Preparing for Home

We had our last class of Kaleo the other week. It was a Christian World View class. There have been many classes we've had that have had a lot of good info but were hard to take in and hard to remember all that was said. I liked how much information I could take in in this class. I bearly every felt lot or confused (exept when I was reading articles for that class). But I loved how that class went beyond Kaleo and what we know about Christianity and talked about our world. This class went through the different influences of thought and reason throughout the decades. I think this class was really helpful in understanding our world and how they view Christianity which will make it easier to explain my faith to people of our society.

I had the chance to tell my testimony at chapel. I was the last student to go. I think it was a good thing for me to be that vulnerable in front of the group. It was just one more way God was working in me and telling me to give myself over to him.

I am starting to feel more and more ready for home. It is going to be so hard to leave but I know it is coming and I am looking forward to what is ahead for me this year.

surfing

we went surfing again the other week. It was awesome to revisit that place were we had made so many memories. Surfing is very hard. I was able to stand up once for a couple seconds but besides that I was either riding the wave laying down or just playing in the waves. I had a lot of fun in Ucluelet. We spent some time in the town and also had some sweet times hanging out in the church. It was all the same location as the last trip but it was still a very different trip. I discovered a sweet spot in the church to hang out and get a way to read my bible. In one of the main rooms there was a window that you could climb out and hang out on the roof. I loved Those times. We also had many sweet visitors. Some of which we got to share are experiences with and tell them what we had been learning and others who really took the time to pour into us. There was one family that let us come over to their home and they were very hospitable. We appreciated them very much. This trip was yet another opportunity for our Kaleo community to bond and grow closer.

Good Times in the Sun

Reading break was amazing. I got done lots of homework but still had plenty of time for fun. We went to Mystic Beach which is a beautiful beach with sweet rocks to climb. Half of the group incluing me got there early so before we went done to that beach we did a small hike to a beach near there called China Beach. It was beautiful. It had small rocks everywhere and the sun was hitting the water so beautiful. I had a sweet talk at that beach with some of the girls just talking about our year and how it has shaped us. Reading break was an awsome reatful time. Both my room mates were gone so I had some time to be alone. At the end of the week it was March 7th (my birthday) and the day that Kaitlyn and Haley came home. So we decided to go out. We had a sweet time together. It was an amazing way to end off the break before getting back into class again.

We started Gospels which was a great class. Wes is a great teacher. He probably knows more about the bible then anyone I know. I loved hearing him and learning lots. I'm not going to lie I had a hard time focusing because we were in class for about 7 hours a day. I can't listen to one person talk for that long without drifting off every once and awhile. But over all it was a very interesting class. I defiantly learned a lot and hopefully will continue to learn as I go back to the class note on my own time.

Olympics!

We just had an amazing experience at the Olympics. It was cool to see how God answered prayer continually throughout our time there. A lot of people commented on how they loved the joy our group brought and they really saw something different in us. It was cool to see what kind of conversations came from telling people what school we're from and what Kaleo is all about. We stayed in a church and bussed in every shift. I was working at the Whistler Olympic Park. Everyday I had a different job. Sometimes I was ticket scanning and other times I was right in the stands. I met lots of amazing people but I sometimes found it hard to know how to bring up God in conversation. I struggled through but very much enjoyed my three weeks at the Olympics. I would love if you could be continually praying for all the people we were in contact with over the trip. Pray that what was said to them and what they saw in us will continually stir up questions in there hearts. Pray that they will be able to see the reason for the hope that we have.

The main part of the trip for me was prayer. I found it hard to know how to talk to people but what I did know was how to pray for them. I did not see much fruit from the prayers I was praying but I am trusting that God will change those people in His timing. Pray was also hug when it came to our own group. We were continually praying for heath and strength, bith physical strength, spiritual strength and emotional strength. God provided huge for us on this trip. We had to get up everyday at around 3:00 and then we stayed till 1:00 or 4:30 depending on the day then came home, worked on homework, went to chapel and then to bed. It was a tiring trip but God graciously blessed us with good heath and a continued passion for the people we had met. There was one point in the trip where we all felt pretty beat. We prayed for renewed strength and the next day people were amazed at the e

nergy they had and the opportunity in conversation. During the trip we had one room devoted to prayer. I loved spending time in there after shifts. It was a good place for me to rest in God and pray for the people I had come in contact with that day. I feel very blessed that God chose to use me to shine his light to people around the world. I hope God will continue growing me into a bold follower of him who is devoted to prayer.

I had four days off altogether. The church we were staying in was in Squamish, which is a beautiful town. Most days I just slept in and went into town. We had homework to do so I did that as well. I got some work done at a coffee shop near by. One of my most memorable days off was when me, Jeremy, Justin, Jim and Haley climbed the chief which is a small mountain in Squamish. It was a pretty short but steep hike and it was absolutely beautiful at the top. It was lots of fun to climb and even more fun to run down. It was a sweet time to just go out and have some fun which was a nice break.

