Story Time

I love math, grade school math! It so much fun going through the multiplication 

tables and doing it backwards makes it division.

So I want to share an experience that I had this week.

On Thursday I was at camp and it was homework time when I noticed one 

of my boys sitting at one of the desk. 

This particular child is very behind in his academics and was sitting looking at 

his math homework rather hopelessly. 

Approaching him I asked how it was going and I was returned with blank 

frustrated stare, so I took a seat beside him.

I tried to convince him how exciting math really is but again he 

responded with a blank stare.

Nick is a quiet guy normally but when he is upset or frustrated he very easily closes down.

My supervisor who was observing handed me a bag of skittles to reward him with for 

every correct answer but even this did not get him out of his silence or blank stares. 

Getting creative I pulled out 12 skittles and explained the question to him once

 again, 12 divided by 3 equals what?

I handed over  12 skittles to him and asked him to make 3 groups so that both of us as well 

as the one other kid in the room could all have a fair amount. 

I was in my glory at this point, its fun doing math but its even more fun to do it with candy!

It took awhile for him to catch on to the whole idea of using candy but by the 

time we finished his math page 20 minutes later we were both laughing and actually 

enjoying the math home work after all!

I was so encouraged to be able to help this little guy enjoy his math and to be able 

to figure out the correct answers.

Please pray for Nick as he is 12 years old and has no understanding of math and literally needs to divide candies into piles to be able to tell me that 12 divided by 3 is 4. 

A lot of the kids I work with are far under the level of education that they should 

be at and I just love being able to be a part in helping them over come 

these struggles that set them so far back in life.

I have been blessed in many ways this week just being a part of life in 

my apartment and at camp as God continues to use me in way I am very

ill equipped to be used in, but remembering that in my weakness He is strong and 

this has been so very evident.

Growth

Growth is what I have been experiencing in a few different ways. The second half of last week was full of challenges and times of not having what I needed in myself but instead needing to look to God to provide me with what I needed.

Challenges at camp with the girls; challenges within 

myself while dealing with my roommates, challenges with different personalities 

and lack of sleep as well as being very busy. 

By Friday I was quite worn out, frustrated, tired and also convicted of things in my own life and actions that where not so good. 

At this point I was very thankful for my supervisor as well as 

another supervisor who could step in and be wisdom for me and edify me through 

talking about it. I am blessed by the people around me at UP who are supportive but 

also help me to grow.

This weekend wasn't any less busy as I had 2 weddings to attend on Saturday and I

needed to get a good night’s sleep before the big run on Sunday.

Turns out I hardly slept at all as I decided the moment I went to bed that I was 

starving and made noodles at 11:30 and then waking up every couple hours

 freaking out that I missed the alarm clock.

 My biggest fear about the run this past Sunday was that I would miss the start of it :S 

Turns out thanks to Micha for driving us girls there we all made it in time 

and did extremely well. 

The run was long and tough, the weather wasn't the greatest but wasn't too 

bad either. I really enjoyed the first half of the run even though my stomach 

still told me it was hungry :P The second half was a lot rougher and there 

were moments when the only thing that kept me going where the people around me and the prayer going up to God to run with me.

 I did make it through the whole race and only stopped to walk at 3 water stations.

 My time for the run was 2:07:07!! 

I was super impressed by myself as my goal had been 2:30:00. 

It was a great feeling accomplishing something so kewl but the very best 

part of the whole thing was cheering out the rest of my team. 

Three members did the brutal full marathon and finished very well. 

The emotion and excitement of seeing each and every one cross that finish line out of love to UP and everyone who benefits from it was a feeling I can’t explain! 

It was a Sunday morning and yes we missed attending church, but we were able to

 be the church as the family of UP running the streets of Toronto, praying for our team, praying for the kids and praying that God would move in this city! 

A huge thank you to each and every one that I know and don’t know who either supported through prayers, donations or words. It was a great experience and a tremendous blessing to me and many more!

A friend of challenges

As one of my fellow interns said last week "I'm a friend of challenges".

This is how I felt today while meeting the vice principle of the local school as she explained the major issues that these kids are dealing with.

It is exciting to talk about how our camp can side with the local school to try and solve these issues as well as assist in the homework and education.

