Asami has a Japanese friend who is a Christian, and in fact is studying bible at UBC. Her friend, whose name is Tomomi, explained the whole gospel to her in Japanese which clarified a lot of things for her and peaked her interest again. Asami made it very clear that while she doesn’t believe it yet, she’s still interested to learn about it. The other day, Asami asked me “what is your favorite bible word?” I thought she meant verse, but she was like ‘no- word, you know like faith, love, peace’. Really good question. I was like mhh probably grace and explained that. Then Asami was like ‘I really like the word forgiveness, everyone needs it.’ Asami went to church today with Tomomi. Baby steps.
Yesterday, we bought 104 water bottles and headed to the fireworks show (canadians like to celebrate everything!). I dropped a waterbottle on the way and this dude picked up and started scolding me for buying plastics bottles because it destroys the earth; freaking Canadian hippies. Anyway, I told him I loved Jesus and then got a lecture about Canadian politics and how they misrepresent Christianity. I kindly told him I was from the states and got another discourse about American politics and how Sept 11th was an inside job. Politics make me barf. He concluded the dialogue by saying that even Jesus believes that all religions are valid and I just need to open my mind. He also added, that his dead girlfriend comes to visit him. Weird.—and that was water bottle number one.
Times this by 104 and that was how interesting our night was.
As we boarded a bus, I dropped some more bottles on accident and told the people to keep them and they yelled Free Water??!! Then the whole bus was like “YAHH! FREE WATER.” As we passed out a bus full of water, several people asked why we were just giving it out and I was like ‘BECAUSE JESUS IS ALIVE!” and somebody yelled ‘Yeah! I’ll drink to Jesus!” It was hilarious.
We carried the water about twenty blocks and got tired so we just started passing it out at a random part of Stanley Park. We stood on a street corner and shouted the name of Jesus! haha. I thrive in awkward situations so I was lovin it.
Here were some of the other responses:
-“Free water..whats the occasion?” “Jesus!”
-“oh, free water.. who are you sponsoring?” “Jesus!”
- “free water? Nothing in life is free!” “Jesus is free!!!”
- “Free water, from who?” “From Jesus!” “Thank you Jesus!”
-“Water? Well, do you have some important message for me too?” “psh yeah I do. Jesus is alive” “He sure is quenching my thirst!”
- One really disheartening dude: “So you’re giving out free water so you can talk to me about Jesus huh?” “Yeah, pretty much.” “Well then I don’t want your water” “I wont talk, you can just take it” “No. I don’t want it.” I could sense the hurt behind his eyes.
Baby steps. That’s all I can say. Our goal was to reach out. To meet a need. To associate Jesus with something that is good, and free. and have some blessed conversations along the way.
The kingdom of God is like baby steps at times. I feel like this whole summer was one giant baby step. Asami took a baby step towards knowing Christ. The youth group took a baby step towards leadership, evangelism, and growth. I took a baby step in an effort to understand the heart of my Savior. I’d say it was a pretty productive summer.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
just more thoughts.
Do we spend our whole lives missing people? I’ve pondered this thought a lot but never really wrote it down. Example A: my life right now. At this very moment, I find myself really excited to be going home in a week and seeing my friends that are as close as fam. But I realize that when I step off that plane and someone asks me ‘how was canada?’, I’ll find myself missing the kids, missing Asami, and missing the boys I shared life with for 2 months.
Ps: it was pointed out that the boys are the only Caucasians I’ve hung out with in the last 2 months. It will be weird hanging out with white people again. But really, it’s a really depressing thought: you are always missing someone. I miss my bro a freaking lot. I miss some old friends from high school. I miss the dude we met yesterday who, arguably might have been intoxicated, but seemed genuinely happy to be alive.
Why cant I just put everyone I love into my back pocket and carry them around—life would be so much happier.
Ps: it was pointed out that the boys are the only Caucasians I’ve hung out with in the last 2 months. It will be weird hanging out with white people again. But really, it’s a really depressing thought: you are always missing someone. I miss my bro a freaking lot. I miss some old friends from high school. I miss the dude we met yesterday who, arguably might have been intoxicated, but seemed genuinely happy to be alive.
