Am I exaggerating? Perhaps. But when busyness hits it can certainly feel that way (for an F that is… not sure how Ts process it). I was doing so well this quarter. Sure, I was already busy last quarter, but I made it through without too many scratches. So I thought I could handle more this quarter. Three classes became four. 20 hours of work became 30. I took on new projects at church. Teaching engagements, weekend conferences, more meetings, exciting projects at work- all amazing opportunities that I picked up like a fat kid in the candy store. Seemed like a good idea at the time. That is until the belly ache hit.

Well it hit today. I’m just tired. One step away from burn out. I try to sleep a full night, and yet I’m still tired. I look at my calendar for the next four weeks and I just feel anxious.  I wonder when I’m going to sleep in, spend time with Jesus, or just chill with my friends.

It’s hard because busyness is celebrated by our culture. We often brag about how many classes we’re taking, how many people we’re meeting up with, or even how few hours of sleep we can live off of. We take pride in our many accomplishments, degrees, hobbies, and responsibilities- all of which take time. The good resumes are always the ones filled with volunteer work, certificates, and accomplished projects. Just imagine writing under your accomplishments, “I sleep 8 hours a night and have really healthy personal relationships.”

Even in Christian culture (perhaps especially in Christian culture) busyness is seen as the mark of good leadership. Pastors are celebrated for how many sermons they’ve preached, books they’ve written, and people they’ve reached. Name one Christian leader who is praised for the number of hours they’ve spent with Jesus or for keeping a consistent Sabbath. And yet it’s clear from Scripture that we must “Remember the Sabbath…” Right up there with don’t kill and don’t sleep with someone else’s wife is a holy call to fight against busyness. We don’t celebrate the murderers, the liars, and the cheaters. Why is it we celebrate the busy people? The ones who forget the Sabbath?

Busyness causes us to lose focus on the things most important to us. It disconnects us from God. It disconnects us from those we love the most and prevents us from enjoying the goodness of this world. And perhaps worst of all it causes us to become the kind of people that we’re so busy trying not to become! When I’m busy I know I become more irritable, less open to others, less sensitive to the Holy Spirit, less efficient, less productive, more selfish, more depressed, fatter, more negative, and basically more of everything bad in my life. I more easily hurt the people I love the most and am too busy to even realize it! And even if I do realize it, I’m too tired to actually deal with it. What’s worse is once you realize how busy you are it’s difficult to untangle yourself from it. You’ve already made all the commitments. You’ve already started spinning all the plates. It would be irresponsible to just let them all drop. So then what are you suppose to do?

Well for me, I think it’s pretty simple. First and foremost, I need to guard my time with the Father. You see Jesus do this when he pulls away to spend time with the Father, and I mean Jesus was pretty busy with saving the world and all. Secondly, I need to guard my time with those I love most. I love all my friends. I love all those I minister to. But I also recognize God has entrusted me with very specific relationships to cultivate and that give me life. I need to always prioritize these people. Finally, I need to remember to keep time for myself. I need to exercise. I need to take a day of silence and just veg, even watch TV.

Yes. I know. Easier said than done. But I know even as I’ve spent a few hours today reorienting myself to these priorities, I feel the anxiety leaving me. I feel re-connected with my God and right with those I love most. I feel my overall outlook on the next month improving and my faith rising that my God is my portion in all I have to do. I’m still busy, but at least I can tackle everything I need to do at full capacity, with my loved ones hold me up, and faith that my God is bigger than all my busyness.

I love watching these guys worship.  Especially the bass drum, bongo dude.  He just makes me want to smile and laugh, in a good way.  I wish I was there when they recorded this.  Too bad the music is a bit overproduced and you can’t hear like 50% of what’s going on in the mix.  Oh well, beautiful song nonetheless.

Bethel… I will visit you someday soon!

In the past, focusing my thoughts and prayers on all the things I was waiting for in life caused me to fall into a pit of self pity and depression. In fact, much of my Daniel fasts in past years were spent dealing with the deep sense of emptiness I felt that I was waiting on God to fill. They were really difficult times. Times when my brokenness and loneliness seemed to sit on the surface of my life; and yet, God met me every year, reminding me that he was with me. I came out of these seasons stronger, with a more refined character, and with fresh insight on the nature of God. Through these seasons I began to see waiting not as an enemy to avoid, but as a refinement process God takes all of us through. I saw it as a necessary surgery that Dr. God uses to heal and refine broken, sinful people.

