Uncle Willem

Tuesday April 15th, 2008 I became an uncle - I am so excited! Her name is Anna Jasmijn. And she is beautiful. I am so happy for Jeroen and Jacq -I can't wait to see them sometime hopefully soon.

The baby girl and the new family

It was my birthday the week before, and I had the opportunity to see the Jays for the first time. It was a blast, they look a bit streaky right now, but I think they can make the play-offs this year - for sure!

In other news - 3 more exams (2 - gym 1 - take home). I love exam time, it is quite relaxing especially with weather like this (24C) I can't wait. The last Church in the Box is tomorrow. Syd Hielema is speaking - the theme will be Christ the Redeemer - come out of you can. 7PM.

Future plans

So, lots of future plans all confirmed in the last couple of weeks - God is Glorious

1. Finish this school year
2. Live with awesome guys and have a great summer on Glancaster rd. - staying in Hamilton
3. Painting - lots of it, it will be my summer job, and I am very excited, I will be working with some awesome people
4. RAing with James Cuthbert
5. Leading a ministry that I have come to love (CITB), very exciting, should be very stretching and challenging as well.
6. I am sure there is a six... but I forget.

Thank you

Thank you Jesus, for making life a bit less academically busy, while other things were crazy. Two Campus Visit Days, Banquet, and Church in the Box in four days, makes me quite tired! Imagine another load of papers or such on top of that.

Campus Visit Days for me have been something that I have and still absolutely love. For me it is quite easy to still resonate with young people coming in, wondering about Redeemer, University, and life in general. It is awesome to just stand by there side, show them around, answer questions from concerned parents, etc.

Dr. Wolters highlighted the passion of palm sunday. Christ the King does not come without a Christ who suffered. There the one and the same, and so our lives are going to be full of times where we confirm the kingship of Christ or where we suffer alongside with Christ.

Right now Matt VanderVecht, Ben Bouwman, Jared Dalton, and I are looking into places that we ould possible live for the summer. Pray with us that we will find a place where we can get a better understanding of what Hamilton is about.

Currently Reading: Cries of the Heart - Ravi Zacharias
Current most loved song: God of this City - Christ Tomlin
Current best food - Anything involving Rice!
Current time: 00:01 - time to go to bed

wow, that was awesome

Wow that was awesome, today a bunch of Redeemer people went on the ski trip at Mount St. Louis, after a day that started by leaving at 6:30 am, we came back at 7:30 pm, I was quite satisfied. Awesome park, beautifull conditions, occasional powder, no major injuries, great people



Wow that was awesome, relaxing during reading break, after going to Barrie for almost a week, I went to a cottage with Rachel's family. It was rather relaxing, just talking playing games, enjoying God's creation, I appreciate it
Rach and I during reading break, look at my hair, isn't it styling


Wow that was awesome, being inspired and encouraged by words of prayer again, during the CITB prayer meeting, during chapel the next day, with Rachel on Friday, and with Jesus all those times.


Wow that was awsome, the 4th snow (ice) class cancellations of the year. My midterm gor post-poned for a week. And I got to relax just for a bit on Thursday.

Wow.

Marching to Zion

This post might seem like a bit of a confusing one to you, but I am being honest and sharing about what I am learning from and stuggling with. In the last about 36 hours I spent 10 driving, 7 sleeping, 14 learning, and about 5 eating, socializing, and etcetarizing. I'll explain, Friday morning at 7:45 Laura Stewart, Joy GN, Syd Hielema, and I left Redeemer to got to the worship symposium at Calvin, the original plans of leaving on thursday were cancelled due to closed highways.

This oppurtunity to learn about worship, prayer within worship, and hundreds of things surrounding worship was provided to me through Church in the Box. This weekend I got to experience worship, in a way that was quite refreshing. Three times I was taught about the Psalms and how to pray them. Three times, I worshipped with many other believers in the chapel. Way more that three times did God touch me this weekend.

In the last half year I have learned that there is more to prayer than, closing you eyes, folding your hands, and perhaps kneeling down. Especially in groups I have been challenged on how to pray with and for others. I have the feeling that it was a lot of falling, and very little climbing, however, God has shown me a bit differently.

When I was in Holland, God gave me rest, strength, and a renewed sort of Spirit. I am still figuring out what this is, but it is good. Sunday the 21st (CITB sunday) I prayed with, talked with, listened to, and learned from all kinds of people. When I came to my dorm between prayer and the service I was exhausted, I fell asleep, I was still tired the next day. But, I was also restored. As Pslam 23 says "He restoures my nefesh (Hebrew for more than soul or body, it is all of ones being)", and He did.

I know this blog is all over the place, but I am also still figuring out where all this is going. If you feel so inclined to pray for me, you can pray for discernment between my and God's voice. Thanks for the support you have all given me even though you probably do not realize it. In His service, Willem

Btw, If you want to read a interesting piece on how a CITB sunday can be, check this out

11:35pm

It just feels like on of those times that updating my blog feels like the natural thing to do. Today, was a good day! I was mainly busying with studying for my midterm and finishing my essay in Sociology 241 Crime and Deviance. However, other events included buying a ticket for Tom and Sarah's stag and doe, having coffee in the morning with Rachel, reading a few blogs, and having the weekly prayer meeting with Church in the Box prayer team.

The weekend was a pleasant one, especially the saturday. In the morning my roommate Steve and I went fishing with Dean Schat, this was something I bought at the hobbies for hiltop auction last year. After an intense morning of wrestling with 30 pound fish (we didn't get even a nibble), we went back to Redeemer. I went to Toronto with Rachel for the rest of the day, she had no clue were we wer going I of course did. We had a great day, talking, walking, laughing and whatever else you do during a day like that.

Us in a small park within the Sheraton hotel.
Sunset as seen from the CN tower, I had not been up there since I was 8 or something like that. (those are not UFO's they are reflections of light bulbs inside the CN tower)

The weekend past and monday came into being. When I entered the school just after 11am in the morning, I was curious to see what the business was all about. It was the annual book give away, and I greatly expanded my collection. Among the books I got was the three part "common grace" series in Dutch (Gemeene gratie) bij Abraham Kuyper (in great condition, from 1988), three other Kuyper books, the autobiography of Malcolm X, the Democratization of American Christianity, and some other books. It was a very pleasant suprise.

Now it is time to do some reading, God bless, Willem