lifeasmission

The Van Wyk’s

December 20, 2005

These are my friends Ryan and Amber (my finger is making a cameo appearance). Ryan and I met last fall by virtue of playing on the same intramural football team. He and Amber are just about to celebrate their 1 year anniversary. They are both from Minnesota. Ryan is doing a 6 year program at Fuller in psychology (when he’s done I’ll have to call him Dr. Van Wyk) and Amber is working at Fuller and taking advantage of discounted tuition as she works towards a Master of Arts in Theology (like me).

It was Ryan and Amber that I first approached about the idea of forming some sort of churchlike community as an alternative for Fuller students (and us). Discouraged as I was with their church experiences in and around Pasadena, and sharing a similar heart and vision for more authentic Christian community, they flung caution to the wind and said, “Let’s give it a go.”

They are an amazing married couple. They are constanty doing nice things for one another and truly have fun with each other. They aren’t afraid to disagree and share all sorts of similar interests – movies mainly. Amber is an accomplished figure skater and dancer (not something shared by Ryan) and Ryan is in the Army national guard.

At our first football scrimmage I poked a bit of fun at Amber and she slugged me harder than any one person has ever hit me in my life. I knew instantly that we’d be great friends. I love the way Amber can just tell it like it is and the way she’s able to somehow balance grace and truth. Her physical brutality is a convenient cover for her compassionate side and she’s one of the more generous people I know.

Ryan is a real passionate guy, which I of course love. We definately share a common burden for the church and are equally dismayed over what it looks like and how it functions (for the most part) in western culture. On account of his insight and all out devotion to God and friends, Ryan is one of thsoe guys that would be in anyone’s top three people that you would want to stand with you in any sort of adversity. Like his wife, Ryan is constantly asking me if there’s anything I need or anything he can do for me.

Ryan and Amber have fast become the kind of friends that I would covet as long term partners in life and ministry.

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Posted in: friends, Fuller Seminary