The Princess Bride

Just a little something we discovered on Eric's laptop from back in the days of Kaleo...

We hope it makes all you dear people chuckle and reminisce as fondly as we did. Enjoy!

Love and miss you all!

Jess & Eric

Loving God's Faithfullness through Vulnerability and Surrender.

HIiiii y'all :)


Hey Kaleo Fam Jam :)

I miss each and everyone of you oodles! As i've said before I wish we could be sitting around and singing the doxology together like old times. I also would love to just sit around and tell you about my life but a computer screen shall have to suffice as you cozy up to read my post I hope it brings you Joy, Hope and lovely insight on what has been happening the past year? haah has it been that long since i've blogged last? My apologies!!

SOOOOooOooooO LOTS has happened. First of all...Last year I was at the University of Waterloo! In Waterloo Ontario! Good University but nawt for me! Did a year and just was feeling really unsatisfied and empty and not sure of my career path/direction in my life. Wasn't sure what else God had in store but I decided I probably was not going back by the end of the term 2. Throughout the year i was still dating Ryan last year. That ended in April. Sort of. I for months had been wrestling with myself that I knew I was not in a relationship I wanted to be in and God was no where to be found in it nor was Ryan a leader in it for us. I knew I had to break up with him and after months of feeling this on my heart I acted out in April telling him of these feelings. It was really tough. Me and Ryan dated for 2 years but he was a big part of my life for 3 or more years. I knew that God had his hand with breaking up the relationship and putting people in my life along the way to really orchestrate through God's plan in ending my relationship That was not the best. Don't get me wrong....ryan was a great man he treated me well and was a sweetheart but I know that it is not and was not in God's plan to keep us pursuing each other. I have continued to seek peace over the past while in pursuing God's best in my life. It took until last semester to really cut ties with ryan. We were talking a little bit but it was too difficult to maintain a friendship. We needed space and God has granted me with peace and assurance that I am walking in the right direction.

SO that was last years struggle...Another thing that was neat last year was I had the oppurtunit to work at Muskoka Woods Resort in Ontario from May until September. Such a blessing to work there and meet incredible people and be impacted greatly! It was an incredible time of healing and learning and growing with the Lord in such a beautiful place. Up-north Ontario is just breathtaking. The forest, tree's, lakes, birds...such beauty! I would go for walks and sit by the water and just feel so refreshed with the sun shining on my face. SUCH BEAUTY; SUCH RESTORATION! I was very thankful to live there for a few months! I was on spring crew may-june running school groups through the camp and instructing them in a variety of acticites. My summer consisted of driving beauty boats and teaching wakeboarding and skiing to kids and other water sports! HOW AMAZING is that job ha! God is good! I felt super blessed and had such an incredible summer which such an awesome team of people! SO MUCH FUN!

In August a lot of people started asking to everyone " oh whats are you doing in September for school etc" ...I probably got asked about 20 times in a few days and at this point I was so restless. I had NO IDEA! ....I was praying...not enough and trying to seek out the Lords best. My intentions were good but I was not hearing the Lord in any particular thing in my life. I knew I did not want to be back at waterloo university. I knew that I wanted to work with kids. I thought about Early Childhood Education but nothing resignated in my heart. Earlier on in the summer briercrest came into mind but i was like NO WAY. haha I shut it out...than in August the Lord laid it on my heart again. I remember being in the girls bathroom where they put up daily/weekly Bible verses and I was looking in the mirrored and taped to the mirror was a paper and written out was:

"The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you" Pslam 32:8!! AAAAH! BAM! I was like oh man Lord kay...BRIERCREST?!?! REALLY??!?!SERIOUSLLY?!? You want me to go there???!? HAHA. OK. ...I said kay Lord...if you want me to go to Briercrest lay it on my dads heart that this is your path and lead me on It. When I talk to him on the phone in the next few days let him be like AWESOME and go with the flow and have no hesitations about briercrest. So few days later....hey dad! ...conversations goes on...dad says so what does september look like....me: hmmm welll you know briercrest? dad: yup i do! Me: well they have a really sweet prgoram etc.... dad: AWESOME! that sounds really good Liv...whatever you want to do and what makes you happy im behind you on it...maybe this is where God wants you.
me: SPEECHLESS...(if any of you know my dad....he doesn't really speak too much about God....like God isn't the center and yea for him to bring God to conversation saying it's his will etc...WOWZERS...God you AMAZE me! .....by the end of the conversation we were talking about FLIGHTS to sask! HAHAHA!! crazyness!!GOD IS FAITHFUL! His timing is perfect!

So currently IM HERE in Saskatchewan! Taking Bachelor of Education specializing in Elementary Education...preferably want to teach Kindergartners! whoop whoopo! such cuties! hehe! I'm loving it...for the most part haha :) I love being here...having chapel, the profs, classes its all great!! Coming together and worshiping is just so incredible and I love the oppurtunity here!! On the other hand I'm having a hard time I feel making really intentional friendships with other woman is hard for me. Jordana and Jayme are amazing! I live with them and they are so incredibley awesome to have as friends :) But it would be sweet if outside of my room that I can make another sweet woman friend haha I feel like the dorms are very groupy. It's hard to get in on the action of whats going on. I see groups of girls hanging out having a ball but don't feel I have that. I know I need to put effort forward and that I have been super busy this semester with Youth Quake preparation etc. But I would love a good girlfriend.

SOo currently that is me....oh yes HAHA another very important thing...I met a pretty incredible man here at Briercrest...well actually FUNNY thing...he worked at muskoka woods all summer...we bumped into eachother once or twice because we have a mutual friend but ....ok this is bad guys but i didn't remember bumping into him all summer HAHAHA we workeda t the same place but i had no idea who he was...God's timing right? :D!! (as in when we met it was when it was suppose to be and i remembered:) Anyways Our friendship started forming when I needed a ride from regina to briercrest in september and somebody at camp said eeh ask Rob he can help you out probably...so i found out who this Rob guy was and asked him and he said forsure! ....I didn't think anything of it I thought sweet! I feel like we kinda locked eyes but i brushed it off and a week later he picked me up and for the next month/two we hung out in groups of people and I still thought nothing of it....I thought nice guy sweet....and yea....It was until In later October that we hung out and spent the weekend making a turkey and baking together one weekend that after that weekend I kinda was like....UMMMMmmMM...what is happening?!?! Not that it was bad but I was like man i think i have feelings...for the next few weeks just really prayed about it...told the Lord I put it in your hands I don't want anything that isn't from the Lord coming out of this. I prayed that the Lord would orchestrate things his way. As time went on...we had a dtr (defining the relationship) in November right before he left to go to Africa for 2 months! hahah He brought up eeeh Liv sooo etc..we told eachother liked eachother but not going to start anything till January and see where were at when he came back from Africa....Looong story short..we kept in touch while he was in Africa and he came back and bam were DATING! haha The Lords timing is really cool....really sweet! Past month and a bit with him has been exceptional! Learning lots about each other and ourselves as well. He is pretty special! I am really happy and feel the Lords leading in the relationship! So cool! I have neva been in a relationship that I've really seen the Lord in it...just so radd!Below is a picture of me and himm!!!!! :) I introduce Rob to youu :)!


