold - here were some of my highlights! What were some of yours?
- game night at Maria's, so many students here have never played Catch Phrase -many were introduced to the game. . .and now they will never choose studying over games again!
- great time at home. . .wide-open spaces, Dutch customers, late lunch with a great friend (who just bought a house - wow!), good family time, a relatively short travel time to and fro!
- getting to share the Gospel with Kelly, she was very receptive. . .didn't make a decision for Christ in the dinning hall but said she would later - exciting, pray!
- sailing in the San Fransisco bay with my pastor and his wife!! how cool is this? As I was leaving church this morning the pastor asked if I wanted to join them - you bet I did, I am such a water girl! A very beautiful sunny afternoon, awesome views, and great conversation with an awesome couple. . .I'm so thankful for their thoughtfulness!
- changing the sheets on my bed. . .okay, this is a weird one but I just love doing this especially as I anticipate getting to crawl into a fresh, clean bed - it's always been one of my favorite things!
- homemade granola awaiting for me when I awake in the morning, yum!
- the thought of another week and the highlights it will contain - I love abundant life in Christ, we don't know what's around the corner but we do know that it'll be for His glory and our good if we are abiding in Him and seeking His will, not our own!

Have a great week!

Week 4

Well, it's hard to believe that week 4 of the semester has come and gone. . .especially since Cal Poly SLO hasn't even begun yet! I've had opportunities to take faith-filled risks for the Lord this week, I hope you can look back and say the same as well. And I am definitely using the word "risk" loosely. . .a risk can be something so small, like saying hi to someone when you normally find your self being self-focused. I actually led my sophomore small group through Matthew 14:22-33 and it was so fun to dig deep into that water-walking passage together as well as to encourage them to get out of the boat with me!

Let's see, I took a risk with Deb and went back into the dorms for more follow up - though no one was home it was fun to at least step out in faith and be willing to be used. Now I am transitioning to hanging out with the 5 girls, thus far, that are coming to my freshmen small group with the intent of getting to know them better on many different levels. I am learning that one is not a believer (we're hanging out on Sun - pray!), one is not really walking with the Lord (though coming to small group - cool!), 2 are "fellowship hopping" (I hope they choose us. . .although the other fellowship is great as well!), and the last one seems to be committed. . .yay! I am praying that the Lord pursues these girls, and really the 500 other women in my target area, like crazy. . .knowing that His pursuit of them won't always include me, but I definitely want to keep a "here I am, send me" mentality.

I have also been trying to take some risks in my personal life. I had a handful of girls who are in my stage of life over for dinner on Wednesday night - fun! This friend-making business is hard though, I haven't really had to do it since coming to college and it was really easy then - they all lived in my dorm! Hum, I need to give it time and energy. I also am looking for ways to meet nonbelievers in the community. I think I am going to join the YMCA - fun workout classes, a swimming pool, and a great way to hopefully see some of the same faces week in and week out. . .a great place to do ministry! Also, I am going to begin volunteering with a program called SNAP (special needs aquatic program) - I am beyond excited about this! I get to be a one-on-one aid for a child with special needs while we play/swim in the pool for physical therapy/fun every week. This is right up my ally. . .I'm going to a training next Sunday, I'll keep you posted!

Well, the sun was out earlier but now it looks like it's going to rain. . .hum. Going to a game night tonight and then headed home for the day tomorrow - first time since moving here, I keep thinking that I'm at least 10 hours away because Berkeley is just SO different! The 1 1/2 hour drive will be nice. . .as well as seeing the family and helping out. Hope you have a great weekend!

I want to be. . .

a water-walker (like Peter in Matthew 14). A faith-filled risk taker for God's glory.

Being a risk taker does not come naturally to me. I was the girl that bashfully hid behind her mama's skirt. I was scarred of my best friend's dog. . .so much so that every time I came over (which was a lot!) they had to chain him up, poor guy. I even hated just the thought (and still do. . .) of slimy things like snakes and fish. I wouldn't climb very high on the jungle gym for fear of falling. Really, all these things stem from fears and an inability to take a risk and step out in faith.

Hum - those are small examples and there are certainly much bigger and more relevant examples too. Really, what it comes down to is that fact that I gravitate toward comfort and the things that are easy.

Thankfully there is another way to live and that's the way I want to choose daily. This afternoon I walked over to the park and began reading "If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat" by John Ortberg. The sun was shining (thank you Lord!) and I was surrounded by kids - many who were flying down little hills on their bikes and who were climbing oh-so high on jungle gyms - kids who were taking risks, and seemed to do so fearlessly. Well, though I may not be fearless as I live a faith-filled life I am learning that it's worth it and that sometimes there's no other way when it comes to taking a risk and being uncomfortable. . .

"Fear and growth go together like macaroni and cheese. It's a package deal. The decision to grow always involves a choice between risk and comfort. This means that to be a follower of Jesus you must renounce comfort as the ultimate value of your life."

"Both choices - risk and comfort - tend to grow into a habit. Each time you get out of the boat, you become a little more likely to get out the next time. It's not that the fear goes away, but that you get used to living with the fear. You realize that it does not have the power to destroy you."

I can see a theme forming for this year and I've only been here (exactly) 1 month. It's faith and what the looks like in a new place. Where there are lots of fears. Lots of opportunities to choose comforts over risks. May the thought of stepping out of the boat and onto the water with Jesus be completely compelling in every area of my life. May risk-taking happen not only in the big areas of life but also in the small. May we count the cost of a faith-filled life and know that it is entirely worth it!

I'll end with the closing question of Chapter 1. . .
- Where are you in relation to Jesus these days?
a. Huddled in the boat with a life preserver and the seat belt on
b. One leg in, one leg out
c. I'm walking on the water - and loving it
d. I'm out of the boat - but the wind looks pretty bad

Currently I'm "d" and I'm learning that this hard place can be a good place to be.

