Refresh my Soul

How often do you feel run down, over whelmed or distant from God and yet knowing that it’s

 not because He has moved away from you in any way but

 because you have wondered from Him. It’s so easy to be caught up in the 

business of life, even with good things. It’s easy to busy yourself with servicing others

 but forgetting why you are serving them, it’s easy to be busy going here and there and being

 involved in everything but forgetting why they are important, it’s easy to have many 

conversations with many people but forget to look at each one as special, blessed and the treasure that they are.

Why I am writing this is mostly because I have seen this business creep into my life and I see how it is the devil’s way of destroying the good that I am trying to do.

It has been a very busy week, settling in with my four new roommates, showing them 

around and helping them figure everything out, planning for camp, as well as 

normal stuff like cooking and cleaning at the flat and trying not to get lost while

 traveling on the TTC. I can see how everything I have been doing has not been 

seen in the light of joy like it should. It is awesome stuff that I have had the chance 

to do this week but yet if I do not see it in the right light or with a proper perspective it is yet another opportunity missed.  

Last night I had the opportunity to join a group associated with the MoveIn 

organization for an evening of prayer. We prayed for persecuted Christian around the world, for our city of Toronto and in small groups for ourselves. It was an evening full of perspective for me! It

 was also a blessing for me and all my roommates to find a place we can go weekly to 

have this Christian communion and fellowship. God is so good in providing us with a church surrounding us.

So my week continues to prep and preparing for program to start with Urban Promise. 

There is a lot that is dependent on me that was not during the 

summer which is good for challenging and stretching me, been doing a lot 

of brain storming! I am so very excited though through all of the high and lows for 

all that God is going to be doing through myself and the other interns here. And the amazing thing is.... He doesn’t even need us to do any of what He has planned and yet He chooses to use us! 

He even chooses to use our foolishness and mistakes!

 Makes me shake my head in astonishment and wonder at how gracious and loving our 

Friend, Father, Saviour, Husband, and Lord is! Thanks be to Him!

Saying Yes!

Yes has been the motto for this year thus far. I am currently living with two other girls, one from BC and one from Scotland. We are also anticipating and waiting for the arrival of our other two roommates from Germany. I am so happy to be back in Toronto and back into my cozy “flat” as the Scottish calls it. We are having a lovely time getting to know each other and all seem to have the same general interests and craziness which is grand!

Since I already said that our motto thus far is saying yes, let me explain a little bit about that! From the influence of each other we have all decided to say to random things that we normally would have said no to. This may sound dangerous but don’t worry it’s about stuff like trying new food, or going for a sunrise run, or taking late night photos.

Since we have been here we have mostly spent time getting to know the people we will be working with, planning the afterschool program and walking in the communities getting to know the kids and getting them to fill out their registration forms. It was awesome to see some of the kids again and they were pretty excited to see me as well which felt great!

Yesterday we had a short day of planning since out supervisor had some else to be and so we were able to take the new “tourists” down town to the harbour front. We also got this really awesome blessing to go see the Jays game for free. There is a company that donates tickets to go see games, sometimes baseball, or basketball or hockey. During the school program we would take the kids but since it has not started yet our supervisor gave them to us and we got to watch the Jays! They lost 2 to 3.

Then when we got home way to late and completely exhausted I fell asleep for exactly one hour till I woke up again when our new “flat mate” arrived from Germany. The poor girl had to meet us all half asleep and not entirely with it. This morning has been a lot better so far.

I am really excited to start camp as I hear so much about it! Camp will run Tuesdays till Thursdays and on Friday we make a dinner with the kids from the program and with any other kids from the community that want to come for more of an evangelistic evening. When I am not at camp I will be doing a number of different things; attending a weekly worship service with all of Urban Promise staff, volunteering at a school, Intern classes and apartment devotion/meeting morning. So we have just over a week of training and planning then all of this will begin!!

Thanks again everyone for your support as you have given of yourself!! Its greatly appreciated!

Live the life you`re imagined!

How to express how I am feeling...

I am tired for one, but I am also so excited to have 

moved back to Toronto tonight. Full of anticipation as I 

think of what the next couples weeks hold as I get started once again with Urban Promise.

I am also feeling very blessed and grateful 

for the previous three weeks.During the last couple 

weeks I was able to spend time with my family, 

work on a local farm that I practically grew up on, 

attend camp tamarack and enjoy countless coffee dates and times of fellowship with so many special people in my life.

I have received so much support 

from people from all different areas of my life. Every individual is dear to me and so is the way that they have personally encouraged me through conversations, words, deeds, gifts and by their way of loving me.

God has been so good to me and has over and over again shown me is control and providence in this mission with Urban Promise.