I had a serge of energy and excitement as I thought of how I get to be a part in all of this. It is big and its intimidating but it is exciting!

Being a part of something bigger then yourself is the best feeling I have ever experienced.

It is something that a lot of people and even a lot of christian never get to experience due to fear of stepping out of their comfort zone. It sounds scary and its not very safe right? While in reality when you're leaning and depending on Jesus it is the most freeing experience you can ever have.

 This was my lunch conversation with my supervisor which was a very encouraging and blessed conversation. I am very thankful for my supervisor for the Godly man he is!

Blessings also extended into the afternoon of camp. 

Even now thinking back to the events I can't help but smile. I was pleasantly surprised to see one of my boys from the summer who is now to old for program but came by anyways. I had been waiting to see him ever since i got back so it totally made my day to see him again. He is also applying to become a street leader which is very exciting!

Camp also consisted of doing wordup with my girls which was a nice chill time to get to know each other using skittles and diving into the word of God. I am starting a series on the fruits of the spirit with them which I am very excited to see how God is going to use that over the next few months.

To top it off i got to cook with my boys!

We spent a good hour in the kitchen cutting veggies and making curry chicken over rice as well as doing the pile of dishes and sweeping afterwords willingly and with smiles on their faces.

I love my boys and spending this time with them was incredible.

I had a really great day with the all and I am just so thankful that i can be here and be a part of something that is way bigger then me or my team but that is completely in the hands of God our Father!!!

My list of blessings!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers!

I have had such an amazing opportunity this weekend to have a very relaxing and

refreshing weekend at home with my family.

I was also able to bring home with me my five roommates, three of which had never

celebrated a thanksgiving before.

The joy of being able to share my family, childhood memories and

thanksgiving experiences with them.

We learned how to make pumpkin pies together, took plenty of walks to enjoy this gorgeous

time of the year as well as doing many spontaneous things for the fun of it.

These things included; pulling over on the side of a random field and running barefoot across the field during sunset, taking pictures in the middle of the road, taking a 6 km run

on thanksgiving morning with toques in 2C weather, and then jumping in to the pool

at 51F at 8:30 in the morning.

It has been splendid!

 

Since its thanksgiving I also want to share my 20 latest blessing that I have entered into

my book of blessings.

 

1. The hospitality of my family.

2.Group prayer for one another

3.Cool fall mornings

4.Harvest time

5.Reconciliation

6.Being home

7.Laughter

8.Crazy spontaneous moments

9.Grace

10. Wood fires

11.Sunshine

12. Prayer

13.Support of my family {especially my parents/eldest bro and sis}

14. Pumpkin pie

15.Grandparents

16.Toques

17. Morning runs and swims on thanksgiving morning

18.My vest

19. A hearty breakfast and coffee

20. Consistent Christmas's provided by my grandmother

 

As I typed these out my mind kept thinking of the many more blessings that I have been given.

God is so good to me in provided so much love and support.

I have experienced this so clearly in the past a couple months

which has been a huge encouragement.

Many little moments that we so easily miss could have such a huge impact of blessing if only we slowed down enough to see or acknowledge them!

Please take a moment or two this thanksgiving to write your own list of blessings

that God has given just for YOU!

 

 



A time of reflection

Retreat according to Wikipedia means a time taken to reflect or meditate.

For the last couple of days I was blessed to be able to go on a retreat with the staff of Urban Promise to reflect and meditate. 

Originally I was confused why right after the first week of camp we would take a few days off. 

It seemed like a waste of time and silly to the schedule of camp but now looking back I

realized what a huge blessing that it was.

After a really great week of camp, working with the kids, assisting in math homework and getting to know the new kids it was really amazing to go away for a few days and reflect on this first week but to also meditate and be filled up and spiritually prepared for the schedule to become much busier!

The last couple days at this retreat took place in Muskoka which is gorgeous this time of the year which was amazing to be in such beautiful creation as we spent time with the Creator.

It was also a time of getting to know everyone who is working with Urban Promise!

There was a lot of life stories shared and conversations had as well as some fun ridiculous games like super hero styled soccer game with a beach ball!

We also had times of prayer, devotions and seminars on the topics of 

The motives of a missionary and The mindset of a missionary. Both where given by Brett our executive director and where both incredible!