Monterey Market - round 2

bananas
1 nectarine
1 grape fruit
golden raspberries
1 avacado
1 green bell pepper
1 eggplant
2 yams
dozen eggs
1 bagel (random :))

guess the grand total by leaving a coment!

The Gospel

This is in addition to my post earlier today - so maybe read that first. I'm definitely experiencing/feeling/noticing/breaking in ways that I've never before. What I am finding is that the Gospel rings even truer then it ever has before. And I don't, in this case, mean in terms of sharing the Good News with others but you see, what I do mean, is the need to preach the Gospel into my own heart moment by moment. The Gospel is what satisfies, gives joy, reminds me of the freedom I have and the grace I stand under. The Gospel is deep, is desperately necessary, is sustaining, is living water for my soul. I want to share a song that comes to mind. . .it's by Jimmy Needham and it's simply called "The Gospel":

The gospel, oh, the gospel, faith-granting words.
The sea of my soul is calmed when it's heard.
Peace to the broken, the captive set free,
May the gospel of Jesus wash over me.

The gospel, the gospel, my freedom explained,
No more shall these garments I'm wearing be stained.
The old man is missing, the new man is free,
May the gospel of Jesus wash over me.

Wash over me, wash over me,
And come make me clean, yeah.
Wash.
I will be free, and I will be clean.

The gospel, oh the gospel, she's good and she's true,
She cost quite a fortune to make all things new.
So breathe in with faith, and out with his peace,
May the gospel of Jesus, may the gospel of Jesus, may the gospel of Jesus
Wash over me.

Wash over me, oh, wash over me, yeah,
And come make me clean, yeah.
Wash.

Let us never grow tired of the Gospel and let us allow it to consume and compel us to bring God greater glory in all things!

update

Well - a lot is going on in me and around me. . .not sure how I'm going to give a thorough update, but I guess this short blurp is better then nothing at all!

- Two students have come to know the Lord in the past two days!! I was not a part of either interaction but I am certainly a part of the celebration going on in heaven! One of them is an international student from China and the other is a sweet girl who came to Oasis last week as a huge seeker. . .which she is no more! Praise God for the work that He is doing!

- Fall, in all it's coolness and grayness is here. In many ways I am not ready for summer to be over, especially since I would love to see the sun shining every day!

- went to my church's post-college young adult group last night. . .kinda the first time I've had fellowship with a group of people in my stage of life since my college days. So refreshing! I am learning that so many don't like their jobs, I'm so thankful that I do. . .most of the time. :)

- on Tuesday the "honeymoon phase" of my time in Berkeley came to an end. Hard to describe on a blog but the excitement of being in a new place is rubbing off. Not seeing much fruit which can (but shouldn't be) be discouraging. Missing friends. Lack of sunshine. Hard conversations. The city life. Heart breaking for students at Cal and the people of Berkeley. Lots of tears.

- hum, overall I'm finding peace in the Lord and it is well with my soul. My faith for what He can do needs to increase. I need to recognize that working harder doesn't always produce more "results". I need to continue to find my complete joy and satisfaction in Him alone. I need to remember that He has clearly called me to this place and that no one can thwart His plans for my life as long as I am pursuing His heart and remaining in the center of His will. I need to remember that it's never about what I do for Him, it's really only about what's been done for me. I need to remember what He has done in this place in the past couple of weeks. I need to remember to praise Him in all circumstances!

What do you need to remember in this day? What lies need to be replaced with truth? What areas of our hearts does grace need to abound? How can we live fully for Him in the place that He has purposely put us? Well, I'd love your prayers and would love to be praying for you as well - give me a call or shoot me an email any time!

Oh Berkeley

So, I think I've had my most Berkeley moment yet today. Let me back up briefly though. . .yesterday was an awesome day! The Ghiradelli Festival in the city was so fun - and tasty! The weather was beyond gorgeous. . .not loosing the tan quite yet! Marlene came into town after church (which was awesome!) today. We grabbed lunch and ate it on campus - it's so beautiful! Afterwards we decided to go see how the tree-sitters were doing - this is where the Berkeley moment comes in. We had both heard about them but had never seen them with our own eyes. Definitely a sight to see, a sad sight if you ask me. Currently most of the controversial trees have been cut down, except for one. There are still 4 people up there (day and night) although supposedly this tree is coming down tomorrow and then hopefully the whole ordeal will be over, at least for a while. Marlene and I got into a conversation with one of the tree-sitter supporters on the ground (there are many). Frustrating conversation - he did a lot of talking, we listened respectfully and then when we wanted to say something he didn't let us. I did eventually say that though this is of some significance I would rather stand (or sit, for that matter) for something of ETERNAL significance. Because he wasn't in the listening mood this didn't get much of a response but it really got me thinking. How sad that these people can be so passionate about a tree that they will devote 2 years of their life trying to save the tree (even though it costs the university over $30,000 a DAY because of their choice - seems like that money could be used to help the environment in much more beneficial ways. . .). To think of their potential - if they knew the Lord and were passionate about Him so much could be accomplished for His glory. I want to invest my life (time, talents, treasures) in things of eternal significance. . .and though there are times where I am not on track (we need the Gospel moment by moment, even. . .and perhaps especially, as believers!) I pray that the Lord will always remind me of His command to store up treasure in Heaven, where moth and rust cannot destroy. How will we live with purpose for eternal things this week? I know the Lord will give us many opportunities to seek first the Kingdom of God. . .let's focus on that and do so for His glory alone!

I'm such a tourist. :) This picture gives you a good idea of how high the tree-sitters are perched. Look at the top right (slightly center) corner - you'll see the bottom part of their setup.

And here's the top of the tree - sometimes they go up to the very tip-top to prove their point, other times they hang out on the other platforms they've made.

It's Hot!

