A Deep Freeze

Well, winter has arrived in Calgary! This is the second Sunday in a row with snow, snow, snow. The snow started last Sunday during church. It wasn't forecasted, so we were taken by surprise. I sat in a Sunday School class and watched the snow falling outside. The fresh fallen snow is beautiful and the untouched snow always reminds me of God's beauty and purity! Thankfully, it wasn't terribly cold last weekend. Boy, has that changed! Another winter storm hit Friday and I actually left work early. I knew I better get home when I could, as my car had been giving me problems. I will have to get winter tires! It's these times when I have to ask God to remind me of the calling He has placed on my life to be here...

The snow came and came and came, as well as falling temps. Calgary hasn't seen this much snow in awhile, especially in December. It will definitely be a White Christmas here! The temps have been sitting at -25C/-15F or lower and that's not counting a much lower windchill!! Brrrrr....
Needless to say that I have been hibernating all weekend, though I did venture out for church with the couple I am staying with. I am hoping my car cranks in the morning! It is to be bitterly cold for a few more days.

Poated above are a few photos of the beautiful snow covered trees outside the office. The trees were just beautiful one morning! The sun wasn't fully up yet, so it made for an even prettier sight.

Speaking of snow, how crazy that parts of the Southern US had snow last week! I couldn't believe it when my folks called and told me. Mom headed for work, but had to turn around. That's two snowfalls in less than a year! Dad said, "I think we must be in Canada."

FYI: You know it's extremely cold when you walk outside and your nose hairs freeze!

Prayer for Friends

We never know what life will throw us.
I found out last week that a dear friend in PEI is in the hospital with some psychiatric issues. Please pray for her healing! Barbie is one of my closest friends and we've traveled a journey together since June 07. We have a special bond and it was very difficult on both of us when I left. I know God is in control and He will heal her!

Just this past weekend, a precious woman in my life passed away from a short, but aggressive form of cancer. Karen Harris, in Vancouver, was called Home and we'll celebrate her life this Saturday. It was her daughter, Becky, who traveled with me across North America. This family is so very precious to me and took me in as one of theirs 10 years ago. I will write more about Mom Karen at a later date...It is all surreal for me. Please pray for the family and friends at this time. All were trying to adjust to the news of the cancer and death came so soon. She was diagnosed when Becky and I were on the road. Becky found out the day she got home and Mom Karen called me the next day. She had been undergoing chemo and radiation for just 2 weeks. Death is such an ugly thing, but praise God that we have victory in Jesus!

If there's one thing that God is teaching me it is that LIFE IS SHORT AND FRAGILE! We can't take anything for granted. I could not imagine going through this time without the Lord. How do folks cope without Him? If you are reading this and you've not made Jesus the Lord of your life and accepted His forgiveness for your sins, so you can spend eternity with Him in Heaven, I pray you will! Life won't be perfect, but God will be with you each step of the way!

I'll be in Vancouver from Friday-Monday. Pray that it will be a sweet time with the family and friends and that I'll grieve as I need to.

Back in Alberta

Thanks to all of you who prayed for me during my immigration process and my time at home in Mississippi. I was at a point in my life that I had not been in before--totally not knowing what was going to happen. Now, I know that God is control, but when I thought I had it all figured out, I felt like my whole world was turned upside down--to a degree. I had no idea how long the process would take, but praise the Lord that the document I needed came in just over 2 1/2 weeks. God always goes before us and He knew that I needed that break. I had been running full steam since June and really was not ready to learn the ropes of a new job. Once something is behind you, you see what God was doing. I had a great time with my family and even ended up getting to take a beach trip with my sister and her crew. We had a blast and it was so relaxing.
I arrived in Calgary on September 26 and had no problems getting my work permit for two years. God is good! I was in training for just over 2 weeks and have been on the job 'by myself' for a week now. It is a huge transition for me, but I know that in due time that I will get used to things and make this ministry my own. I am working with a wonderful group of people and look forward to developing even more friendships. For whatever reason that God doesn't allow me to be closer to family in the States, He is allowing me to be back in the place that had become home to me after 5 1/2 years. I am thankful that this is not a totally new place for me and I know folks already. I was wanting to live in Cochrane, where the Convention office is, but I'm in Calgary, about 20 minutes from work. I've got a nice little basement suite with a kitchenette in the home of a couple who works at the Convention. It is a blessing and very reasonable rent.

