Kaleo Ministry

Friday night at youth was a little frustrated trying to get the game organized. I was also a little disappointed in the involvement of a few individuals but overall it went well and I am glad for thought that Aimee, Josh and I put into the game. A special props goes out to Josh especially for putting the ideas and everything together.

This past weekend the New York trip went to Langley to see Bill William preach at the Christian Life Assembly Church. Bill William is in charge of Metro Ministries. This guy is reaching out to a community that he is pretty familiar with based on his life growing up. He claims to not exactly know what he is doing but knows that God is at work and so things are happening. His words are. "I am not some great man of power and faith. I am a regular guy that often runs scared too. However, I think that faith without works is dead (James 2:17), so I do not sit around expecting God to drop what is needed out of the sky. Nevertheless, an issue of faith dictates the need I have to cross the line in the first place."

I really like this guy because he will challenge you and let you know if he doesn't like you or has a problem. He lives to please God and not man so I am very excited, scared and other things I cannot describe to go on this mission to New York in March!
Bill really pointed out to me this weekend through his stories that God really is after anyone who says, "Nobody cares LORD, here I am." And then he went on to say “It’s always one that cares, always one.” When you really think about this it is something amazing, I also cannot describe and don't fully understand either. When this guy talked both of his sermons brought tears to my eyes. He reminds me of Old Testament leaders and his stories revealed to me more about God's love for us.

Kaleo Ministry

On Friday night we when to Youth and I truthfully was not in the mood. I felt overwhelmed with being there and everywhere all the time. Well actually I was at the camp most of the week but I don't know I was feeling not in the mood to socialize. When we arrived at the church I calmed down a bit. We played some Genis games it was actually lots of fun. I set a few records and was getting into it pretty good. There was also a new guy Josh to meet and Shai was there! He told me he was starting to read Genesis so I hope he can get a lot out of it! One thing I have learned about this youth group is that the majority of them are not a whole lot into extreme sports. I wanted to plan a trip to Mt. Washington but was informed that most of the youth wouldn't attend, so that is a bummer.
Next week Josh Amy and I are planning youth. We want to do a scavenger hunt. We plan to have clues that are riddles based on there location and a bible verse. I really hope it goes well, I'm mostly excited for it.

Kaleo Ministry

This weekend I participated as a counselor in the senior retreat. Coming into the weekend I was a little freak out just cause my last counseling experience was with juniors. However it turned out to be a really awesome weekend.

All my guys believed in God so that was awesome. We had some good discussion on the first night getting to know each other a little bit. Two guys really liked soccer the other two were into snowboarding and skiing, while this other guy wasn't really too sure,"maybe skiing" he thought. Anyways later they got into busting some pretty funny jokes but it was getting a little out of hand. Sometimes I find it hard to keep a group under control,"lets raise the bar" they would say. Well the second night became even worse they were up until 2:30 or 3:00 am just passing off the jokes, some of them were pretty hilarious, but I knew somewhere inside I should be telling these guys to be more careful about what they say. It is hard though because I want them to have a good time, and they are laughing and I think laughing is a great thing but I also new the things we were laughing about was not right.

So the next day I tried my best and with the prayer of strength from God to help me tell these guys how we went wrong last night and how we needed to be on guard with our hearts about good and evil. It is so crazy when you are around camp and everyone is a Christian here and we all seem to keep our mouths pretty clean, then all the sudden you run into something like this and your just not quite as used to anymore. I have been here before I know what it is like to try and be a good example for these guys but to try rebuke them and to know how God wants me to go about doing it, that is the hard part.

So I don't know how much my talk with them truly did effect them? It was weird talking to them and I look around and they were all so concentrated on me. It gets me all nervous cause I know they are actually listening. Then I start thinking to myself "oh boy Arlan better not screw up now" or "do you really know what your talking about?"

Overall looking back on the whole thing it was really a lot of fun, it was cool getting to know each one of them. It would be really cool to know or see these guys become stronger in there faith so that is my prayer for them.

Kaleo Ministry

This Friday was fun as we prepared some boxes for Operations Christmas Child. It was cool getting the chance to prepare and wrap up a box as I was hesitating about the whole idea earlier. Probably mostly out of selfishness.

This Sunday I was able to help out in Sunday school. I have not been able to help out a huge deal yet but my hope is to one day plan and prepare a class. In the mean time it will be good to learn from Wanda and help her out and to gradually better my skills. So far I am learning that these kids are pretty energetic and you have to get a little serious with them sometimes in order for them to settle down. I really want to keep the focus of showing these kids how to do what is taught and not just tell them.

Today at church the topic was holiness and again we had communion. This week I herd a sermon on the computer about men needing to love their wives. It talked about the amazing love Jesus had for us and his father as he died on the cross. We hear about this death so often, yet if we ever begin to say or think "whippty do" Jesus died,not caring to expand on what this means or becoming annoyed with this message, we cannot know how to expand in our love. Were supposed to love our wives as Christ loved the church. Give yourself up as God gave his son up(Ephesians 5:25).