So, people here tell me that the summer months in Berkeley are September and October. . .they must be right because it's been so hot! I'm not really complaining though - I love sunny days so I guess I moved here at the right time. Things are going really well. There were so many times throughout the week where I though, "oh, can't wait to blog about that" but the week just flew by! As I look back in my planner I'm reminded of lunch with a high school friend, the first freshmen small group Bible study (3 came - yay!), having homemade pot-stickers with my friend and sophomore small group co-leader (the only pictures I took all week. . .here they are:),

This girl is so sweet and she loves the Lord so much. . . and she's such a great cook!

oh. . .and I also had Boba for the first time last night - it's a yummy drink with tapioca balls in it, very fun!

(continuing on. . .) lots of really fun spiritual conversations with all sorts of students (Christian, Atheist, Muslim, Buddhist and everything in between!), visiting with a friend from SLO who came for the day/night, having Indian food together (I'll give it a second try although I didn't love it this time, accidentally ordered an appetizer!), honest and deep conversations with my freshmen small group co-leader, our 2nd weekly meeting of the semester (called Oasis), and a staff brunch/prayer time this morning. Plus so many other appointments and experiences mixed in as well. Wish I could go into more detail but I'm off to our first social event of the year - a "taste of Berkeley" scavenger hunt. Yipee! After such a busy week I'm going to try to take some time off this weekend - going to the Ghiredeli Chocolate Festival in San Fran with a dear friend tomorrow. Fun, although we and the chocolate will probably melt! I hope you'll take some time to recharge this weekend as well!

Monterey Market

Wow! I have met my grocery store love this morning. . .just had to blog about it because it was so amazingly fun! So, there's a locally owned grocery store called Monterey Market not far from my apartment (walking distance, depending on how much I buy I suppose!). Leslie and I check it out this morning because I heard about it for the first time from a couple people at the church BBQ last night. Well, I have never seen such a variety of fresh and well-priced fruits and vegetables in my life! It makes me want to try all of these new things but for today here's what I bought:

bananas
apples
nectarines
raspberries
tomatoes
an avocado
yams
spaghetti squash
lettuce
cucumber
asparagus

And now guess how much I spent?! Only $11.44!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A steal of a deal, I can still hardly believe it! Next time I go I want to be more adventurous with what I buy - but for now this is a good start. When you come visit I'll definitely take you here - it's a sight to see! Happy eating!

Highlights

It's Friday and that's hard to believe - so much has happened in such a short amount of time. Some highlights:
- follow-up in the dorms is a daunting (so many to follow up on and not a whole lot of man power, feeling weak so good thing God is strong!) but very exciting task, it's fun getting to explore the dorms and meet students in many different places spiritually
- Kally, a student I got to share the Gospel with. . .she really knew nothing but was very interested, didn't make a decision on the spot which is fine - I love leaving the results up to God!
- sunshine and LOTS of it. . .the weather has been phenomenal!!! Many students have a view of San Fran and the Golden Gate from their room, pretty amazing!
- first Oasis (the name of our large group gathering) meeting on Wednesday (though normally Thursdays), about 40 students showed up - very fun multi-ethnic group with lots of room for growth, exciting! Jennifer showed up because she was doing yoga on her dorm room floor and found a flier on the ground that someone had slipped under her door - so cool!
- walking. . .doing LOTS of it, I realized today that I haven't driven my car since a week ago, pretty cool! I'm loving getting to know the neighborhoods and I'm enjoying the time to pray and process all that I'm experiencing - but some blisters aren't as fun.
- Deb, the staff woman here. . .learning lots from her and she's super fun to be around as well (baby Kate started crawling on Tuesday, so fun!). We went into the dorms to try to meet up with some students together (great conversation with Alice, straight from China!) and as we walked away she whispered "I just love my job!" - I agree, getting to talk with students about spiritual things is a huge blessing!
- finding a church home the first Sunday here. . .went to a BBQ tonight and met some more people, will join their G3 (not sure yet why it's called this) post-college ministry. . .super excited about this!
- went for a swim today, yay! I had really been missing this and I know I won't be able to go often so I'll really "soak" :) it in when I can!!
- my last highlight is that it's the weekend. . .I'm pretty tired and ready to relax a bit. I foresee grocery shopping, hanging with a friend who's been in Germany for 2 years, a bike ride, church, a chocolate factory tour with a friend's group of friends, and whatever else comes my way. Ah, city life - so much to take in!

please pray:
- for the Spirit to be moving as we step out in faith and continue to follow up with students in the coming week; for eternal perspective, the Lord's strength, and that our motive would simply be to see Christ magnified at Cal!
- Leslie and my internet connection; I'm having a hard time getting it set up and having to make lots of long phone calls to people that are hard to understand is frustrating. . .yay for great neighbors that are letting us use their connection but it's time for us to get our connection going soon!
- continued rest in the Lord as I continually acknowledge that my home is with Him as I establish a temporary home in this city

thanks! have a great weekend friends! love you!

WOW!

Just a quickie - wanted to let you know how surveying freshmen and handing out Freshmen survival kits went yesterday and today because I know that many of you have been praying. Well, God blasted our expectations out of the water - we gave away all 800 FSKs YESTERDAY!! And we received 909 completed surveys from mostly freshmen - WOW is right!! We thought our faith goal of 1,000 surveys in two days was a lofty one, but now we know we can dream even bigger for His glory here at Cal! Today we did some more surveying and handed out free water bottles - haven't counted the surveys yet but we definitely have more then 91 surveys and have surpassed the goal. Well, a student's coming over to help me bake cookies and then we're going to have a sorting party and begin following up on students who marked that they're interested in knowing more about Jesus and/or getting involved with CalJourney. Exciting! Thanks for praying, keep it up!

More pictures

Be sure to read the post below this one as well, it has pictures also!

Starting with the bedroom that I share with Leslie. This is bedding that my mom and I made last year, I still love it and it matches the wall color perfectly! Bought some cheap Ikea frames for pictures of SLO and a childhood poster of Holland.

Leslie's side of the room.

