Ste Agathe des Monts

Oh my lanta, what to say? Well, Capernwray life has been really crazy this past week! I'm not even sure if I'll cover a majority of what's been going on.

Tuesday, October 18:
Outreach Ministries! Me and Katia (one of the staff members here) went and planted a whole bunch of plants in Pierre's garden (another staff member). We had SO much fun. We also got really really dirty. It started to rain in the middle of our gardening, but we kept on going. The rest of the team was at someone's house raking leaves, again (it seems like that's all we ever do here haha). Eric (the other community help staff) said we looked like we went rolling in the mud. My clothes are still dirty!

Wednesday, October 19 - Sunday, October 23:
Off to Ste Agathe des Monts! All of the 17 students this year got billeted out into local peoples homes. We then had classes every day on evangelism at this pastor's house (where I actually stayed). His name is Michael Gagnon. He taught us what evangelism really is. I think it's pretty important to know what it actually is, seeing as I come from an evangelical Christian background (:

On Friday, we were given a mission: to go out into the town of Ste Agathe des Monts and discover things about the town. Where there's spiritual needs; the things to do around the town; what kinds of people live there; what the youth do; what types of shops there are; the history of the town; the geography of the town, etc. Stuff like that. Because when you're going into a place to evangelize, it's really good to actually know the place you're going into. From experiment I learned: I really don't know Steinbach, my hometown, that well. I don't know what the spiritual needs are. Everyone is trying to evangelize in Steinbach, but no one really knows what kinds of things they should be doing. Who they should be reaching out to.

So this is my idea. When I get home at Christmas, I'm thinking about taking the time and some people (because it's more fun with more than one person) and walking around Steinbach, getting to know the place I call home. So that, one day, I can evangelize in my hometown. I think it's important to actually take the time to discover what needs we have in the town and just going out and talking to people! Evangelism can be as simple as just taking the time to talk to people around the town.

Simple ways to connect with people:
1) Instead of going to the ATM, go to the bank teller and actually have a conversation.
2) Doing the above at the grocery store, instead of going to the self-checkout in Superstore!
3) Talking to the person beside you on the airplane. You're with each other for quite a while, might as well spend the time getting to know them.
4) Strike up a conversation with someone who's sitting by themselves at a restaurant or coffee shop.

Someone once said (I don't know who, but I'm gonna quote them anyway, haha)... "Jesus did most of His ministry, on His way to doing ministry". Why can't we? Why can't we do ministry while grocery shopping? Why can't we do ministry while running errands? Why can't we do ministry while sitting down to have a coffee or a bite to eat? At our workplace? In our homes? In our schools? Also, ministry does not limit itself to the non-believers. We can minister to believers as well, by encouraging them in their walk and actually taking the time to walk with them on their journey towards God. As they do with you as well...

I'd just like to end off this blog entry by thanking some people. I'm sorry if I miss some people (because there's lots!), but just consider yourself included in this list if you're reading this blog entry. My parents, Abby, Missy, Mo & Karen, Melissa, Joylyn, Maddy, Amanda, Justin, Cynthia, Elya, Kaitlyn, Bobbi-Jo, Nat, and tons more! I just wanted to say THANK YOU for caring enough about me to not let me walk this journey of faith on my own. Thank you for always teaching me new things and guiding me along the way. Thank you for coming alongside of me in my walk with God. And I hope that I can do the same for you guys someday.

Love,
Janessa

Walk on the Water

The air was very crisp. The breeze coming off of the lake was cool, just a hint of the temperature of the water. The waves were softly crashing against the boat I found myself in. The boat was gently rocking, as if it was rocking itself to sleep.

 One look up at the sky and I knew what to expect in the near future. Dark clouds were forming in the lowest places of heaven. The crackling of thunder haunted the other side of the lake, my destination. Suddenly, a streak of lightning shot through the pitch black canopy above my head.

  I needed to get to safety. I looked ahead; the storm threatened what lay in my future. I looked behind; the storm taunted what I put in the past. There was no way out of this storm.

The waves turned from softly crashing to violently galloping at the sides of my boat. The crisp air turned into a musky fog. The breeze turned into a full-force wind that had the temperature of death in it. It was freezing.