So this is a big thank you for everyone 

who has built into my life, whether it was in the past three weeks or not. You are special and are being used by God 

whether you choose to believe that or not and know that I 

am very thankful for your presence within my life.

Be confident in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you`re imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler. Henry David Thoreau.

Last week but not the end!

The last week of summer camp has begun with Urban Promise. Everyone is starting to get a little tired but are still pushing forward remembering Philippians 4:13 "i do all things through Christ who gives me strength". 

It has been an incredible 6 weeks of building relationships and enjoying new experiences with the kids.

Last week I really felt like I was able to talk to the kids on a deeper level then I ever had before.

On Friday for our trip last week we took the YMAD kids to Canada's Wonderland in the rain for the day. 

The rain didn't stop us and we had an super amazing time as their were no line ups.

It was one of my favorite days this summer, I have been to Wonderland many times with some really great friends and I have great memories of those times. But this was over all my best trip to Wonderland. I love rides but I love watching the kids get excited and enjoy the rides so much more!

It was a great day of tears, fear, smile, laughter and yes even a little bit of puking. 

Also had some really great conversation with the kids about forgiveness, swearing and other life issues that they struggle with.

I love all of it and even though I am getting  pretty tired myself I still enjoy every day.

I am also very very glad that this week is not my last week like originally planned, I love what this organization does, I love the kids and can't wait to continue doing life with them!

Week 5 already :s

A lot of ups and downs in this past week, absence of sleep really started to catch up with me and being busy really got to me. I had a very busy weekend as well, but it was also a very encouraging weekend. All the interns took a 2 day trip to Port Colburne where a really amazing family opened their home to us to be refreshed. It was a really great time, highlights where getting super lost in such a small town (we must have walked around our street a dozen times), sleeping in a trailer during the rain storm, and sitting on the balcony during the thunderstorm on Sunday. To finish off the weekend I was able to go home on Monday and visit my family and grandparents and got to see my 6 month old nephew who has grown a lot since June.

Starting back to camp on a Tuesday was quite difficult which made the beginning of the week a little rough but today was much better. Had a really neat moment (more like hour) with of the girls from my wordup. She was not participating in the activity so I took her aside to work on a different project in the hope that I could get her to talk about what was the problem at that moment. We had a really good talk about what was bothering her but also how to deal with it. We also talked a lot about her goals for the next year in school and even read some of the bible together and talked about everything I have been teaching her this summer. It was a very rewarding time and I am very thankful that it happened since it isn’t always that we are given such moments.

Also feeling really great since I received a visit this evening from my best friend which was amazing, I’ve really missed not seeing her every week  but I also appreciate it so much more since it isn’t quite as often right now.

And one last thing I want to write on here and let you all know is that as many of you have heard that I have been thinking and praying about this a lot. I have decided that I will be staying with Urban Promise to continue ministry with them until May 2013. Prayers and support are needed and appreciated. If there is any way you feel you can do this or if you have any questions feel free to email me at janelle_kz@hotmail.com

Pictures!

Hey everyone! Below is a link to see some pictures from my time here in Toronto. Hopefully you will be able to see how much fun I am having with all of these awesome kids!!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151989285045296.883476.555160295&type=1

Bittersweet!!

Goodbyes tend to often be a bittersweet experience.
This weekend i had to say goodbyes to seven very amazing new friends which where very bittersweet.Seven of the interns here at Urban Promise had to return to their home in Germany after spending a year. I only knew they for 4 short weeks but they had all become very dear friends. I am very grateful for the chance i had to meet them and get to know them, but wasn't ready to say goodbye so soon.

On Saturday we had a birthday party for two of the interns which was also a goodbye part in a lot of ways. We all met up and carried out picnic BBQ down to a park where we enjoyed food, friends and fellowship for one last time all together. It was a glorious evening with the sun streaming through the trees as we all sat together laughing, talking and eating. I will truly miss these times with them!

This week has also been a really good one for a lot of different reasons. 
On Sunday I was so encouraged to go to my home church and see four of my friends make profession of their faith as well as to see and talk with everyone. I was blown away by the interest in my life this summer and support I received. Felt so very blessed after visiting and talking with so many people.

Camp has also been going super well, today I had such a great hour with my group of girls.
 Instead of doing the regular scheduled bible study I decided to have them read Psalm 139 together and talk about what it meant. It was really neat to get them talking and to hear their thoughts on the passage and how they felt about the fact that God cares to know every detail about them. We ended this hour together by talking about what “beautiful” really is, whether it was a physical thing or something that is on the inside of a person. It was really encouraging to hear them talking and sharing about things like this!

To top off this week so far my big brother came down for the evening to take me out for dinner and to talk to me about life! It was really awesome to hang out with him like that! Love that guy so much!!