Bookshelf. . .without a lot of books because of a built-in bookshelf in the living room. The mirrors look crooked in this picture but I promise they're straight (Ikea, again) - funky fun!
My beloved desk and favorite Ikea purchase thus far. I also bought a bedside table that's white as well but it never made it in a picture. Using my colorful chair as a desk chair - it pops off of the while, love it!
And here it is opened up - it's a secretary desk. . .conserves space and hides the mess when it's all closed up - perfect!

Built the kitchen table and chairs yesterday - oh, Ikea! We also got great new blinds all over the apartment, makes things look nice and crisp.
Someone before us liked color on the walls, it doesn't bother me!
Built in bookshelf - fun feature!
One corner of the kitchen. The other corner. Old oven with the fan on the side wall - funny! Plumber came and our sinks don't clog and fill with yucky water anymore. Yay!
Little bathroom with a window in the shower - interesting!

Some have asked for a picture of my new (used) car - here it is parked in our garage! So cute and great for city driving. AND I just drove myself and 4 college boys (and all of our stuff for an overnighter) to Oakland and we all fit, tightly, but still - I thought it was impressive!
Front of the apartment - I'm on the bottom story.
Herb garden in the front, can't wait to use it!
My first fun Ikea purchase, this coat rack - love it, makes me think of my childhood because we always had one!
My roommate Leslie brought the chair and I bought this painting at Ikea - my first "real" piece of artwork - so pretty!

Ok, off to read a couple friends' blogs (Sunday is my blog reading day. . .if you need me to know something before then just call! :)) and then to check out the evening service at First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley. I'll let you know how it goes! Don't forget to keep reading below! :)

Pictures!

What a lovely day! I'm munching on my favorite chips (tortilla chips with a hint of lime), sipping my favorite drink (sun-tea), listening to my favorite musician (Shawn McDonald), and sitting at my new favorite desk! :) Church this morning was AWESOME! It took about 30 minutes to walk there (I saw a fight on the way, kinda scary but I was too far away to know what the reason was) - the residential streets here are great, there are so many cool houses to take in. Some random thoughts about New Church of Berkeley. Very welcoming, but not in an annoying way. The pastor's wife was writing name tags and she was the first person I met. Then she and the pastor happened to sit behind me and some of my CalJourney friends. . .even though we sat toward the middle of the church. Cool! Also, the church building is great - wooden pews, stained glass windows, a balcony. Mostly college students, post-college people, and young families. Teaching through the book of Acts, good sermon on Acts 8. Pastor Allen has a very grandfatherly approach, in a good way that makes you want to listen, if that makes any sense. I spoke to some of the people involved with the young adult group (post-college people like me!) and they seem awesome. So, I'm really excited about this church and don't see any reason why I wouldn't end up here again next week. I am going to check out a First Presbyterian Church tonight - it's the big and popular church. . .I'll go with an open mind but I am excited about the thought of small for a change (oh and I saw a Cal Poly student at New Church who was visiting her sister, so fun!). After church some of the students and I went to the DC (dinning commons for some of the dorms in the middle of town) for lunch because they were serving free food all day. Lots of students and parents there as all the 5,000 freshmen are moving in this weekend. Then we walked down Telegraph for a bit and went our separate ways. I walked through campus and then to the grocery store to pick up candy to give away to students during Welcome Week. LOTS of walking and my feet hurt! But, it's a beautiful way and I am just loving soaking all the sights and sounds in. And now for some pictures, finally!

An "edible arrangement" from Marlene. . .delivered to the door while my mom and I were moving in. So fun and yummy!

Marlene and I had a great dinner at Thai House and reminisced over the letters we wrote each other as young girls. How fun to live so close again!

Putting FSKs together down in the garage. These students are awesome!

750 FSKs ready to to handed out - so exciting!

Here I am on campus - where we'll be surveying students starting tomorrow - what a beautiful place that needs to hear about Jesus!

Yep, here I am again! Two days of posting has been rare on this blog but I couldn't resist. It has been a productive, fun, and exciting day. This morning I ran various errands. . .as I walked to the post office I came across the Farmers Market - so fun! I bought some bread from VitaVitals, a company that I used to trade cheese with when I did the Pleasanton market in high school. Good memories and I can't wait to begin buying some fruits and veggies there on Saturdays in the future! This afternoon about 10 students came over to help put together 800 Freshmen Survival Kits (Bible, evangelistic book, water bottle, highlighter, CD, DVD, etc) and it only took an hour and a half because they worked so hard. I baked some cookies for their reward. :) I'm already learning that Cal students are true to their commitments, on time, and hard workers. What's fun is that they take a lot of ownership in the movement. This was always a challenge at Cal Poly, because there were so many students it was easy for them to think that someone else would do whatever needed to be done. . .which meant that at times we didn't have the manpower that you would expect with a group so large. Here, so far at least, everyone is very invested in the movement and willing to help whenever something comes up. Awesome! Now pray that all 800 FSKs will be given away Monday and Tuesday - it's a big task but it's so motivating to think that potentially 800 students will have the Bible as their first text book in college. Also, please pray that the Lord would provide a classroom on campus for us to have our first weekly meeting on Wednesday (it will normally be Thursday nights and it's called Oasis) - we may be experiencing a bit of spiritual attack in this area because so far the process has not been fruitful. . .yet it is critical that we have a location for our meeting so that we can begin advertising for it ASAP - Satan knows this, but so does the Lord. . .and now you do too. Thanks for your prayers - the Lord certainly hears them and responds! Well, tomorrow the church hunt begins. . .I'm meeting some of the students at a church called New Church, seems really solid according to the website - I'll let you know how it goes!

Hello!

