Good Eats and Thoughts of a Contemplative Feeler

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It's been a long time since I blogged....or even written my thoughts down, haha. Life's busy to say the least. Between school, work, and InterVarsity, I have very little free time. The free time I do have though I cherish. I usually spend it by myself soaking in the presence of God or hanging out with friends or trying to get to know the new freshmen. These freshmen are awesome, haha. I didn't expect to have such a big heart for them this year, but God yet again showed me my heart is always for the new students, to show them how evident His love is on our campus and in our lives as well. I hope so much for them, I pray so much for them...and I have a feeling that they won't disappoint. Trilogy is next weekend! I'm so excited!!! 97 students coming from UC Merced, which in total makes up 1/5 of the whole conference! God has been so faithful to us this past week...bringing in over 40 people to go to Trilogy within 3 days....a spontaneous $3000 donation....God ...

Just got back from an amazing IVCF Leadership Summit up in Chico. Great three days of learning about vision for our campuses and God’s will for all of us. One of the things I grasped this weekend was Saturday’s session of seizing the moments that God gives, and eventually, these moments will turn into movements of His grace and love. We cannot let these moments pass us up! After going to OGN and our lunch break of finding God moments in Chico, I realized that God is setting up moments all the time, it’s just seeing them and seizing them. In such moments, we cannot be afraid or discouraged, but go out on faith to the water’s edge and go and claim the inheritance God has promised us. BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS! Our lunch break as so awesome though! I really wasn’t expecting to show up in such a powerful way, but He did for sure (not only just with Me, Kim, and David, but with other people at the Leadership Summit as well!) The adventure began at Jamba Juice in downtown Chico. I dec...

This upcoming week is my last full week of summer...my last full week of ministry with those awesome high schoolers that I have come to love....my last full week with my amazing and encouraging brothers and sisters at The Rock. This summer has been full of surprises, mainly because of God deciding to show up and work in a HUMONGOUS way. I'm glad that God decided to push me though, to encourage me to try new things and to make myself vulnerable. My internship with the high school ministry and revealing my deepest sin to my brothers and sisters at OGN was definitely all God, and looking back at everything, all of it was definitely worth it. So I'm going to try to reflect on the biggest aspects of this summer and convey how God has used it to bless me, teach me, and encourage me. 1. Tabling at Orientation As funny as it is, and despite the attitude I may have had, I always had the best time at these. I have gotten to meet some awesome incoming freshmen who I'm excited to h...

Ephesians 5:14 Therefore it says, "Awake, o sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Being back from OGN for a little more than 12 hours, I have had a bit of time to process through everything that I have learned, everything that happened, all the experiences I had. One thing I can say for sure is that God has awakened my soul, and I'm never going back to that state of slumber. The place I am in right now is the best, for I am always in His presence! No matter what I'm feeling, whether it's joy or sorrow, my soul will always turn me to the One who loves and saves. As I reflect on the conversations I had with people on the beaches of SD, I can honestly say that none of them were of me. I am not that smart. I am not that knowledgeable. I am not that eloquent. Yet, people continued to listen and were open enough to listen to what we had to say. What I love about going out and talking to people is that I get to find out about their fai...

In the midst of finals...especially when the outcome of such finals possibly determines whether you pass the class or not...it is easy to feel inadequate, to feel lonely, to feel like you are not worthy of all the blessings you have received this past year. I said earlier this week that I need finals to be over so that I can reflect properly about this year. I still stand by that and I await eagerly until after my Bio final when I am able to come into the presence of my Father and be with Him, not having to worry about school, work, or what may come next. But as I study for finals, I can feel the presence of God with me. I enjoy the small things, cherish what seems silly. Strangely, I am experiencing His joy all the more. Usually through these times, I would be stressed beyond all belief....especially with the classes I am studying for. In a sense, I am a little stressed, but I have more of a calmness that usual. You may see the tiredness on my face, but my physical expressions...

Before I begin to study for finals, God has given me such a great appreciation for the brothers I have in Christ. I'm not going to lie, this week was taxing for me...physically because of school and emotionally because of all the things that were going on in my head. Yet, my brothers came to my rescue again, whether or not they know it. From the smallest bit of encouragement on a Facebook post to a 2.5 hour conversation with a brother in another city, God lifted my head and showed me that He cares for me as much as my brothers do. If they didn't care about me...they wouldn't give me the time of day. They wouldn't be willing to listen to all my problems and thoughts. Yet they do, and I couldn't be more grateful. God has given me amazing friends, loving brothers, and encouraging running mates. Without the community God has surrounded me with, I definitely wouldn't be as stable and as firm in my faith as I am today. So thank you to all my brothers. I lov...

I wonder how Paul felt about Timothy and the rest of the believers in the church right before he died. What did he think of them? Did he have that holy sense of pride and joy that he was able to raise up such a great flock by God's grace and was able to join them in expanding the Kingdom? And how did Elijah feel about Elisha right before he was taken up to heaven? Elisha asked for a DOUBLE portion of his spirit! The concept of discipleship was always a little hazy to me until this past year. I finally understood what it meant to be a leader, an influencer, and a brother. I finally learned what it meant to be truly accountable with someone and what it means to be vulnerable. I was not worthy of the discipleship I had with David. I did not do anything to do deserve it, and my merits did not put me in the place to have such a relationship. But God knew that it was something that I needed to experience and go through. I can definitely say that because of the past several mon...

A CALL TO HUMILITY A brother shared a word with me last night about how God will be calling us next year to more selflessness, more humility as body of Christ here at UC Merced. This morning, God told me to read Philippians 2, and after reading, I was blown away...mainly because I believe that my brother is right in what he shared. May God fill with me humility all the more and teach me what it truly means to deny myself for the sake of others. " So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not cou...