This week has been really good. I especially enjoyed Bible Study on Monday, student dinner with Joe and Shantel on Tuesday, Bible Study prep with Chrissy on Wednesday, supper and quality time with Leila on Thursday, tea shopping and quality time with Emily on Friday, Ring Out and watching "UP" on Friday, and brunch with Kaitlyn, Mustard Seed, and quality time with Stephen on Saturday. So yes, it has been a good week. I look forward to another great week.
Having the opportunity to spend time with friends on a weekly basis has been very rewarding and fulfilling. I have been waiting for this time for a while now where I can hang out with friends and not feel guilty because I need to do homework :) Just this week, I have learned so much just by spending time with people. I have also realized that my tertiary education has not gone to waste because I am now able to carry out a discussion with someone and actually be able to disagree and justify my thoughts and opinions and not feel guilty about it.
------------
Rachelle’s January 2010 Newsletter
E-mail: rachellelow88@ilovejesus.net
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
Dear Family and Friends,
Wishing you a very Blessed New Year. I trust that your new year is off to a great start. I started off my new year with a joyous ushering of the New Year with 16,000 students gathered together in St. Louis! Then I spent the rest of the day on a 13-hour bus ride to Hamilton, Ontario followed by a 16-hour sleep! I spent the first half of my month in Hamilton, visiting a dear friend as well as taking some time off after school to recuperate and be refreshed for the new school term as well as a new chapter of my life.
Highlights of the latter half of December ’09 & January ’10:
*Urbana: How can I describe Urbana? It was huge (16,000 students) and exciting! It was my first experience of Urbana so I wanted to maximize my Urbana experience. I thought that I will be able to absorb everything but of course I felt overwhelmed! Anyways, God was faithful and I have gained so much from Urbana.
A few highlights:
o Family group: I love my family group. I had the opportunity to
spend quite a lot of time with my staff worker, Chrissy, and a fellow
leader, Josh. I have gotten to know Josh better and have been very
blessed by him. I am very thankful for the opportunity to spend time
with him and learn from him. In addition, I have also met and
gotten to know fellow student leaders from Simon Fraser University
(SFU) and University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). In the
midst of 16,000 people, it was comforting to know that I have a
family group to be with and to share the Urbana experiences with
them. Having the family group makes the hugeness of Urbana
manageable and less scary.
o Manuscript study: Though manuscript study each morning was quick and intense, I have seen the Word became alive. I have been studying John 1-4 since August ‘09 and having to repeat it for the fourth time can be repetitive. However, at Urbana, I saw John 1-4 in a totally different light and have gotten new things from it! It was very exciting and I am very excited to start a bible study using the same passage and going through it for the fifth time!
o Vocational calling: It was at Urbana that God opened my eyes to see the bigger picture of my presence in Canada. I am very pleased to say that my time in Canada has not come to an end just yet: God has shown me that my mission field is Canada. I am here for a reason and He has big plans for this country. I am very excited to be part of bringing God’s kingdom in this land that I have grown to love.
*Holiday in Hamilton & Toronto, ON: Though I missed home (Victoria),
having 11 days in Hamilton provided me with rest and time to process & reflect my
Urbana experiences. Though I was itching to head back and do student ministry, I
realized that God needed me to first get rest so that I will not be running on
adrenaline and the high of Urbana. It was nice getting to see Hamilton and
Toronto, hang out with friends, drink lots of tea (and eat lots too – that’s what
Asians do), ice-skate out in the open, and took a tour of McMaster University. I am
very blessed to have the opportunity to be in Ontario and experience a little of what
the province has to offer.
*UVic’s Exec Retreat: We had our
annual exec retreat on Denman Island
from Jan. 22nd – 24th and it was a
really good weekend. We had the
current and new leaders gathered
together and it was a good time of
fellowshipping and getting to know
one another better. The weekend was
filled with fun and laughter and
affirmation of what God has done in
our lives through our mentors. I
personally was really encouraged to
see everyone putting in so much effort
into being a blessing to one another.
Having the opportunity to be a
student leader with this amazing
group of leaders is a huge privilege
and joy. That weekend showed just
how good God is in raising up
kingdom leaders at UVic.
While it is fun not having to do any homework, I feel a longing to continue being a student. Sometimes it is hard to see my roommate leave the apartment to go to school while I stay home. However, having the time off has opened up opportunities for me to do the one thing that I love: student ministry. I am slowly getting into a rhythm of bible studies, meetings, discipleship times, and meeting with students on a regular basis. I do have plenty of time on hand and sometimes I feel guilty for not doing something beneficial. However, the more I think about it, the more I am realizing that maybe this semester is meant for me to take rest without feeling guilty and to actually do things that I love doing.
To summarize things up, January has been a really relaxing month and as February comes around, I hope that it will be a month filled with challenges and that it will also serve as a platform for me to continue to grow and be stretched in areas of my life that needs work.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
May Jesus continue to dwell in our midst and may we learn to be more aware of His presence among us.
Thank you so much for your continual support and prayers for me. As we begin another new year, may we continue to be thankful and grateful for the many blessings that God has given us. God’s abundant blessings on you.
Blessings,
Rachelle Low
Prayer Requests
*IVCF: Pray for God’s blessings upon the leaders and IVCF community as we continue to invite people to follow Jesus.
*Exec and Chrissy: Pray for good partnership, God’s anointing and protection as we serve our campus and bring the Good News to students.
