A battle of the finest

"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm" - Ephesians 6:10-13

What a week, yes I realize it's only Tuesday, but Monday seemed like enough of a struggle for the whole week. Sometimes it seems that as Christians we are not well enough prepared to fight everyday against Satan. I do not want to denounce or make light of the fact that the battle is already won by Christ, but I want to emphasize that Satan is still fighting. The pat answer that Jesus has already won does not give freedom from the bondage that so many of us face everyday. I was thinking about when WW2 ended and the battle was won and what this meant. There was joy and excitement but this did not mean that struggle was not still ahead for the people and countries involved but that they could begin to rebuild and move forward. Each day we live knowing that the battle is already won but that does not mean living after is easy. Many people had lost loved ones, many soldiers were harmed in the war, buildings were destroyed and all countries involved suffered economic downfalls of some kind.

Everyday we all deal with issues that have been placed upon us by those around us and those that we have placed on ourselves. The lies that say we are not enough, that were stupid, the fear that lives in us that hides the deeper issues, of hurt, of abandonment, of perversion, and many more. For me lately everyday has been a battle fighting against so many fears and hurts that have shaped me. Matthew 12:45-46 tells us that when one spirit is cast out 7 more return. I am in the middle of a time of change in my life, breaking habits and wrong thinking about myself and replacing it with that of God's however this does not mean that Satan will not fight to keep me thinking less of myself and so the attacks persist stronger each time. However the most important thing to remember is that yes the attacks are stronger, but each time God takes over another part in me, it is through Him that I become stronger and am able to persevere through each hard time (James 1).
- T.




My interest in history and the way this poster fit with this post I thought was interesting. The British Government's Ministry of Information put out posters after the outbreak of World War Two all throughout the country to ease public fear. This was the third poster in a serious the only one with the words, 'Keep Calm and Carry On' with the royal crown, the first two were distributed but the third was kept only for extreme crisis (the invasion of Britain by Germany)

Although many of these posters were made, only a few were distributed because the invasion never happened and after the war they were destroyed. Almost 60 years later the poster was found by bookseller when looking through dusty books bought at an auction.

I Have A Voice

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me" - Matthew 25:45

Lately I have been thinking a lot about what it means to make a difference in the world. It is easy to become discouraged when we feel overloaded or feel like our voice could never be heard. But this is a lie, I've been feeling challenged lately to heal from my hurts and to reach out more in small ways to help those in practical ways. Often times we think about the big picture, and the greater impact we want to make but it is through the small things that we can begin to have a greater impact. I want to begin to think more about where I buy things from and who that impacts, and how that impacts the environment and raise the bar more. I want to be more thoughtful about my money and how I spend it. I want to be a fighter for a good cause, in my simple actions of daily purchases.

When looking at Matthew 25, and what Jesus was saying, I can begin to see in my own life how I fail at this and so many times I do not clothe those who need clothing, or feed someone who needed food. And although I may do these things on occasion it has not been lifestyle I have created for myself. I am challenging myself to do better in this, to be better. To take the resources I have and impact with my voice and my actions. I may only be one voice in a million but I am still one voice, I want to serve Christ in the practical ways that He has called me to.

"May I never get to busy in my own affairs that i fail to respond to the needs of others with kindness and compassion" - Thomas Jefferson

- T.

Article for The Voice of Emmanuel Bible College (Published in Fall 2010)

Thanksgiving

What is thanksgiving? Traditionally this has been giving thanks to God for the Harvest of that season. According to E.P. Powell, "Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude".

This year I spent thanksgiving weekend with David, Candice and Dan. It was a great weekend, but it was a very emotional weekend. We spent a lot of time relaxing and just hanging out as well as some time at the Brigden fair. For those who do not know this is one of the largest fairs in Lambton County, it has a tractor pull, demolition derby, animal shows, rides and all types of fair fun. We took Candice's niece with us, and saw the animals and took her on the marigold round which made the whole day very memorable. I had frustrating moments, sad moments, and happy ones; all in all the weekend was good.

I realized that although the weekend was frustrating at points and great at other times I did not spend much time meditating on the things I am thankful for. The very reason the weekend exist to remember to be thankful and celebrate what God has done. I want to take a few minutes to express some things I am thankful for, because I have been given so much, by the grace of God alone.