So this kind of opens my eyes up a little more to the whole communion thing. It is a time to focus on the death of Jesus, and through his strength he could keep giving me a more advanced understanding oh what this all means. I believe I'll never know fully what this all means because I need something to hope for. To hope that God really is bigger and more amazing than we could ever know in this human life (Romans 8:24-25)

There was lots of helpful verses thrown out by Harry today to describe Holiness, how people react to it, fearful and face to the ground, how we might call out in humility like Moses and Job saying "Who am I" and God's like ya, without me you are nothing. So this brings me back again to Romans 12:1-2. Give yourself to God, let him reveal, teach, give you strength, understanding.....

Kaleo Ministry

Last Friday at youth we had a fire at the beach. It was a significant experience for me as I found out some new things about people. It was awesome because Shea and I planned to go ridding on Sunday.
Well shame on me because I don't remember what the message was about on Sunday. The afternoon was so awesome as I once again had the chance to be on my bike and ride! I had no brakes so things got a little nuts but Shea and I got some film, some of it was pretty funny. We were making dirt jumps and got into some good conversation. It was nice trying to encourage him and try answer a few of his questions. After we went to his house and his mother made us this amazing stew with lots of meat! We played on his new drum set as well, which was really enjoyable. So it was really cool hanging out with Shea on that day, I hope we can continue to know each other better. I guess you could say this has been a good time of socializing and building relationships.

Kaleo Ministry

I felt mostly prepared for the events I participated in this weekend. Josh Amy and I planned youth this Friday and had more than enough games to play. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I met Shai who likes to bike and drum, so that was pretty awesome. I'm helping Wanda with Sunday school ages 10 and 11 every other Sunday. I'm starting to feel more like I can be involved and effective in this church, which is something I was struggling with. So things are getting started and I have ideas but it will be hard to make time for the ideas I have. I want to be useful to this church and am now starting to get the opportunities, I just hope I can persevere and not blow it.
Through school, books and the bible, it seems I'm constantly being reminded about submission to God. Today at church was a message on warning us about spiritual adultery. The general process is we commit to God then later decide to do our own thing then fall in a hole and want to come back to God. And God's like if you truly want to come back you'll have to go through some suffering first. In this way we become humbled and realize who am I to try live my own life thinking that its better, it only brings me to a ruin. Ezekiel 16:37-63.
In knowing this I still fear to follow God because his ways are always uncertain, risky and not like the world teaches. I really hope I can learn how to read the bible correctly, and not be a bad bible reader like it’s teaching me all about in Eat This Book for our hermeneutics course. If I can really figure this out I know it will be a huge benefit.

kaleo Ministry

This week I did not participate in the youth group event as I wasn't feeling swell. But this saturday was amazing goning kayaking with Craig. I definitly had to thank God a few times for how beautiful the river is and how fun kayaing is. It really got me thinking kaleo should do a level one or two kayak course, I think alot of people would love it!
This Sunday I was also feeling bad and it was hard to concentrate on what was all said. We again talked about compassion before the service. I described compassion as being friendly. The definition of it in the concordance was to help those in need or those less fortunate. I was already challenged with this after church talking about the opperation Christmas Child box were supposed to fill. I really didn't want to take the time to do one, I was think I'm to busy and don't have alot of money to spare. Yet as we were sitting in the puse today I was thinking really I should think of all my money as Gods and not be greedy with it. If I only wait until I'm wealthy to give will I not be that much more greedy than and still not give? I have to learn to give even when I'm in a poor finacial state. But in order to do this I'll have to be in tune with God. This is a hard thing, I know what I should do yet I don't always do it.
During the sermon Harry talked about people who are sleepers or want to only put in there minds what they want to hear. He pionted out that it's very important that we try focus on all aspects of the bible, good and bad. For instance it is very easy for a man to give into all the lustly desires of the world. Media and women of the world are easily decieving. So then if we practise scripture and are becoming better in tune with God we can be more likely to know whats right and wrong, and not be blind towards God's judgement. I was later talking to Jordan about 1 Thessaloians. It says that God will return to eath like a theif in the night. So in order for us to asure our spot with Christ we must be on guard and awake. This got me to again think about how important it is to read the bible everyday. To have the hunger to read the word is so important yet so overlooked in todays church. Especially when your caught up in the busness of life, working and trying to make a living. If that hunger to read is not threre it will most likely be impossible to set aside time and keep your eyes open. Be alert and ready.

