Hello, everyone!

I had a pretty good May long... most of it was spent at Valley View Bible Camp--my home-to-be in a month or so. It was the annual CSSM Leadership Training, and about 27 people from various camps showed up. It turns out I am the youngest person there! Anyways, the weekend was really good and thought provoking, although I have to admit that I am a little nervous about being the Leadership Development Training leader. I guess I'm just going to have to trust in God to provide!

Okay, I was intending to write more, but I have a headache. Until next time!

who's the bump on the log?

Today is just one of those days....

One of those days where you have absolutely no energy to do anything but the bare necessities. I'm tired from lack of sleep. I'm tired from getting ready to move again. I'm tired from being sick. I'm tired from being emotional. But what do you do? You just ride the wave (or get swallowed by it, however you'd prefer to look at it) until it passes.

I think that I need to get this day back on track. I need to take charge, get something done, and finally feel like more than a bump on a log!

Hmmm. Well, that was inspirational.

Moving?

Well, dear readers, it's about time that I inform you of an extremely monumental event in the lives of everyone in my family, though it won't affect you.

Ahem. (drum role, please)........................

We're moving to Regina! Oh yes, after, let's see... 17 years of hoping to work with family, my dad has been offered a position as Chaplain at Souls Harbour Rescue Mission! We will finally be able to live near family and rest assured that this is God's timing.

Although I may sound excited, I'd like to qualify that this is a bitter-sweet situation. It's been three years at Bagot Community Chapel, and we have so many meaningful relationships. It will definitely be hard to leave... and yet we are needed just as much in Regina.

Actually, to be completey honest with you, I have kept myself distant from the whole situation. I had already decided to move to Regina to take Rescue College, so this move doesn't have the weight that others have had. But the more I think about it, the more I am going to miss everyone here. I've lived here from grade 3 to grade 12, and it's going to be hard to say goodbye. Alas, this will be my farewell to Friendly Manitoba!

But for how long?

Friends

Friends are such a blessing from God. They can encourage you in the Lord, sharpen your faith, and lighten the load of life. It's interesting to think on how much people change, though. When I think back even 2 years ago, I note that the friends I would have considered closest have grown distant while distant friends have grown close. It just goes to show that God puts different people in our lives for different seasons. I know for sure that one of the hardest seasons of life was accompanied by specific people, and now, after growing from that season, I am with different people. It's not so much that I'm changing and change is bad, but it's that God is changing me, and change is good when He works it out. So, right now I remain truly grateful for every single person God has blessed me to know, and I look ahead to what and who he has in store for me.

It's almost summertime....

Hello! It is hot outside today. I think it's around 30! Crazy.... especially when you think that a couple years ago there was a freak snow storm around this time. Ahhh.... weather in Manitoba is never sound. Well, I'm finding it really hard to type right now, so I think I'm going to save my words for another day. Bye!

The Ten Commandments

Haha... ok, so here is the new version of the Ten Commandments....

The Ten Voluntary Initiatives

1. I promise to have love and respect for the planet earth and living things thereon, especially my fellow species--humankind.
2. I promise to treat all persons everywhere with dignity, respect, and friendliness.
3. I promise to have no more than two children, or no more than my nation suggests.
4. I promise to use my best efforts to save what is left of our natural world in its untouched state and to restore damaged or destroyed areas where practical.
5. I pledge to use as little nonrenewable resources as possible.
6. I pledge to use as little toxic chemicals, pesticides, and other poisons as possible and to work for their reduction by others.
7. I promise to contribute to those less fortunate than myself, to help them become self-sufficient and enjoy the benefits of a decent life, including clean air and water, adequate food and health care, housing, education, and individual rights.
8. I reject the use of force, in particular military force, and back United Nations arbitration of international disputes.
9. I support the total elimination of all nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons of mass destruction.
10. I support the United Nations and its efforts to collectively improve the conditions of the planet.

What a mockery! What was once about God is now about the earth. I can't believe how high and mighty people think they are! I don't care what anybody says, the Ten Commandments will never be out of date.

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an image, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
3. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
4. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife... or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
    
    

Christ Never Fails

I came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit today.

My mom and I were heading off to Brandon under rainy skies in pursuit of a banquet/grad outfit for her, and we were engaging in happy conversation, as usual. I like to tell my mom of things happening in my life, including the status of some of my relationships with people, so she can pray about them (she is such a prayer warrior, and I admire her so much!). I told her of a conversation I had recently with a friend, and all of a sudden she asked me where my boldness had gone. I was momentarily stunned--how did she think she had the right to confront me on that, I thought angrily. I was very deffensive at first.... but then the realization of what she said sunk in.

You see, I'm very bold on paper. I'm bold in my blog, I'm bold in school assignments, I'm bold in sunday school. Basically, I'm bold when it's easy to be bold. But when I see a friend slipping into things I don't agree with, I tiptoe around the topic. I guess I'm afraid of offending them. Oh, what a hard realization this was. The fact is that I have been fearing man more than God.

Looking out the window, tears streaming down my face like the rain drifting across the glass, I came to realize what a hypocrite I am. I felt hurt, but that was only because the pride inside of me was recoiling in indignation. What an ugly thing it is! I knew I was being prideful, but, for the first time in weeks, I couldn't justify it. I had no argument, for I had been undone!

I did what I have been taught to do ever since I was just a little girl... and that was to confess my sins and ask forgiveness of God. For what else could I do? I am a wretched person, but it seems like I have just considered that as an inconvenient truth easily pushed aside. I needed God's divine intervention! I couldn't even see where I was failing.

Well, I guess the whole point of this is that I feel free, now that I have had the blinders taken off. I am free to see what I truly am in the flesh, but more importantly I am free to see who I am in Christ. All I can do is praise God for his continual guidance in my life.

Psychotherapy

I took this picture at a school in Tijuana, Mexico. Believe it or not, this is actually a hallway. Most schools in Mexico have a heavy reliance on doing outdoor activities, which is why they close when the weather is poor. There is something about this picture that I really like, though. I feel like it has a "leading" feeling to it... I don't know where it's taking me, but I am drawn into it. Somehow I feel that this picture says something about me.... but I don't know what. I wonder what sort of things psychotherapists could deduce about my life by looking at this picture...

First Baptist Church of Chesterfield

Hello everyone! I am back from St. Louis, currently enjoying my own house, coveting my own bed, and catching up on rest. I love home!

I don't think I will be able to relate to you absolutely everything that happened on the trip because there was just so much! We did everything I posted about before, and most of it met my expectations. Six Flags was a little disappointing, but I think that's just because I'm not much for standing in seemingly everlasting lines, frying in the hot sun, and getting my stomach thrusted into my throat repeatedly.

My favorite thing had to be going to the First Baptist Church of Chesterfield on Sunday morning. It was the most amazing church service I've ever took part of! The singing was phenomonal, the choir was amazing, and the preacher was on fire! Three hours later we found ourselves back on the bus again, although it only felt like 30 minutes had passed. And what was so neat is that we were welcomed very warmly. The preacher had us stand up in front of the congregation twice, and mentioned us a few times in his sermon. He told us to go back to Manitoba and tell all the people at home that there are people who believe in the Lord in Missouri! He even prayed for safety for us on the trip home. Everyone was overwhelmed by the love of God, I think.

This trip really made me think about how I am impacting people for Christ. Do people see His presence in me? Do I reflect Him in all I say and do? I definitely could see God in the people we met in the church we attended. My only prayer is that God would get the glory, not me.