Why cant I just put everyone I love into my back pocket and carry them around—life would be so much happier.
Monday, July 21, 2008
sprinting
I don’t know if anyone reads this anymore but I’m gunna keep blabbing..
10 days till home. Ten days. Weird, some mission trips are only ten days long- It’s not over yet. I feel like I’m a marathon runner and I’m on the last 4 miles.. I’m sprinting it home. Yeahh booooy.
Hmm, I think Ill continue speaking in cheesy analogies of running… So right before the sprint home, I tripped and went head first into the cold, hard pavement. Two days ago, I didn’t believe in God; let me explain. I believed God was real, more real than ever, but I was severely questioning his authority and if God doesn’t have all authority/power who is He? This ‘faith crisis’ was spurred by the realization that Asami might not decide to love Jesus despite my pleas to God. Instead of identifying with the heart of God (which my teammate Casey encouraged me to do), I beat around the idea that maybe He doesn’t do it because He can’t. That’s bull crap. But at the time, it was a very real and very scary question to reconcile.
Anyway, God reaffirmed his truth in my heart. He is all powerful and his heart aches a thousand times what mine does for her. I look at her and honestly see His pain, His sacrifice, His LOVE for her. It’s foolish to think God is dependant on my time schedule. Just because I am here for 10 more days; 240 more hours… wait 239 hours now. He better hurry up.. lame.
I feel like I have lived life here for the last two months; eat, slept, pooped, and affected the people around me. However, I labeled these last two months of my life as a ‘mission trip’, therefore, they should be impressively glamorous right? I know in ten days, life will not change much. Sure, there will be no more mountains ominously looming above my head, or no more homeless dudes to shake a hand, or 1.6 million hilariously lovable Asian people right on my block. Yet my life will still be a marathon—(thanks Paul for coining that phrase so now I just sound cliché.) I will struggle, I will seek, I will serve. I will experience God’s beauty in a Shawnee sunset. I will see God’s pain in the complacency. I will struggle with questions about predestination, passivism, and why men have nipples.
Yet, through all of this, I can already sense I will deeply miss Vancouver.
10 days till home. Ten days. Weird, some mission trips are only ten days long- It’s not over yet. I feel like I’m a marathon runner and I’m on the last 4 miles.. I’m sprinting it home. Yeahh booooy.
Hmm, I think Ill continue speaking in cheesy analogies of running… So right before the sprint home, I tripped and went head first into the cold, hard pavement. Two days ago, I didn’t believe in God; let me explain. I believed God was real, more real than ever, but I was severely questioning his authority and if God doesn’t have all authority/power who is He? This ‘faith crisis’ was spurred by the realization that Asami might not decide to love Jesus despite my pleas to God. Instead of identifying with the heart of God (which my teammate Casey encouraged me to do), I beat around the idea that maybe He doesn’t do it because He can’t. That’s bull crap. But at the time, it was a very real and very scary question to reconcile.
Anyway, God reaffirmed his truth in my heart. He is all powerful and his heart aches a thousand times what mine does for her. I look at her and honestly see His pain, His sacrifice, His LOVE for her. It’s foolish to think God is dependant on my time schedule. Just because I am here for 10 more days; 240 more hours… wait 239 hours now. He better hurry up.. lame.
I feel like I have lived life here for the last two months; eat, slept, pooped, and affected the people around me. However, I labeled these last two months of my life as a ‘mission trip’, therefore, they should be impressively glamorous right? I know in ten days, life will not change much. Sure, there will be no more mountains ominously looming above my head, or no more homeless dudes to shake a hand, or 1.6 million hilariously lovable Asian people right on my block. Yet my life will still be a marathon—(thanks Paul for coining that phrase so now I just sound cliché.) I will struggle, I will seek, I will serve. I will experience God’s beauty in a Shawnee sunset. I will see God’s pain in the complacency. I will struggle with questions about predestination, passivism, and why men have nipples.
Yet, through all of this, I can already sense I will deeply miss Vancouver.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
thoughts.
Sorry I’ve failed to update lately; life has been busy yet rewarding.
