"You give me JOY down deep in my soul"

The funniest thing happened yesterday. Here's the tale, in poetic form:

Artemus

This afternoon as I sat on the bench

Hearing noises from students that I just couldn't quench

When all of a sudden, bounding out from nowhere

Came a dog with beautiful long silky hair.

It sat down right beside me and licked my hand and my knee

So I put down my books and I pet it with glee.

"A dog!", I exclaimed, "and a friendly one at that"

"You must be my gift from God" and I gave it another pat.

I saw on it's collar her name and phone number

And then phoned her owner, a find lad from Down Under.

A few minutes more with this dog did I spend

Stroking her fur and not wanting it to end.

All too soon did we go from the bench to the road

And what first did the dog see but dinner a-la-mode?

Leftovers from team building with M.A.D. DTS

Pasta, mush, and bananas, oh, what a mess.

I looked on and giggled as the dog ate her fill

Until her owner came by and took her back down the hill.

Now is the time my tale draws to a close

Please share if you will a story that kept you on your toes.

That really made my day! If I would have stopped laughing enough to think of taking a picture of this whole debacle, I would show it to you all. But, alas, I didn't. So you'll have to use your own imagination.

This past month has been eventful. It's also been a time of God stretching me. There were some days where I wasn't doing so well emotionally and spiritually; doubting God and myself, and comparing myself to others. I would realise that in myself and keep giving it to God. In those hard moments, God would show me that there was beauty in my brokenness and there were many good moments as well. I thought back to just how much I've learned over this past year and how much God's been faithful, good, and strong in my weakness. It reminds me of a song that this past DTS loved to sing; Joy. 

There's beauty in my brokenness,

I've got true love instead of pain,

There's freedom though You've captured me.

I've got joy instead of mourning.

Here are some highlights of the past few weeks:

Staff farewell/internship graduation. All of us staff spent an evening sending off the staff who were leaving and also to graduate the staff from internship. I graduated for the 7th time in my life that day. (kindergarten, grade 6, grade 9, grade 12, university, and DTS were the other 6 times if you were wondering.)

Our Thanksgiving party. My favourite part was playing the Guess the lyrics game. All of the songs were YWAM Toowoomba originals. Alex, a guy who was sitting at the same table as me, started writing the word "daddy" by almost every lyric. It was so funny!  Then afterwards, we set up the Christmas tree.

Local outreach week. Instead of just the students and DTS staff being involved in local outreach, all of us got to participate. I spent the mornings doing yard work, playing music at an age care home, and helping out at a youth group in Pittsworth (the same town I did Kids Games with back in June. I loved coming back and seeing some people I knew).  

Then on Sunday as a grand finale, we had a stall for Freedom Project and went to Carols in the Park. They set up a big stage in the middle of Queens park and have performers sign Christmas carols. People everywhere were wearing Christmas clothes, but they looked a lot different than what I'm used to in Canada. They had Santa minion t-shirts, elf style shorts, hats that lit up, and plastic battery powered candles. I sold some angel ornaments and bookmarks that I had made at home in October. Also, two of our students donated their original artwork to sell at our stall. They are so talented!

artwork by Allison, a student on the July 2016 DTS,
soon to be staff and one of my roomies

art by Emily, a student on the July 2016 DTS.
Such amazing eyes on that child in the picture! 

Our team leader Nathan busking at our stall.

Our final Bella sisters of the year. We celebrated the past year as well as said farewell to 4 of the Bella leaders. I loved spending last precious moments with the girls in my family group and giving away some hand made christmas gifts to them and other leaders and girls I got to know this past year. 

DTS graduation and saying goodbye to the July 2016 DTS. This one was bittersweet because I love them so much. My favourite part of this time was Honouring night where we sat around in a circle and honoured two people each. I could tell right from the moment I met them in July that they were a unified group of people and so kind, encouraging, and welcoming. They each have big servant hearts and have grown so much in the past 5 months on their DTS. I'm sad to see them go, but I know that God's got amazing plans for them.

I've also loved spending time with the other staff, especially in the last few weeks. I love you guys so much!

I'd love to hear your story of this past year, of God's providence and/or faithfulness, and some highlights. What's God been teaching you and how have you been growing?

Thank you so much for supporting me this past year in prayer. I honour you for stepping out in boldness. Much love!

Seeing them through MY eyes

As I contemplate the last month, I can't help but think of the picture God gave me on my last day of outreach in Cambodia.