I saw a figure walking towards me, within the storm. At first I thought I was going crazy, that it was only a figment of my imagination. The storm was making me think things that I shouldn't. The storm was giving me one more reason to fear.

But this was real.

“Come out onto the water.” He said to me. “Come out onto the crashing waves.”

I was frightened. “Are you insane? I can’t leave this boat. I’ll drown!”

That’s when I saw him fully. He was walking on the water. “Come out into your storm. Just keep your eyes on me and I’ll keep you safe.”

I stepped out onto the rolling waves. To my surprise, I didn't sink. I kept my eyes on him.

I began to look down at my feet. Surely enough, I was walking on the water towards this man that I never knew. Or maybe I did know him. But as soon as I focused my attention on my walking, my feet began to be immersed in the salty water below.

I focused my attention back onto this man, just enough so that I’d get back on my feet again, so that I could continue walking on the water. I didn't need his help. I could do this on my own.

Eyes on my own feet, I paced faster. Only the faster I walked, the faster my feet sunk into the water. It was beyond frustrating!

“Why aren't you listening to me?” The man said. “Keep your eyes on me and I’ll keep you safe.”

Once again, I focused my attention on his face. My feet stopped slipping and I regained my balance. This time I kept my eyes on him for a little bit longer so that I could completely get back on my own feet. I left his eye contact.

My feet began to slip faster than they were before. I can do this on my own! I can do this on my own! I only need to think hard enough about it.

Suddenly, my waist was submerged in the water, too far for me to pull myself up. I needed help now. I called to him. “Please, save me. I’m going to drown! I shouldn't have tried to do this by myself. I should have listened to you! Please, I don’t want to die! I’m drowning!”

Immediately, a dry hand grabbed mine. He pulled me up, and then pulled me close to his chest. He leaned in to whisper something in my ear. “Why did you doubt, you of little faith?”

I started to sob. “I thought I could do it on my own, but now I realize that I can’t.”

“Don’t cry, dear one. I've got you now.” He said softly, wiping the tears from my eyes. “Now, let’s try this again. This time… keep your eyes on me.” 

This Crazy Adventure Called Life

The past two weeks that I've been here at Capernwray, I have learned only one thing. That one thing that I've learned is this: I haven't really read the Bible. There is so much stuff that I've been missing all along, so many things I've never realized about God and His character.

First of all, the whole entire Bible talks about Jesus! Even Genesis! I mean, the first reading that I've found about Jesus in the Bible is in Genesis 3, when God curses the serpant. And I've encountered Jesus several times in Genesis. It is incredible!

Secondly, people always talk about the "God of the Old Testament" and the "God of the New Testament" and how they're not the same. They are totally the same! God in the OT is still the loving, merciful, patient God we've grown to love in the NT.

God is so amazing.

One thing really caught my attention lately. So, remember the last entry? If not, go read it, haha. I asked you to pray for what outreach I should do. After that post, a friend texted me and told me she thought God was calling me to do Heather Manor. Before I even posted something on here, I thought God was telling me to do Ministry Team. One of my roommates here thought that God wanted me to do Sunday School. So I put down on my paper "I'll do anything, put me anywhere you need me". And guess where I ended up? On the Community Help team. The only one that God didn't mention to someone in my life that told me (sorry if that sentence didn't make sense). Interesting, isn't it?

So on Tuesday afternoon, the six of us who are on the Community Help team went out to rake leaves for an old widow who lives in Chertsey. She had a really large yard. And the work was very hard and very draining and I went home wondering why God put me there because I have absolutely no physical strength or skills in anything but being in a kitchen.

Then this morning in class, Steve (the director) was talking about Abraham. Now, think with me about the story of Abraham. God promised Abraham, a 75 year old man who had a barren wife, that he would be the father of a nation whose descendants would outnumber the stars. Was Abraham at all equipped to even fulfill that promise by himself? No. He was an old man and his wife was unable to have children! So that gives me hope in knowing that God will equip me for whatever He wants me to do. Obviously, he wants me to be on this particular outreach team for a reason.

I just want to end off by thanking everyone that prayed for me in this situation. I also want to thank those who just simply read my blog. It means so much to know that someone cares enough to follow me in this outrageous adventure God's got me on.

Love,
Janessa