I am in awe..

After baptizing Tiffany

This past Sunday, as many of you know, I had the privilege of baptizing five young ladies as they chose to take a step deeper in their faith and publicly declare what God has done and is going to do in their lives. There are no words to describe the feeling I had when I heard their testimonies and the encouragements of the communities around them. You might have been able to get a glimpse of it if you saw the grin I had on my face. 

Each and every one of these beautiful girls had an amazing story of how God has become their Rock and their Foundation. I felt honoured that I could be a part of dunking them and allowing God to change them from their old self to their new selves in Christ. It was a moment that I will never forget.

After the service with all the girls who were baptized

Thank you Lord for these special girls who have impacted my life. May you hold them close to your heart as they dig deeper into You and live a life worthy of the calling they have received. Keep them near to You and straight on the path you have set before them. Thank you that I could have a small part in the big plans you have for them. Bless them Father. Amen.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them."
- 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

Puppy Love

It's been just over a month that we have had Suki and she has been a great joy to have around the house. When I am playing with her or giving her a scratch on her belly, I often think "it must be nice to be a dog, you have no worries in the world... and you get your belly rubbed!" And it's so true.

But I think there's a reason that I am not a dog. God has given me a purpose here in this world (and that is not to love people with puppy eyes and get belly rubs). He has brought me to Lacombe to love kids and to show them they are special and important. I am so thankful that I feel that he is using me to reach kids and show them His love. Because of this, I am blessed. 

I am glad I'm not a dog. But I'm happy I can spend some time playing with one.

That's all I was thinking about today...

California 2013

Last year's California 2012 Team

Excitement is in the air! In less than two days I will have my bags packed, camera charged and plenty of car games on hand. It's that time of year again. We are leaving Wednesday morning for our California Spring Break Mission Trip with 25 students loaded into 3 fifteen passenger vans.

This trip will be similar to last year's but with a few drastic alterations. Students reported last year that they wanted to be more involved with mission work and less active with fun events (which is awesome by the way!). So we are involving a heavier mission component and less time for play. Another difference is that we have almost half the amount of students from last year (44 youth in 2012). This will create a very different dynamic, but I believe for the better as we will be able to have more time to connect deeper with students.

If you are interested in hearing about our trip throughout the week, follow our Youth Unlimited blog: http://missionsyu.blogspot.ca. We will be updating our blog with leader and student reports, and exciting stories along the way!

Please keep us in your prayers:
1. Safe travels: because we were not able to have a bus, we are renting 3 vans. This may be more difficult to stay together and easier to get lost. Please pray for safety and ease of getting lost.
2. Opened hearts: many students coming on the trip have never heard about Jesus or have hard hearts towards him. Please pray for opened hearts to allow the Holy Spirit to change lives.
3. Being a blessing: We are serving at various missions around L.A., California. Our desire is that we as a group can be a blessing to the people we serve.

Thank you for all of your support. Even by reading this and lifting up a small prayer, I believe God will move.

May the student learn to know this truth from Romans 5:6-11
"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and die d for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Yes my faithfulness to this blog had been lacking, but this post is not about my lack of commitment to the blog. Rather it is about God's incredible faithfulness in my life and in my ministry at Youth Unlimited.

It is not hard to describe how this year has changed from last, and how Travis and I have seen God move in the lives of the students we work with. This is because there has been big change! I have begun to see why God has placed me exactly in Lacombe and exactly at Youth Unlimited. My role has begun to blossom and I've begun to establish relationships of trust. There is no way to describe the joy I have in my heart when I come home from a coffee date with a student where I was able to encourage them and pray with them. Even greater than this is seeing the change in a student throughout the span of just a couple of months as they direct themselves closer to God.

I really think the most beautiful part of this job is how God connects things or events in my life to relate to students where they are at. Some of the girls in my Tuesday afternoon craft group ask questions about my relationship with Travis and my dating history. It's really neat to describe that I was not interested in dating in high school and the reasons why. They wonder how it's even possible that I met my husband in my first dating relationship. I am able to say that it's because I prayed for it.

I am so thankful for the work God has placed me in. Even though it's scary sometimes, God always perseveres to let His message be heard and known. I feel so honoured to be His vessel in this way.

I am also so thankful for your support; whether you are reading this blog, lifting up a prayer, donating financially or encouraging me with your words - I have been blessed by you. May you hear my story and be encouraged in your own lives that God's faithfulness is unfathomable.