Week of Theology

This week we had Theology. Our professor was Jim Paulson. This was a pretty heavy class. There was a lot of information to take in but I found it really interesting. Jim is a really funny teacher. I like how he did not impose his theology views on us but was open to tell us what he believed and what other beliefs are out there.

We had youth again this friday. Justin had told the leaders of the youth group that we would do a dance for the youth to start off the dance night. At first I was kind of mad at Justin for volunteering us for that but we did it anyway. We did not get a whole lot of practice time but we pulled it together in time. We did a 80's hip-hop style dance. We dressed ridiculous and just had a good time with it. The kid had lots of fun that night and made up some sweet dances.

The olympics is coming up this wednesday. I am getting kind of nervous for it. I don't really know what to expect yet. I have a lot of stuff to work on during the trip which is adding to my stress. We have two papers and a book due right after the trip. We will have days off and time in the evenings to work on homework but it will still be pretty crammed.

I am really enjoying the people here. I find I am starting to see how much I appreciate these friendships and the community here. I am starting to realize that it is going to be really hard saying goodbye to people. I know that is still a long way off but I know time moves fast.

Hanging out with the girls

This past tuesday and thursday we had class with Jim Badke. The rest of the week I spent a lot of time reading in preparation for Theology class. We had to read the first 23 chapters of Christian Doctrine. It was a pretty dry book but I liked the challenge. It was nice to have a week where we had time to get some work done.

Although we had a nothing fun planned for this past week, we made the opportunities to get out of camp and hang out. Kristie opened up her house to me, Hailey, Ellie and Katie so that we could get some work done and just hang out somewhere different. We also went out with some girls later that week. It was me, Kaitlyn, Katie, Hailey and Ellie. We went to starbucks and then came back and just sent time together just us girls. I value the time I spend with the girls and it was nice to get out with them because sometimes I get tired of being in the same place for so long.

I am loving my room more and more. God has done a lot of work in the relationship between me kaitlyn and Hailey. They are such amazing women of the Lord and we have grown closer together through our love for God. We pray together, learn together and laugh together and I enjoy their company in our room. I am starting the better understand why God put us three together.

SNOWBOARDING!!!!!!!

I started out this week looking forward to the Mt. Washington trip coming up. We woke up early in the morning to leave and the power was out. It was really windy and rain outside and no ones alarm clocks were going off. We finally got all packed up and started driving to the mountain. We got there and grabbed our rentals and went straight to the slopes.

The trip turned out to be such a blessing. The first day went from stormy and rainy with no power to a beautiful day on the mountain. I think I really see God in the mountains. Everywhere I looked there were beautiful trees covered in snow and an amazing view of the mountains. I loved snowboarding through the trees and enjoying Gods creation.

We snowboarded the whole week except for Wednesday. On Wednesday some of us went snowshoeing and some of us went cross-country skiing. I went snow showing. At the beginning of the day I was kind of wishing we could have just kept on snowboarding but as the day went on I was so glad we have the opportunity to snowshoe. We went up the chair-lift and explored the back trails of the mountain. We stopped for a while to build snow forts and to listen to the snowshoe guide tell us about survival and avalanches. What made snowshoeing so fun was that we were already really high up on the mountain so there was a lot of just running downhill really fast. At some points we were just jumping and sliding of of slopes.

Coming back to lodge for meals and in the evening was great. It was such a sweet place and everyone was there. The food was great and there was hot tubs to go in too after long days of snowboarding. Evenings were also pretty sweet.

We had chapel with everyone which was such a sweet time to lift each other up and challenge each other. We had a chapel talking about how we saw characteristics of Jesus in each other. It was encouraging to hear peoples thought on that. The next night we gave each other names the best described our character. I was given the name Gem. It was given to me because they said I am a precious women of the Lord and I was cherished by Him. Proverbs 31 was also mentioned to describe my name which talks about a wife a noble character being worth more than rubies. They called me a firm rock that is never changing and someone who really loves the Lord. Jim challenged us to see our names as something we could grow into. The next chapel we sat around praying giving up or weaknesses and struggles up to God.

The trip was so amazing and I grew a lot closer to people and God and learnt a lot about my self.

Good to be Back

I had an amazing break and it was so good to see everyone again. I loved being home but I also love being back. Our first class was Theology of Mission. Our professor was Tim Stabell who is a missionary from Congo. He has an amazing heart for mission and his spoke to me more than any other class we have had so far. He talked about our call as disciples to share the gospel. There were a lot of basic biblical truths but he went in depth and made ministry real and understandable for me.

This past weekend we went to Missions Fest in Vancouver. The speakers were amazing and their message lined up perfectly with things we had been learning in class. They spoke with such conviction.

For our Theology of Mission one of our assignments is to write down what we are praying for. We are supposed to pray for countries and issues around the world. I have had certain things on my heart, which I would love you all to pray for with me. I am going to be praying for the country of India, for Muslims, and for girls forced into the sex-trade. There are websites you can go to and learn more about these places and issues and groups of people. http://www.ijm.org/ is a great place to look.

I am also considering going to India for a mission’s trip in April. I would love if you could pray for guidance for me to know if that is where God is calling me.

Thanks for your prayer and support!