I can’t believe the first week of school and Fall outreach just ended!  Typically, on the UCB campus, we at Gracepoint Fellowship Church have a full week of events and outreach culminating in the famous NSWN with Korean BBQ.  This past year, with the welcome week shortened to a mere 2 days, we managed not only to put on a whole slew of exciting events/activities, but 2 New Student Welcome Nights.  Not only that, but the students, including me, started school on Wednesday.  In addition, I started teaching my 7th grade class at Albany Middle School in the mornings.  Needless to say, I, like most everyone around me, am tired.  But, it is the type of tiredness that comes when you have given your all for a greater cause, for something that is meaningful to you and other like-minded people.

I am really thankful for this past week- meeting all the new freshmen, sophomores, and new junior transfers, frantically assembling bento boxes with Praxis, Element, Koinonia, Kairos members before NSWN #1, seeing the sophomores and seniors in our group step outside their comfort zones to meet new people, and so much more.  We had an unprecedented 1,045 newcomers at NSWN #1.  That in itself is something to wonder and marvel at.  It is not just the number itself, but the thought of that many new students on our campus who had an opportunity to reflect on why they have come to Cal, the bigger questions of their lives, and how the Gospel is relevant to their lives.  It is truly a blessing to be caught up in meaningful work that has the potential to make a far-reaching impact on others’ lives.  Here comes the rest of the school year…

take a deep breath and press on everyone!!