God is hovering above Wat Phnom, a spot near a large Buddhist temple where prostitutes sit, waiting to be picked up, their pimps and children sitting nearby. Some are on drugs, many women with painted white faces and revealing clothes, backward from their culture.  The place looks covered in darkness to most of the people, but to God it is bright. Nothing is hidden from His sight. The people have blackened eyes, blinded by the enemy so they can't see God's light. The angel's of the Lord, His angel armies surround Wat Phnom, fighting for the people. But the people don't see; they can't see. The Christians have a light around them, a glow. The music played, testimonies shared, and prayers spoken make a light flow out of them that the people can begin to see. But they still don't see the giant light, the angel armies fighting for them, or God hovering. This place, Wat Phnom, Cambodia, the Earth, is the Lord's Kingdom. His honour, His glory, and His power reign.
"The Lord of Heaven's Armies is His name." Jeremiah 10:16

some of the people we invited to dinner at Wat Phnom

Spirit house outside of Wat Phnom temple

Wat Phnom

Inside Wat Phnom Buddhist temple

boy outside of Wat Phnom

outside Wat Phnom

tuk-tuks waiting at Wat Phnom

This was the setting of my first, middle and last ministry of our outreach to Cambodia. I can now say that my first time playing guitar for worship in front of a group of people was leading 3 songs in the middle of Phnom Penh, Cambodia to prostitutes and drug addicts. As I played guitar to the women and men who live on the street, begging, some on drugs, and most in prostitution, I felt God there smiling and saying, "Well done.  These are My kids and I love them as I love you. I stop for the one as you did today and that's what matters.  Not your skills or what you have to offer necessarily, but relying on My strength, taking My courage, and stopping for the one.  Seeing them through My eyes, the way I see them. Not lady boy, drug addict or prostitute, but a child of God, a daughter and a son, precious and beautiful, with a value and a purpose."

Our time in Cambodia was brief, but we helped out in many different ministries associated with either people at risk, in the sex trade, or ones who have been rescued out of the sex trade. We led the children's and youth programs at Hope for Life, gave art & music classes to the ladies who left their life of prostitution and now work in the Daughters production centre, and led worship and shared devotions at Open Arms. We also led a women's bible study, led worship at the Phnom Penh House of Prayer, led a children's program, church service, and prayer in two villages, and prayed over the teenage and young adult girls that were rescued out of the sex trade and are now living at House of Refuge.

street kids close to Daughters

at Open Arms

at Water Festival our last night

at Teul Slang where
victims were tortured
during Khmer Rouge

One of my favourite parts of the trip was going to the second village. There was a man with cerebral palsy who asked for a wheelchair on their last visit to the village. The group I went with was able to provide him with a wheelchair the day we visited his village. We arrived to this village, and I was a bit tired from a morning of leading games, songs, and stories with the kids from the first village we went to but excited to see what God had in store for the people there. When we got to his house, he was lying down on a makeshift bed with a blank look on his face. When he saw the wheelchair, his face began to change. By the time we got some men in the village to help him into the wheelchair, his whole demeanour was changed for the better. We asked him if he wanted prayer for anything, and he said he wanted to walk. He hadn't been able to walk for years, but he still remembered what it felt like, and he wanted to do it again. We prayed for him and even though he wasn't healed right there on the spot, his faith didn't waiver. His faith in God was so strong and it convicted me. "I want a faith as strong as His," I thought.

After that we shared some worship songs and Sandra told a short testimony on the power of prayer. Then a man from the village who helped the first man into the wheelchair spoke up and said he wanted prayer, too. He had been stabbed in the eye in a knife fight and was now blind in that eye. We prayed him and he gave his life to Jesus. Then after we prayed, the man in the wheelchair told the guy that he could come to his house any time and he would pray for him. I was so touched by this man's faith and courage to step out in praying for his neighbours, even when the Buddhist culture in Cambodia doesn't accept Christianity and only about 2% of the population are Christians.

I have so many other stories and testimonies I could share, I could go on for days. If you'd like to hear more about my trip, how you'd like to support me in prayer or financially, or anything else, feel free to shoot me an email or Facebook message.  Thanks so much to everyone who has been praying for me and the people who supported me financially for the Cambodia outreach and my time staffing at YWAM Toowoomba.

I have some news for you all. In order to continue on staff until June 2017, I need to go out of the country to apply for a Working Holiday visa. The whole trip will be around $1,300 CDN which includes the visa cost of $440 AUD.  If you feel called to donate to this cause, you can email or Facebook message me and I'll send you my bank details. I'll also be setting up a PayPal account in the near future.

A final thought for you all. It's something God spoke to me when I was having a hard time and I hope it encourages you as it has encouraged me.

God: You are never the odd one out. I am with you until the end of the age. I have clothed you in white, you are righteous and holy and precious and Mine.  I am renewing your mind, changing the way you think. I am preparing you for war. I put on your armour sometimes, when you feel weak or unworthy. When you are weak, I am strong and I give you My strength. When you feel unworthy, I tell you of your worth and your beauty. You will never be alone. I am by your side. Just look up, into My eyes of fire and see Me, see My glory on display for everyone who looks to Me. Then your strength will be renewed. With your mind, you will trust in Me and lean not on your own understanding but in Mine, which is perfect and true. My love is for all for I am love. A love that is patient, kind, selfless and strong. More powerful than the grave.