Leadership camp was beautiful. The kids ATE up what God told us to teach them. It was like cramming a week of super summer into a day and a half. Intense but rewarding. The first night we did timeline testimonies; I listed to multiple stories of these kids sharing how they found Christ despite of their atheistic backgrounds- ‘I was a good little communist, so I didn’t believe anything, and then I found Jesus’, Beautiful. Many of them lead their families to Christ and many of their friends. The first night we went till midnight just sharing, teaching, and learning. It was wonderful. The weekend was not long enough but it was definitely fruitful. Everyone learned, everyone was changed; everyone is now prepared to BE the change.
What I learned this weekend: I learned immensely through the kids of what raw desire to learn and grow looks like. It is sheer beauty. Moreover, I learned about myself. So lately, as in the last 2 months ive been praying "God, rid me of myself"' I stole this line from Ashley Studdard's brothers blog. I thought it was deep but God told me this weekend it was stupid. We were talking about butterflies and the whole transformation process; at one point, between caterpillar and butterfly, the buggy-fetuses are completely formless and mushy. When they are mushy, they have no point or purpose. Psalm 103 also helped me come to the conclusion that I am always going to be ME; no matter how hard I try to take on the ideal of loosing myself-(which is ironically a Buddhist ideal) I will always have desires and wants but following Christ means desiring things for his kingdom.
"Because of sin I am self-addicted. I am prone to love things that kill me...when people who follow Jesus love the right things, they help create God's kingdom on earth, and that is something beautiful."- Donald Miller ‘Blue Like Jazz’.
My parentals came last week and spoiled the poo out of me and the boys. I really suffered for jesus by hitting the ski slopes in July; disclaimer- the whole time I was on the mountain, I was spiritually ticked off. I found that most of the people who are crazy enough to snowboard in July are either pot heads or pros. The pots heads are way too far gone to realize where they are and for the pros it was just another day of the year to better themselves. I found myself praying that Jesus would come back so the whole glacier full of people would fall down and worship the Creator. Even on the top of a beautiful mountain, the secularity of this city follows me. It makes me want to vomit.
Enough ranting, my parents visit was wonderful and refreshing. They got meet some of the people I have grown to love and only attempting to describe to them in emails. It was awesome to see God used my parents to talk to the parents of the church that I have a harder time relating to. At one point, I turned around and my mom was surrounded by a crowd of Chinese people who were captivated by her story telling and charisma. It was wonderful. I feel like now in life, my parents are less like dictators and more like cool people I get to hangout with. I guess I like being older, just for that reason alone.
Sixteen days left; (I’m not going to lie, I had to Google image search a calendar just to figure out what day today is-that’s how anti-reality my life has become). With a little more than two weeks to make an impact on this city and the lives of these kids I feel overwhelmed and a little helpless. I know for the next year I will mull over these last two months with regret for not having ‘done enough’. But God’s work isn’t dependant on me. I’m just blessed to be a little part of it. I know it will be painful leaving; it’s funny how fast I can adapt to a new setting, new people, a new life. wheew only 16 more days… Guess its time to get up from this coffee shop and go make them count.
“Praise the Lord O my soul….who redeems life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagles’.- Pslam 103:2-6
EDIT//: Right after i got done posting this blog last night at the coffee shop, some druken canadian came in and started yelling about how he's going to stab someone because this was 'his land'. Soon after, he stripped down into his underwear and started speaking in Squamish or some other Native American tongue, and listing his ancestors. While Im not afraid of death, I couldnt imagine that being stabbed or taken hostage would feel too good. Casey came to my rescue and on our walk home another crazed canadian in nothing but underwear came streeking past us. He came up to Casey and started rambling about how that is what he liked to wear in Holland. Oohh Canada.. Thanks God for watching out for me!
Leadership camp was beautiful. The kids ATE up what God told us to teach them. It was like cramming a week of super summer into a day and a half. Intense but rewarding. The first night we did timeline testimonies; I listed to multiple stories of these kids sharing how they found Christ despite of their atheistic backgrounds- ‘I was a good little communist, so I didn’t believe anything, and then I found Jesus’, Beautiful. Many of them lead their families to Christ and many of their friends. The first night we went till midnight just sharing, teaching, and learning. It was wonderful. The weekend was not long enough but it was definitely fruitful. Everyone learned, everyone was changed; everyone is now prepared to BE the change.
