All the way my Saviour leads me.

This song really speaks to me. It describes what's going on right now and how God is working in my life right now.

All the way my Saviour leads me - Chris Tomlin

All the way my Savior leads me
Who have I to ask beside
How could I doubt His tender mercy
Who through life has been my guide

All the way my Savior leads me
Cheers each winding path I tread
Gives me grace for every trial
Feeds me with the living bread

You lead me and keep me from falling
You carry me close to Your heart
And surely Your goodness
And mercy will follow me
All the way my Savior leads me

Oh, the fullness of His love
Oh, the sureness of His promise
In the triumph of His blood

And when my spirit clothed immortal
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages
Jesus led me all the way
Jesus led me all the way

You lead me and keep me from falling
You carry me close to Your heart
And surely Your goodness
And mercy will follow me
You lead me and keep me from falling
You carry me close to Your heart
And surely Your goodness
And mercy will follow me, will follow me

All the way my Savior leads me
All the way my Savior leads me

Seminary Life...

So I am currently working on a lesson plan for Balaam's Donkey (Numbers 22:21-40) and thought it would be cool to do a skit... My friend pipes up and starts making up this song (sung to Yankee Doodle) that is now going to be included in my lesson plan!


Prophet Balaam went to town

Riding on the donkey

Hit the donkey on the head

and donkey started talking



Why'd you hit me on the head

Why'd you hit me Balaam

Why'd you hit me on the head

That Angel's got a sword!

(Sung to Yankee Doodle)

I LOVE SEMINARY!

Sometime's it's hard going down Memory Lane...

I went looking for a bag today. There generally is not anything special about a bag... However, this bag is special. It holds many letters and notes from friends in Edmonton! These letters remind me how loved I am and when I go back to visit, how many friends are going to want to see me. So I have now been in Calgary for 2 months. It does not feel like it has been 2 months. It feels like forever!

Where to begin... So much has happened and yet, there is still so much that is going to happen! In the last month, I have:
A) Found a home church
B) Got a job at another Oxford
C) Applied for a 'real world' job
D) Visited Elbow Falls with friends
E) Made some AMAZING new friends!
F) Met friends who will be lifelong 'family'
G) Joined the Seminary Student Council (SSC) as the PR co-ordinator
H) Made it on to another committee
I) Attending Classes
J) Had/Having my mind blown with new information in my classes
K) Having information presented in a new way where my mind becomes blown
L) Found a new small group to join
M) Celebrated my 24th birthday with friends after one of my weekend modulars
         (This was a birthday to remember!!! All I have to say is... Pictionary Man!!! LOL!!!)


This list is not exhastive, but it has been a full and exciting 2 months. God has been teaching me a lot. My classes have all changed how I view the church and what goes on in it. I find I am becoming more aware of lots of different things. I am also becoming more aware (and scared) of what I am called to do. I have realized that in Children's Ministry a lot of curriculum is watered down for the Children. I also feel like we do not give the kids enough credit. We keep telling them that they are only kids and that they don't know anything... but we are wrong. I find that sometimes, the kids can hear God better than we can because they are not constricted by social structures and views that hinder them. I find that we tell them they dont understand or know things because they are children. If you know me, this is something that I am really passionate about. I could talk for a while on this, but if you want to talk more, let's go for coffee.
One thing that scares me is that I am called to teach the Children. I keep asking and wondering how I take what I am learning and teach it to the Children. It is something that I have asked my profs, and they keep telling me to keep asking that question.
It's challenging, but what can I say, I LOVE IT!
I love Seminary! I feel like I belong in Seminary. I have made so many new friends and not just people who are just there, but friends who will be friends for life. These people have been my support and kept me sane. They are willing to go the extra mile to make me laugh and the stuff we have done... Memories have been made! :)

So, on another note... If you know much about my health in the last few years, you know that I have had a terrible time. I have had tonsilitus for the last 4 years (multiple times a year) and I am often sick. In May, I started feeling sick everytime I had dairy... So I got checked out and found that I now have a lactose intolerancy. Fine, I can deal with that. I also found out this summer that with my thyroid disease, I should not be eating a bunch of things. This list is rather long... it includes Gluten (any form of wheat products), soy products, certain vegetables, etc... SO I went from having no food allergies at all to an interesting list of DO NOT EAT foods. By God's grace, I am survivng. There is still lots I can eat, but it forces me to eat healthy so it's a good thing. I am learning how to eat gluten/soy/dairy free and most places are accomidating, and as long as I remind people when I go out, it's managable. I also have some amazing friends who try to accomidate me when we
share meals together. Have I mentioned that I love my friends? In response to all these new issues, the one thing that has been amazing is... I HAVE NOT BEEN SICK SINCE THE SUMMER!!! No tonsilitus, no colds, no flu... NOTHING!!! This is the time of year where I have been sicker than a dog. Amazing eh? Somehow, my body has been trying to tell me this for the last few years, but no one thought to check for intolerances or things that might be affecting me when ALL my tests ALWAYS came back clear... Hmmm... Some doctors eh?

God has been doing so much in these last 2 months, that it is hard to count all the blessings! I feel blessed and Loved.

I have more to share, but for now, you have to wait. There is stuff going on that I won't share about yet. If you have had a chance to talk with me, you might already know. However, in due time, you shall find out.