Well, my first week has flown by so fast so I thought I would try to take a breather and give you an update on what's going on. Things are going really well! After the weekend in Santa Cruz I had the day off on Monday. Made a trip to Target and Costco, still can't believe how close by everything is! Also did a lot of organizing - and still have a lot to do. On Tuesday morning I purchased a desk and bedside table from Ikea - so fun. . .but today I realized how much work it is to try to put that stuff together, especially when your brothers aren't there to help! :) I've also been working on cleaning out the garage underneath our apartment and taking inventory of all the resources (100s of Bibles, books, CDs, and other free give-away stuff) we have to put into Freshmen Survival Kits. . .we're praying big with the hopes of giving away 750 FSK's on Monday and Tuesday! Wednesday and Thursday were spent in East Oakland at Operation Jumpstart, a leadership retreat that the movement team and staff organized for the students of CalJourney. Not as many students were able to make it as we had hoped (about 20 people all together) but I found the 2 days to be a huge blessing because it wasn't overwhelming and I feel like I'm getting to know the students well. These students are SO COOL and really fun for me to connect with. They are very different from SLO students in several ways. For one, hardly anyone wears flip flops day in and day out here. So different then in SLO! Also, these students enjoy talking about their classes and have a pretty large vocabulary - they're not trying to show off. . .they're just a different breed then Poly peeps. :) And another difference is the diversity of students involved with CalJourney (which really just says a lot about the diversity at Cal in comparison to Poly) - what a sweet mini-picture of what it will look like to worship with people of every tribe, nation, and tongue in heaven. I just feel so incredibly blessed to labor alongside such awesome students! Tomorrow they're coming over to put FSKs together. . .which means I'm off to bake some cookies for them. Oh, and it's still a goal of mine to get some pictures on this blog - patience, my friends! :)

A new look, a new season!

Hi friends! Just thought I'd freshen up the look of this blog. Though I won't be seeing green rolling hills and beautiful clear skies often in Berkeley I consider it completely worth it and I know that I am no fool to give these things up as I seek to see God's name lifted high in the place He has called me to. And wow, what a place this is! Honestly, I am really enjoying the city thus far. There's so much at my fingertips - such as more than 400 restaurants in Berkeley alone, crazy! I am also enjoying taking walks in my neighborhood and going on bike-rides out to the bay (had some great time with the Lord on a bench facing the Golden Gate Bridge this morning) and elsewhere. Of course there is still so much more to discover - good thing I'm going to be here for a while!

Friday's all-day staff meeting was awesome! Though it was long it was very energizing for me to participate in discussions about our vision for reaching Cal and then hash out the logistics to see this come about. We also certainly spent time in the Word and in prayer, as well as simply connecting with each other and having a good time together. Staff meetings are held down the sidewalk from my apartment - so great!

Saturday and Sunday were spent in Santa Cruz with the Movement Team, the head student leadership team of Campus Crusade at Cal. What an awesome time - my words will not do justice to what the Lord did in and through us as we got to know each other, sought the Lord's direction in our lives and at Cal together, discussed small groups and discipleship, and as we planned the Week of Welcome Outreach and the Operation Jumpstart overnighter for CalJourney (what they call Campus Crusade here) students this Wednesday and Thursday. Phew, our two days together flew by but were also very energizing for me. It was so neat to start getting to know the students I will be working very closely with this year. It was also so cool to see how much they love the Lord, love Berkeley, and want to proclaim Christ on their campus.

All in all I am SO THANKFUL that I am here and could not imagine myself anywhere else right now. I'm still working on settling in and getting organized in my little apartment. My roommate Leslie is fun and I'm enjoying getting to know her. We don't have good plumbing (the tub and sinks don't drain very quickly) and our wall colors could use some help BUT we are so thankful for this place that the Lord has provided! Okay, so much more I could write as usual but I'm going to leave it here for now - thanks for reading!

I have arrived!

Just a little update to catch you up to speed on some big things. . .

- I moved to Berkeley today! With the help of my mom the move went very smoothly - now I just need to remember that I'm not leaving in a week or two, this is where I'll be living this year, crazy! The bedroom walls are green, I like that. :) Oh, and I am really enjoying getting to know my roommate Leslie!
- I received an amazing "edible arrangement" from my best friend Marlene today - it's a bouquet of fresh fruit that was delivered to my door, so special!
- I saw the Lord bring me to 100% financial support while at the grocery store this afternoon! A message was left on my phone while I was shopping. . .and now I'm done! So cool, I had been praying that I would finish today and now I know that this truly was God's plan for me!

So, I know this is terribly short but there are things to unpack and Olympics to watch. :) Tomorrow I'm headed to Ikea for the first time ever (looking for a desk) with a friend and then Marlene's coming in on the Bart for dinner. I also want to begin exploring the area. . .and continue unpacking and organizing. First staff meeting on Friday - yay!

And. . .

A quick update on support so that we can praise Jesus together! As of right now I am at 78%. Wow! Everything is coming together in the Lord's perfect timing. My faith goal at this point is to be done this Friday so that I have a couple of days to relax (and pack!) before moving to Berkeley August 13th. Pray with me please! Once again, if the Lord leads you to contribute in any way for the coming year just shoot me an email (arijaan.bulk@uscm.org) or click on the "give online!" link on the right side of this page. And THANK YOU to the many who read this who have already begun supporting, whether through prayer, finances, or both. I thank God for each of you and joyfully anticipate what He has in store for us, and ultimately for His glory, at Cal. I'll keep you posted as the days go on!

Time for an update!

Hope you had a good start to the week. . .here are a couple of the things I did today:
- went on a nice walk with my mom while it was still cool (aka early morning!), how I am going to miss the countryside
- hung out with Stephanie at Starbucks. . .my local God-send (Steph, not Starbucks :)) who is also raising support (she's Stint-ing to East Asia!) and she just graduated from UC Berkeley. She is such an encouragement to me and it has been a huge blessing to work together at the same task! We wrote thank you notes and made phone calls, although we each have our own "to-do list" it is such a joy to be in each others company while doing it!
- went for a swim at the community pool. . .where I was informed by the 4 lifeguards sitting around that the pool would only be open for lap swimming 3 more days - oh, Oakdale! Also, none of the lane-lines were put out on the water so I was swimming in a very choppy body of water that felt like an ocean - once again. . .oh, Oakdale!
- helped package "curds" with my mom and brother at my family's cheese factory (do all my readers know this? Yep, my family makes Gouda - it's so yummy and you should go to www.oakdalecheese.com and order some today. . .too bad I've been terribly lactose intolerant for the past year and a half).
- downloaded a free trial of adobe photoshop. . .which I am going to use to make my picture prayer cards for all of my supporters. If you would like to receive my newsletter just shoot me an email (arijaan.bulk@uscm.org) and I'll make sure you get one of these cards to put on your desk or fridge!