- God's amazing grace - Friends - Family - EBC - the ability to learn and serve - provision -

I hope that we can all remember that we all have something to be thankful for no matter how big or small. "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them" - John F. Kennedy

- T.

I Aint Missin' You

Our fantastic seats












It's October 3, 2010 I can hardly believe how time flies. 1 month down 7 more to go before I graduate, at least that's the plan. I already feel behind, but I'm not really, just having a hard time staying focused. This past Saturday I went to a Toronto Argos game. It was a great time, great seats, and great friends but lately I've been really missing people. I miss my friends that I either don't get to see very often or we are too busy to see each other, which makes things much harder and makes it much harder for me to focus. I want to be focused on where I am at that moment, but when I'm doing work I'm wishing I was with my friends and when I'm with my friends it seems like I always have the next thing to go to but mostly I have been missing God.

Each day I try to spend time journalling, reading my Bible and praying, but I just feel like its never enough. I realized during SLT week that I communicate with God in all the different ways, and but that it's easier for me to praise him in every aspect of my life when I have that journal/prayer time with Him. A friend of mine gave me this analogy for my life. I am the eye of a hurricane, as long as I am grounded in Christ, I am firm and cannot be shaken even in the midst of craziness all around me. Just like the eye of the hurricane is the calmest part. This really helped me understand a piece who I am. I am busy and my life may seem crazy to most, and some days I feel that way too but it only gets out of control when I'm not focused on God first.
- T.













Dave & I on the field after the game

Take me out to the Ball Game...

What do you think when you hear the song take me out to the ball game? Do you think of the Seventh Inning Stretch of a Blue Jays game, a memory of playing baseball with a parent, the most annoying song ever created or the best day of your life?

This past Saturday I was at a Blue Jays game with some good friends of mine. It was cold, I had a headache and there was an annoying child sitting next to my friend but despite that, it was still a fairly good time. The Jays won in the second extra inning, and it was by a home run. The Jays got 4 home runs that game out of the 5 runs they had. I love baseball, but there was video played during the game that had a player talking about the game of baseball and how that is there life. I though about how my life is my faith in Jesus Christ. When I thought more about this I thought of the wins and the losses. We each have these in our daily lives, but if we are living fully for Christ then although we may fall and fail in the end we will have ultimate victory in Christ who had ultimate victory over death.

2 Timothy 4:7 says "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith". As we continue through each day, fighting the battle that is set out before us, let us praise God in our victory and in our losses. Let us praise him in our struggles and in our happiness, because He is with us and it has already been won. Let us give to God our all, so that we can fully live with the Holy Spirit as our guide, and fully live for God.
- T.

This is Life, thats for sure...

Well SLT week ended, the new students moved in, MEGA started and ended and classes began. I can hardly believe it. I would say that it was a success, very tiring but a success. There were three main emotions I was feeling the whole time. Excitement, Fear, and Anxiety.

Excitement happened as the SLT moved in, and the new students came, it was a great time to catch up. There was so many students and a general feeling of excitement all over the campus. Which led to my next feeling of Anxiety.

With Anxiety there were two things, the thought that there was way more people on campus than I was used to and my space seemed to be taken over, however this is a good thing, just hard to handle at first. The next was that my usb stick with all my work on my Distance Ed. stopped working and I lost everything, and so now I'm scrambling to get it done in a month and a half in order to pass the course.

Fear happened Monday morning when I woke up just before my first class of what should be my last year at Emmanuel. I have fear that I wont graduate but I need to have the attitude that I will, not be fearful that I wont. I am fearful about many things but in order to overcome them, I must face them.

I know that even though things seem overwhelming right now, soon enough this year will be over and I will look back wondering where the time went. So until then I will live each moment to the fullest, doing my best at everything, and loving with all I am.

- T.

Exaustion!

In the book Margin, it talks about progress and what that has done to our society. Progress has left us in exhaustion. We are no longer able to take control of progress but progress takes control of us.

Well the summer is over. As I finished up my last day at work today I thought about how quickly the summer went by. It seemed like it just started, and yet at the same time like it has been going on forever. I am exhausted from everything. I have yet to even start what will be one of the most challenging year yet. Between school, co-presidency, my internship, work (possibly 2 jobs), and friends I don’t know how I will even have time to breath. My heart aches at the thought of it. I wonder what I have got myself into, I know that I cannot do this alone; I must rely on God’s strength and not my own.