What I learned this weekend: I learned immensely through the kids of what raw desire to learn and grow looks like. It is sheer beauty. Moreover, I learned about myself. So lately, as in the last 2 months ive been praying "God, rid me of myself"' I stole this line from Ashley Studdard's brothers blog. I thought it was deep but God told me this weekend it was stupid. We were talking about butterflies and the whole transformation process; at one point, between caterpillar and butterfly, the buggy-fetuses are completely formless and mushy. When they are mushy, they have no point or purpose. Psalm 103 also helped me come to the conclusion that I am always going to be ME; no matter how hard I try to take on the ideal of loosing myself-(which is ironically a Buddhist ideal) I will always have desires and wants but following Christ means desiring things for his kingdom.
"Because of sin I am self-addicted. I am prone to love things that kill me...when people who follow Jesus love the right things, they help create God's kingdom on earth, and that is something beautiful."- Donald Miller ‘Blue Like Jazz’.
My parentals came last week and spoiled the poo out of me and the boys. I really suffered for jesus by hitting the ski slopes in July; disclaimer- the whole time I was on the mountain, I was spiritually ticked off. I found that most of the people who are crazy enough to snowboard in July are either pot heads or pros. The pots heads are way too far gone to realize where they are and for the pros it was just another day of the year to better themselves. I found myself praying that Jesus would come back so the whole glacier full of people would fall down and worship the Creator. Even on the top of a beautiful mountain, the secularity of this city follows me. It makes me want to vomit.
Enough ranting, my parents visit was wonderful and refreshing. They got meet some of the people I have grown to love and only attempting to describe to them in emails. It was awesome to see God used my parents to talk to the parents of the church that I have a harder time relating to. At one point, I turned around and my mom was surrounded by a crowd of Chinese people who were captivated by her story telling and charisma. It was wonderful. I feel like now in life, my parents are less like dictators and more like cool people I get to hangout with. I guess I like being older, just for that reason alone.
Sixteen days left; (I’m not going to lie, I had to Google image search a calendar just to figure out what day today is-that’s how anti-reality my life has become). With a little more than two weeks to make an impact on this city and the lives of these kids I feel overwhelmed and a little helpless. I know for the next year I will mull over these last two months with regret for not having ‘done enough’. But God’s work isn’t dependant on me. I’m just blessed to be a little part of it. I know it will be painful leaving; it’s funny how fast I can adapt to a new setting, new people, a new life. wheew only 16 more days… Guess its time to get up from this coffee shop and go make them count.
“Praise the Lord O my soul….who redeems life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagles’.- Pslam 103:2-6
EDIT//: Right after i got done posting this blog last night at the coffee shop, some druken canadian came in and started yelling about how he's going to stab someone because this was 'his land'. Soon after, he stripped down into his underwear and started speaking in Squamish or some other Native American tongue, and listing his ancestors. While Im not afraid of death, I couldnt imagine that being stabbed or taken hostage would feel too good. Casey came to my rescue and on our walk home another crazed canadian in nothing but underwear came streeking past us. He came up to Casey and started rambling about how that is what he liked to wear in Holland. Oohh Canada.. Thanks God for watching out for me!
Monday, July 7, 2008
God took a loofah to my soul
The new background pic is from fireworks on Canada Day; which was wonderful by the way- I got to hang out with Asami all afternoon and tell her how Jesus is kind of like pancakes; stupid analogy but it communicated the point rather well. Then that night our team met up with youth group kids in Stanley Park and watched fireworks across the bay. Beauuutiful.
For ‘America day”, as the Canadians like to call it, me and Casey got up at 4am and caught a bus to Seattle. After surviving a bus trip with our driver, Yolanda 'yo momma', we reached seattle. Tony, my best friends’ dad, showed me and casey around all day. Hanging out with him made me miss my best friends but it was also an awesome opportunity. Tony shared with us his thoughts on the lostness of Seattle which was widely apparent, much like Vancouver. This last year, Tony has been spiritually and emotionally tested beyond imagination yet he remains a faithful man of God.