Well, those were a couple exciting happenings in my life today. I also just am so pleased with my car and promise to put some pictures up soon. My former roommate Jaclyn is coming to spend the night tomorrow, I'm so excited! Have a blessed Tuesday!

Being an adult is. . .

HARD! Of course it's not only hard - but still! Searching for a car, choosing the best fit at the best price, and dealing with my sky-rocketing insurance costs is all very challenging. I will not lie, I did shed some tears of frustration in this process and I had a really difficult time with all the highs and lows of the past couple of weeks. I asked the Lord for wisdom, as His Word calls us to do, but nothing seemed to come in a clear-cut answer. All this to say that I DID purchase a car yesterday, on my own as an adult should do. I signed all the paperwork, set up the loan, figured out insurance costs, and a slew of other things. . .so now I am the official owner of a very cute 2005 2-door, 4 cyl., power everything, Chevy Cavalier. It's silver, it perfect condition, and quite sporty looking. . .and surprisingly more spacious inside then you (and I!) might think. It has a little over 82,000 miles on it which is rather low - and I'm so excited for the great miles per gallon I'm going to get from now on! So - that's the update. . .and now I've got lots of lovely monthly payments for the car and for insurance but I trust that the Lord will provide. On that note, please be praying about my financial support - I have less then 2 weeks til I report (moving to Berkeley Aug 13th!) and I just crunched the numbers and found out that I'm currently at 60%. I am confident that that Lord has called me to serve Him in this capacity for the coming year and therefore I must also be confident that He will meet all of my needs - spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and physically. Let's trust Him together for this, and really ALL things, today!

very. . .

discouraged. Not having a car has been very difficult for me. My brother and I looked at 3 used cars yesterday and they were all terrible (I know little, thankfully my brother knows a lot, or else I would have drove away in a bad car). This is much harder and is taking much longer then I thought. Clearly I am very impatient and would rather be spending my time (and money!) in other ways. Keep praying please. . .

2 things for now

So, this afternoon I am going to look at a 2000 Jeep Cherokee. . .very similar to the one I totaled this summer. If you read this soon could you pray that God would make it clear if this is the car I should buy? It has been hard to be car-less. . .and this jeep is being sold at a great price. . .and it's green, doesn't get much better then that. I'll keep you posted!

Also, for those who like to read blogs. . .here's an interesting one that I found linked on a friend's blog - she recommended it and I do too: http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/ I try to keep my blog intake down to a manageable amount but this one just has to be added to the list!

A text, VBS, and many answered prayers

Hello again! Well, it's been a busy week - God is up to a lot worldwide I've just been reminded of that in my own life and the places I'm connected to. For example, on Tuesday night I got a text (oh technology. . .sometimes I like you and sometimes I don't) from one of the sweet girls in my action group at Santa Monica Summer Project (the students are still there, laboring away!) that read "4 PEOPLE CAME TO JESUS TONIGHT! PRAISE JESUS!" When I was able to call the girls back later in the evening I had the joy of talking with each of them. The first 4 weeks of project 5 people came to know the Lord through various initiative evangelism tools - very exciting. . .but for a typical stateside summer project this number is low - goes to show that the climate and people in Santa Monica is not very receptive to the Gospel. SO, to have 4 people come to know the Lord in one night, through 4 separate conversations, is HUGE and the students were so encouraged and energized to see the Lord work in this way.

Well, I have also seen the Lord at work here at my home church in Oakdale. This week is Vacation Bible School and around 140 kids have been showing up each night, so awesome! I am the "Bible Blast" teacher (it's a science theme this year) and my role is to bring the Bible story of the day to life. I've done things like given them leprosy, used mud to heal them of blindness, and let them walk on water! Well, last night was about the cross and how Jesus has taken the punishment for our sins upon himself and if we believe in Him we can live with Him forever. Pretty weighty and I definitely spent time in prayer headed into last night because I knew that this night could potentially be the most impactful and life-changing night for the kids. At one point I pray with the kids and ask them to raise their hand slightly if they would like to believe in Christ - MANY raised their hand each time (4) that I taught this lesson last night. . .the Holy Spirit was definitely at work in these young lives and it was so neat to be a broken but usable vessel for the Lord as He spoke through me (the curriculum is extremely well written - I highly recommend the "Group" company for any church's VBS!). Yes, God is on the move!

And I also see Him at work in my own life. On Monday I was in the middle of my morning jog (summer is great - there's time to get plenty of exercise!) and was praying to God about my times in the Word - didn't feel like I had much direction. Upon asking the Lord where I should turn, the Lord instantly placed the book of Isaiah on my mind. I kinda grumbled because the old testament is hard for me to get through so I asked the Lord to show me how the Gospel rings true in Isaiah and that He would also give me scriptures in the new testament to tie in with what I'm reading. Well, I dove into Chapter 1 when I got home and had such a life-giving time in His Word, joyfully I saw the Gospel throughout the chapter and was able to draw out other verses that connected to what I read. God is so good to answer when I ask Him to move in ways that are according to His will. This refreshed me and I pray that you are finding refreshment in Him as well!

Pray about Partnering. . .