Yesterday during my prayer time I felt led to listen to “Longing for a New Jerusalem” by Matt Gilman.  I’ve heard this song before, but there was something fresh that the Spirit was speaking to me as I was moved to tears worshipping to this song. The song (attached below) paints an amazing lyrical picture of the end times vision of the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven. It speaks to the return of King Jesus who will usher in the fullness of the Kingdom of God, the eternal reign of God, when all things shall be made new.  When our relationship with God will be fully restored and we would know him as a bride knows her husband. When every tear shall be wiped from our faces, and there will be no more pain and suffering. As I was soaking in the words of this prophetic song, I felt my soul cry, “Yes! Yes, I long for that! I want that! I wait eagerly for this! Come King Jesus!”  It was one of the most intense desires of longing and wanting I’ve ever experienced. For a brief moment, all of the other things I’ve been waiting for paled in comparison to waiting for His return.

And then it hit me. Waiting is not just a process. Waiting is not just a necessary evil for healing, refinement, and character development. Waiting is not a test to push through so that God can bless.  Waiting is worship.  Sure, it may only be worship this side of eternity, but waiting is the reasonable response of God’s people living in the here, but not yet. Waiting is prayer. It drives us to to cry out for Jesus to return and for His Kingdom to be unfolded in our midst. Waiting is guidance. It orients our lives toward Jesus, driving us to seek Him since only He can satisfy. Waiting is blessing.  It draws us into deeper relationship with Christ and increases our knowledge of Him. Waiting is remembering. It allows us to tap into the cry of generations of Christians who’ve come before us. Waiting is prophetic. It focuses our minds and hope on a future reality where all things will be made new.

So often, I think that if I can just wait a little longer, just remain faithful for another few months, God will “break through” and fulfill all of my deepest longings. After all, if waiting is about refinement and testing, then the end of this season of waiting must be near… right?  But the reality is, waiting is an inescapable aspect of Christian spirituality, and a sure tell sign of following Jesus. The moment we stop waiting is the moment we say that what I have right now is better than what is to come at His return; and this is the moment we stop worshipping Jesus and turn to worship idols.  Furthermore, the practice of engaging our soul’s inner longings and allowing them to feed our longing for the return of Jesus is a difficult, but necessary, spiritual discipline to practice.

With that said, I count all other things I am waiting for in life as a blessing as it reminds me of who it is I ultimately wait for, and I join in with the continual intercession of the Spirit and the bride. “Come!  Come Lord Jesus Come!  Come!”

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

-Rev. 22:17

In short, what’s new in my life can be summarized in four words:

job…

I feel SO blessed as I think about the fact that I’ve been working for the past two months. After only a month of job searching, God provided me with a half-time job that will allow me both go to school and do a church internship. I’m the Marketing and Resource Manager for ACCION San Diego, a secular nonprofit providing resources and micro-loans ato San Diego business owners who don’t qualify for traditional financing. This job is so much more than just a source of income, but an opportunity to really explore and learn what it means to live missionally in the workplace. I believe God is going to use my time with ACCION to teach me how to reach the lost and bring revival in cubicles. My time here so far has not only been meaningful, but super fun as I’ve built some good relationships with my co-workers.

       …school…

One of the main reasons I left InterVarsity was because I wanted to commit more time to seminary. This year I will be taking 3-4 classes a quarter with the hope that I could graduate in 2014 (2 years). Although I’m nervous about my capacity to both work and take so many classes, I am motivated to get done with school so I can move onto my plans to church plant.

                 …internship…

An important component of the M. Div. program is the professional internship, as it allows the seminarian to apply what he or she is learning to a real life ministry context. I will be starting the pastoral internship this year with my church Coast Vineyard. My developmental goals for the internship include: continuing to grow in my teaching gifts and solidify my theological convictions, experiencing and being exposed to aspects of ministry that I couldn’t experience in IV (baptisms, marriage counseling, church government, etc.), and preparing myself to church plant.