Unfortunately, after eating a bowl of the ‘Nations best clam chowder’ on the waterfront, Casey got extremely sick. We took it easy but got to enjoy fireworks that night with Cameron (my besties’ 7 year old half sister). Cameron told me that she recently gave her heart to Jesus. That curly headed bouncy blonde is the definition of Joy. Pray that she will keep growing in faith regardless of circumstances.
One the way home the next morning, we had a couple minutes to spare because our bus was late. I walked around the corner, just across from the space needle, to grab a cup of coffee. After asking my life story, the barista chastised me for being a missionary and ‘brain washing/converting’ people. I got back to the bus station and Casey had witnessed an intense verbal fight between two guys yelling about the existence of Christianity. My impression was ‘what a weird world we live in’. Casey was like ‘I wanna go back to the bible belt’.
As we stood in line, we talking about how we hoped for this next month to be fruitful and how we wished God would use us more. In the midst of our whine session, the lady in front of us started to spark a conversation. To make a long story short; her name is Judy. She lives in Seattle but is from Mexico City. She has a passionate love for the bible and is diligently seeking God but she doesn’t understand ‘church’. About the point in the convo that we all realized we all were on the same ‘loving Jesus’ page; Judy was like ‘see the holy spirit is here with us. That’s why we started talking’. We gave her our contact info and recommended churches to get her connected. She asked to come to our Chinese church, which only preaches in Mandarin. She said she didn’t mind as long as they taught the bible. Ha. So awesome.
Casey and I took our seats on the bus and looked at each other and literally laughed out loud at the irony that God uses. I could feel God laughing too. We headed back and reflected on the lostness of the Pacific Northwest. We began to weep and cry out to God; I have felt my heart become callused after only a month of being constantly surrounded by desperation; God took a loofah to my soul, scratching away at my complacency, my bitterness, my acceptance of the pattern of this world. The four hours back to ‘home’ was a great time of refreshment, renewal, and vision.
Another thought I became aware of on my short trip to the U.S. of A. Soon after crossing the border into the states, we passed outlet stores and high school football stadiums. I bitterly thought to myself “mhh America at its finest”. I told Casey that I would never be okay with living permanently in the states. Over the day I kept thinking why it bothered me so much. I love having the freedom as a citizen of the US, and I also love the fact that marijuana is still illegal but I loathe the self-centered ideals of America. I feel like the ideal of America is ‘how can I better myself.’ To summarize; my finally realization is that I tend to categorize these attitudes as ‘American’ but really they are just my attitudes when I am in America and being complacent, selfish, and materialist. I shouldn’t have to go to another country to escape myself.
Anyway, just some thoughts that I have been pondering. Praise the One who gives life and life abundant.
This week will be glorious; my parents are coming tomorrow!! Yayyyy.
Some things to pray for if you would---
Me and casey have a date with our homeless buddy Jay tonight. Pray for blessed convo and understanding as we share hope with him!
I also have a breakfast date with Asami; pray for guidance from the spirit. That she would accept the TRUTH as the only, not just one of many. She has become really close to my heart. I earn for her to know the love of the Father.
Leadership camp starts on Friday. We will be taking a group of 15 youth and teaching them how to live out their faith for the first time. It should be epic. Prayer is definitely needed!!
‘And the cry of my heart is to bring you praise, from the inside out, Lord. My soul cries out.’
For ‘America day”, as the Canadians like to call it, me and Casey got up at 4am and caught a bus to Seattle. After surviving a bus trip with our driver, Yolanda 'yo momma', we reached seattle. Tony, my best friends’ dad, showed me and casey around all day. Hanging out with him made me miss my best friends but it was also an awesome opportunity. Tony shared with us his thoughts on the lostness of Seattle which was widely apparent, much like Vancouver. This last year, Tony has been spiritually and emotionally tested beyond imagination yet he remains a faithful man of God.