kaleo Ministry

This weekend I went to the Island Road Tour at Saanich Baptist Church in Victoria. I met up with one of my campers,(Ryan) it was so awesome to see him again. We had fun times throwing ping pong balls at each other in the games and had some hand stand competitions. He's a crazy fun kid all into the free running. He was trying to teach me the worm....ya didn't really work for me. It was sad to leave him again but he told me he'd keep in touch. This event encouraged me to stay connected with my campers, it's a hard thing to do in all life business though. Hopefully God can show me some available time to do so.
I also attended Bethel Baptist this Sunday. I joined in on teaching grade 4-6 in Sunday-School, It was a good time. It encouraged me to try leading in a class one Sunday.
This past week we had communion, partaking of the bread and the "juice." I've been struggling with this for a while. I've been doing it so much at different churches over the past year. Some reasons I think I struggle with it is because I lack at searching my heart. I also feel uncomfortable doing it and especially so often. I have talked to some people about it and it has been good. Today we had communion at the church, I'm like seriously God. Why? I participated in it, still not totally assured it was right for me to do. I think God may be working on me trying to take this more seriously or something.

Kaleo Ministry

So this week I attended a youth event at Amanda's house. We had a bonfire and played football and capture the flag. It was cool coming to this event as it reminded me of being in the youth group at Riverdale in Ontario. I was however feeling a little out of place trying to think of why I'm here and what God wants me to do with these people. I feel a need to pray for Amy Josh Jordan and I. Pray that we will be able to find out more about each other what were good at and not so good at. With this information we can then figure out better what roles we should play in being a part of Bethel. It's difficult to put a lot into this church when there are lots of other things to do. I'm really hoping I can find Gods strength.
I came to church on Sunday with these thoughts still in my mind. We learned about Gods compassion and Jordan and I did some intercessory prayer during the service. It was awesome to experience praying for as long as we did. From Pastor Harry to the community were involved with and live in, there really was a lot to pray for. God has a lot to teach me in kaleo through what we read our courses, people here etc. My hope is that I can use what I learn at kaleo to reach out to this church at Bethel.

Kaleo Ministry

This weekend for Trinity (TWU) went swell. I felt most prepared on Saturday as I had my homework well completed to date and good sleep. On Sunday I wish I had a little more sleep making the day harder, but overall I was about will say 80%.
I had some real good conversations with people over the weekend. With one person we were talking a lot about direction and hearing Gods voice. I've been told a lot of different sorts of ways we can hear Gods voice in the past and was able to share that. As well as reading the book Life You've Always Wanted and referring to the chapter that talks about prayer. Later that day when I was boat spotting I was talking to a girl about video and film editing. She said editing is so fun, it inspired me more to get into it. I have to rake out more dough though, it's tough cause I'm already spending a bunch on this kaleo program. I hope God can in the future make it obvious weather I should invest in this idea or not.
I talked to Matt from Organ. I showed him all the bike stuff around camp and shared my dream with him. It was also really awesome to meet people who were at camp this summer again and hear how life is going with them. I think through this week I was challenged a lot with servant-hood and learning more about love. To spend time with people and not rush around all the time. For the most part I'd like to believe theres a lot more to this love of God than I now know, but I feel like I was stretched.
Step by step training takes place, step by step it isn't no race.

To The Summit

It was a new experience for me in many ways. To hike more than a day, use some outdoor equipment and reach a decently high Summit at over 2000 meters. Highest for me. It was a trip of discipline, adventure, joy and success.
As we hiked along the trail there was lots of time to think. Think about your life past and future, memories of family and friends. There was also amazing sights to see all over. Different lakes angles of the same mountain, valleys ,cliffs, the sky, even little things like plants rocks and dirt. Each sight had it's own beauty and uniqueness. Most of the time it was hard to discern which scene was better. It reminded me of how we as people are appealing but in different ways. Perhaps the sun reflecting on the blue lake with green trees and almost silver like color of rock on a mountain could resemble an attractive person by there looks. Or maybe a person with a variety of talented skills that make them shine. In another view is a cloud over. Gray sky, some true gray some darker mixed with the grayness of a stone and pinch of orange. Stones are rugged and many on the mountain. This could maybe describe a person not so good looking, yet there bold character, wise speech and power to live life and accomplish much, is a great beauty of its own. Even a tree thats dead and yet has formed such a radical looking shape could show how we find all these amazing things about a person after they die and we take the time to reflect on who they were. Yes this trip was a reminder of how God speaks through nature, and still there is that journey on the second day to reach the Peak.
The day started out clear and my thoughts were high about it staying that way. Yes I've herd about weather changing rapidly from above but I never experienced it so I figure chances are sunny times. Snow? like common. We had our layers hats coats, some even gloves. We kaleo 5 were well prepared for a weather change and God brings the weather he chooses. Little did I no that it would be snow. It's one thing to hear and another to experience what you hear.
I love that God brang the snow. It made up for more variety and made the trip more of a challenge. I seen people encourageing and being excited with one another time and time again. It was a joyful time. Success we unfolded. The trip was a great way to describe Church and how together we can be a movement there.