*Using time wisely: Pray that I will be a good steward of my time this semester. Pray also that I will learn to rest in Jesus and not feel compelled to fill every waking hour with something to do.
Having the opportunity to spend time with friends on a weekly basis has been very rewarding and fulfilling. I have been waiting for this time for a while now where I can hang out with friends and not feel guilty because I need to do homework :) Just this week, I have learned so much just by spending time with people. I have also realized that my tertiary education has not gone to waste because I am now able to carry out a discussion with someone and actually be able to disagree and justify my thoughts and opinions and not feel guilty about it.
------------
Rachelle’s January 2010 Newsletter
E-mail: rachellelow88@ilovejesus.net
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
Dear Family and Friends,
Wishing you a very Blessed New Year. I trust that your new year is off to a great start. I started off my new year with a joyous ushering of the New Year with 16,000 students gathered together in St. Louis! Then I spent the rest of the day on a 13-hour bus ride to Hamilton, Ontario followed by a 16-hour sleep! I spent the first half of my month in Hamilton, visiting a dear friend as well as taking some time off after school to recuperate and be refreshed for the new school term as well as a new chapter of my life.
Highlights of the latter half of December ’09 & January ’10:
*Urbana: How can I describe Urbana? It was huge (16,000 students) and exciting! It was my first experience of Urbana so I wanted to maximize my Urbana experience. I thought that I will be able to absorb everything but of course I felt overwhelmed! Anyways, God was faithful and I have gained so much from Urbana.
A few highlights:
o Family group: I love my family group. I had the opportunity to
spend quite a lot of time with my staff worker, Chrissy, and a fellow
leader, Josh. I have gotten to know Josh better and have been very
blessed by him. I am very thankful for the opportunity to spend time
with him and learn from him. In addition, I have also met and
gotten to know fellow student leaders from Simon Fraser University
(SFU) and University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). In the
midst of 16,000 people, it was comforting to know that I have a
family group to be with and to share the Urbana experiences with
them. Having the family group makes the hugeness of Urbana
manageable and less scary.
o Manuscript study: Though manuscript study each morning was quick and intense, I have seen the Word became alive. I have been studying John 1-4 since August ‘09 and having to repeat it for the fourth time can be repetitive. However, at Urbana, I saw John 1-4 in a totally different light and have gotten new things from it! It was very exciting and I am very excited to start a bible study using the same passage and going through it for the fifth time!
o Vocational calling: It was at Urbana that God opened my eyes to see the bigger picture of my presence in Canada. I am very pleased to say that my time in Canada has not come to an end just yet: God has shown me that my mission field is Canada. I am here for a reason and He has big plans for this country. I am very excited to be part of bringing God’s kingdom in this land that I have grown to love.
*Holiday in Hamilton & Toronto, ON: Though I missed home (Victoria),
having 11 days in Hamilton provided me with rest and time to process & reflect my
Urbana experiences. Though I was itching to head back and do student ministry, I
realized that God needed me to first get rest so that I will not be running on
adrenaline and the high of Urbana. It was nice getting to see Hamilton and
Toronto, hang out with friends, drink lots of tea (and eat lots too – that’s what
Asians do), ice-skate out in the open, and took a tour of McMaster University. I am
very blessed to have the opportunity to be in Ontario and experience a little of what
the province has to offer.
*UVic’s Exec Retreat: We had our
annual exec retreat on Denman Island
from Jan. 22nd – 24th and it was a
really good weekend. We had the
current and new leaders gathered
together and it was a good time of
fellowshipping and getting to know
one another better. The weekend was
filled with fun and laughter and
affirmation of what God has done in
our lives through our mentors. I
personally was really encouraged to
see everyone putting in so much effort
into being a blessing to one another.
Having the opportunity to be a
student leader with this amazing
group of leaders is a huge privilege
and joy. That weekend showed just
how good God is in raising up
kingdom leaders at UVic.
While it is fun not having to do any homework, I feel a longing to continue being a student. Sometimes it is hard to see my roommate leave the apartment to go to school while I stay home. However, having the time off has opened up opportunities for me to do the one thing that I love: student ministry. I am slowly getting into a rhythm of bible studies, meetings, discipleship times, and meeting with students on a regular basis. I do have plenty of time on hand and sometimes I feel guilty for not doing something beneficial. However, the more I think about it, the more I am realizing that maybe this semester is meant for me to take rest without feeling guilty and to actually do things that I love doing.
To summarize things up, January has been a really relaxing month and as February comes around, I hope that it will be a month filled with challenges and that it will also serve as a platform for me to continue to grow and be stretched in areas of my life that needs work.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
May Jesus continue to dwell in our midst and may we learn to be more aware of His presence among us.
Thank you so much for your continual support and prayers for me. As we begin another new year, may we continue to be thankful and grateful for the many blessings that God has given us. God’s abundant blessings on you.
Blessings,
Rachelle Low
Prayer Requests
*IVCF: Pray for God’s blessings upon the leaders and IVCF community as we continue to invite people to follow Jesus.
*Exec and Chrissy: Pray for good partnership, God’s anointing and protection as we serve our campus and bring the Good News to students.
*Using time wisely: Pray that I will be a good steward of my time this semester. Pray also that I will learn to rest in Jesus and not feel compelled to fill every waking hour with something to do.
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