The most amazing year of my life (this blog does not do it justice...)

I’ve had a bit of time to reflect on the year, to write down what I’ve learned in each country, how God has changed people through me along the way, how I’ve been changed, and finally what I’ll do now.

I’m sure I could write books on all that’s gone on this year but now I’ll just touch on some of the things that meant the most to me. A huge theme this year has been ministry and effectivity, we’ve had experiences of low intensity (Mexico and Mozambique) to periods of insane activity (Peru and the first part of China) but what all these times taught me was that it doesn’t matter to God! He loves us for who we are not what we do. This also spilt over into teaching me about guilt, acceptance of people and the whole idea of “pressing in” to God. I learned about myself and how I deal with relationships both good and bad.

When I let my mind wander back over the year I think of the people I’ve connected with in so many of the countries. Only a few have access to the internet but I love it when the Lord still lays them on my heart to lift up in prayer. There’s Hilda in Peru who joined our faimly in April of this year and who is 7 months pregnant now, God let me show her Christian love and blessing. There’s Mapoyisa in Swaziland who the Lord brought literally across my path on so many occasions, who taught me that our God is a redeeming God. I pray that his goat farm and the children he supports are doing well. There’s Charlie (not his real name) in China who I connected with so well, I pray that that seed gets watered for an awesome harvest and a life change for him, right now all I can do is pray and try and send censored e-mails. But by far the people that I’ve truly connected with have been my team and my squad. Oh my goodness, we said goodbye at the airport and it all seemed so surreal. These people I have just spent the last 11 months with are going to turn into just a memory. If I had a sad song playing on the soundtrack of my life I would be bawling right now. I can’t even put into words how much these people mean to me!

My team has been by my side when I have been stretched way past what I thought my limits were: preaching in Peru, team struggles in Argentina, interesting times in Thailand and Cambodia, and the list goes on.

So now what, the year is over, what’s next? Well, if you have been following the blogs for a bit you’ll know that God has been confirming time and time again that I need to go in a ‘business’ direction with my life. Good news is I got accepted to UVic in VIctoria, British Columbia, Canada and I am excited to see what the next chapter of my life holds there. After I travel around Southern China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand with Stacy and Eric I arrive home mid December and start school January 7th! It’ll be a crazy transition but I know that it’ll be OK.

I can never go back to living a selfish ignorant life, I’ve seen people in such great need, people praising God when I would be so angry at Him, living along side people who have nothing, but share everything makes it difficult to just turn my mind off and forget about the needs that are so blatant the world over. As I look back on my life and the opportunities I have had and the thread that the Lord has woven through, I thank Him that through listening to Him I am headed in the right direction, I’ve taken Him out of the box I put Him in and now there’s no telling where I’ll go or what I’ll do but who the hell cares, I’m got my Jesus and that’s all that matters!

OK, I’m rambling, I just wanted to let everyone know what was up, I may still post on this World Race blog site a bit but other than that I’ll be home December 15 at my parent’s place, probably in the hot tub with Carole!!! I love you all and thank you for your support both in prayer and in finances. We did it!! And what an amazing time it was. Praise Jesus for bringing me through every step of the way. (soundtrack of my life would now be playing some power ballad, probably by Celine Dion, gotta keep in Canadian!)