Happy 35th, Mom and Dad!!!!

I couldn't let today go by without posting about my wonderful parents. They celebrate 35 years of marriage today and that encourages me so much!!! I am so blessed to have such Godly, precious parents who have given me all I have ever needed. As I get older and since I have moved away, I realize how blessed I am to have Mom and Dad in my life and that they raised me as they did. I know it is not easy for their oldest to be living so far from them, but they trust that I know what I am doing and that this is where I need to be right now.
They have made sacrifices for me and have taught me so much about life. They drove up with me when I first moved to Canada, flew up for my seminary graduation, drove up the next year and we had a wonderful vacation together, and they recently drove up to my new home and brought the rest of my belongings! It's those things that mean so much~for them to want to see where I live, meet people who are a part of my life now, and to take their vacation time & spend money for me! I pray God's blessings on them as they have blessed me!!!
Mom and Dad, I don't have words to say what you truly mean to me! I think you know as we often leave things unsaid, but we know...
I pray that I can leave a legacy as only you are living out for Christy and me!! Thank you for being such an example for me and others!!!
I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH!!!

My First Summer at Community

Well, summer ministry has pretty much wrapped up at Community. We are now in the fall planning mode. To think you plan and plan, events come, and then they are gone! All in all, my first summer of ministry has been good. It has been a very tiring time for me with all the mission teams we had and 3 weeks of camps (sports camp, backyard Bible clubs, and vacation Bible school), but it was all worth it. I have made wonderful new friends and we saw some children become Christians! God is good!! Between our church and the two church starts, we have seen over 180 children! WOW! There's much follow-up to do. We pray that we'll see families become a part of our church as a result of our outreach this summer. With the two church starts: one in Summerside/Slemon Park, about 45 minutes west of here, and the Mount Stewart area, about 20 minutes north of here, we hope to see ministries of some sort continue in the fall. Please pray for all the follow-up efforts! Thanks for praying for our ministries this summer and know that you are playing a part in God's work in PEI!! It was wonderful to have such great teams from North Carolina with us this summer, as well as the summer missionaries. I have made forever friends and been forever impacted!!



Thanks to help from First Baptist Church, Salisbury, North Carolina, we were able to hold our first ever Sports Camp of basketball and soccer! That's 'one of mine', Tamara, wearing the cap.

The team did a wonderful job leading in sports, Bible stories, crafts, and just sheer fun! Here's Kim with 'one of mine', Cameron.


We held day clubs in 5 parks and had over 75 children attend! Eric, in the middle, became a Christian!!

A spin-off of musical chairs on a hot day!


A wonderful team from Old Town Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, came and led in the day clubs.


"Man, I Feel Like a Woman!" will never be the same when you hear two guys belt it out! The two Jonathans, Freda, Kendall, and I loved singing Shania while driving back from helping out with a Block Party in Slemon Park, as well as while driving the guys to the university where the team was staying. I wasn't quite paying attention while I was belting out another Shania song and ended up driving partly on the sidewalk when I turned into the university! The looks on everyone's faces were priceless and I will never live it down! Here we are singing for others. Blond Jonathan is the one who prayed with Eric when he became a Christian!!!



Another 'one of mine', Ethan, who was so proud of his "new do" one morning at VBS. He and I could never smile at the same time for a picture!
I was so glad to see the bulk of our church's kids at VBS!! I have really enjoyed getting to know them better this summer.

4 year olds to K class~Ethan, then Anthony 'one of mine'--Tamara's brother

Kids perform for parents on the last day before we have a hot dog lunch together.

What a joy to have a team from Green Meadows Baptist Church in Mocksville, North Carolina, with us to help lead in Vacation Bible School!

A Busy Summer

Boy, am I behind on keeping this blog updated! That just goes to show the busyness of my summer. Though it's been busy, it's been good, especially with one child becoming a Christian last week during backyard Bible clubs! I am enjoying my first summer of ministry at Community Baptist and on the Island. It's just a lovely place to be and a great fit for me at this time in life!
We are gearing up for VBS next week. I think I am a bit to calm right now, considering there are still things to do. Maybe after 5 years of leading VBS, I know how it works and how God takes care of things. Sure, there is preparation, but I also know that I need to remain calm and do what needs doing. We have a team from North Carolina, our 4th this summer, arriving tomorrow night to assist us in VBS. It has been wonderful to have our NC partners with us this summer. Wonderful people and I know I've made some friends for life.
Speaking of friends for life, 'my' girls, Freda and Kendall, left yesterday, so my heart is a bit sad right now. We were practically glued at the hip all summer, so not having them around will be different for me. I continue to be in an adjustment mode, but guess that just comes with life sometimes.
In the midst of all that is going on in my life, God is continuing to show Himself to me and I stand in awe. He never ceases to amaze me and He continues to remind me that He is the Constant in my life! I pray that you experience Him in a mighty way this day!!! I will post pics of the summer when things are a little less crazy.