Hello fellow blog readers! Well, I am in the middle of trusting God to raise all the support needed in order for me to begin my 2nd intern year at UC Berkeley! Campus Crusade for Christ has no central funds and therefore each staff member (and intern) must raise a specific amount of financial support to cover a minimal salary, ministry expenses, insurance coverage and the like. Currently I am under 50% of my goal - I need to be at 100% when I report to my assignment on August 15th. My goal is higher then it was last year because the cost of living is higher in Berkeley then it was in San Luis Obispo.

Would you consider giving to the Lord's work at UC Berkeley by partnering with me, either monthly or with a special gift? Signing up to give is very easy. Simply click on the link that says "give online!" at the right-hand side of this blog or go to give.ccci.org All that you need to do from there is type in my name on the right side of the page and then the site will direct you on how to set up the giving at any amount you wish.

Would you also be praying that the Lord does a mighty work and completes my team of supporters on time?! I know this requires a lot of active faith on my part and yours. . .but I trust that we will see Him move and give Him all credit for the great things He has done!

(if you'd rather not give online, shoot me an email (arijaan.bulk@uscm.org) and I'll send you the giving forms via snail mail - it would be my pleasure!)

Oh, Oakdale!

I've been home since Sunday. . .here are some things I am thoroughly enjoying:

- eating vine-ripened, sun-warmed cherry tomatoes in the garden
- kayaking down (a small part of) the Stanislaus River
- catching up with good friends on the phone
- going for rides with my mom in her '73 convertible volkswagon bug
- no cavities at the dentist
- swimming laps at the community pool, so refreshing
- homemade fruit smoothies, yum-o
- warm evenings
- time to read a book
- morning walks through the country
- my family's wireless internet
- my family

Last Day. . .

Wow - where has the time gone? Today is the last day the staff will be here. It's my turn to bring snack to our staff meeting (fruit and yogurt parfaits) so I'm almost on my way to the grocery store BUT I wanted to write quickly. Things have been going well - especially because the staff won the softball game on Saturday! :) Sunday night's women's time was awesome, we learned about the journey that we're on and where we're headed, and got to make fun beaded bracelets with each bead signifying something on our journey. Monday night's main meeting was really fun and then we, as leaders of it, snuck away to train the new student leaders (everyone's role is a surprise until tonight, hence the sneaking around!). Tuesday evening was the international dinner which is really a demonstration of the abundance of the Gospel (and Gospel resources. . .Bibles, book, music, churches) in some countries (mainly America) in contrast to others (Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and hidden people groups). The Gospel was symbolized by meat - America got a lot of meat, the Middle East got none for example. Eventually the students caught on and began to travel and try to take the meat (the Gospel!) to unreached people groups around the world. A powerful night. . .that's probably easier to explain in person. Last night was my last time with my Bible study girls as a whole. I had them over on the roof to paint picture frames. . .and I had a picture of us developed in black and white to give to them. Then we walked along the beach to Bubba Gumps. . .our bill was super cheap because one of the girls works there and gets 4 meals free!! Then back to my apartment for a little reflection time and prayer. Then, the guy's Bible study came over, we made yummy banana boats and played telephone pictionary - so fun! And now it's Thursday. :( Staff meeting, last discipleship time (doing vision plans for each student has been so special), setting up and decorating for the commissioning dinner, and then commissioning the students into their new roles on project. Exciting, tiring, sad, but good day ahead. I am also so ready to go home, be with family, and rest for a bit. Have a blessed day!

My last week. . .

This is sad - on project the start of every week is a Thursday. . .so we, as staff, are already in our last week here. I am continually reminded of one thing I will NOT miss and that's trying to drive and part in Santa Monica. . .but on the flip side there will be a lot I will miss! So, we are going out with a bang (similar to the glorious firework bangs I heard last night - I LOVE fireworks and got to go see them with a very dear college friend and her family on my day off yesterday) by doing all sorts of great, prayerfully life-changing, activities this week. Tonight we have the staff vs. student softball game. I'm not going to lie, I'm a little nervous for 2 reasons. . .I have no softball skills (I was terrible when I played on a team as a little girl, a child's parent on the team even said so) and I really am not competitive. We'll see how it goes. :) The main purpose behind the game is to unify the students as we prepare to leave (they'll still be here for 4 more weeks). Sunday night we are doing a very nice women's event - not sure all that it'll entail other then food and dressing up but I'm sure, as usual, the content will be great as well. Monday night is the last Main Meeting where staff will be present - I'm on the team that puts these on and we want this night to be very high energy. Tuesday night is the International Dinner (something they do every year). . .I'm not going to write too much about it right now in case I have any student readers - all I'll say is that it's supposed to be an amazing life-changing evening. Wednesday night we have our last action group Bible study - we'll even go out to dinner together before and do some other special things, once again I'll go into more detail later. Lastly, Thursday night is the Commissioning Dinner which I am helping to put on (I'm in charge of all the decorations and other purchases) - this is the night we say goodbye to all the students and pass on the baton in terms of leadership. Every single student on project (72!) will have some sort of role when we leave. I'm so excited for what the Lord is going to do in them and through them when we're gone. God has already done so much but I know He has even greater things in store for them. Oh, and then during the daytime I'll be in meetings, prepping, and have really special discipleship appointments with each of my 5 girls. Will it all get done? Lord willing! Pray for rest, focus on Him, and simply finishing well for His name's sake. Thanks! Oh to write a couple of post cards and then get ready for the softball game. . .oh dear.

It's July!

Once again, there's a lot to update you on - good stuff though! I'll try to be brief. . .try is the key word. :) Physically I'm doing great! The knee is no longer sore and the scrapes are healing well. Emotionally things were rough right after the accidents because I was having a lot of flash backs to both incidents. I'm over that hump and definitely feeling more like myself - Praise God! Spiritually, I am being stretched and encouraged a lot here and it's definitely causing growth. I am relying on the Lord a lot and seeing Him refine and sanctify areas of my life - this is good!

