The Rhythms of His Heart

Ephesians 2:13: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For HE HIMSELF is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.." In my bag...I carry this blue and white invitation. No longer do I  have to park far away, but I can be near entrances!    It gets me access to close parking spots and provides a pass that makes shopping a whole lot more fun and saves my energy.  On it is the universal symbol of a person in a wheelchair.  For 24 years, I never had one!  Maybe it was the stubborn...uh...determined spirit in me that didn't want any special favors...or maybe it was the gentle, tough love of those around me who thought I needed to get exercise and walk the distance to the door?  Regardless of the reason, I am not sad about it!  I do appreciate though the "perks" of pulling out this sign. I have been given this "VI...

"Dear Lord, Thank you for the challenges in life that help to build my strength. Thank you for the times when my lack of resources reminds me of the value of resourcefulness. Thank you for the mysterious people who confound, frustrate and annoy me, teaching me patience and the art of forgiveness. Thank you for the moments when I am in desperate need of a miracle, and at the very last moment, from an unexpected source, one arrives. Thank you for the difficult path that only I can walk, the challenging problems that you have prepared for me to solve and the purpose that you have for my life. Thank you for the moments of courage that you give me so that I can live a life of meaning, not comfort. Thank you for the moments when I am aware of my many faults, not so that I can wallow in guilt, but so that I can tap into your grace and mercy. Thank you for sending angels to wrestle with me, building my resilience and teaching me to hold on to what is good. I pray that you...

My Mighty Friend & YFC Sister Twila Erb wrote this and it is so worth sharing!  Even though I am in Canada with YFC, I never want to forget that I am a part of what YFC/YU is doing around the globe!  Twila is a mighty voice on the foreign field so with her permission I post this...read & enjoy! Twila with some of the beautiful faces she loves! Vision Statement Foundational Statements Organizational Structure Accessibility Feedback Who we are Our Purpose Trip Application Form Programs » Student Trips Specialized Trips Custom Trips International Interns International Volunteer Program Training Resources Afro-Dash Careers YFC Canada YFC International   Intern Blogs » Twila’s Blog "Going oversees to serve, or even devoting your life to “full time ministry” right at home, it is something few people understand except those who have walked the same path.  Short term missions tend to gi...

"So Do You have a Mom?"  A question I have never been asked, but yesterday it happened!  This beautiful life that I do shows me every day the things I take for granted.  I see girls and guys every day who have never been held, loved and sung to by their Mom.  Instead, they've been abandoned, taken by CFS, treated as trash or always feeling like their Mom is the child and they are the adult in the house.  Kids whose Mom's have died, or never listen well and compare them to other more "cooperative" children!  My heart aches...my heart wants to understand, but I don't!  I don't understand that with every "Happy Mother's Day" post on facebook or ever picture of a mom and her child on instagram that it is like a knife that cuts them right in their heart!  I don't understand what it's like not having your Mom let you lick a beater as you bake with her...or to just sit and chat with her over a cup of tea. I don't understand what ...

                                        I have gone through 8 weeks of swim lessons!  It hasn't been an easy road. I found this picture of me from my early years of being a part of a program at University that trained studying physiotherapists.  Those days were good, but I never learned to swim!  Since starting swimming I have learned that probably the most important factor is the way that you breathe and relax in water!  Over these weeks, my breathing has become more rhythmic and it's amazing how in the most tense moments of my lesson, the word "Relax!"(said repeatedly by my determined swim coach), has made a difference in the way I move through the water.  Those moments when I breath out and in...those moments when I pray for peace when I am in the deep wa...

Last week I was teaching kids at my church. It was the usual chaos at the beginning as parents were dropping off their kids and signing them in to our program. I used my "adult voice" and began directing the beauties to grab their mats to sit on the floor! I was organizing myself a bit...when I heard this sweet little girl's voice begin to be drowned out by her tears. I asked  her what was wrong and she was heartbroken! She had wanted to sit by a little girl whom she tried so desparately to befriend and this girl rejected her requests. I left her to be consoled by my helper  &  carried on to teach, but this moment would be one that would teach me forever!   You see, I realized that in that broken heart of that 6 year old girl was what God said was in me!  The years of people pleasing and rejection by friends had all built up...and all I could do was sit there and cry and tell Him how I felt!  The Little Dee fears of rejection had caught up...

My sweet sister Jessica Giesbrecht ( & Husband Richard) came on Staff at YFC Portage in the Fall.  Last week she had a God moment with a few of the girls at our Craft Club...so with her permission and in her own words read this & thank Him for His Grace! Never underestimate the power of showing grace! Jessica with some of "the girls" "Shanley asked me when she got to The Door for Craft Night if she could get a winter jacket from our clothing room. The zipper on her winter jacket was broken, and now all she had was a spring jacket. I told her to remind me after Craft Night when the rest of the girls had gone just so it would be more controlled and so that they wouldn’t all get the impression that everything in that room was free game. So after Craft Night was pretty much wrapped up Shanley reminded me so we headed upstairs, Jacy and Josie close behind as they were all going to walk home together. I gave them all instructions before I unlocked the door of...