Taking it Out for a Test-drive

Last night I began an eight week test-drive of a new book and course I've written on friendship. I was delighted to find over forty women present, one of whom is a new friend of mine from my painting class. The course is meant to be a follow-up to an FAC womens event, Soul Cafe. It's also a place for people who are new or not really connected to the Christian faith to experiment with community and learn about how faith intersects with real life issues like relationships. I have already heard from one small group facilitator who expressed she was amazed at the depth of the group discussion following my talk. What great news! I always feel a bit vulnerable putting my own stories and ideas out there for the first time. But my prayer is that women will find it helpful in many ways, not the least of which is to introduce them to the idea of friendship with God. Feel free to join with me in that prayer for those who attend!

Wow! Did God ever move!

I its amazing what a difference one weekend can make!

Since October I have had an on going mentoring role with the youth ministry at Westside Kings Church. My role has been to help build a healthy, well balanced, sustainable youth ministry and recruit and equip a team of people to make that happen. We have been working on the basics over the past six months. We have a group of people who are praying. We have a growing group of volunteers who are working with and loving students. We have developed a solid strategy and we have slowly seen some students open up to us and begin to grow in their relationship with Jesus.

This past weekend I spoke at a retreat we planned with 49 students present. That is answer to prayer #1. We were praying that God would motivate 40 students to come. 49 is significantly more students than we have ever had out to anything before. 49was also apparently beyond our own faith.

We were praying that God would use the retreat to draw our group together. That is answer to pray #2. We had grade 6 -11 students at the retreat and not only did they all get along but they really enjoyed being together. If you work with students you know this boarders on the miraculous!

We were also praying that God would really work in students hearts. That is answer to prayer #3! Wow! Did God ever move!

Three students made first time decisions to follow Jesus! It was glorious to see. Two are not from believing homes, in fact one is from a home with a Muslim parent. The grade 11 student from the Christian home told me Sunday "I always thought I was a Christian but I realized Saturday night that I really wasn't so I surrendered my life to Jesus."

One girl radically re-dedicated her life to Jesus.

There is a growing group of students who want to get baptized May 2. At last count there were 7 but there seem to be more popping up every day!

One grade 9 student wrote this on his Facebook page. "WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND!!!! i learned a lot about myself and what i might want to do when i grow up" When asked what that might be he replied "youth pastor and worship leader."

A grade 8 student took to heart the message that we need to talk to our friends about Jesus. When he got home he talked to his friend about Jesus and prayed with him to accept Christ.

A group of Jr. High girls announced to me that they want to start a small group on the Friday nights that they don't have an event- and even invite their friends!

The chatter on Facebook from the students is that it was a great weekend but they are not talking about the games and all the fun but the great stuff that God did in their hearts and how much they love and miss each other!

My prayer is that what God started at this retreat will be fanned into full flame and that this small group of students will be so radically sold out to Jesus that God will use them to change their corner of the City!

"I Wasn't Planning to Come."

"I wasn't planning to come." I heard that so many times this past weekend it is a wonder that Ruth, the conference organizer, and I weren't at Green Bay by ourselves. Clearly, God had divine appointments with many of these 75 women, some of whom hadn't intended to come. Women expressed to me how God used my talks to speak to them about a whole range of issues, from how to interact with the gay people in their lives, to how to leverage their gifts and abilities for Jesus' purposes, to their responsibilities to the poor. At the end of each talk, more than one woman approached me to say, "I wasn't planning to come, but that talk was just for me." I am grateful that God guides as we prepare, goes ahead of us to soften hearts, and then speaks through us so that those present hear exactly what they need to hear from God. Your prayers are a huge part of that process. Thanks for your partnership.

Toward the end of the womens' retreat, Randy joined me at Green Bay for a two-day retreat of our own. It was wonderful to enjoy two days without to-do lists, deadlines, or meetings (other than own own private ones). Please continue to pray for our ability to heal from our Haiti experience. If you thought we'd be healed by now, you are not alone. We surely didn't expect to be affected this significantly for this duration of time; but we don't seem to get to choose those things. Thanks for walking this unexpected road beside us. We appreciate you more that you know.

You're Not in Calgary Anymore, Donna

How can places be so different and yet the people inhabiting them be so much the same? I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend in Grande Prairie. What a great conference sponsored by Women Alive and hosted by the warm and wonderful women of Grand Prairie for the women of this entire northern region. The 200 women at the conference were extremely responsive, with three indicating they had prayed to receive Christ and many others taking important steps forward. The lunch and break times were alive with discussion about how God was prompting them through the sessions. One session focused on forgiveness; how we needs God’s - and we need to forgive others who have offended us. Many women seemed especially moved by this session.

I knew I wasn’t in Calgary anymore, though, when our celebratory team dinner the last night, held at the curling rink, was almost drowned out by an auction for the Trucker’s Bonspiel. A good reminder that though our geography often dictates our life-style, people’s inner needs and desires are very much the same. Thanks for praying. The weekend was refreshing for me personally, and from all indications, very productive for the kingdom.

Donna