August 13, 2007- leave to Toronto for STINT training
August 17, 2007- leave for Panama

Wow.

Tagged... 5 things you'll know now...

So Sarah (one of my fellow STINT team members) has "tagged" me... which means I need to come up with 5 things that no one knows about me and post them, so... let me see, (Sarah I'll try and make these good seeing as we'll be roomies for a year):

1. I'm horrified of mice/rats- I can handle bugs, snakes etc. but the little mice absolutely give me the creeps. I think it dates back to the "Great Mouse Detective" movie by Walt Disney.... anyone seen that cartoon and then at the end the villain, "Rattigan" or whatever his name was goes all crazy on the London Clock Tower... anyone.... anyone.... but my zoology prof thought it was hilarious in the lab when we had to work with rats, no fun at all.

2. When I was little and my brother and I were playing, I would simply sit on him until I got what I wanted... man I wasn't a nice older sister... but he can kick my butt now without trying, although he never really needs to. :)

3. I'm not a very confrontational person. I tend to run away from situations in which there could be conflict and would rather let myself get stomped all over than offend someone else. But, I'm aware of this which means I'm realizing that conflict can actually have good results and really build relationships and that they're not all bad.

4. I've always wanted to live in England. Even before I had actually been there I simply wanted to go to England. I loved it when I was there 2 years ago and somewhere down the road I'd like to go back, whether to work on a campus there with C4C or go back for my masters... but we'll see what happens...

5. I hated being called "lins" for the longest time. I'm not sure why but it would annoy me when people didn't call me lindsey. But, I'm completely over it and sign everything with my nickname. In high school all my close friends called me LD.... so whatever works is cool with me.

I think thats all. It took me a while to come up with those...

There's sure a lot going on, but in a lot of ways thats to be expected during the last months of school. Friday at our weekly meeting for Campus for Christ a guy named Eric Rose talked about a couple of things that have really been on my heart since then. Just wanted to post them to get them off my chest;

Evangelism is not just a passion for God but it's an urgent passion. It's not just something we can do whenever but there is a time frame that we're in and every day that we have is crucial to making a difference. Evangelism was and is the priority for Jesus when he was on the earth and continues to be on Gods heart today. This is what really blew me away, and definately caused me some thought, if evangelism is God's priority why should mine be any different? That really threw down the challenge to me, let me know what you guys think... until then, much love, be blessed!

(P.S. And Sarah I'm working on my 5 things you guys don't know about me... it's pretty hard actually... but coming soon I hope... )

It's been a while since I actually posted something. Just got home from reading week in BC, spending some time with my family. Lots more to say and a tonne of interesting stuff happened but right now studying for midterms... more to come this week!

These are some pictures from Deception Pass in the States, I was happy, we saw the ocean!!


I lovingly call these "Jesus clouds"- they were absolutely beautiful!

Just a crazy reflection on a lake near the pass, again it was a beautiful blessing of a day!

In the middle of my religious studies class I suddenly remembered this night I was in London. I had gone to an early church service at the Hillsong church and was killing time and trying to find some dinner. I honestly think I just got off at a random subway station that didn’t look too sketchy and just went for a walk. I had had an absolutely beautiful day on my own, went to St. Paul’s cathedral and was blown away by the beauty of it. Went to the London Bridge, picked up a bagel at a random little coffee shop and just enjoyed the time I had. I remember finally finding a fish and chips place and sitting outside at a little table eating. It was a gorgeous evening. I sat there in that moment, just enjoying the fact that I was finally in London and totally blessed by that. It’s hard to explain but I was just watching, looking and living in the moment that God had given to me.

I think there are a lot of these moments that we have. Days and instances when we’re struck by something more than we are on our own. For me they’ve been driving to school in the fall with the falling leaves and all the color, standing on the ocean shore, cuddled up in a chair during a ferry crossing, walking with my dog in the country and seeing the clear night sky. I’m grateful for these moments and blown away sometimes by being in them. They pass as time continues, but for a second there’s a glimpse of something more, more love than I can comprehend, more beauty than I can imagine and in a lot of ways a plan and will better than I will ever understand.

Lots going on... but in the middle of everything:

Whatever faith may be, and whatever answers it may give, and to whomsoever it gives them, every such answer gives to the finite existence of man an infinite meaning, a meaning not destroyed by sufferings, deprivations, or death. Leo Tolstoy

Just a thought.

I'm OFFICIALLY (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) going on STINT in Panama. This is awesome!!! Haha I have the biggest grin on my face right now and my genetics essay is going to be way harder to get finished tonight now, haha oh well, totally worth it, wow God is cool! I totally needed this after the week I just had..... :)

There is simply a lot going on and its kinda all combining together into a big mess, well not really a mess.... but you probably know the feeling. I woke up yesterday and the sky was glowing this weird red-orange color. In my dazed stupor that is me when I wake up, the initial confusion wore off and I just remember thinking that I really wanted to see a Panamanian sunset or sunrise, and just praying and telling God that I am ready to go. Steps are in motion to be joining staff and going for some training in May so that's going to be intense but I'm really looking forward to seeing the plans that God has for my life come into play. Still waiting on "formal acceptance" for the team, but then I'm ready to rock!

The first couple of days of the semester were a little insane but life is slowly back down to a normal but still hectic pace. C4C is gearing up for our major outreach of the semester and I think that it is definately going to push the comfort level for a lot of us. Porn Nation: Pure Freedom (the event) examines the hyper-sexualization of our culture and how this affects our lives as students. It's really going to hit home for a lot of people, but at the same time I think in many ways its an issue in which we as Christians dodge around. No one really likes to talk about the whole thing so I know its going to be a challenge for a lot of us. But we'll see, it's going to bo good and I know that theres a lot to be said for being uncomfortable. It's meeting people where they're at and going from there.

