Purpose

This weekend was the retreat with InterVarsity. Going in, I didn't expect a whole lot. I just prayed that God would reveal to me what the purpose of me being there was.

For a long while, I have been really trying to see my purpose for being in Texas for college. Often, with all the hurdles I've had to deal with in the past few months, it made me all the more confused when I pondered this.

After this weekend though, I saw one facet of God's plan for me through the retreat. This retreat was in the middle of nowhere and hours away from the big city. On Saturday night, a few people decided to go spread out a sleeping bag on the grass and watch the stars- something that I never got to do even when I was back at home, where the outdoors is appreciated a lot. Having just come off pulling a near all-nighter on thursday night for a paper, I don't remember having been able to relax like that since the summer. Caleb, Boomer and I prayed for a shooting star, and literally half a minute later- the brightest shooting star ever fell from the sky. It was followed by about two dozen more in the next hour.
I can honestly say I've been to retreats and appreciated God's work of nature, but it was never presented to me like that before. Definitely an eye-opening experience.

The thing that God revealed to me this weekend was a piece of the puzzle that I seemed to be missing. At the retreat, there was a session about appreciating and understanding the diversity that makes up IV. Sitting through that session, I realized that this was one of the reasons God didn't want me in at the University of Minnesota, and he didn't want me in the midwest at all. In fact, he didn't even want me at Rice University. Being at UH gave me the opportunity to part of/reach a multi-ethnic fellowship group and also at the same time, also connect with the Asian group at Rice. If I had gone to Rice, I am almost certain that I would have only been part of CCF (an asian fellowship) and not Intervarsity. It is really eye-opening to be able to interact with a whole bunch of different people, considering I have grown up with the Chinese Church since I was young. It is also equally as amazing to still be able to have a Chinese Church/ asian college fellowship at the same time. God also made me realize this weekend that I have the opportunity to serve in two mission fields as I go through my undergrad- many more open doors that I could imagine. It's amazing how He works, even when you, a mere little human, think it's for the worst....

It is through people like Dan (both of them), Sammy, Caleb, Stephen, Jeff, Tim, Matt and so many others- that God has been encouraging me through this time. College isn't too bad in and of itself, but to not know anybody when you first get here, and to be a thousand miles away from home, it's a little difficult. For a long time, I have hoped and prayed that God would help me find some good, close, Christian friends that I could talk to. This weekend confirmed that he has provided for that and more.

thanks, God.

-KKZ