                                 …church plant

I’ve felt called to church plant in the Bay Area since highschool. Though many interests and passions have changed through the years, my call to plant has oddly (perhaps soverignly) remained constant. Although this is still 3-4 years away, I feel that God is inviting me to intentionally pursue this call in this season. I’m not only trying to finish school, but intentionally seeking out resources, mentors, and Bay Area networks. I’m also praying for new ministry partners, while maintaining the relationships I already have (yes, you). This includes not only seeking prayer support, but continuing to seek financial support as well. Yes. You read that correctly. I’m going to continue to fundraise. **More on this here.

I hope this gives you a good glimpse of all the exciting things going on for me. I think my biggest worry in this season is not having the time to do everything I need to do. If you want to chat more about what’s happening, I would love to talk! Just let me know.

In this issue:
-2009-2010 Summary
-Jesus in the Numbers
-”One” Praise Night Recap
-Senior Testimony: Joanne Shiau

(Click image to download .pdf)

This morning I woke up at 5:30am to drive up to Irvine to attend my first Catalyst West conference, and after one day I can say its been well worth it. This is turning out to be one of my favorite Christian conferences that I’ve ever attended. The innovation, passion, and energy in this place is contagious. It was crazy walking into the plenary this morning to see large confetti filled balloons and helium filled “UFO” saucers being bumped around to club music!
The theme this year is “Unusual Tomorrow.”  Andy Stanley set the scene for us this morning by challenging us to remember the dreams and visions that we had when we first started ministry. He reminded us that the present realities of today often squash the dreams that we have for tomorrow, and that as leaders of the church we need to be continually calling our churches to chase after a better tomorrow.  And because the  dreams that God puts on our heart are always too big for us to accomplish by our own efforts and resources, it becomes tempting in light of our current realities to think that our “unusual tomorrow” is out of reach.

That is until you remember that it is a message of the most impossible event, about the most unusual person, spread through the most unqualified messengers that overcame all odds and established itself in the ancient world.  Andy reminded us that to the persecuted church under Rome would have seen the reality that we live in today as the most impossible “unusual tomorrow.”  That it was only through the most supernatural ways that this message could have survived, spread, and thrived.

In the same way our wildest, craziest dreams for the Kingdom are all possible through God. The same power and Spirit that enabled the gospel to spread throughout the ancient world is still working in us today. That through the most unlikely circumstances and most difficult opposition our dreams and visions can be made a reality. And as Andy reminded us of this, I felt the Lord breathing new life into my visions, my dreams.  Old ideas that started to feel foggy or unclear, plans that I’ve begun to settle on in my mind because they felt too big all of a sudden felt within grasp again.

All that said, I’m ready to keep dreaming for an Unusual Tomorrow!

Soo…. What are dreams of an Unusual Tomorrow that you have?

Today as I joined hundreds of others on campus to say “no” against blatant acts racism, I watched person after person take the mic and share their hearts. Some shared impassioned pleas to actions, others shared words of solidarity, and still others shared their pain and fear. As I stood there for 3 hours listening, I began to ask two very disturbing questions. First of all, where was the Asian American presence? As a majority minority on this campus, do we not have the responsibility to at least say we stand is solidarity with those who are suffering? But I think what was more troubling was I kept asking where was the Christian presence? Of the 30 or so people who spoke this morning representing everyone from the LGBT to faculty and even an openly Communist representative, I did not witness one person represent Jesus in the midsts of all this.

What is Our Gospel?

Now I don’t write this to condemn or guilt trip Christians. I mean after all it’s not like I stood up to speak. Still as I stood there in my silence I was deeply bothered. Where was the gospel in the midst of all this? Where was the good news that Jesus had to offer, because I believe Jesus would have much to say! And to be honest, even if a Christian did take the mic, most of us would have nothing useful to say anyways. I mean who of us would actually have a “gospel,” a word from God, that would actually sound like “good news” to those in the crowd? And really this speaks less about our willingness or desire to speak and act (because Christians have all sorts of ideas on what do be doing during this time), but rather how detached we are to the real brokenness of the campus and how paralyzed we are because we don’t actually know what Jesus would say or do. And let’s get this straight.  It’s not because he doesn’t tell or demonstrate it for us, but because we don’t care to listen or see.

