ok...I just wanted to write and let everyone know what is going on. I feel like I have fallen off the face of the earth during these last two weeks... and I'm sorry that I have not been able to call you talk a lot. Hopefully this will catch ya'll up.

I got here to Biola about two weeks ago. It was sad to leave my family and friends..but I'm realizing how much God does in me when I am here and how much I grow. The next day the whole Residence life department of Biola went to Catalina Island for our training. Don't worry, it was not a vacation!!! We actually went camping in the mountain part.

The first day we hiked about five miles to our campground and then set up our tent to sleep in. It was then we found out that there would be not showers for five days. That was fun.

The second day was a day of solitude. Each person walked and found a stop just to sepnd with the Lord. We did that for eight hours. It was good, but also hard for me because I have trouble being alon and by myself. I realized how much more I need to do that....be able to sit and relax and not be so busy all the time. I got to really pray about what kind of leader God wanted me to be and just pray for my staff and the residents on my floor.

The second day was our big team challenege day. We had to climb trees around the camp and find our clues. After find a few clues we were then instructed to make a stretcher out of materials we found( like wood) and carry one person to echo lake on it. Echo lake was about 5 miles away. ALong the way to the lake we encountered many team challenges that we had to pass beofre going on. When we finally got to the lake we found out that we had to touch this wooden stick in the middle of it. THe only catch was that the lake was not made of water but mud.It was so interesting. ha ha!!! Hey... it was a once in a life time excperience. After that we hiked the five miles back to camp. We were then instructed to climb three miles up to the highest mountain peak. It was very steep!! When we go to the top the view was def. worth it. You could see the ocean and the edge of the island. The water and the sky just seemed to combine and it was one of the prettiest views I ever saw.

The third day was a day that you spen with your staff just sharing your life story.

The foourth day we walked 12 miles down to the bottom of catalina Island where we got to just hang out and shop with our staff.

It was def. a very fun but extremely challenging time for me. I had some problems that I really had to pray through and God really talked to me alot in those five days.

We finally got back to Biola and it has been non-stop floor prep since. My floor name in boondocks and the them is home sweet home. I have stayed up till 3:00 in the morning almost every night and then would get up at 8:00 every morning for more RA training.

So, all in all it has been a great but challenging time. It has probablt been some of the most challenging days of my life. It seemed like everyday held a new challenge that God placed in front of me and it was very emotional. I wish I could explain in depth what my sould felt.. but it is too hard.

Some good things about these past two weeks is just what God has been teaching me. I have been reading in Isaiah and have been at awe in God when reading it. I've really just been able to dweel on the fact that of how Holy God is but at the same time how amazing it is that he seeks to have a relationship with me. ALl that God asks is that we obey Him and respect his Holiness and try to be like Him...in return we get this amazing love that is beyond description. Wow!. I mean I have this all my life but it has been so aamzing to jsut really dwell on it and spend time really contemplating what that means.

Another thing besides God's that but kind of along the same lines is that I have relaly been able to dwell on God's love for me. REalizing that I am His beloved, his creation and he loves me as I am. He has alled me chose for his Kingdom, unashamed He calls His owm! Wow!~ How great is the Father's Love for us- How vast beyond all measure!!!
It's amazing how I have always searched for someone who would totally understand me and unconditionally love me...and just really knowing that God is the one for me. He is my companion. Again, I've known this all along... but it is amazing to just dwell on it and let it sink in. God is def. opening my eyes to it in another way. I'm so glad I serve a God that loves me so mcuh. I just feel like saying to all those girls out there who search for love in all the wrong places... that search to try and find someone that loves every part of them... that God does. Dwell on that first. Remain faithfully His- and understand what a perfect love means first before you search for something that is great but not perfect.

Anyway, Pleae continue to pray for me while I am gone. Tomorrow our floor residents move in. There are about 60 girls on my floor. Please pray that GOd would mold me into a good, humble, approachable leader and that I would be equipped to lead the girls on my floor.

Also pray for my floor partner- Beth
ALso pray for my dorm staff- Tessa, Annie, Lorraina, and Kristen. Also prasy for my RD. We want to really lead this dorm into a time fo healing and growing in the Lord this semester. Also pray for my finacnes... that God would provide money for my books.

Thanks for reading all of this nad for tkaign the time to catch up in what is going on in my life. Thanks for your prayers and support and please let me know how I can pray for ya'll.

In Him,
Jenna