My roommate of the past year got married this past weekend. It was a huge honor and blessing to be a bride's maid in the wedding. It was beautiful in countless ways. A huge highlight is that during the ceremony 7 guests either prayed to receive Christ or rededicated their lives! It was also super fun reconnecting with some high school friends and getting to stay with a sweet family from church was such a treat. . .as well as helpful in getting some quality rest. Got back in time on Sunday to have lunch with the impact group, go sharing, have the impact group over for a BBQ on the roof, and then womens time - so much happens on any given day!

Today was such an amazing and life-giving day. . .a day that reminded me of how much I love my job and the privilege it is to be a part of the Lord's work in the lives of college students. We had our staff women's time in the morning. . .discussed leadership positions that need to be filled as we prepare to leave next week as well as swapped ideas in terms of what we've experiences in our years of campus ministry. I have so much to learn! Then, I had discipleship with Vanessa, so good once again. Really learned that I am very much a verbal processor and that I need to seek out a godly woman wherever I go to talk all aspects of life with. Then I met with one of my students, Flora, for discipleship - so good. Got to speak some gracious truth into her life. After running a couple errands (driving in Santa Monica takes forever and is getting annoying) it was time to head to the church for dinner and briefing on the evening's outreach. Super cool because Crusade's national team sent people out to lead us through using a brand new tool for evangelism - the use of short films to initiate conversation. Chris and I went out to put it to practice and after getting denied numerous times we got into a great conversation with Mary Lou visiting from Montreal. We showed her a video on forgiveness (laptops and i-pods were used, the wonders of portable technology!), asked for her feedback, and jumped into great conversation about how Jesus chose to forgive us of our sins and how this forgiveness is extended freely to all of mankind to receive by faith. Though she did not make a decision for Christ tonight she was fully engaged in the conversation and was definitely moved further in her journey to coming to know the Lord. We exchanged emails and I'm excited to see what comes of that! After spending some time debriefing this experience we broke up into our action group Bible study. . .tonight we looked at justification, sanctification, and glorification - a mouthful of very important doctrine as we desire to live out the Christian life. The girls and I are growing so close as we dig deep into God's Word and His plan for our life.

Wow - not brief as usually. . .and there's so much more I could write as usual. Time for bed! Tomorrow will be another full day and I'm so excited to see how God wants to use it for His glory!

God is good. . .all the time

Okay, just a quick post and one that needs to begin with the perspective that I am doing fine, by the grace of God, in spite of 2 of the most unexpectedly eventful days of my life thus far. So here's a brief rundown, followed by things I'm thankful for, and then prayer requests:

What has happened:
1. So, as you know I'm in Santa Monica for the summer helping to lead the summer project. As staff we just hit the half-way point of our time here at 2 1/2 weeks. Yesterday I was picking up one of my lovely students for a lunch/discipleship appointment. As I was turning into a parking lot I did not see a car coming and we got into an accident. The impact on the passenger side was quite hard and as a result I personally think it's a miracle that NO ONE, especially my passenger, got hurt. This experience was still very traumatic for us but praise God that the woman who hit us (though it was definitely my fault) was gracious and helpful in terms of what needed to be done next. Both cars were still drivable. Tomorrow I have an appointment to assess the damage and then we'll take things from there.
2. Well, today is a whole other story. I rode my bike to a discipleship appointment and on the way home I fell because of uneven pavement and got scrapped up pretty bad on the knee and elbow. Just a couple minutes of walking away was a bike rental shop along the beach bike path that I was trying to get to so I told myself, through tears and frustration, that I would go there to have them put the chain back on my bike and then bike home slowly to take care of the injuries before my next appointment. Well, the guy at the bike rental was very helpful and gave me paper towels and band aids but it wasn't really doing the trick. By the grace of God a man and his young daughter approached (wanting to rent a bike for her) us and told us that he was first aid certified and could help me get cleaned up. I took him up on this amazing offer but as I was sitting down (he had just finished bandaging my knee and moved on to the elbow) I passed out for about 30 seconds and when I came to they were yelling for the lifeguards and for someone to call 911. All this to say the paramedics thought I might have had a seizure and decided to take me to the ER for lots of tests and scans. Turns out that I did simply lose consciousness (not really sure why), all the tests came back clear. They were able to really clean out my injuries and bandage me up well. One of our project staff girls was with me at the hospital and since being home (around 4) I have already gotten flowers, dinner, and lots of loving from the amazing people in my life here. I am in some pain but think that I should be able to sleep fine and I've been given orders to rest up so that's what's on the agenda!

Things I'm thankful for:
. . .where to begin. . .
- God's protection and provision (could have all been a lot worse)
- the body of Christ being gracious and loving on me when I'm away from the comforts of home and family
- insurance and how helpful people have been via the phone
- the graciousness of my passenger and the other driver in the accident
- the God-send first-aid certified man at the bike rental shop
- very kind (and rather cute :)) paramedics and lifeguards and hospital staff of Santa Monica
- God's Word and the opportunity to soak in lots of it this afternoon (2 Corinthians is rocking my world) because the internet wasn't working
- my staff leadership team who value me and my rest over the success of my work
- getting to invite the paramedics in the ambulance to church. . .I didn't want to waste my time with them!
- for eternal perspective: "For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2 Cor 4:17-18).

Ways to pray:
- continued eternal perspective and God's comfort and peace
- healing (pretty sore knee, scraps and bruises, and I've had a cold the past couple of days)
- a positive assessment of my car at the shop tomorrow and discernment as to what to do next
- wisdom for the weekend. . . I'm in my roommate's wedding in SLO (yay!) and now there's a lot to figure out in terms of transportation and what would be best for my health
- safety and protection for each and every student and staff for the duration of project
- that I, and all involved (family, friends, etc), would trust in the Lord with all our hearts, and not lean on our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him and He will make our paths straight.

Wow - and I'm thankful for each of you! :) Feel free to call me, although I don't get service in my apartment so it may be hard for me to answer/return your call.

"Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you" (2 Cor 13:11).