First Steps

So what do I think is a Christian response to all of this? I think the first step is simple, and many of us have already been taking that step. We must enter into the brokenness and identify with the brokenness, incarnating our presence among those who are hurting. We must open our eyes to the situation and not just brush it off as an unimportant secular protest. It is important, because I know God’s heart breaks along with all those who are crying out in pain, fear, and anger.

Second, I believe we must pray. I can never discount the responsibility as Christians that we have to pray. I have been encouraged by the many organic prayer meetings that have been popping up all over campus in the last 12 hours. I truly believe our strength as the people of God is found in our cries for Him to move. I believe that God hears our prayers and that the spiritual atmosphere of this campus literally shifts when we cry out for Kingdom realities to come into being. As people who have eyes to see the spiritual realm on this campus, we have a responsibility to fight the spiritual battle that wages here. And can I just say this, Satan chooses no side except his own. As people who understand this reality, we must be able to transcend the current lines of debate and fight the true enemy through our prayers.

A Dual Responsibility

However, I think it would be easy to stop there. People of faith, but Christians in particular, are excellent at spiritualizing everything, and not actually taking action to make anything a reality. I believe as Christians we have been given a double charge and responsibility to not only engage in the spiritual realities of this world but also the physical realities. After all, we must be willing to become the answers to our prayers.

So what are we suppose to do? Once we’ve incarnated ourselves among the broken, how do we not allow the brokenness overwhelm to the point of anger or hopelessness? I know this has been challenging for me as the gospel compels me to care and enter the brokenness, while not getting carried away in the emotional escalation of anger and retaliation. Yet this tension makes me feel paralyzed. Like all I can do is gather in my holy huddle and pray, leaving me with this question- wouldn’t Jesus have done more? Am I suppose to choose a side? Am I suppose to support certain demands and scream certain chants? What greater action does the gospel compel me to do that transcends all of this and serves as a “third way?”

As I said in the beginning, I don’t have all answers to what we should do and I’ve been wrestling with this question for the past week. Still I don’t think it’s as complicated as we may make it to be. First of all, I don’t know which side Jesus would choose, in fact my observation of him in the Bible is that he often refused to choose sides. I do know, however, that if he were here today he would be marching along side of those who are protesting, while also holding the shoulders of our poor Chancellor who is so obviously hurting through all of this. As I think about what kind of action I want to take, I want to be able to say that I stood side by side in solidarity with those who were hurting- serving them, loving them, and fighting with them against injustice- while also recognizing that our true “opponent” is not a fraternity or the school administration, but rather a darker evil in this world that oppresses us through our own institutions and systems.

Further Steps

What does this mean practically? As I mentioned already, I believe we should be out there marching in solidarity with those who are in pain, not representing any human side but rather God’s side that commits to stand with the hurting and the oppressed. We should be out there serving, giving out bottles of water and packets of sunscreen, while offering an open ear or prayer for anyone who might take it. We should be out there fighting for justice, condemning what needs to be condemned (and its not individuals that need to be condemned or made “example” of), because truly behind all the hype we cannot forget that there are real systems of injustice and oppression that exist on this campus. We should be out there at the rallies praying, believing that as we pray we are inviting His presence into the chaos and division. We should just be, knowing that we carry the presence of God with us and just the action of presence in itself is ministry unto others. I know this is a very controversial stance, and I’m not going to be naive enough to think that the outside world (most likely the church) won’t criticize us and think “we’ve chosen a side.”  But in the midst of that we must be clear to why we’re there. We’re not there to promote any specific side or demonize any other side, but rather to be God’s living presence amongst His people.

I also believe we must be asking where else in the midsts of all this can we practice the ministry of presence, because the reality is that there are people hurting on all sides. Perhaps we need to talk to those in the fraternities or those in the “majority” population who might be feeling guilty, confused, or paralyzed in the midst of this. Perhaps we need to just go to different places on campus that God may lead us to and just pray for his presence to rest there. Perhaps we need to practice the ministry of presence for our administration. Today, I sent an email to the chancellor’s office telling Chancellor Fox that I’m praying for her and that God’s presence is with her. I have no idea if she’ll actually read it, but who knows. All that to say, we must be asking God, where is your presence needed on this campus, and whatever He says we must go. Refuse the temptation to gather in the prayer room, but know that where you go His presence goes with you.

