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.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
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!
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!
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