So I guess a thing you guys could be praying for is vulnerability. I know you all know my lovely Kaleo name. Still having such a hard time with being Vulnerable. I thought I was coasting doing good than in my current relationship lately just been having fears. I'm afriad of being raw with myself. I'm cool with sharing my life etc but raw in the context of things I don't like about myself in the way i might approach things. The tendencies that my mom had a hold over me for so many years of her controlling and putting me down hurt so much and still does. I'm afraid of being controlling. I've been feeling attacked lately..thinking it's from Satan telling me I'm not good enough. And telling me how could anybody love me, the way I like control and doing things my way. It's so ingrained and edged on my heart this way of living. I hate it, i depise it, I want to run the other direction but its so HARD! ...im hurting brothers and sisters. I'm afriad especially for my relationship of being raw and exposed of myself that he will not want me. Satans lies are edging on my heart. I know this not to be true, but it's hard to not beleive it sometimes because I feel from it I have low self esteem. aaah. Kay haha I don't want to be a downer for too long but I just want to share my heart with you and ask for prayer that I would cling close to the truth knowing God accepts me for who I am; even if that is a controlling person he can work in me to change that and that he loves me unconditionally no matter what. I want to hold close to that truth but im struggling with these lies. It's a battle.

OOKKAAYYY LOOOVEE YOUUUU
thanks for reading my novel of a novel I had fun writing you all!!
Peacee & Love yooo :)
Livvvv yoouur sista!

P.s. I feel the Lord is forming someone potentially for a mentor for me...still praying but we shall see :) continuted prayer that he would continue his work and present someone older than me that I can confide in with my relationship with rob and family things etc. I would really love that!

p.s. 2 My brother Jordan could REALLY be lifted up....forget everything else I told you haha and if anything pray for my brother. He is caught up in a lifestyle that is tearing him arpart. Living with a girl and drugs and alcohol be his ruler. He needs a change from these temporary fufilments. I pray that God would break him of these chains. I see him as being a leader one day but he needs to get out of his current lifestyle that is corrupting his body, mind and soul. Pray for his heart. He needs loves and has been looking for it in all the wrong places.

:( come on guys

Come on guys!
its a new year
please don't stop telling us about your lives.
seriously.
it kinda hurts to see the last post was on Jan 19th. come on...we can all do better than that.

God has been working huge in me.
im so lost in his peace right now.
Work is going fantastic. I am working with a bunch of guys that i care about and that are really asking me stuff about my faith. please pray God gives me words...and pray for these guys im working with. I pray that i am a stepping stone to them having a relationship with Christ. its hard and some days i feel really attacked...but with Gods strength i show these guys love and challenge them back.

God is using me again...I am teaching junior high bible study. ME!?!? a teacher?! i know. it is insane. God is so good. I am teaching about 10-12 girls that i love so much. and feel so blessed that I am able to build relationships with these girls. i have never taught anything before. its way outside my league. but by the grace of God things have worked out so well! praise the lord!

I had a taste of kaleo this weekend! I KNOW!! A TASTE OF KALEO PRAISE THE LORD! i went on a young adults retreat this weekend. man i saw ppl being really moved by the holy spirit/the presence of God. it was such a tight knit community. i could taste kaleo in my mouth. what a blessing. God used me again. I dont know why he keeps blessing me..but he did. A girl was really having a hard time and just breaking down in tears. and our pastor had to go back to toronto that night. and she came over to me and asked if i could just go love that woman and just pray with her. im telling you guys i dont have the gift of prayer. and was super nervous. but willing. and God totally gave me the words. we cried together as i was saying things that would probably never come to me normally. praise God for his grace. what an amazing feeling to be used by God. i feel so undesrving but so joyful and cant stop praising God for letting me have the opportunity.

praise God again. I am in the most amazing bible study group. just tearing apart the big questions and just enjoying such an amazing community.

Praise the lord. for he is Good. what a God of grace, mercy, joy and justice. his love for us is an overflowing fountain. His plan for you is Good. trust in him...talk with him...Grow ....dig deep.

i love you guys. just wanted to lift up some praises!

Deborah

psalm 18 (specifically 16-19)!! (he brought you up from deep water.BECAUSE HE DELIGHTS IN Y.O.U!!!!) kaleo no matter where ur at in life. climbing a mountian or in a valley. remember GOD our Father ...he delights in you! IN YOU!!!!! praise God!