George MacDonald a Scottish author and poet once wrote that “It is our best work that God wants, not the dregs of our exhaustion. I think he must prefer quality to quantity”. When I read this I thought of everything I’m doing this year, and I want to do it with quality. I wish I could look at all I’m doing and say with assurance that I can do this with quality but I’m afraid that I will gain the attitude of just “getting by”. This is not living out our theme for the year; this is not living full stride. And it’s most defiantly not trusting in God to renew my strength (Isaiah 40:31). As the summer comes to an end and the school year begins, I hope to learn new ways to live this out.

-T.

What is success?

According to google success is "to accomplish the aim or goal".

Lately I have been struggling with the idea of "success". What the world looks at as success, what the Bible says about success, and where I fit into all of this. One of my favourite quotes, is by Ralph Waldo Emerson an American Philosopher from Massachusetts. He said "To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one's self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - this is to have succeeded".

In a world where we are told that success is measured by what you have, where is there room for those who try but still have little, or those who put there effort into people and not things. Those who love many, but have little; are they unsuccessful because they choose to work in a Field that pays less. On the other end we see people like Mother Teresa and Gandhi. Many would say they have obtained success, because of the impact they had on generations. Where does that leave those who have little, and have gained little recognition for the love they have shown to even one person. "To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived", a life of success is not defined by what we have or how many people know what we have done. It is in the little things, the daily laughter and love we show to those around us. To me success is defined by living a life as an ambassador for Christ, through the little things and the big things whether people understand or agree with you, success is about sacrifice and love. Success is not measured in the eyes of man but the eyes of God, and therefore success can only be judged by God and the only way we can obtain success is because of His amazing grace.


So I've decided to include a list of those who I believe are successes.
- Bonnie M. (Ma) - Candice J. - Wendy B. - Marilyn G. - Carla J. - Jeff B. - Sherry M. - David D. - Trevor J. - Robbie O. - Curtis R. - Andrew L. - Miranda N. - Christie H. - Kristy R. - Sarah R. - Joed D. - Marquis C. - Shynie V. - Aaron H. - Jo N. - James M. - Andrena L. - Amanda G. - Penny S. - Chris H. - Karen C. - Helen O. - And Many Many More... I breath easier because of you.

-T.

Seasons...

As September is quickly approaching I see that, Winter brought heartbreak, with Spring came healing, in Summer there is renewal, and with fall something new I'm sure.

In our lives we go through cycles, we live in a world of unpredictability. Henry David Thoreau (an American writer and poet) said, "Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each".

With each season comes something new; we cannot begin to grasp the future of what God may bring to each of us. Everyday something special, we must live each season in the influence of God. Each day may bring heartache or happiness, changing emotions, and each day must be lived for that day.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build... a time for war and a time for peace" - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

In my life it is a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time for peace, heal from the scars of the past and tear down the walls of the hurt, I have so strongly built, And a time for peace in my heart.

- T.

Brokeness

It's been a while since I've posted, I have tried a few times but no full thoughts have come to be. As I was walking through the cemetary today praying and seeking God, I was extremly frustraited due to a paper, still am, and I was beating myself up. I was rethinking whether I was good enough, telling myself I am not academic enough and that I am just not smart enough. It was at this point I realized what I was doing, and thus sparked an interesting thought process.

Eventually I was thinking of how I believe people view me. I believe that people do see who I am, but that they only see one side of me. They see the well put together side of me, the high achieving, striving for the best me. They do not often see the pain I deal with everyday, the depression I fight, the brokeness I deal with, and the daily inward battle. A good friend of mine, David Dunn, once told me "You cannot be fully loved, unless you are fully known". But often times fear leaves me hiding those layers I do not want others to see, the side that I am afraid to show because I may not be accepted. The reality is I may not be, there will be those who treat me differently, who look down on me because of these "weaknesses" but there will be those who will accept me and love me for those. To live in mediocracy and trust noone may seem like a safe place to live but will leave only leave emptieness.

Often times we do not trust God with these parts of our lives, and in this we are missing out on His true love. A love that goes beyond all layers and loves us as His children regardless of where we come from or what we have done. A love transends all and in learning to accept this amazing love, we can begin to open up to those parts of us we have hiden, or are afraid reveal.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" - Romans 8:38-39.

- T.