The most challenging things for me are a more "structured" life and handling the finance part of my job. When I am frustrated with numbers, etc, I have to tell myself that we need money to advance the Kingdom, so keeping track of it is very important! I love the missions side of things--reading the stories from the field, getting things together for our International Mission Offering prayer guide. In conjunction with the material that the International Mission Board distribute, we do a Canadian guide/poster as well. We will focus on those Canadians on the field, whether they are directly with our Convention or have connections with Canada in some way. I look forward to seeing it all come together. I'm glad that there is another person who can design the prayer guide because that is not my area! I just provide the information and give my ideas! This will be my first big project, so you can pray for that. We'll get those ready for mailing out the first week of November.

It is wonderful to be in the Rocky Mountains again! Last week while driving to work, I had the moon in front of me, the mountains beside me, and the gorgeous sunrise colored sky behind me!! I spent most of last weekend in the mountains and it was just breathtaking. Oh, I also have the mountains in the distance at work! Who could not look at it all and say there's not a God?!

When you want to come visit, just let me know. I love taking folks to the mountains!

The Latest with Me

There is much to tell you about what is going on in my life.

I think that most of you know that I have left Prince Edward Island and Community Baptist on August 14. A couple months ago, I was approached about a position at our Canadian National Baptist Convention (formerly the Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists) to replace the gal serving as the missions ministry leader/administrative assistant to the SEND team. I wondered what in the world God was doing, but after much prayer and more, I felt God leading me to accept the position and that my time at Community Baptist was coming to a close after 18 months. It was difficult to leave my wonderful friends there, but I knew I was suppose to move back to Cochrane, Alberta. My dear friend, Becky from Vancouver, flew out to PEI and we drove across North America in 10 days! It was a crazy adventure and one I will write more about on here. Thank you to those of you who have been praying me through the decision process and during our travels. I/we could feel your prayers!

In order for me to work at the Convention and get paid, I have to have a work visa. Long story short, I am in Mississippi until the visa issue gets sorted out...
When Becky and I stopped at the border to re-enter Canada, it was by the grace of God that I was let in. I was missing one piece of paper proving that the Convention has tried to hire a Canadian, could not find one, so therefore offered me the job. That paperwork has now been done and received into the immigration office. It's just a waiting game and could take weeks or months! Thankfully, my friend had a flight back to Vancouver last Sunday and I had already scheduled to be at a conference in Atlanta for Tuesday. It was these two things that 'saved' us. Needless to say, my parents came and got me in Atlanta! (They had already planned to come and visit with me anyway.)

I can say that I am definitely at a point in my life that I have never been in before. I know that God is in control and we never know what will come our way. I am trusting in His perfect timing. Satan tries to throw doubts my way, but I know that God has called me to this position---educating our Canadian churches about missions, connecting with our international missionaries, coordinating aspects of the missions offerings, and much more! Under the SEND team falls student ministry, volunteers, and international missionaries, and every aspect of missions. Children are my passion, with missions a close second!

I feel this visa issue is probably God's way of getting me to rest. I have been going full steam since at least mid-June and am emotionally and mentally drained and get exhausted at times! Also, I didn't think I'd be home til Christmas, so this is a nice 'surprise' visit with my family and friends in the South!

With the Convention paid position, means that I am no longer a Mission Service Corps missionary with the North American Mission Board. I thank each and every one of you who have supported me through the past 4 years in that area. You have been such a blessing!

As I write, the Gulf Coast and surrounding areas are preparing for Hurricane Gustav. We saw what Katrina did and are taking no chances! I was home on summer vacation when Katrina hit...God was with us through that time and I know He will watch over us during this storm. My family is 2-3 hours from the Gulf Coast of MS and New Orleans, but the Katrina damage was extensive even here. As we were driving today, I noticed trees that were ripped in half by that storm 3 years ago and continue to be reminded of how that storm impacted so many lives.

