Long time no talk

Sorry It’s been so long since I updated last, thank you all for your prayers, I’m over the strep throat and onto a cold. Haha, but no complaining here, at least I can go to work with a cold!

Where to start? How about work. Work has been going well. I went back a week ago Monday and have really enjoyed spending time with the kids and loving them and seeing them as God’s precious creations. Co-workers are a bit of a different story- Don’t get me wrong I enjoy working with them and they are nice people and I do love them- but they gossip like crazy! Some days it drives me bananas! I’m trying to look past it but it seems they all come to me with their complaints about others and I’m kind of at a loss as to what to do. I usually just smile and walk away first chance I get. Please pray for me – that I would stand strong and not let their complaints and gossip affect how I view my other co-workers and that I would have to courage to stand up for my fellow co-workers and speak words of love when others gossip and that I wouldn’t seem judgmental when I do.

Last week we started helping out at a few new ministries downtown. I’m heading up the team working at the Jesus Loves You Society. It’s a ministry for poorer single moms and their children which provides dinner, clothing and food bank type services free of charge. I’m really looking forward to connecting with some of the mothers and sharing God’s love with them. As some of them are ex-prostitutes, ex-drug addicts and such it’s a very humbling and stretching experience and I’m really learning how to love people unconditionally the way God does. After dinner there is childcare provided while the mothers have an informal Bible study. I’m also looking forward to using the practical things I’ve spent 3 years learning in university to be able to serve these women, their children and ultimately God.

Funny side note about how small this world really is. I’ve been attending Varsity Bible church here in Calgary for the past couple weeks and this Sunday after the service the pastor came up and started talking to me and the 3 girls I was with. After small talk about where we were from, what schools we attended etc. It turns out the pastor attended the university of Guelph and lived in the same residence as I did our first years. Furthermore that is where he ended up accepting Christ. But the world gets a little smaller still…turns out he was born and raised in Carleton Place, a small town about 30 mins away from my home town! Neat! We had a good chat about our towns and university- just what I had needed – a little taste of home. God is so good to provide-often in the strangest and coolest ways!

I can hardly believe it’s been almost a month since we arrived in Calgary- it seems like just yesterday and at the same time it feels like I’ve known these people my whole life. The community we’ve built here is amazing- I wish it could always be like this- whole apartment buildings of Christians, living and growing and ministering together day after day- what a different world it would be. I’m so thankful for the many friends and brothers and sisters I have met through coming here. Though we will be living together for a couple more months, sadly our staff will be leaving us at the end of next week. As their time comes to a close they are passing the baton to us students to continue the vision and goals of this project. As such, I have been asked to head up the workplace evangelism training nights on Thursdays as well as the group ministering at the Jesus Loves You society. I know this will be a stretching position if I allow it to be. Please pray that I would be a humble leader and look to God for strength and wisdom to lead and that He would teach me amazing things through this experience.

Thank you again for your prayers and support. I couldn’t be here without you. I know this is going to be a summer to remember as one where I took tremendous leaps of faith and grew closer to God. I pray the same for you wherever you may be,

Blessings

Em