Putting pictures on my wall...

Tonight, I had the privilege of celebrating the life of one of my brothers here at school. It was in the form of a completely unexpected surprise party. We begun with games and some snacks, and a special gift suited just for him (in the form of a dance to one of his favourite songs), also a note book on the table for people to write birthday wishes in, and then moving to sharing with him things we appreciate about him, asking him what his hopes for the future are and then praying over him. This reminded me of how important  it is to share our hopes with one another and to lift one another up in prayer. Even though I don't know this brother all that well, my heart was full of praise and prayer for his life and the things the Lord has done and is  doing in his life. Also, I was so encouraged to continue to strive to glorify God completely and fully with my life.  This is definitely a picture worth putting on the wall of my memories...one of celebration of what the Lord has done and also a reminder of how good it is to have friends who love God.

It's about time for breakfast...

I've been spending the past week on Vancouver Island...beautiful it sure is! It's been a wonderful time of catching up with old friends and making new ones. There is not yet snow here and I even saw a rainbow the other day! There has been a ton of rain, but I don't mind it one bit. While hiking to a waterfall with some friends, just a little ways up the mountain by camp, I was constantly thanking the Lord for the beauty He has surrounded us with. Oh how good He is to us! 2 Peter 1:3-11 3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Have I forgotten? How good He is to us to give us all we need! I know that it is not easy to simply have all these qualities in our lives but that is why we are to "make every effort". Lord have mercy on me as I attempt to have these qualities so I may never be ineffective as I do my best to live for you and bring your Kingdom to earth. What a challenge I have found these verses to be, I had to read them over and over again to even begin to grasp what they meant. May this blog, (though it is mostly me simply spitting out my thoughts), be a challenge to those of you who read it as well. May we not just settle with good enough, but challenge ourselves to truly live and to hold ourselves and one another accountable to the life we are to live as disciples of Christ. It takes a rare and true friend to call another on something they are doing that is hindering them and hindering the Lords work.