Here's how I ask you to pray:
for my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health
for the immigration process
for a restful time while I am home
if needed, that God will provide just the job I need while I am home
for the Canadian National Baptist Convention and its churches
that Hurricane Gustav will weaken and anxieties will be settled

You are such a blessing and I pray that you are experiencing God's love in a special way!

Our Trek Across North America

Well, my dear friend Becky, and I are writing from Kalamooza, Michigan. Yes, there is really a place called 'Kalamooza'! For those of you who don't know, I have accepted a position with our Canadian National Baptist Convention (formerly the Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists) as the missions ministry leader and administrative assistant to the SEND team. We left Charlottetown a week ago and could write a book on our adventures so far. We feel your prayers and ask you to continue to do that! It has been incredible to see more of the great nation of Canada, including old Quebec City, Parliament Hill in Ottawa, city of Toronto, and Niagara Falls. Becky hasn't seen much of the US, so this is a treat for her. We will be driving through some parts that I haven't seen. We have many miles to still go, but we feel we can make good time the next two days. Becky has a flight back to Vancouver on Sunday morning, so pray all goes well the next 3 days and especially with getting back into Canada and me needing to get my work visa! No problems getting into the US. We crossed over Lake Huron and how pretty it was!

With the busyness of the move, I still haven't gotten a newsletter out to really fill all in on the changes in my life. This will have to be sufficient for now...

Until we write again....

Convention has come and gone...

The annual Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists' Annual Convention was held in Charlottetown and hosted by my church last week...and we have survived! Word is that it was the best Convention meeting ever and we are encouraged by that. I was the children's ministry coordinator and I don't think I've ever had such a physically and mentally draining week! Man, oh man....but God gave strength and met needs in only the ways He does in our times of need. He brought just the workers that were needed to serve some of the best children in the world! The World Changers and CCSB parents plus others were great. It was wonderful to see old friends and make new ones. What a joy to be part of the CCSB family...which is now known as the Canadian National Baptist Convention! It will be wierd saying 'CNBC' instead of 'CCSB'...
Thanks to those of you who prayed for this special time in the life of our Convention! Your prayers were felt.
To view Convention sessions, go to www.ccsb.ca.



Some ladies of our church were God-sends in getting snacks ready for the children. We bought for 80 children, including 400 juice boxes as there were 5 sessions of snack times! Not quite that many children were there, so we have tons of snacks leftover! What a sight to see the grocery cart!

Our church hosted a Lobster Supper for over 300 people (in 3 different settings)! It went really well. Here folks are getting ready to start the Lobster Supper of rolls, mussels, lobster (or ham or hot dogs), salads, and cheesecake. What a blessing the World Changers and CCSB staff and Community folks were!

This family is farely new to our church. April and Oliver are precious kids!

Kids enjoy playing games during Convention sessions. Majority of the Convention was held on the University of Prince Edward Island campus.

Mission Service Corps missionary and dear friend, Mary Bryant, comes to speak to the children about the ministry that she and her husband (and dog) do across Canada

Ellen and Ellen ~ I met young Ellen while in Calgary and what a joy to see her again! We are kindred spirits! Her dad is a pastor at one of our churches and her grandparents were my seminary professors. I look I little tired from the week, eh?!

The flowers the Convention family gave me. What a nice surprise!

Two Neat "Sightings"

My dear friend, Shelly Webb, and her mother are on a cruise right now. Yesterday, they were docked in Charlottetown! She now lives in Boston, doing campus ministry at MIT and serving as an MSC missionary like me. They left from Boston to Bar Harbor, Maine, and then were in Nova Scotia for a day before traveling here. Shelly and I went for breakfast and I brought her by the church and my little apartment. She and her mom went on the Anne of Green Gables tour in the afternoon, before their ship left last night. They will depart in Montreal, Quebec, and drive back to Boston, but not before more sight-seeing! How neat that God allowed me to go to Boston last fall for a missions conference (see older post) and get to visit with Shelly and now she got to come here and experience just a bit of my world! I LOVE YOU, SHELLY!
Oh, the neat sighting was seeing the cruise ship docked! It's a neat sight to see along the harbor and as you drive over the bridge to the town of Stratford and back.