Prayer:
A) That God will show some discernment to those involved
B) That God will continue to bless and strengthen me as I finish this semester
C) That God will continue to teach me and show me what He has in store
D) That as I am learning, God will show up in unexpected ways
E) That I will continue to be blessed with good health.

Praise be to God for all that He has done.

Bless the Lord oh my Soul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E

Currently this is one of a few songs stuck in my head.

The last few days, I have been feeling restless... I don't know why and I can't figure it out. My thoughts are going a million miles/minute and when I try to quiet down and get in some God time, it doesn't always happen.
When I moved from Edmonton, a friend of mine gave me a book. What's so special about a book you wonder? This one is called "Sacred Caos" by Tricia McCary Rhodes. It is about finding God and listening to Him through the caos. I don't know if this friend had any insight into what my life would become going fultime into seminary... but as I read it, I am finding some hope that I will still be able to hear God through the caos in my daily life.
I am also learning that I need to worry less about the little details and try to focus more on the larger picture. Don't get me wrong, little details are important too, but I also need to look at the bigger picture too.

Following God's plan even when I don't understand

So here it is... already Sept. 7th. How crazy is that? I have been in Calgary for almost a week and it feels like longer.

Highlights:
-Starting classes
-Meeting new friends
-Seeing old friends
-Finding a church to connect with

Lowlights:
-Coming to grips with how much work this semester is going to be
-Leaving Edmonton


I have decided that even though it was hard leaving Edmonton and my family of friends there, God has a greater plan for me here. My chapter in Edmonton has finished for now. This next chapter has been exciting so far and pretty cool. I am getting to know some people from the seminary and making friends with them too. Classes have started and I am excited with what I will be learning this semester... Trust me, it's going to be a lot!
I have even found a church where I already feel at home! For me, that is God letting me know that this is where I am supposed to be.
It has only been a week since I moved, but I can tell you already that it feels like I belong.

Ola.

Aug. 20
So it has been a while since I have blogged. There has been so much change that I needed to process before I shared with you. So as of right now, I am unemployed, homeless, and on vacation with my mum. I can't be any happier. I quitmy job and have decided to move to Calgary to focus on school. Which means that my time in Edmonton has come to an end. I have spent 6 years in the city and have loved very moment of it. I grew up spiritually there and have come so far. If you have been following any of my posts, you have read what changes have happened in my life the last few years. The past few months have been a struggle for me. Back in May I was struggling with moving to Calgary. I didn't want to leave my church family and my friends in Edmonton. 3 months later, I have quit my job and have moved all my stuff backto my parents...at least the stuff I won't need in Calgary. I move to Calgary on the 1st of September and start classesthe next week. Now that I am on vacation and have moved, I am super exited to move and start the next chapter of my life in Calgary. I believe that God already has a church for me and that He has provided all that I need in Calgary.He will have a job for me and friends. Have I ever mentioned that I am an introvert and that I have anxiety issues? This is where I start to struggle and where you can help. Naturally, I am the girl who sits and watches people. I don't normally join in conversations or activities. With the move to Calgary, I am going to have to force myself intosituations where I am uncomfortable. I am going to have to force myself to make new friends and get involved in minstry. The part where I start to fail is in the putting myself out there. In my head, I do know that it is not that hard to makefriends and put myself out there, but there is always a part of me that will have me staying home or avoiding issues so that I don't have to deal with them. It's not ok for me to do that anymore. This is going to be part of the next step; working through the anxiety and fear to allow others to know me as God has created me. I have to learn how to work through the anxiety and introversion; I can't let them stay the boundaries that I know they can become. These boundaries have given me excusses not to put myself out there and have created so much fear in me that I can not physically deal with anything. This is the year that I learn how to deal with my anxiety. This is going to be a year of change where I let God work healing into my life and cure me of my fear and anxiety. This is going to be a year of change.

God leads, I follow?

I know I've posted this song before, but it has been in my head for a while now. Read the lyrics and let the truth wash over you... I often want to lead my life and go where I want to. I was in Calgary a while ago for a course and there had been something that I was struggling with (and maybe fighting against)... It was the decision to move to Calgary for school... My reasons for not going? A) I have a job here B) My church is here - I'm heavily involved in the childrens' ministry and other ministries C) My life has been here the last few years... I had been fighting with God about not going... and although I had made the decision to stay in Edmonton... I had no peace about it. While in Calgary for my course, one of the questions God asked (through my prof) was "Do you think that you are the only one who loves your kids?" WOW... Ummm... There's not much to say to that. I had time to reflect and really take a look at why I wanted to stay in Edmonton and what God was calling me to do... I realized that I was scared. I was scared of saying yes to God and letting Him lead me where He wants me to go. By the end of the week, I knew for sure that I was moving to Calgary at the end of the summer... I still am not sure where I am going to live or where I am going to work (although there is a good opportunity coming up), but God has provided a church where I can serve and gain valuable ministry experience. And you know what? I have complete peace about this decision. I have no fear, no anxiety, no worries at all about moving. I know that God has called me to Calgary for this next season in my life and that He has it all under control.
God is AMAZING!


God will make a way - Don Moen
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me

He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength
For each new day
He will make a way
He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness
He'll lead me
And rivers in the desert will I see
Heaven and earth will fade
But His Word will still remain
He will do something new today