What a summer
“I can’t believe it’s September next week.”
Seems I’ve heard that or a similar statement over a thousand times in the last few days. And as much as I feel it, I’m also so grateful for an amazing summer.
Summer got off to a quick start for me in June as I headed to Ensenada, Mexico to speak for a Mission Adventures program with around 60 kids from Alaska, Minnesota and the San Fransisco area. This was my first time being a part of a program in Ensenada, which is a part of the larger YWAM San Diego/Baja ministry I am a part of. It was so great to connect with the staff there and begin to feel a sense of belonging there as I do in Tijuana. The week of MA was amazing! These young people from very different parts of the United States came and stepped up and served in incredible ways. They stepped outside of the their comfort zones and trusted Jesus to empower them into ministry there and were excited about the ways their experiences would change how they were living for Jesus at home too!
Then in July I had the extreme privilege of stepping into another Mission Adventures program, but this time in my own backyard - nearly. YWAM Niagara was hosting a youth group from PEI and asked me if I could help them with their first go at a Mission Adventures with a group of teens. It was amazing! Absolutely amazing. The staff of YWAM Niagara felt super encouraged about how everything went and are very excited to continue to dream and pray about how they can host youth groups with MA in the future! The students from PEI were awesome and also showed up in some incredible ways. What an honour it is to be a part of so many stories where Jesus is impacting the lives of young people!
Believe it or not, August was also a Mission Adventures month for me! This trip was extremely special for a few reasons. First, I was in Tijuana, Mexico again with the youth group from Central Baptist Church in Edmonton, AB where I was on staff for almost 18 years! Many of the students that were on the trip were in Kids Ministry when I was serving either as the youth pastor of Emerging Generations pastor so it was so incredible to get to connect with them as junior and senior high school students. Another reason this trip was incredible is that two of my kids, Corbyn and Brennan got to come along and participate in MA for the first time as participants, not just as the speaker/pastors kid! We also had 3 other young men from our church and friend group here in Welland join Corbyn and the group from Edmonton. These 3 guys and their families came with us last summer when we did the House Build for my 40th birthday, so it was great to see them get to come again and this time experience the Mission Adventures program!
As you can see, in many ways Summer 2023 was pretty full for me. That said, there was obviously a lot of space between these activities. I’ve had a handful of really great opportunities to connect with different ministries here in the Niagara region and I really do feel like there is some good traction in the direction of me adding more “flesh to the bones” of the role I’m creating in supporting and empowering churches as they disciple young people.
The week in August while I was in Tijuana marked one year since I had the original conversation with YWAM San Diego/Baja about me possibly joining them and creating this new role. It’s hard to believe that I’m now one year into this crazy idea! I have to say, a year in, I’m feeling quite encouraged. Early on in this journey I read this important quote about start-ups and entrepreneurs. It said that most people who are starting something new “over estimate what they can accomplish in the first year, but significantly underestimate what they’ll do in the first five years.” I’m so glad I gleaned that wisdom early on in this journey!
A year into the idea, I feel like things are very much still taking shape. I believe I’ve made some good strides in the direction of what I’m actually doing in this role while at the same time continue to gain more and more clarity as to where things are going!
If you think of me throughout this next season, I’d love for you to join me as I pray into some things. I currently don’t have any travel set up until probably 2024. I’m excited to use this next four to six months to really build some rhythms of what this role could and will look like at home. This summer I also read a very encouraging book called “The God Ask” which seeks to equip and empower those who need to raise their own support/salary through missions work. There were a handful of things in this book that got me really fired up! This fall, I’m looking forward to stepping even more fully into this financial part of the journey! I’ve done a lot of work to clarify some budget and financial goals and I’m very excited and hopeful to see the ways that Jesus will mobilize the community surrounding me to see this all happen! I’ve learned a lot in the last year and have a much clearer idea of the type of work and intentionality that is required of me to be faithful to this call!
Thanks for taking the time to read this! I hope your summer has also been full in all the right ways!
As a final word to those who are still reading, I LOVE connecting and hearing about how your life is going! You may remember me writing in the spring about the importance of FRIENDSHIP (check out the post here). As you finish reading this, if you have a minute, give me a call or fire me a message… I’d love to connect more personally!
Here’s to wrapping up a great summer!
js