School had begun again and its finally sinking in that this is the last semester. God and I had what I jokingly call an argument at Winter Conference about me joining staff with Campus for Christ. I know that it's what God is calling me to do and things at the grad seminar at conference popped up about unmet needs. C4C is on only 27 out of the top 40 campuses in Canada and the campuses we have staff on are not even all fully staffed. That to me signifies an unmet needs, thousands of them when you think about the individual students on those campuses.

Today I was thinking about the whole thing and really starting to realize that although I believe that Gods will is good and perfect for my life, it's still is sometimes not the easiest thing to follow or even what I want to do. My pastors wife told me on Sunday that you never feel capabale and you never feel equipped but still the call (to ministry) is the greatest and most amazing thing ever. Not of course to say that God is calling all of us to full time ministry but that the call to be doing his work is the greatest thing ever. Not necessarily the easiest, or even the most straightforward, but the best. I choose to believe that his plans are good for my life, and I'll hold onto that tight. STINT, then staff, I honestly never would have thought, but I guess thats the cool things about God, we just never really know do we?

2 years ago today I broke my leg! I went out for lunch with a friend today and it really got me thinking about the changes I've seen in my life over the past little while and really sorting out where my heart is at in relation to ministry and I guess to life in general. More to come for sure, but Happy New Years, it's sure to be an interesting one!

All done!!!!! One more semester to go and then this degree is finished!

Thinking a lot this week about the new year and what that means. New Years has never been a really big deal to me because September is when I feel the "new year" begins. It has to do with going back to school and yes that makes me a huge nerd. Anyways, I've been thinking this week about really what I want from God this year in terms of what I want to see him do on campus and in my life. I was reminded this morning how much Christ loves us, with Christmas and everything coming. My pastor was talking about how all throughout scripture whenever Jesus would pray he would always use the noun Father, Abba and so on. The only time this ever changed was when he was hanging on the cross. It was in that moment that he said, "my God, my God." On the surface its not really a huge deal, so what it was a different word choice, BUT (!) his communion with the Father was completely gone, it was absolute and heart-wrenching. Think about that. God is not my judge, he's my Saviour and honestly the more and more I realize the love that he had for us, the more I realize how unworthy I am of it. But thats the beautiful thing about grace!

4 down, 1 more to go... So... 1 more final tommorrow morning, Latin American Studies 201 and then I am free for the holidays. Christmas and Winter Conference!

Its sheer craziness in all honesty. I was writing out Christmas cards this week and realized that its pretty much looking like next year I'll have palm trees and smoking hot weather to celebrate with, as well as some close friends and no family. Weird actually in a lot of ways to think about... I dunno, theres definately days it seems like it'll be no big deal to pick up and leave for a year, but in a lot of ways I'm scared and a nervous about what exactly that'll mean. I'm so excited to go and I know that this is what God has planned for my life for the next year at least, its the little details that surprise me sometimes. But (!!!) Gods got the whole thing covered and under control, theres no point me worrying about it because his plans are always better than mine anyways!

At the Campus for Christ Christmas party....

Coolest "gingerbread house" ever.. we even won a prize!

(I figured I needed a picture of some Christmas variety)

So I was thinking a lot about Christmas the last couple of days, put the tree up and everything (which for the record, is now half-lit because I didn't check the other strands of lights before I put them on the tree....) Anyways... just thinking a lot about how different it will be to be away next Christmas in Panama and how its one of those things that comes with growing up and making decisions on your own. I'll miss my family for sure, but they'll be there when I come home and I know that for now this is something that I need to do. Its comforting knowing there are people coming that I trust and have connected with this summer in Panama, so I guess we will see, we sure won't have snow and a classic Christmas tree, thats for sure, but God is putting together an awesome team and I'm excited to see how it'll turn out! It's craziness for sure!

I'm officially going to Panama! I am accepted, and pending that we have a full team of at least 2 girls and 2 boys we're good to go. I have a huge grin needless to say! PANAMA... wow!

Yesterday in the mail I recieved the letter I had written to myself at debrief in Panama. It was so cool to read, haha after I had gotten over the initial confusion of why the address was written in my handwriting. It was awesome just to be reminded of a lot of cool things that had happened both within our team but also in my own heart. I'm totally still growing from where I was and too was so encouraged to see that I hadn't fallen further away from where I was when I was in Panama. Just good stuff! I'm just getting excited to go! On the up side of things it won't be cold there.. I'll miss the snow, but not the temperature.... :)

Brrrrrr......!

The weather is intensely cold right now... like -40 with the wind chill... nutty I'm saying but oh well! Other than that, I recieved a personality test to do for my STINT application today in the mail and its cool because it's one more step to get closer to actually going! Finals are on there way, as is Christmas and Winter Conference, needless to say I'm looking forward to both... and being done my second last semester of school!

So... I applied to convocate in June today... craziness!

Alrighty... so the Lions won the Grey Cup yesterday haha right and that was awesome. Just wanted though to post a quick note. My application is being processed for STINT right now and it feels really godo to have it in and everything. God just keeps revealing his heart to me about Panama and more about who I am and why my heart is wired the way it is. I'm starting a time of prayer and fasting today which I think will be craziness but I really want to learn to be dependent on God and learn to hear his heart. So we'll see how it goes anyways! Christmas is coming up fast too which is awesome and it'll also mean I'm down to four months of school! More to come as always...

Okay, so this totally doesnt look like it, and I have no idea what kind of grin that is on my face (I was kinda excited...!) but that is my STINT application which I dropped off at the Campus for Christ headquarters in BC this weekend! Rock on!