Anapauo. Rest.

Can we please do a count of who all is dating someone because I feel like everyone is in a relationship! As such, I fully expect some reunions happening soon **wink wink**.

Heyo! I miss you all a lot. That's what I need to say first. I can't believe it has been over a year since I have seen so many of you.

Next, nothing much is new in my life. No boy or anything, but I am moving! I'm moving about 10 minutes from UBC and will hopefully be hanging out with Janet lots!

So this has been an interesting season. I, once again, am learning to rest. It seems this is going to be my lifelong lesson and I thank you guys for speaking that over my life. Yes, Jim, I'm thankful for the name now; it just took a little while!

Last year was really tough for me and more than anything, all I wanted to do was escape. And I didn't see it as escaping before or I was just denying that it was escaping. I just wanted to go to Briercrest and have good community and actually like my courses. But I needed to finish out my year at UBC. So I did that. And applied for Briercrest for the fall of 2012. However, once it came down to crunch time of accepting my bursary, it was clear to me (against everything I wanted) that I was to stay in Vancouver for another year. Even more, I was to stay in Surrey for this summer.

Family, this was the hardest thing for me to do. I love to go. I love to serve, but this summer, I was called to serve in a different way. It has been really hard for me to be in my job and be home instead of at camp or in another country, but there has been good. As well, I have learned to see the suffering as suffering for the sake of Christ because I believe that He has called me there and has me there for a purpose and so there will be attack. I've gotten to bring a coworker to church with me and she is going to bring a friend with her now. It's really cool to see God's hand in placing me at work just when she was looking to start going back to church. Please pray for the both of them.


Also really cool is that a friend of mine started coming to church with me at Easter and is still coming. She has been my friend (really more like a sister) for about 17 years now. Actually, a few of you have met her! Her name is Kylie! Anyways, she has never expressed an interest in church but is now coming pretty regularly! Pray for her salvation. The Spirit is changing her heart and He is drawing her; she just needs to take that final step.


So it has been hard, but good for me to be home this summer. I still wish I could have gone somewhere, but for me to be right where God wants me is the best place for me to be. And I am learning to rest in that.

Please message me or something if you want to know more of what God has been teaching me. This is just the tip of the iceberg!

I love you all and I would love to hear from you!

And a little treat from Hermeneutics:

Holly

Hey

Hey guys.

I've just been looking at some scripture and thought I would just share. Its not a lot, but it is a couple of verses that have really stuck out for me this past week.

" Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter or our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. " Hebrews 12:1-3.

Just something to think about.

I hope you are all doing okay. I would love to hear from anyone. It seems like forever ago and I think and pray for you guys often. But yes, I would love to hear how you guys are doing. Whats up in life. Your walk. All of those type of things. What  some future plans are. Share a verse or something that has been on your mind. Anything really. Blogposts aren't too hard to write. So with that I challenge all those who may read this just to post something. Some ideas i cant think of is a verse, an update, a joke, a youtube clip of something that struck you, a picture. I don't really know haha. I just want to hear how y'all are doing!

oh boy, oh boy!

Hey everyone!
I hope your summer is going well! So... me and Jocelyne are making a road trip to the Island in August! We will be leaving Medicine Hat August 15, and will back in the Hat around the 23. So we would love to see all you BC people! Just thought you should know :)

summertime visits

oh hey.

I'm coming to BC from august 12-17 and would love to see some of you! I'm staying at bret's so I'll be in vic but let me know if you want to hang!!

Love you all dearly.

Anna

INDIA!

To my dear Kaleo family,

It feels like ages since I have seen or even talked to many of you - this blog has been pretty quiet lately! I have been checking it occasionally and am excited about the things being posted-
Jim, the Lord's faithful hand is so evident in the way that He is leading you and Sarah - I couldn't be more excited about the position He has given you (Oh, and I randomly met a Colleen Sumner at work one day, who passed on her greetings to you!).
Sarah, I shouted "hallelujah" when I read the post about your dad. The Lord is doing miracle upon miracle in your family! :)

I apologize for my quietness over the past year as well - I've sat down a few times to write (after I finally remembered my log-in info...), yet somehow it feels insufficient. I'd much rather just all sit down around the couches in the lounge and share stories about our lives. But I suppose this willl have to suffice...

