It is hard to believe that the Fall Semester is almost done and complete. Only a few short days before the end of classes and then finals. Much has happened at SFU since September so here are some stories of faithfulness happening on campus and in my life.
Residence
Lida and I realized early on that we haven't been praying so we needed to be more faithful in our times of prayer, specifically for our small groups and residence dinners. Neither of us never expected the impact what being faithful could potentially translate to.
In Residence, Lida and I were praying for guidance in where and what to do for residence. In previous years, we had dinner and played board/card games. This year seemed different. We were in a new residence (Shell) and with a whole new group of students. As we prayed throughout these past couple of months, God seemed to be leading us to move out of Shell and move the Residence Dinners to our old residence McCow. We realized that all of the students we know in residence live in McCow! Some of them were even neighbours and wanted more community in the McCow res! The night we moved to McCow was the night that we had 10 students come out as opposed to our 5 (which were all from McCow). It is clear that God has been preparing the hearts of the students in the McCow residence and has opened up a door to study scripture as a part of our residence dinners now.
Residence Community Dinners
It has been so encouraging and exciting to see how Lida has been developing as a leader. With residence being the place where God has placed her these past 3 years, her passion for her peers on residence is so enlightening and contagious. When studying scripture finally became an option to be a part of our resident dinners, she jumped at the opportunity and brought a whole new level of creativity and excitement that neither Barron or I have yet to see. She has invited first year student, Tyler, in sharing her excitement and vision where together they have taken what was done normally (manuscript study) and has shaped and formed it into something that is specifically catered to the students in residence. This "Plot-twist Bible Study" idea allows people to read a certain part of the text with the "response" or "answer" hidden. It gives us an opportunity to then discuss what we think the answer is or what we think Jesus would actually say. After discussing it, we reveal what Jesus actually says and there you have it... Plot-twist!!
Plot-twist Bible Study
"Slow Down Justin!"
Have you ever wondered where the term "clotheslined" came from? Well, I think I know where it actually came from after this unlikely and quite comical encounter. During Thanksgiving Camp, I got clotheslined by a clothesline. Yes, I know it sounds funny and you are probably wondering, "How do you get clotheslined by a clothesline?" Well, here is the story. We were playing a game that was a Thanksgiving version of Capture The Flag which involved a lot of chasing. I was running from someone and next thing I knew it, everything went black. When I came to my senses, I was on the ground and soon realized I just got clotheslined. By the end of the day, the injuries I had were: A minor concussion, almost lost part of my ear (Thank God for the ER Doctor on site!), abrasions all along my neck, injured my shoulder, and I destroyed my glasses. The following picture is a result of the clotheslining (looks worse than it actually is).
Clothesline - 1, Justin - 0
You are probably asking, "What does this have to do with faithfulness?" From my China experience, I was beginning to understand what it means to be faithful to spending time with God and also to what He has given me to work with. I wanted to share this story because I feel that it is a continuation of that lesson and teaching from China.
I think back on being clotheslined and wondered what God was trying to say to me. Two words came up, "Slow Down!!" I hit that clothesline so hard because I was running so fast that I couldn't see it. The results... a lot of damage. When I started this semester, I started off running. It got to the point where I was running so fast that I didn't have time to spend my quiet times with God. It was China all over again except on a much larger scale. In the same way I "hit the wall" in China after 1 week, I "hit the clothesline" which forced me to stop (literally). I needed this short period of time to remember my China experience and how to actually apply it to my life and ministry at SFU. Who would have thought that something as simple and comical as being clotheslined by a clothesline would teach me this lesson. God is indeed a good (and funny) God.
Looking Forward to the Future
SFU Surrey
Surrey is one of 3 SFU campuses. It covers a few thousand students where the majority of them are 1st and 2nd year. Even a few of our students (Don, Dan, & Lida) started off at Surrey before coming to the Burnaby Campus. Over this past year, we have been praying that God would open up a door into the Surrey Campus. We thought it would be this semester but as Don and I prayed about it more, we felt we needed to focus in Burnaby. Now though, there are a group of students who are passionate in starting a bible study in the Surrey campus. They have been holding weekly prayer meetings to discern who to reach and what to do and have invited me to be a part of those prayer meetings. I am REALLY excited about this opportunity and Lord willing, we can start it up as early as the Winter Semester.
The Typical Manuscript at Mark West
Mark West is 40 hours of manuscript study on half of the book of Mark in a period of 5 days. It is one of the most life giving experiences our students have encountered. Quite often, students experiences in studying the Gospel of Mark this intensely gives them a much deeper understanding of who Jesus really is. In short, they often say, "Jesus is now alive and real to me."
Last year, we had 450 students and staff engage in intensive Mark studies across Canada. 150 of those were at Mark West. Mark West has now split into 3 because we just have too many students wanting to study scripture (Praise The Lord!!). One of these three is Mark West Pacific specifically for BC Students. Last year, we had 40 go from BC. This year, after much prayer and contemplation, we feel that 85 is the new number for BC students to go to Mark West Pacific. Barron and I have already begun inviting students and we already have 5 students who have said "Yes" to going!
I am extremely excited and also terrified in how fast the ministry at SFU is growing. I hope you can all share in my excitement. If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact me =).
Wednesday's Small Group
Family Group @ Thanksgiving Camp
Hiroko & Brian - SFU Exchange Students
Justin Yuen