I had an appointment in Stratford yesterday afternoon. Until driving there, I didn't realize that Tour de PEI (women's cycling competition) would be there later in the day. Tour de PEI had started earlier in the week by the cyclists crossing the 12 mile Confederation Bridge that links New Brunswick and PEI. The race went through the countryside of PEI, Stratford, and ending today in downtown Charlottetown. Right up from where I was parked, the folks were setting up for the end of the race, so I got to see the "Finish Line", awards podium, fencing, and signs (300m, 200m, 100m, etc) that are put up. It was neat to see it all coming together. One of the dear ladies, Marjorie, from our church lives right where it was going to take place. After my appointment, I walked up to her place and had a lovely lunch and visit. If I had not had other things going on yesterday and last night, I would have stayed and watched the race with her. I'm sure it would have been a neat experience!

What a joy!

What a joy to finally meet and hold my little nephew! He is just precious! When I first saw him, I knew who his daddy was as he sure favors Nathan! Knox will be 6 weeks old tomorrow and is a bundle of joy. He mainly sleeps and eats and poops, but is very alert when he is awake. His little blue eyes are sure looking at something. I know, it's his Aunt Ellen! He has the sweetest little cries and loves to be held! I am so thankful to have this time with him, as I missed out on this early stage of the girls' lives. I met both of them when each were around 3 months old.

Speaking of the girls, I am having the best time with Rosalyn and Katie! Rosalyn loves dress-up, books, princesses, coloring, and taking pictures with my digital. Katie loves books and to be held. She is talking so much more than when I saw her 8 weeks ago. It is so fun to just watch their little personalities. Watching them interact makes me wonder how my sister and I were at that age. They are 2 years apart, while there's 3 between my younger sister and me.
Rosalyn is definitely the bigger sister because she likes to tell Katie what to do and will get a bit frustated as Katie doesn't understand how to do things as she does. Katie is a very sensitive child, so her feelings get hurt easily. She is full of smiles, though! Both girls already have a sense of humor and seem to be just fine hanging out. They aren't always playing with their toys and such. Both the girls seem to be doing quite well with their baby brother.

What a day!

Well, you never know what will happen when you travel and especially when flying. I left Charlottetown on Monday at 12PM Atlantic/10AM Central and flew to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I had a 3 hour layover. I ended up being in Halifax for 7 hours because of ground delays. There was bad weather in Chicago, so no planes could get there. I was getting pretty stressed that I would not make it to Memphis, Tennessee, and did not want to get stuck in an airport and especially Chicago. We finally left for Chicago and were told that they had delays there. I get to Chicago and my Memphis flight was delayed! Whew...or so I thought! We finally get on the Memphis bound plane and back out. We were soon told that due to bad weather & heavy Fed-Ex traffic in Memphis, we were once again on a ground delay. By this time, it's 11PM Central and I am sooooo tired and we're told that it will be another hour until an update. I'm glad no one was sitting beside me, so I could stretch out a bit and try to rest. We finally leave for Memphis after midnight Central. I am feeling pretty bad for my dad and aunt because they are up so late, waiting on me to get in. My mom and sister are still up as well, texting or calling me, to see what in the world is going on. I know things are beyond my control, though, and I'm just so glad to finally be headed to Memphis. As always when I fly, I wonder if my luggage will make it. Well, for the third time in 3 months, my luggage didn't arrive with me. Better it not arriving, than me! It did arrive this morning, so I am finally safe and sound in Mississippi with my belongings.
Flying is old hat for me, but it's still nerve-wracking. God was with me in special ways on Monday. My luggage was a bit overweight and the guy didn't even charge me! PTL! It was nothing to get through customs and I was not stuck in an airport overnight and was able to get to my destination, even if it was the middle of the night! Oh, and when I arrived in Chicago, my departure gate was right across from my arrival gate!

Please pray for my dad and aunt. I met both of them with injuries at the airport. My aunt Sarah broke her foot a few weeks ago while playing basketball with her 9 yr old grandson. My dad, Charles, has a very sore leg from going through the floor of my aunt's attic in her new house! He didn't know the floor wasn't really finished, so while going through some of Granny's things, he steps in one spot, and through the floor his leg goes. PTL that it wasn't worse! Pray for speedy healing and ease of pain in the meantime. There are some members of our family who are accident prone!