Unfortunately, after eating a bowl of the ‘Nations best clam chowder’ on the waterfront, Casey got extremely sick. We took it easy but got to enjoy fireworks that night with Cameron (my besties’ 7 year old half sister). Cameron told me that she recently gave her heart to Jesus. That curly headed bouncy blonde is the definition of Joy. Pray that she will keep growing in faith regardless of circumstances.
One the way home the next morning, we had a couple minutes to spare because our bus was late. I walked around the corner, just across from the space needle, to grab a cup of coffee. After asking my life story, the barista chastised me for being a missionary and ‘brain washing/converting’ people. I got back to the bus station and Casey had witnessed an intense verbal fight between two guys yelling about the existence of Christianity. My impression was ‘what a weird world we live in’. Casey was like ‘I wanna go back to the bible belt’.
As we stood in line, we talking about how we hoped for this next month to be fruitful and how we wished God would use us more. In the midst of our whine session, the lady in front of us started to spark a conversation. To make a long story short; her name is Judy. She lives in Seattle but is from Mexico City. She has a passionate love for the bible and is diligently seeking God but she doesn’t understand ‘church’. About the point in the convo that we all realized we all were on the same ‘loving Jesus’ page; Judy was like ‘see the holy spirit is here with us. That’s why we started talking’. We gave her our contact info and recommended churches to get her connected. She asked to come to our Chinese church, which only preaches in Mandarin. She said she didn’t mind as long as they taught the bible. Ha. So awesome.
Casey and I took our seats on the bus and looked at each other and literally laughed out loud at the irony that God uses. I could feel God laughing too. We headed back and reflected on the lostness of the Pacific Northwest. We began to weep and cry out to God; I have felt my heart become callused after only a month of being constantly surrounded by desperation; God took a loofah to my soul, scratching away at my complacency, my bitterness, my acceptance of the pattern of this world. The four hours back to ‘home’ was a great time of refreshment, renewal, and vision.
Another thought I became aware of on my short trip to the U.S. of A. Soon after crossing the border into the states, we passed outlet stores and high school football stadiums. I bitterly thought to myself “mhh America at its finest”. I told Casey that I would never be okay with living permanently in the states. Over the day I kept thinking why it bothered me so much. I love having the freedom as a citizen of the US, and I also love the fact that marijuana is still illegal but I loathe the self-centered ideals of America. I feel like the ideal of America is ‘how can I better myself.’ To summarize; my finally realization is that I tend to categorize these attitudes as ‘American’ but really they are just my attitudes when I am in America and being complacent, selfish, and materialist. I shouldn’t have to go to another country to escape myself.
Anyway, just some thoughts that I have been pondering. Praise the One who gives life and life abundant.
This week will be glorious; my parents are coming tomorrow!! Yayyyy.
Some things to pray for if you would---
Me and casey have a date with our homeless buddy Jay tonight. Pray for blessed convo and understanding as we share hope with him!
I also have a breakfast date with Asami; pray for guidance from the spirit. That she would accept the TRUTH as the only, not just one of many. She has become really close to my heart. I earn for her to know the love of the Father.
Leadership camp starts on Friday. We will be taking a group of 15 youth and teaching them how to live out their faith for the first time. It should be epic. Prayer is definitely needed!!
‘And the cry of my heart is to bring you praise, from the inside out, Lord. My soul cries out.’
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
apex
Camp was wonderful! I don’t know how else to explain the last three days of my life…
A group from Texas came to lead the camp which was such a blessing as it allowed us missionaries to focus entirely on the kids rather than on details and schedules. I feel like I really know the hearts of the kids now; they are wonderful and beautiful and seeking and struggling…
Sunday night was especially amazing. We did cardboard testimonies; One side of a piece of cardboard you write what you used to be, and flip it over to what God has done in you. The kids presented theirs later that night and it was extremely powerful. This one especially angry kid named Marco who liked to hunt wild animals wrote "God hasn’t changed me- show me the truth". It was hard watching lots of these kids acknowledge that they KNOW the truth yet they don’t commit to it. It’s this HUGE trap Satan has them it- They don’t feel like its important or even necessary to commit their lives to it; i believe. So what?
