A time for everything...

On Friday mornings we have a time of student worship, where the students plan and lead the time. We have had people dance, share their favourite songs as well as leading us in rousing chorus of '"I am a C, I am a C.H. I am a C.H.R.I.S.T.I.A.N"
I have enjoyed seeing them take ownership and worship using their gifts. I know as a community we gain so much from one another when we step out in our passions and gifts and ahre them.

This week Funky was leading the student worship time. This week, the lectures had been about Worship, and what that means. As Funky had been praying about the worship time, he felt he wasn't supposed to do the songs he had practiced. That is shouldn't be a time when we work from a formula of how to make worship happen. He shared this with us and then said he wanted to give us a space to be free to just worship in the ways we wanted.

He started our time off by reading us the children's book called 'The giving tree' Its really sweet, if you have never read it I would highly recommend it. The story is below.

Then he just left space.

I am always nervous about what will happen in times like that. There is always the risk that people will just sit there, and as a leader I always feel an obligation to lead out. In some ways it is my responsibility, but it is also ok to let things get uncomfortable sometimes, to give the students the chance to feel God prompting and act on it. Which is what I did yesterday. I just sat.

Thank someone started playing guitar. Someone else was singing to God. Other people read out Psalms, and shared other Bible verses. People prayed out to God in worship. It was a precious time, and I know it was a true time of worship.

THE GIVING TREE

Once there was a giving tree who loved a little boy.
And everyday the boy would come to play
Swinging from the branches, sleeping in the shade
Laughing all the summer's hours away.
And so they love,
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

But soon the boy grew older and one day he came and said,
"Can you give me some money, tree, to buy something I'’ve found?"
"I have no money," said the tree, "Just apples, twigs and leaves."
"But you can take my apples, boy, and sell them in the town."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

But soon again the boy came back and he said to the tree,
"I'm now a man and I must have a house that's all my home."
"I can't give you a house" he said, "The forest is my house."
"But you may cut my branches off and build yourself a home"
And so he did.
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

And time went by and the boy came back with sadness in his eyes.
"My life has turned so cold," he says, "and I need sunny days."
"I'’ve nothing but my trunk," he says, "But you can cut it down
And build yourself a boat and sail away."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

And after years the boy came back, both of them were old.
"I really cannot help you if you ask for another gift."
"I'’m nothing but an old stump now. I'm sorry but I'’ve nothing more to give"
"I do not need very much now, just a quiet place to rest,"
The boy, he whispered, with a weary smile.
"Well", said the tree, "An old stump is still good for that."
"Come, boy", he said, "Sit down, sit down and rest a while."
And so he did and
Oh, the trees was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad

VISA NEWS!!!

I wanted to give you all an update about my visa situation. As you know I traveled up to Vancouver, Canada on Sunday afternoon for my appointment on Monday (Oct 31st). I was very nervous about this trip because in recent years visas like the Religious worker Visa I was applying for have been harder to get. I was so blessed that friends from my small group at church had offered to drive me. Vancouver is about 2 ½ hours away by car. We had a really fun day traveling and hanging out it the city, It made the trip something so different than just a time to worry about the visa stuff, it became a time to get to know one another better and enjoy a beautiful cit on a beautiful day. This element of not being alone in the ‘scary visa process’ was felt again because I was staying with my good friends Wade and Joanna Pallister, and their daughter. They welcomed me into their home as a part of the family and I felt very much taken care of by them during my visit.

Here are some pictures of my trip. The beautiful views in Washington as we drove up, a view of Vancouver and me with the girls from my smallgroup in Vancouver...Hope these will keep you interested as you read - this is along posting!






Unfortunately, I came down with a nasty stomach bug Sunday night and was up all night except for an hour between 7 and 8am when I slept. I had a cab coming to get me for my interview at 8.45am so without a shower or any prep I left the house feeling terrible! The visa interview process only lasted a couple of hours but it felt longer, especially because to get to the bathrooms you had to go down from the 20th floor and through security again before returning through another security check and being escorted back hoping that you had not missed your number being called. Not fun.

I had all the paperwork I was asked for and the interviewer was very polite. At the interview they do not give you a decision about whether or not the visa will be issued, but I was told to return tomorrow to pick up my passport.. I travelled home, and slept. Feeling hopeful about the interview but still very poorly.

That evening I woke up and was feeling very empty. My friends were having dinner with the DTS students at their base, YWAM Vancouver and invited me to come with them. I am so glad that I did. It was fun to see another school and at the same time made me miss my students back in Seattle. One of the American girls on staff said she really wanted to pray for me and the visa situation. As she and another American staff guy prayed, they prayed a blessing over me and welcomed me into their home country and thanked me for giving my heart to their country. It was a special prayer time for me and I believe it played a big part in the final visa outcome.

I also had calls and text messages from friends, and students in America and the UK, They told me they had been praying interceding and fasting on my behalf. I had verses of scripture given to me that spoke of God’s peace.

I have never felt as embraced as I have felt in this process.

I returned to collect my passport on Tuesday afternoon, and was blown away and so very thankful to God when I saw they had granted me a five-year visa!

I believe that God allowed me to come to the end of myself to show me once again of his faithfulness. He really was all I had to get me through that day, and he was enough. Even if it wasn’t as pleasant as I think it could have been I see God’s hand and feel his love for me in the simplicity of getting my visa.

The rest of my time in Vancouver was spent hanging out with my friends. I was able to go out trick or treating in the nighbourhood with them and their daughter, who is 2 dressed as a baby leopard, with little ears and a coat and the cutest face paint, they pulled her in a wagon full of blankets to keep her warm and she was so excited about all the chocolate she was getting! Their whole neighbourhood was out and it was such a fun environment. Seeing the whole community saying hi and catching up with one another as they handed out sweets and caught up with how each other was doing. In a city, like so many where you can go for years with out seeing your neighbours let alone being invited into their homes, it is a time not to be missed when they do open up their homes and lives for the night.

I am writing this sitting on the train back into Seattle. I have just been calling my friends and filling them in on the details of my trip!

So now what? I feel like this is the start of a whole new chapter in my life. A new confidence about the work I am doing and a new motivation to grow and develop the DTS program as well as and maybe even more my own vision for Seattle and how I am going to start!

I look forward to traveling without so much anxiety and that means my trips home will hopefully be more frequent!!