I'll begin with the most exciting news because I feel as though I might burst! After 2 1/2 years of waiting for when God would open up the door for me to return to my beloved India, He has graciously given me the privilege this summer! I leave on July 16 and will be gone for 5 1/2 weeks. It will look different than my past trips to India, as I will be spending the whole time at the school there for Dalit children. I will also be officially teaching them English, putting my TESOL classes into practice. It's a little intimidating, but I know the Lord will equip me for the task. Although when I originally felt called to go this summer, it looked like I would be going by myself, the Lord has provided my dear cousin Kathleen as a travel and ministry companion. As well, in quite a miraculous turn of events, my parents felt that this was the summer God wanted them to travel together to do God's work in Russia and India, so they will be there for the last two weeks of my time in India.
I cannot WAIT to return to the precious children at St. Paul's school.

I had my last day of work today, at a job that the Lord just placed in my lap a couple days after arriving home in April. My employer from last summer called ME as soon as she learned over Facebook that I was back in Vernon. I thought it would be impossible to find a job that would hire me for a mere two months, but she wanted me back for as long as she could have me. Praise the Lord.

The Lord is good. SO good. Kaleo was a year of tearing down a lot of things in my heart, tearing down idols and attitudes and ideas. This last year at Briercrest was a year of rebuilding. And the Lord taught me SO much. To Him be the glory.

I pray that our Father reminds you all today of who you are in Christ and the depths from which He has rescued each one of us and the things that He has taught us. May He give you the strength today, brothers and sisters, to live up to what you have already attained, to live boldly for the sake of Christ.

In His Name and for His glory,
Heidi

Hey guys! I can't believe it has been a year. I miss you all so much! What a great year. I encourage you to look at your yearbooks! :)

I don't know how many of you know, but on Thursday, April 26, Canadian parliament is going to debate the personhood of unborn Canadians. They will be discussing / debating what a human is and abortion. Please pray for this! Pray that they may know that abortion is wrong and that a baby is a human even though it is unborn. Please be praying for what will be discussed.

Here is an attachment for an article that talks more about it :

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/canadian-parliament-to-debate-abortion-april-26

I encourage you to read it. There is more articles about this so look those up too.

Peace and love,

Mike

One Year Later

Amazing! It has been one year since Kaleo Grad 2011! How we miss you all, and have been so glad for every opportunity to hear from you and about you and to occasionally see some of you! Your progress in your faith is celebrated by us; your struggles are mourned and prayed for. "It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:7, 8 NIV).

Also, it has been one year of transition for us: wrapping up our time with Kaleo; helping Anna through a tough transition; selling and moving out of our 100 year old house; giving up both of our dogs; two weeks in Ucluelet; another two in Kelowna; a month housesitting in Duncan and another in Victoria; a trip across Canada visiting 90 Kaleo students; then 8000 km of travel around New Zealand; and finally a month of volunteering at another camp on the Island.

So, what's next? Friday evening, I was sitting in a kayak on the quiet waters of Cowichan Lake with the sun warming my back, and suddenly I knew what we should do. So yesterday, I accepted the position of the Director of Camp Imadene's Auxano program. This is a discipleship program for young adults of college age, focusing on biblical training and service, running from September to April. The goal for the fall is about 12 students (they had 5 as a trial run this year) and I will work alongside two other leaders (like Kaleo's interns), who are yet to be determined.

Right now we are living in Honeymoon Bay (see? I can be romantic!) in a beautiful waterfront home that belongs to friends. We never get tired of looking out the window.

Love you all! We appreciate your prayers as we get started in a whole new ministry! May our paths cross soon!

My dad finally chose Jesus.

He Is Risen!

I don't have a ton of Scripture for this time, simply I wanted to share in giving praise to God. Thinking about the reality that the One who created us would come and die for us, it's been a good day for reflection. I don't remember if you guys remember Cal's illustration of the nutshell that he carried around in his pocket to remind him of how small we are to God. We live, we die, and we turn to dust, without any lasting significance to earth. And yet he came to earth in the form of a man, and died in our place so that we wouldn't have to, so that we could be reconciled. How can we ever give enough gratitude towards an act like this? How can we ever misplace the love that he has for us?

"For one will scarcely die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:7-8

I hope that today has been a day where the glory was given all to God, and that the rest of our lives continue to do so. Be encouraged and comforted by this love, this is no small act that God chose to give his life for us. And most of all, with your lives give praise; this free gift came at an increadible price.

For God so Loved the World

Hey guys, here's some Scripture to look over while you reflect today. Grace and peace be yours.

"Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death,although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

"Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 52:13-53:12

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?" Psalm 22:1

"All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” Psalm 22:7-8

"For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me;they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." Psalm 22:16-18

" 'And on that day,' declares the Lord God, 'I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.... I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.' " Amos 8:9-10

"and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink" Psalm 69:21

As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. Matthew 27:32-50