It was a very blessed a couple days and no so silly after all as it has equipped us all

in the power of the Lord to go forward into the future!

My first week at camp went very well and I was encouraged to see how excited the kids where to see me again. I love tutoring math and I was able to do plenty of that within the first week!

I am really excited and actually cannot way until Tuesday when we start up for good!

I also want to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving!

Take this time and season to remember all the many blessings God has provided for you!

Remember that they are indeed blessings as there are many who do not have near as much.

Life a live of thankfulness!

Finding Beauty

This morning I had the first of many intern classes where all interns come together and learn based on different topics. 

This morning we talked about what it means for kids to be at risk. 

It was eye opening and very well taught. 

After classes ended I was feeling, I'm not sure how I felt but I needed to speak about the things I had learned and could relate them to my kids. 

I wanted to make people understand what is going on right in their own neighborhoods. The hurt, pain and hopelessness that I witness in kids lives every day. I wanted to shake this world up with that true and not just want to talk about it, I want to make something change. 

I felt tired.

I tried to sleep, didn't help.

I tried eating, didn't make a difference.

Decided to go for a run to run it off, it normally works but it failed today.

Finally I sat by a brook and watched how the water fell over the rocks. 

I watched the squirrels chase each other up and down the trees that stood high and strong into the blue sky.

It was then that I realized that I had been seeking beauty.

There is evil in this world, their is pain and sorrow and hurt.

Life often time not good.

The at risk kids I work with start the race of life 100 meters behind those who have a good supportive family, abuse free, drug free neighborhoods, good school where teachers care, and good role models in their lives.

My heart hurts for the broken.

But not everything is broken, there is still beauty!

Jesus is the beauty in the mists of the brokenness.

He is still here, active and alive!

In my weakness He is strong

This blog post and called in my weakness He is strong and 

there are a few areas that I want to touch on in reference to this statement.

One is allowing yourself to be weak even when it’s embarrassing or belittling because it 

is in those times that we are stretched he most to grow. 

Something that I learned a lot during the summer and now I watch the new interns learn and that every person at Urban Promise has learned in their coming to Urban Promise is how much they suck.

 I suck, is the two word statement that everyone learns in coming here. 

That I am not able to do it, that I’m not good enough and I don’t have what it takes. But we also learn that we are able to do it and we have everything it takes because we have Jesus and through Him we are able to do anything. 

He takes us weak, stubborn and unable and uses it to His glory.

It can be a really hard lesson to learn as it feels like you are being stripped of every quality and great strength that you have but it also feels very freeing know that it doesn’t depend on you and its doesn't even have anything to do with you because it is all about God!

Challenges and trials is a common way that God teaches us this at UP. This week has been trying and full of trials and challenges for most of my roommates. I personally am standing in awe wondering why it’s not as difficult for me at the moment while at the same time knowing I will be challenged in the future as well.

There are a lot of unknowns while working in ministry and a huge need for flexibility which can be very difficult if you like to have a “plan”. Honestly I think I’ve already learned to forget about my plan because I know He has a better plan but I also know I have a lot to learn about this. He continues to through kinks and curves in what we do, not only to remind us that He is in control but also i think for us to learn a lot of lessons on the way.

Something else that we heard about this week has to do with where our focus is. It is on the work of the Lord or is our focus on the Lord of the work. Both sound good right but our focus needs to be on the Lord of the work first and the work of the Lord spills out of that. Something to remember on those days when you feel like what you do is meaningless or when you just don't see how you can keep going. 

Stop and focus on your LORD!

Okay, enough of my random thoughts we started camp and it has been great getting back in contact with the kids daily. I had a really great time today working with one girl on her math homework. This is the same girl that intimidated and scared me at the beginning of the summer and now we are 

great friends……on most day’s lol.

I am also being blown away daily by God provision of material need and financial help. He has surpassed all dreams that I had for my fundraising really showing me who is in control. Our God is soo great….if you doubt it just ask Him to show Himself!

I love being back here for all aspects of it and have really gotten so close with my roommates already. Please pray for us though as we now have to make slight changes to our living arrangements that have caused some confusion and frustrations and unhappiness. It is for the best though and I am excited for all the great things that will come out of it! 

Thank you for reading this and for your prayers!