Go. Get out of Here.

Ok, so where to begin? Since last summer I have lived a fairly normal existence. Definitely a little less exciting and dangerous than I would like. But its been good. I've worked doing a number of different things (planting trees, plumbing, framing, selling christmas trees, belaying at a rock wall and landscaping). I am a small group leader with the youth and have been helping out with worship as often as I can at church. I also moved out in the fall to live with a cousin of mine and a good bro named Phil from new zealand. We had some quality times and I learned a lot living with those two guys. Around February I decided that I was to go to briercrest in the Fall. My decision to go was based mostly on my desire to leave maple ridge and my thought that I need college or university to do most anything in the world. But I still didn't (still don't) know what I really wanted to do at school or after school, I kept changing my mind, unable to decide on anything. There are only a few of things that I have been able to settle on, and together, they have eliminated college from the agenda for the time being. One is my desire to live for the Lord in a more intentional, confident and missional way everyday in front of all sorts of people. I want to be as bold as the apostle Peter when he stood up and preached on the day of Pentecost. I know it is different in the time we are living because the gospel is a message nearly everybody has heard, and has biases about, unlike in the first century. However, that doesn't mean that believers shouldn't seek that same boldness that the believers prayed for and recieved in Acts chapter 4. Another urge that I have had has been to see and experience how believers worship and live together under different circumstances then the wealthy, north american environment that I was raised in. The third is simply a desire to leave. Leave where I have grown up, leave all of my possesions and the comforts of home and get going somewhere. I realize that the first two would be hardly possible without the third. All this being said things have fallen into place amazingly for me to start journeying with the Lord to places I have never been before very soon. I am planning on leaving for new zealand in the late fall and will be living with my buddy Phil's family down there for a bit. Together, Phil and I have hopes to visit South Asia and then to Israel and Europe. We want our journeys to be about far more than sight seeing though. We want to grow in an understanding of the Lord and to be serving the Lord in whatever ways we can each day. I know that financially this is a big investment and that it is a lot of time to be away from home and family. I have considered many options, prayed, and have asked many people for there opinions and I have heard an encouraging 'go and get out of here," from everyone (except perhaps my mother).

This next chapter in my life really starts tomorrow, though. I am heading back to Qwanoes for another summer and I cannot wait to pour into the lives of so many kids again. I ask for your prayers for myself, the staff and, most importantly, the campers who we will be reaching to. After camp I will probably be coming back to maple ridge to save a little bit more money for my travels but I can't say that for sure.

Anyway, I think I'm about done with this post. I love and miss you all and hope to see you sooner than later. I hope this post makes at least some sense. I just kinda typed what came to mind.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Amen.