My heart broke for them. I sat down on a log and poured out my heart for them; but as hard as I was trying to cry out; Satan was SCREAMING at me, filling my head with similar lies. Satan had gotten his foot in the door of my mind via theological debates I had had the last two days with Casey and Josh. Raising questions isn’t a bad thing but Satan had used them to spur doubt and disbelief in my heart. I even doubted sincerity of God and the reality of salvation. I cried out to God on behalf of my own disbelief and ignorance as well as for the kids’! The service was over but Derek and John-Mark, two of the boys from the texas team, kept playing there guitars and came and sat in front of me. My heart BROKE for these kids. The truth is right there. I just want them to reach out and grab it. Satan is such a PUNK! Caitlin, also one of the texas team, came and prayed over me. a couple other people came up and kept singing. The truth flooded my mind. I stood up and looked straight up into the clearing in the trees and started to loudly sing 'im alive, im alive, im alive..'. It was awesome----
i looked over and there were my shadows; The two 7th grade girls from my tent. one looked completely freaked out and the other was crying uncontrollably. It cued some very good conversation about God's greatness tho. We kept worshiping via guitar and singing until the park ranger told us to shut up.---glorious.
Sidenote--- After one of Josh and I’s theological convos (aka verbal joust), one of the 6th grade boys overheard Josh talking about my 'theology' and the kid came up to me and said "Josh said you had bad 'Geography’, Do you even know anything about the woods?”
This weekend was definitely the APEX of my summer so far. God is so gracious.
Thank you for your prayers. They are needed. The fact that our team went into the camp with very low energy yet made it through 3 almost sleepless nights is a miracle in itself!
Happy Canada Day Everyone!!!!
"God keep our land glorious and free, Oh canada we stand on guard for thee!"
A group from Texas came to lead the camp which was such a blessing as it allowed us missionaries to focus entirely on the kids rather than on details and schedules. I feel like I really know the hearts of the kids now; they are wonderful and beautiful and seeking and struggling…
Sunday night was especially amazing. We did cardboard testimonies; One side of a piece of cardboard you write what you used to be, and flip it over to what God has done in you. The kids presented theirs later that night and it was extremely powerful. This one especially angry kid named Marco who liked to hunt wild animals wrote "God hasn’t changed me- show me the truth". It was hard watching lots of these kids acknowledge that they KNOW the truth yet they don’t commit to it. It’s this HUGE trap Satan has them it- They don’t feel like its important or even necessary to commit their lives to it; i believe. So what?
My heart broke for them. I sat down on a log and poured out my heart for them; but as hard as I was trying to cry out; Satan was SCREAMING at me, filling my head with similar lies. Satan had gotten his foot in the door of my mind via theological debates I had had the last two days with Casey and Josh. Raising questions isn’t a bad thing but Satan had used them to spur doubt and disbelief in my heart. I even doubted sincerity of God and the reality of salvation. I cried out to God on behalf of my own disbelief and ignorance as well as for the kids’! The service was over but Derek and John-Mark, two of the boys from the texas team, kept playing there guitars and came and sat in front of me. My heart BROKE for these kids. The truth is right there. I just want them to reach out and grab it. Satan is such a PUNK! Caitlin, also one of the texas team, came and prayed over me. a couple other people came up and kept singing. The truth flooded my mind. I stood up and looked straight up into the clearing in the trees and started to loudly sing 'im alive, im alive, im alive..'. It was awesome----
i looked over and there were my shadows; The two 7th grade girls from my tent. one looked completely freaked out and the other was crying uncontrollably. It cued some very good conversation about God's greatness tho. We kept worshiping via guitar and singing until the park ranger told us to shut up.---glorious.
Sidenote--- After one of Josh and I’s theological convos (aka verbal joust), one of the 6th grade boys overheard Josh talking about my 'theology' and the kid came up to me and said "Josh said you had bad 'Geography’, Do you even know anything about the woods?”
This weekend was definitely the APEX of my summer so far. God is so gracious.
Thank you for your prayers. They are needed. The fact that our team went into the camp with very low energy yet made it through 3 almost sleepless nights is a miracle in itself!
Happy Canada Day Everyone!!!!
"God keep our land glorious and free, Oh canada we stand on guard for thee!"
Thursday, June 26, 2008
camp camp camp
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