Me: I just asked You to show me the bigger picture, the way You see the world. I saw a picture of You holding the world in Your hands and thought of that song, "He's got the Whole World in His Hands."  But instead of holding it in both hands or even one, You were spinning it around on Your pinkie and the Earth was as small as Your fingernail. And yet, You see everyone of us, up close and in colour.

God: I see your and I know your worth. Your worth doesn't come from what you do or what others think of you, but in how I see you. I see you, I know you and I love you. All of you. You have never been and never will be unworthy to Me. You have worth and value and a purpose. You are Mine!

Onto Cambodia in 4 days!

I had a revelation a few weeks back, a deeper understanding of who God is and who we are, that I would love to share with you.

God, You are good. You made the sun, the mountains, the trees and said it is good. You made us and said you are good. We are good. Sin is bad. We will never stop being who God created us to be, which is good, even if we sin. Even if we do bad things, we are not bad. We are good. We are not our sin.

I am going to Cambodia in 4 days! Three of us from Freedom Project; Evelien, Sandra, and I will be going to the capital Phnom Penh for 3 weeks to serve in kids and youth ministry as well as going to the red light district. Our hope is to see lives impacted, for us to be God's hands and feet and do everything we do with a purpose and intentionality. We'd love prayer for continued and growing unity, for hearts of the people we will minister to to be opened to God's love, and for the spiritual strongholds on the nation of Cambodia to be broken. We would love your continued prayers and support as we go to Cambodia. We hope to film and take many pictures while we're there that will tell a story of hope and life in amongst the sadness and hopelessness that plagues many of these people's lives. I still need some funds for the trip, and if you feel called to support me financially or want more information on what I'm doing, feel free to go to my GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/gmz85bz8.

We as Freedom Project had a stall at Margaret Street markets twice in September, where we sold some jewellery, artwork, and postcards. My favourite parts of the markets were talking with people wanting to know more about Destiny Rescue and their work in rescuing children out of the sex trade. I also love listening to the music from our fellow staff and students as they are busking to support Freedom Project. I live with so many talented musicians!

We also had a night at Campfire Sessions where all of the Freedom Project team shared our heart, our songs, and had a stall with jewellery, artwork, and brochures with more information about what we do.  It was the first time I played a whole set on stage. I really enjoyed playing some originals and covers and I love how we set an atmosphere of calm and peace whenever we play.

The first three pictures are the team I am going to Cambodia with.

Me playing an original "Your Glorious Light" about God's
light and glory covering the whole earth

Evelien playing an original about girls trapped in the
sex industry called "Stripped"

Sandra singing an original
"Peace in the Storm"

Here are a couple more pictures of what I did before going home for a visit.

movie night with July 2016 DTS student girls

Family fun day. I was dressed up as Iron man and the
others are some YWAM staff and students.

my friend Kate and her band playing before the parade

a dance group at the Carnival of Flowers
parade in Toowoomba

I went home to Winnipeg from September 20th to October 15th. I loved spending time with friends and family and I cherish every moment I spent with you all. My Dad's side of the family came down for the day on October 1st for Christmas. We went all out; put up the tree, decorated, and I spent the week before busily making Christmas presents for each of them.  I spent Thanksgiving with my cousins and Auntie & Uncle who live closest to me. I loved hearing what's been going on with them over the past few months and playing Settler's of Catan. It was a great time with family. I love you guys!!!

"the stockings were hung on the chimney with care"

angel ornaments I made to sell at the
Margaret Street Markets

our Charlie Brown Christmas tree

During my time at home, I also went to wedding just outside of Calgary. I knew the couple from my first 6 months of staffing here at YWAM Toowoomba as we staffed together. They are such a lovely, caring, and hilarious couple and their wedding was just as fun as they are. I loved meeting up with friends I hadn't seen in a while and getting to meet new ones. I spent some time with some relatives, my Great Uncle Ben and Auntie Betty. They were so hospitable and fun to be with. Thanks for opening up your home to me and showing me all your pictures! Your company made the whole trip so enjoyable!

the wedding ceremony

in front of the Big Rock, Okotoks'
natural wonder. What a windy day

father daughter dance to
"Butterfly Kisses"

Anna & Regan's first dance

Here are some pictures from my journey back to Australia.

a self playing piano at the LAX airport. SO COOL!

the elevator front at LAX

on the bus to Toowoomba

I came back to Australia on Monday and jumped right back into work, time with staff here on base and taking in the gorgeous views of the countryside. I'm excited to be back and to go to Cambodia next week. Thanks so much for your prayers and support. I would love to hear from you. Please shoot me an email or Facebook message or comment below. Love you all and God bless!