Warmer weather and steps of faith...

So since my last entry, lifes been interesting.

It's been great watching friendships build. I feel like I can forget how easy it can be to connect with people, and I can sometimes even take for granted how my personality works and connects with people. Over the last two weeks it's been great cause all these little moments of connection have added up and I'm feeling a lot more confident and comfortable around people.

My time with my cousin Sus was grand (although the weather could've co-operated a bit more!) and I'll post photos at some point soon (maybe today?) Am at the Vineyard fairtrade shope today, so this may seem a bit disjointed as I am back and forth with customers and typing this...

This weekend was clear weather and my first leaders dinner was Sunday night! Was great to be in a relaxed atmosphere out of church and just talk with people. Moments like that are really special, and I am in awe more and more at the work God has done already, and that I am so priveleged to be around such humble serving people.

What's changing? some of it has been my faith. Recently God has been highlighting some of the ways I have not trusted Him. Sometimes faith and trust for God feels like taking a step up on an invisible staircase. But last week I started each day with a prayer that I would trust God and find more confidence in Him. Since then I've rarely shrunk away from decisions or issues that I've needed to face. God has been showing that He's bigger than my fears or situations. Sometimes an elementary lesson, but one I think we keep coming back to and growing in.

I wish you could experience what this means to me. I've been to the top of the world in the Canadian rockies, and I've been to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, but didn't really think I could be the kind of person to go half way round the world in this way. And the joys have been super amazing, and the challenges have been daunting, but God has been dealing with those and opening my eyes in the process, and I am excited to be an encouragement to people as I find my Joy in God.

This past weekend I felt God reminded me what I'm living for. and I shared this Sunday morning to encourage the church. God reminded me:

When I was 15 I went to my first school dance. I was good friends with a girl who asked me to be her date to homecoming. We had talked that week before of what we would wear and so I had some idea of what she would look like. So imagine if you will, me as a 15 year old, so nervous as I'm waiting in her front room with my parents and trying to make small talk with her parents. After what felt like an eternity, I heard her voice from upstairs saying she was ready. The moment she walked into the room for one brief moment the world melted away and it was just the two of us, smiling at each other. I'm convinced my heart skipped a few beats in that moment...her hair done by her aunt, that beautiful burgundy dress and those blue eyes and wonderful smile staring back at me. I thought "that's my date. That's who I get to dance with and I wouldn't want anyone else in the world". As I remembered that moment on Saturday, I felt that God was saying one day when I meet Jesus, it will be like that moment, only a million times better cause Jesus will be so real. Right now it can sometimes feel like he's just another story in the Bible or a list to follow rather than a person. But I'd rather live for a person than a checklist or story. In this place of finding my faith I'm also finding how real Jesus us. And that's what I wish the rest of you could see.

It's been a bit heartbreaking as well because I know that each person has to make that choice for themself, and sometimes watching those around me seemingly miss who Jesus is breaks my heart. The best I can do for anyone (the young people, the university students, the youth staff and whoever else I interact with) is model the Jesus I know.

Last night in the Uni-student group we did a scavenger hunt around town! It was fun, and I may do it with the youth at some point as well. At the end of March, some of my friends and I are planning another trip up to London, so I'm VERY excited to see that city again! I haven't really been around there since last September when I first came.

On a scary note, I think I am slowly adapting to english life. I now call the bathroom the loo, and I find myself phrasing things differently and even adapting to some of the english insults! I enjoy watching rugby, and while I don't think the accent is there, it may not be far behind! Oh I'm also texting people more than I talk on the phone...the things I used to laugh at, I'm now doing! Oh well, when in rome...

I hope this entry finds you well, and please do drop me a line!
~Paul