Welcoming a New Life

A new man has entered my life...

...my first nephew, that is!





Daniel Knox Shurden
February 21, 2008
6:02PM
6lbs 8oz
19 inches long






Knox arrived safe and sound and how precious he is! I cannot wait to meet him, hold him, and spoil him like crazy! I don't know if we'll know what to do with a boy, but I'm sure we'll learn fast. Though Knox arrived a few weeks early, all are doing well.

Within a month, we have celebrated one life who has left us and welcomed a new one!

God continues to bestow His blessings on us each and every day!

WELCOME TO THE WORLD, LITTLE GUY! I LOVE YOU ALREADY!

Celebrating One's Life

My Granny, Elizabeth Cone, 96 years old, went to be with Jesus on January 25, 2008. She was a precious person in my life and I am blessed to have had such a special relationship with her. We liked much of the same things and my mom says I get my independent spirit from her! Granny introduced me to stamp-collecting as a young girl. She traveled the world for many years and I always enjoyed hearing her stories and seeing pictures. Until she could no longer drive, each time we visited her in Memphis, TN, she would have our days planned and we were always venturing out somewhere. I loved our times together. She was also a woman of faith and has left a legacy. She loved her Lord and her church (Bellevue Baptist) and her Sunday School class. Since I moved to Canada, she had been unable to care for herself. She and I had quite a few talks about why God still had her on this earth. I once told her that she could be a prayer warrior...she said, "yeah, you're right." I could write a book on the memories I have of her and our times together.

We got to see Granny at Christmastime. Dad, my sister's family, and I had planned to go visit Dad's side of the family the Thursday-Saturday after Christmas. That morning, we got a call from Aunt Sarah that hospice was with Granny every other hour because her pulse had been low (she was in a nursing home). For the next 4 hours, I kept praying that God wouldn't take her just yet since we were so close to visiting her. When Dad, Christy, and I arrived to her room, she was sleeping and was so much thinner than when I had seen her in February 07. She woke up and saw us there. She was smiling, though was so weak that she couldn't move her arms from under the covers. One of the sweetest memories I'll always have is that she said, "I'm jumping for joy inside!" I knew she wanted to hug us so much...

Nathan and the girls came with us the next day and Granny looked much better and we were able to hold her hands & talk with her more. Granny enjoyed seeing her great-grandaughters and Christy was able to tell her that she was expecting a boy and his name would be Knox~a maiden name on Granny's side! We don't know if Granny remembered, as she had dementia, but it was special to tell her, especially now that she is gone.

God allowed me to get home for Granny's funeral. Her service was a celebration of her life and her Savior and how we can have a home in Heaven...just what she would have wanted! Dad was able to play "How Great Thou Art" on his trombone, while Mom accompanied him on piano. This was something Granny wanted & it was special that Dad was able to do this. A few years ago, Granny had planned everything, even what she would wear and her casket. This made it so much easier on Dad, Aunt Sarah, and Uncle John. Though despite the reason, it was wonderful to be with my 3 cousins again. They and their familes are so special and we usually only see each other once a year. Granny had 5 grandchildren (with 4 of them married) and 7 great-grandchildren, with one on the way.

Granny was one who kept almost everything! Between she and her mother, there is much history written down & photos of our family. We spent many hours going through things and have many treasures of our own now. I have one of the last Bibles she used, along with a few other odds and ends.

Though death is never easy, what comfort I can take in knowing that she is all healed and dancing with Jesus...and that we will meet again one day!

(My scanner is not working right, so no pics available for posting at this time.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I can't believe that we're halfway into January 08! Where does the time go?

I had a great time in MS, TN, and NC with family and friends! I will post pics soon!
God orchestrated the timing of my visit and many things that occurred. He is so good in that way, isn't He? I will write more on what He has been doing when I am less tired!

I pray you have a blessed 08 and you see God at work around you. Remember, it's all about Jesus!!

"Be still and know that I am God." ~Psalm 46:10