Hold Onto the Hope of the Gospel

Finally, we must hold onto the hope and reality of the gospel that at the end of the day true action and justice is not going to come by the sword, but by radical acts of love and forgiveness. As part of the majority population on campus I say that with deep humility, being the first to admit that I haven’t experienced a fraction of the injustice and pain that my under represented brothers and sisters have had. And although that may give me little credibility as I make that my rally cry, I cannot let go of that gospel. Therefore, we must pray for God to raise up in those communities a prophetic voice to scream out above the rest that love and forgiveness is the answer. That instead of constantly trying to make examples of those who hate and oppress, we must forgive and love them. That is the most disarming power in the universe. My greatest fear in the midsts of all of this is that the old mantra of an eye for an eye will just continue to escalate the anger and the hatred. This morning I woke up filled with fear that at some point someone’s going to crack and really do something crazy, and so this must stop now.  We must all be praying that love and forgiveness become the rally cry of this movement. As Dr. King once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. “

The feeling didn’t go away through the day and more than ever I found myself wanting to drown out the feeling in front of the tube, stalking people on Facebook, eating my room mates chocolate, or chatting away on AIM. At one point, I was looking at my iPhone and the games that I had left on my phone from before my fast had the same appeal to me as crack cocaine.

As I laid there in bed, trying to get my day started somehow, I began to realize how much “stuff” I do to keep myself from facing my poverty of loneliness. I mean I wonder how much of my life is driven by the need to feel connected to someone or something.  The way I do ministry, the attention I give to my friends/family, the time I waste online… is it really all done to just cover up this gaping need in my heart to feel connected?

When I visited the International House of Prayer’s 24/7 prayer room this past break, I seriously spent an entire day in there. For 8 hours I worshiped, prayed, studied Scripture, and even napped. I remember leaving just feeling so full and refreshed. It was like drinking from a cool well after walking in the desert for too long. Reflecting on that day, I came to realize how much my soul has been missing and thirsting for God. I mean I can get so caught up being busy doing things for God, but I rarely spend time just being with God.  But on that day, it was like my soul breathing in deeply for the first time in years.

Keeping today in perspective of my time at IHOP, I realize that what my soul is really yearning for today is not the distraction of the season premiere of 24, but rather to be deeply connected to my creator God. It reminds me that the true tragedy of the fall was not that man sinned and was punished, but rather that man was cut off from Him who had created him. And since that day we’ve all been struggling to reconnect in any way we can, not knowing that it is really Him we are hungering for.

So today, instead of giving into my temporary soothing balm, I faced my loneliness face on and pushed through. I chose not to cave into my emotions, but rather seek Him in the midsts of solitude. And as I worshiped and laid my burdens down once again, His presence ever so gently filled me. And although I am still very much aware of my aloneness, I know that God is with me in my solitude.

It’s still hard, but more and more I see the gift in solitude and long to choose God in the midst of it. As my friend Henri reminded me a few days ago, “The question is whether we let our aloneness become loneliness or whether we allow it to lead us into solitude. Loneliness is painful; solitude is peaceful. Loneliness makes us cling to others in desperation; solitude allows us to respect others in their uniqueness and create community.”

For anyone who doesn’t know… On January 12, 2010, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the country of Haiti, just 10 miles from the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince. There have been at least 13 aftershocks with magnitudes above 5.0, according to the USGS. At least one major hospital was destroyed, and the city of Port-au-Prince is particularly vulnerable to damage due to its high population density.  Death tolls are estimated to be up to 100,000 people.

One Day’s Wages is proud to partner with World Concern who not only have an excellent reputation for their humanitarian work, but also have a strong presence in Haiti. While we’ve known about World Concern, our “interview” (the night of the earthquake) and research of their work in Haiti gave us great confidence in this partnership. They have worked in Haiti since 1978 and work with about 125,000 people. The majority of their staff are local Haitians that know their people and culture. Their offices in Port Au Prince is still standing and they are doing disaster and emergency relief work right now.  100% of donations (minus transaction costs) will go directly to the emergency and disaster relief efforts in Haiti and to support families and communities affected by the earthquake.

Click on the image to make a donation.