Prayer Requests:
1. Students who are struggling to know what to do after they graduate and that no matter what they decide, they will continue to steer towards God.
2. Energy. I am enthusiastic about my work, but sometime your energy can run low, especially when you don't spend that extra quiet time with God.
3. California Mission Trip: we don't have enough students to make it a full go yet financially but we feel that God is still wanting us to lead it. For more students and for wisdom as we plan for the trip (March 21st to 31st).

To God be the glory. Amen.

Planting Seeds

Summer is coming to an end and the school year is getting into gear. It's mind blowing how fast the summer months can go! It is exciting for me to start a new school year; reuniting with students I know and meeting the new students who are just starting high school.

So as my job begins to be busier, I try to use this quiet time now to pray and meditate for what's to come in 2012-2013. Saturday afternoon as I was picking full bowls of cherries from our flourishing cherry tree in our backyard, I thought to myself, 'I hope that one day the seeds that I plant in this ministry will grow into cherry trees like these.' Not that I need to see the results or need to count the number of cherries, but that my labour will produce good fruit.

Please pray for me that as I begin another school year, I will have direction and vision for the programs I run and for the students I interact with. Please pray that the fruits of my labour will flourish like that of my cherry tree, that God will use me to change the lives of students.

Thank you for all of your support, you don't know what it means to me. Blessings to you as well, as you plant seeds in your jobs, your families, your churches and your communities!

Around the campfire...

This month we have had the pleasure of having my whole family visit us in Lacombe, scattered throughout the month of July. Having people from your home take part in your world on the other side of Canada is a huge blessing.

One night while chatting around the camp fire, the topic of mistakes and regrets from the past came up. Talking about how we all have had our dark days, one of my siblings mentioned that I was the perfect child; never causing trouble and always keeping my head straight. Perfect? Not in the least bit. How could they think that? I struggle with pride. Judgement. Selfishness. Doubts. Illnesses. These are just as bad, if not worse, than getting drunk or disobeying the rules. As a stream of tears rolled down my face, I was hurt that there was no recognition of the struggles I've been through and that I gave the impression that I was "perfect."

My wise husband then remarked that God gives to us only what will bring us growth and make us to be stronger believers. God knows us so well that He will put the perfect sized bumps in the road to steer us back in the right direction; whether that is struggling with selfishness or idols of the world, or being thrown into life-changing health problems. He knows to give us time to figure it out on our own or when it's time to intervene with something big. He knows the experiences we've had in our childhood and what it is that will help us wake up from slumber. He knows just the right timing and the right people to be there.

What I am getting at is, God knows. We may stumble and fall or make a terrible decision, but God knows every thought, every decision, every action. And the best part is that He cares. No matter what life throws at us or what we choose to make it, He cares that we are comforted, and that we look to Him for guidance and direction. So I encourage you: life will throw you through the ringer and may toss you like waves on the rocks, each of you in unique ways... but it is when we hope in Him that we can make it through. All of us.

I am amazed by God and His love for each and every person. I pray you can see every challenge in your life, even if it seems small to others, as a step forward to knowing more about Jesus and who He created you to be.


[I am off for vacation in Ontario. You will be hearing from me later in August. Happy Summer! Ps. We'll be on the road for two days so put some extra votes in for me!!
http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/236057/voteable_entries/53629462?wfrefid=e0e6033b1523 ]

Rhubarb Jam

On Tuesday I was given a huge bundle of rhubarb, but I have never ever used rhubarb in baking. I was very excited about it, to try something new. As I began chopping up the rhubarb, I noticed how unfamiliar I was with the fruit (is it even a fruit or a vegetable?). I didn't know what part I should keep or throw away, or what part would taste more sour or sweet. It was foreign, even though many times I have tasted delicious strawberry rhubarb pie!

My jars of Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

This relates a little bit about what I am experiencing this summer. As my job is changing from the Administration position to a ministry only position, I feel a little bit foreign. The description of the job is wide-open and I can make it what I want. Although I've tasted and loved the part of ministry I've done, it's hard to know what to keep or throw away, or what will be sour or sweet! I am excited for the journey of "baking" youth ministry this summer and seeing the results for the 2012-2013 year, but the process of getting there is a little bit new. Exciting but scary.

My rhubarb creations ended up tasting delightful. I made 3 jars of strawberry rhubarb jam and a big dish of rhubarb apple crisp. Still more is in the freezer to explore baking another time, but for the time being I was quite happy with the results. I only pray that the results of my job in September changing will be as delightful :)