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
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
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!
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!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
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!
Monday, October 13, 2008
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!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
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!
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)