(text and image from the One Day’s Wages Website)

In the months leading up to Urbana I had numerous students asking me if it was really worth $800 to go to Urbana. I remember at the time really wrestling over this question. I mean I couldn’t exactly promise that it would be an amazing life changing experience and that they would receive their life’s calling (as many students might have expected). So I kept my answer simple. There is nothing else like the experience of worshipping with 20,000 people and hearing from international speakers. Yet deep in my heart I wrestled with the question, was that really worth the $800-$1000 that my students had to pay?

I remember the night before the conference, the prayer team gathered in the dome to pray for the start of the conference. About a hundred prayer folks gathered to pray and we proceeded into the dome in two lines taking turns reading the Psalms of Accent.  The Psalms of Accent (Psalms 120-134) were the Psalms that the Israelite people read as the climbed up toward the temple in Jerusalem.

Walking through the empty dome was a unique experience. With no one in it, it felt HUGE, and I was filled with awe at how many people were about to fill this place. As we recited the Psalms, I was struck by how symbolic this act was. We were sharing in the act of preparation that the Israelites took as they drew near to the tabernacle, the dwelling place of the Lord.

I began to think about the later part of Exodus that gave detailed instructions to the Israelites on how to build the first tabernacle.  When I was young, I use to wonder why the first part of the book was so exciting and the later half got so boring!  Yet now as I thought about these text, I marvel at the incredible amount of detail that God gave in building this “dwelling place.”  He specified building materials, dimensions, specific elements of worship to be included, and even job assignments for the priests working there.  In chapter 31, he anointed specific artisans with”wisdom” to have a supernatural knowledge of working with metals, cloths, and other arts. I concluded in reflection that God is a very aesthetic God, who almost seems obsessed with making things intricately beautiful.  And finally after they built it to specs in chapter 40 it says, “then the cloud covered the tend of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”  Their job was simply to build it.  It was God’s job to fill it with his presence.

Reflecting on the biblical significance of the tabernacle, I began to think about Urbana. Anyone who’s been to Urbana knows how intricate and complex it is. Everything from the stage set up and visuals, to the speakers, to the ethnic/gender representation on stage, to the arts, to serving communion to 17,000 people is well thought out and fits together to create one whole experience.  Urbana Staff toil over the conference for 3 years, prayerfully engaging the Lord for the vision and direction, while exercising an “anointed wisdom” of organization and administration in trying to fit it all together.

During every plenary session, I was constantly amazed at the thoughtfulness and significance of EVERY element of the convention.  I was amazed at how each art piece and performance, even the lighting on the screen overhead, communicated the message to me in a different and profound way. As I sat through a 1 hour communion service filled with well planned liturgy and arts, I was moved to tears by the intricate beauty of each element of this typically ordinary sacrament.  In a culture where I’m use to “experiencing God” only through music and sermons, it was as if all my senses were being awakened to His presence in a new and profound way way. At every moment I just sensed the Lord’s presence dwelling in that space in a unique way. And so as the Urbana team worked and toiled to build this “modern tabernacle,” I observed that the Lord never failed to fill it!

As I prayer walked through the dome that first night, I just felt like the Lord was there waiting and welcoming all the pilgrims that were coming to that tabernacle to seek Him.  We built it, the Lord filled it. And that week as I went through the conference, I could just see God meeting us in the dome session after session.  Through every element of the conference, the videos, the dramas, the talks, even the MC, God was communing and speaking to His children.  And it hit me… why would someone pay up to $1000 to come to this conference? I mean there are a lot of conferences out there that are cheaper, in nicer locations, have more popular/well known speakers and worship bands… why would someone want to come to Urbana?

Perhaps it’s because every 3 years God gives a fresh and detailed impartation of what kind of “dwelling place” He wants the Urbana team to build. Perhaps its because they are painstakingly faithful to build it to spec with the expectation that God is going to fill that space. And perhaps every 3 years… God’s glory actually does fall. That the conviction from the word preaching and the healing from being in His presence is so heavy that it’s like a thick cloud pressing down on our spirits. That like the Israelites who annually made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to meet with God, Urbana delegates are like pilgrims going to St. Louis to encounter Him in a fresh new way.

So for the next Urbana, if you’re wondering if you should go or not, I still can’t promise you that you will receive your calling or that it’s going to be some life altering experience, but I can say that God will be dwelling there in a unique way.  That as InterVarsity is faithful every 3 years to building His dwelling place, God truly does fill it.