So I have been Thinking!

I am a dangerous thinker!  Yes, the power of thinking sometimes gets me over thinking but this is a good thinking!

I have been thinking about what life was like three months ago, to what life is like now.  I am thinking about my friends that I left behind, the friendships and the life that I made in Kenya to what I have now, important to know that I am not comparing the two but to know that God has blessed me and is continuing to bless me.  I have been thinking that I need to send out a prayer update of what I am doing and how life is going and all that good stuff!  I have been thinking...

Well, being home for the last 2 1/2 months has been a whirlwind, bizarre in some ways as I was looking to rest but funny how God knows what is best.  As some of you know, I am working already.  God knew what I needed and I got a job two weeks after I got home.  I am working at my home church as the Administration Ministry Assistant for Children's Ministry.  Check out our website here...www.cschurch.ca.  It is great, you ever feel that you have the most perfect fit for a job?  That is what I have here, I love it...it is like the best of both worlds, fun and excitement but also time for to be stretched serving God.  these last few weeks I have managed to be left in charge of our Children's Ministry area while the Pastor is on leave.  For those that think that oh well it is summer, it can't be too bad...ha...we are also going through renovation's that weren't planned!  I have been blessed!

Coming back into life here, I also have been open to where God wants me to serve in Ministry, while I have been somewhat pressured in areas to serve, I thought I was clear with God that I wasn't going to do the same old thing that I have been doing before I left Canada, fortunately things had changed in the Ministry that I was involved in that didn't make it possible to be in the same position, funny thing that things I was doing...they now have a paid staff doing!  So as I was seeking with God, He revealed to me a passion that I am eager to share.  My passion here for the church is in returning home I found that most of my friends are lost.  Not the kind of lost that they don't know where they are...nor is it that they don't know Jesus lost but they are lost in they don't know where to go.  I guess there is a lack of direction or purpose for them.  You see before I left there was an Adults group called Axis, a ministry in our church for 30 aged Adults and older, there was also a ministry for 35 and older and another one for 20 and older.  The church dissolved the 30's ministry and combined the groups of 20's and 30's to one...while the 35 and older was about 45 and older.  I came back to see lots of my friends have no place to go...as the 20's were too young for them and the 35's ...group was old.  My passion is that I want to get these people that have no where to go...a place to go...even if it is a small group meeting 20-30 small group.  Or if it is a time that we meet together, have a potluck...and prayer.  The more I was praying aobut this and getting excited that I found my place I wondered how I could get the staff at the church involved to support this.  Well, you know when God speaks...there is usually confirmation!  Well I had the pastor of the old adults approach me...and said 'Joelle, we need to do this and I think that you are the perfect person to get this to happen' the next was another staff member from the Young Adults group approach me and say 'Joelle, we would like to start this group...and you are what we need to get this to happen'.  I was amazed by the power of God but also in the fact that ideas of ministry are different for everyone, but God has given me passion in serving in the areas that He is a part of.

So, the last few months have been that of travels, and hiking, and relaxing, having family fun time, and all that is possible that I have missed out on.  One of the exciting things was trying Ethiopian food here...and they ran out of shiro...who runs out of shiro...isn't that the main staple???  It was funny and I thought I was in Africa again.  Silly times!  This last week my nieces and sister in law came home from Africa, it was great to be able to see them and spend time with them...they were cranky, emotional, and fun all at the same time.  It was really just a mixed bag of emotions and the lack of sleep was there but nothing like getting up at 6:30 Saturday morning to be joined in bed sandwiched between the nieces!

for those wondering how I am doing, I am doing really well!  I haven't just forgotten about things that have happened but I have come to a positive experience here that I feel like God has made me stronger in all that has happened.  There are things like the Aircraft Accident that I am thinking about the families this week, on Sunday it will be a year.  My life is forever changed by it, I am learning that from my experience in it I can't watch movies that have a plane crash, and recently learned that I can't watch the news if there was an airplane accident.  For those that aren't aware, I heard the plane overhead of the house when the engine cut out, and then also transcribed all the testimonies that came in, sometimes reliving something once is enough but I think I got to hear it over and over and over again.  I am still healing. 

I haven't moved out from the parents place yet, I am comfortable for now, I am looking at moving in October but unsure of that still, I will know more in September.  That is something I could use prayer about is that I am really wanting to live somewhere on my own but I also think that financially I will have to live with someone.  So for wisdom and discernment in where to go.  The situation I am looking at...is an interesting one...please pray!

Well that is life in a nut shell...feel free to drop me an email sometime, I would love to hear from you!