Had an Interesting Week...

Had an Interesting Week…

Have not blogged much this week.

Dunno why.

That is not to say I did not have an interesting week, just that I have not seemed to find time to bang out a blog last few days.

Hmmm Where to Begin…

Monday night, my friend Scott invited my over for supper, he made this awesome road that was marinated in red wine and tomatoes that you could cut with the edge of your fork. Mmmmm! It was good to have a home cooked meal for a change. I don’t get many of those lately.

Seems I am munching on all the wrong stuff, TV dinners, Scottish Dining (McDonalds), or worse.

It was great to eat a meal that was healthy (

Monday night at Scott’s place we have been going through Chuck Missler’s “The Bible in 24 hours” with another friend of mine I went to Bethany Bible Institute (since renamed Bethany College with Glenn, who just had a baby, well technically he didn’t, his wife did, but…yah get the picture (

Tuesday night I worked later and then met an acquaintance from church Bruce for coffee at the Canadian Coffee Icon Tim Hortons and then came home and watched Oscar with Sylvester Stallone. Man I laughed my butt off (ok…figuratively) If you have not watched this movie, put it on your must view list!

Wednesday night I went to Transformations Bible Study with a bunch of people I am really starting to be wowed about. Transformations is a small group Bible Study developed by a guy named Greg Mitchell and it is a powerful study of the nuts and bolts of Christianity. Seems as we are meeting together more and more the Lord is really doing incredible things in our group’s lives. It is simply amazing to see and hear these people open up and literally shine for God. It is so encouraging to know that others walk rough roads, and that you are not the only one who is. The last week or so we have been going through church family and what it means to be in the family of God, how it is like planting your roots down by a stream whereas being outside a church family is likened to being in a parched desert. This is so true.

A lot of my life I have done the lone wolf thing, being part of, but not really JOINING a church. Sure, I have had membership in one church before, but I did not really place my self under the leadership authority of that church and still did my own thing when the rubber met the road. Here I have joined a church, have placed myself under the authority of the church and am allowing the leadership to lead me. Sure, it can be scary sometimes, you are not in control, sometimes admonishment comes instead of praise, but one thing I have noticed, I am growing in and closer to God. I am being encouraged to press on in spite of the mess my life looks like in the natural. I am being loved by people in my church who have the courage to be vulnerable and share their hearts. I am being prayed for and built up. I have come to realize that whatever small offenses that I can sometimes fall into are no match for honest love and forgiveness, and the price of such small things is trivial in the light of fellowship with God’s people.

Wow…where did that bunny trail come from eh? I start sharing my week and well…that is ok…who I am becoming is much more important than what I did this week (

Thursday…hmm…went to a StarPhoenix Christmas thing with food etc. at the Mendel Art Gallery. We advertise at work quite a bit with this company so every year they put on this event as a kind of thank-you to the Realtors that have advertised with them.

After that, I went to church as I am a Junior Youth Leader. It was great hangin’ with our kids, sharing the story of Joshua and Jericho, playing Israelites and Philistines, and snacking on cookies. Just the hang time with these kids is so cool, seeing them go from these Mexican jumping beans to when they settle down, spiritually hungry kids. It is so cool to see them changing before your eyes, really GETTING it, about what God is about, and seeing them grow in God. God has really given me a love for these little guys and I am so blessed every time we get together to see what God is going to do next! To see God’s kingdom being built in these kids is so awesome. To be able to minister and hang with my buddy Dale is just the icing on the cake, youth leadership in our church is in good hands.

Friday night I went to Concerts of the Heart, a coffee house style worship night for the people of our church to share their hearts through the arts. I was so blessed to be able to go and hear people sing, see people dance, and hear the hearts of people in a way I have never seen them before. Very cool. I got to hear Lighthouseforever sing, who by the way is in my Transformations group (brag brag, what a heart for God!) and really blew me away with her song to God (Unbelievable song Chelsea! Ya did good!), Nin and her sister Carebear worship powerfully in dance (The Holy Spirit showed up guys! Incredible Worship! God is so proud of you guys!) Nin and my brother Christopher are also in my Transformations group (brag brag, you guys are such blessings!), Nin also did a song with 2 other ladies about family in the church, wow, what an incredible song! I was so blown away by how these guys are moving in their giftings, seeing people in my church stepping out in faith on to the water, wow, I and a lot of others in the church are like, standing on side of the race course going GO, GO, GO! It is so awesome and so encouraging to see people walking on the water, ya just want to cheer them on! I also got to spend some awesome time with a few of my brothers in the Lord that have a really special place in my heart the Dales (, Corey, Kevin, Jeremy, and one of my best friends Firestarter. Man it was good to see you bro! Firestarter and CWG are two brothers that have walked a lot of stuff with me and I am truly blessed to have you two brothers in my life.

I realize that though I may not be the most wealthy person financially, or may not drive the most nicest of cars, or live in the best area of the city, I am rich. I am rich in friends who love God passionately and wholeheartedly. I am rich in that I have a pastor whose heart is to see his church fall passionately in love with Jesus and be transformed by God. I am rich because I have a church board that shares this same vision. I may not have a lot of money but I am rich because I am loved. First by God, and then by friends, brothers, and sisters. I would not trade the wealth of the world for the least of any of these. I have a family called the church who loves me in spite of myself, and am blessed with a flesh and blood family who all know Jesus and who stand by and encourage me.

God has made me truly rich in the things that matter. I am so thankful.

El Shaddai, Adonai, Lord Jehovah, Elohym, Yahweh, El Elyon, El Olam, Fairest of Ten Thousand, Lily of the Valley, El Berith, El Roi, Everlasting to Everlasting, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, The Word, The Spring, Mighty Counselor, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Almighty God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Might Shepherd, The Lion, The Lamb, The King Eternal, the Only Wise God, I Am that I Am.

(Rev 5:1-14 NIV) 1 "Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals." 2 "And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3 " But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it." 4 "I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside." 5 "Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." 6 "Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth." 7 "He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne." 8 "And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." 9 "And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation." 10 "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." 11 "Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders." 12 “In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" 13 "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" 14 "The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped."