Breathe In, Breathe Out

I don't really know what to do with myself today! It's Sunday at Capernwray, and I would normally be hurrying to do my assignment, but this weekend I finished my assignment early. I finished it yesterday. I only did for one reason though.
You see, I got this new book! It's called 'The Case for a Creator' by Lee Strobel... and it's so great! Anyway, one of the girls here took it away from me, saying that I could only get it back when I was done my assignment. The only logical thing to do: finish my assignment as fast as possible... so I did!

I realized yesterday that I'm kind of a weird person. I would rather read a non-fiction information book than a fiction book. I mean, I'm so pumped about reading this book that's full of science... nerd much? Ha, oh well, I'm okay with being weird. I also don't like pizza, which everyone here thinks is weird. I also have a really strange selection of music... lots of contemp Christian, along with some Michael Buble (because your iTunes isn't complete until it has that), lots of country, and my personal favourite... Owl City. Also, one of my favourite things to do in the world is to read blogs. I love it when my friends have blogs... but not very many of them do. I also like making lists...

The current list that I'm working on (which I plan to post on Valentine's Day) is the little things I love in life. I'm the type of person who often focuses on the bad things in life, so I decided that I would create a list of all the strange and not-so-strange things I love in life. The very first entry of this blog (the "getting to know me" one) has ten of the things that will be included on this list!

I think the people reading this blog should also make a list of the little things they love in life... then email them to me! I'd love to read 'em. I think my list is going to consist of about 100 things.

I've been thinking about my future again, which usually only causes frustration and stress on my part. But it's been okay lately. I know that I'm probably going to be working next year because I don't have any money to do anything else. I also really want to get involved in my church when I'm home again. Don't know what to do, but I trust that God'll find somethin' for me to do! And I think I'm fairly certain as to what I want to take in university. I know I've said that for a long time and it keeps changing, but I've decided not to worry about what I want to do in my life. I'm going to go to university for what interests me... biology and religious studies. There's lots of stuff that you can do with those, and I bet I'll enjoy most of them.

Anyway, you guys are probably wondering... "Janessa, are you still in bible school? 'Cause you haven't posted anything that you've learned in a while?" Well, you are in luck today!

According to what Jesus said in Matthew 22:36-40, the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love others. I've kind of learned how to understand these commandments a bit better. It's a lot like breathing.

Loving God is like breathing in. And loving others is like breathing out. You have to breathe in, in order to breathe out. And you have to breathe out, in order to breathe in. Try only breathing in... doesn't work. You have to exhale at some time. Try only breathing out... doesn't work. You have to inhale at some time. Love God and love others, the two go hand-in-hand.

This has revolutionize my life, actually. I've realized that I actually dislike loving others, but I have no problem with only loving God. But that's not the way God intended. I can't only inhale. And I can't love others without first loving God. I need to breathe in and breathe out.

Something to chew on.

Oh and I got new glasses!

Jump then Fall

Later this weekend I will fill you in on what I've been learning in classes and whatnot, but this entry I want to use as a personal discovery reflection. That didn't really make much sense, maybe it'll make more sense after I explain.

I notified some of you about my testimony-sharing that was to happen on Friday. Just thought I'd inform you that it went splendidly. Later that day, a girl from Winnipeg told me that she was proud of the fact that I left Steinbach because she said that a lot of girls in rural Manitoba areas just stay there... marry someone from around there and just get stuck there.

So after this encounter, today to be exact, I was listening to music and Taylor Swift's "Jump then Fall" song came on. And as some of you know, I often get strangely inspired by her music. The lyrics in this song that inspired me are: "don't be afraid to jump then fall".

I've decided that my life goal is going to be just that: not to be afraid to jump then fall. I'm always been scared to step out in the world, and recently, I've been learning that it's okay. 'Cause God will always be with me. I know that God's gonna call me to great things (whether it be in Manitoba or not) and I don't want to be too freaked out to actually do them! I want to be open to taking risks.

I don't wanna be afraid to jump then fall.

McGill to Romans to Armpits to Music Team

Week two is coming to a close. This weekend is going to be great, full of assignments and hanging out. I'm really excited about it. We're actually hosting a group of university students from McGill University this weekend, so it'll be fun to hang out with them and get to know them a little bit.
We finished up Romans this week, and went through the book of Hebrews. What a jam-packed week! Two very bulky books, in my opinion. I've been learning lots from both of them. In Romans, we hit a lot of the controversial things (like predestination, foreknowledge, etc.). I realized this week that I'm actually not as opinionated on those subjects as most people are. I used to be really opinionated on it (when I didn't even know enough to have an opinion on it lol). I don't really understand why people get so frustrated on those subjects. Yes, my human brain cannot wrap itself around the concept that God predestined as to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, while still giving us free will. But I honestly don't really think we need to understand it. We can't understand everything about God... and that's the beauty of it, He's God. He's not like us, thank goodness.

Next week we're learning about 1 Peter and World Religions. I'm really excited about those actually. I think it'll be really sweet to learn about other religions in the world, what they're all about and stuff. That's something I'm interested in. Just to see what other people believe. One day I know that I'll probably run into lots of people that don't believe the same thing as me (basically just have to leave Steinbach and bible school), and I want to be able to talk to them. I would like to be able to understand where they're coming from.

Community Help team has been going really good. We've nicknamed ourselves "pleine de muscles", which translates to "full of muscles". I'm not quite there yet, but maybe sometime in the future. We shovelled snow again on Tuesday, for the same elderly couple. There is a ridiculous amount of snow here. I'm not sure if it ever stops snowing! Man, did my muscles ever hurt the next day! Did you know that there's a muscle in your armpit? Who knew! I didn't until I discovered that it hurt on Wednesday!

Now... in this bit of news, I will be needing some prayer. In two weeks, Capernwray Quebec is hosting a youth retreat. As in us, the students, are organizing a youth retreat for local kids. Each of us first year students are separated into three groups: decorating, games, and music. You would NOT believe which group I'm in. That's right: I'm on the music team. Oh, and it gets better: I'm singing, with only one other girl. I'm so scared, it's not even funny! I must've sang too loudly in the shower one day in order to get myself into this position. Don't get me wrong, I think I'll enjoy it. The others on the team are so musically talented... and I just feel like I'm mediocre. I guess I'd just like prayer for the songs I have to learn, for working together with a team, a little more confidence (not too much), and a little less nervousness!

These are a few of the songs I have to learn:
Our God is Love - Hillsong United
Your Love Never Fails - Jesus Culture
No One Like You - David Crowder Band
You're Beautiful - Phil Wickham (I will personally enjoy this one the best because I really like this song, but I don't know it. I've only heard it a couple times.)
The Time Has Come - I forget who this is by
Set Free - Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman

I only actually know two of the songs (as in know the lyrics, I've heard them all before at least once) that we're singing over the weekend. Those songs are: The Stand by Hillsong United and How He Loves by David Crowder Band. Looks like I'm going to be only listening to the above eight songs for the next two weeks... I'll have to set aside my country and Jack Johnson. Shucks.

I invite all of you to download and listen to these songs for the next two weeks with me! Even better if you already have them! But things could be worse. I mean, my preparation for my youth retreat job is listening to music... how much better could it get?

Simple is Beautiful

Oh the joys of Capernwray!
I've completed my very first week in the winter break. Although, it seems like I've been here for longer, probably because I have kinda been here for longer (I was just gone for a month).

This week, Steve taught us about the book of Romans! Ooooooooh. It was really good. We aren't done it yet though, because Steve always takes more than one week to teach a book. Next week we're doing the rest of Romans and then Matt is teaching us about the book of Hebrews. Oooooooooh!

I've been learning a ton of stuff already, but surprisingly, it's actually not coming from the classes. The cook and I are doing a Bible reading plan. Basically, this plan splits the Bible into ten sections. I'm supposed to read ten chapters of the Bible a day, one chapter from each section. The sections are:
1) Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
2) Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
3) Romans, the Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians
4) the Thessalonians, the Timothies, Titus, Philemon, James, the Peters, the Johns, Jude, Revelation
5) Job, Ecclesiates, Song of Solomon
6) Psalm
7) Proverbs
8) the History books (Joshua through Esther)
9) the Prophets (Isaiah through Malachi)
10) Acts
After you're done reading each section, you start over from the beginning of that sections. So as you read the Bible, all the sections and chapters start to wind together. In the end, you'll end up reading Acts and Proverbs A LOT. And they are really good books.

I actually started this plan before Christmas break, but I wasn't very diligent at home with reading my chapters. I've been doing significantly better whilst at school.

Anyway, what I want to tell you guys in this blog entry is that the simplest verses, that you've heard a thousand times before, can all of a sudden sound incredibly amazing to you. This happened to me this week.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all

circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

What astounds me about this verse is that it's so simple. What also amazes me is that the three things mentioned here all work together. In all circumstances, I need to give thanks, rejoice, and pray continually. A lot of people say that it is more difficult to do these three things during hard circumstances, but I beg to differ. For me, I find it harder to rejoice, give thanks, and pray continually when things are going good. When things are going good, I often forget about God's goodness. I become blinded by the mindset that I've got to this good place alone, when really I haven't. In fact, it's pretty impossible to come to a good place without God. I tell ya though, I have no problem getting myself into a bad place. I don't need help with that, ha.

Anyway, that's just one of the things I've learned through my reading of the Bible.

I've started to really get into books by Lee Strobel. I read his "The Case for Christ" book and absolutely loved it. I ordered two more of his books today from Amazon: "The Case for a Creator" and "The Case for the Real Jesus". I'm really excited to get them.

Last night, all of us got together in the main lounge, around the fireplace, and cooked bannock. That was super fun. It was all very cozy and stuff. Greg made this delightful chocolate spread to put on the cooked cannock. It was amazing!

Anyway, until next week!

Lost in the Woods

I've been "home" at Capernwray for two-ish days now. I just got back from shovelling snow at an old couple's house in Rawdon. That's what the community help team did today. We shovelled snow for about an hour, then went inside to have a snack and play some Skip-Bo with the couple. That was super fun.

I flew completely by myself for the first time. First time going through security by myself, finding the gate by myself, and getting my own luggage in Montreal by myself. I even used one of those luggage carts for the first time (I love those things, they are awesome!). I know that it doesn't seem like much, but I think it's a pretty big accomplishment for me.

We have 9 new students this term. A couple girls from Germany, a guy from BC, a couple of girls from Alberta, another girl from Quebec, a girl from Brazil, and even one girl from Winnipeg. They're all pretty awesome. I haven't completely got a chance to get to know all of them yet, but I'm sure that I will get the chance.

Yesterday, basically all of us went on a walk up to High Point. Then a few of the guys had the idea that we should go down the cliff into the forest and a bunch of snow. Instead of just doing back up the cliff/hill and following the trail back to the school, we decided to just find another way back. We ended up getting lost. Luckily, there was someone with an iPhone, so we GPSed our way back. So we ended up practically hiking for an hour, all together as a group!

Well, just wanted to let you know what was going on with me in Quebec. Classes have been good so far. We are currently in the book of Romans, which Steve is teaching us. I'll probably post again at the end of the week talking about some stuff I've learned because Romans is quite a loaded book.

Ahhh... it's good to be back at Capernwray :)

Love,
Janessa