Summer 2013!!

Hello again! It's been a while eh? Well today is the last day of Summer 2013 for me as I am back to school tomorrow! It has been a good summer for sure and because I haven't written a blog post in a long time, I have a ton to talk about. So to summarize I will try to summarize my summer.

First off I have to talk about my job. I worked as a supplies coordinator for a company that put on the Ride to Conquer Cancer event in Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary. It was fun job overall despite the long long hours and sometimes hectic situations but being a positive guy makes me always see the brighter side of things. Thanks to this job, I had the opportunity to travel around parts of Canada to do this job. During the Toronto ride I was at the Toronto lake front, Niagara Falls next to horse shoe falls, and in Hamilton. For the Vancouver ride, we were in Surrey, then went States side to Seattle. Calgary just went out to Okotoks and back but it was still a blast. I got to see things I have never seen before like cities, mountains, prairies as well as do things I've never done before like driving large penske or budget rental trucks! I met and worked with some amazing people and I look forward to going back next year if they would like me to come back!

Next, I was able to do a road trip across \Canada with my parents as they picked me up in Calgary and drove me back to Toronto! Highlights include seeing Canada's sports hall of fame, Drummheller, AB (so many dinosaurs and history!  Saw the badlands and the Royal Tyrell Museum. It was fun trying to comprehend everything and putting it together with the what the Bible says. That's just something I did); the Winnipeg Legislature Building (amazing architecture); My old house and school in Winnipeg (can't believe how familiar it all still looks! Blast from the past!); Met some of Mom's siblings as we visited Sioux Lookout and went through Mom and Dad's memories of that place; Overall seeing the country through prairies, lakes, and small towns. I enjoyed myself and look forward to maybe doing a road trip like that with friends or a special woman in my life :).

Next highlight of the summer is the Christian Waterski camp that I was blessed to be a counselor at. I did not know how to waterski or wakeboard but got the chance to learn a couple times out on the river. To some that may have been the best part but for me the best part was sharing the Gospel and being in a position to help youth come to know Christ. My cabin had some great guys who have bright futures ahead of them and the camp was full of so many great boys and girls who have so much potential to be something truly great in this world. It was so special to share with them that Jesus loves you and that what the world offers you in life may seem good but that the truth is Jesus is the best option. I had the privilege to share my testimony with the kids and it was an experience I would gladly do again. When we had testimony times, there were 3 testimonies shared, my good friend JM, and his mother HM. JM i give credit for bringing me to Christ because he was the one who asked the perfect question to me when I could not give a good enough answer. the question was "Why don't you come to church on sunday?". My answer in my head was that I enjoyed to sleep in so clearly I ended up going to church the following sundays and the rest is history as God molded me through the twist and turns of life. Hearing JM's and HM's testimonies brought people to tears and I am not ashamed to say that |I was one of them. The struggles they dealt with that I never even knew made me wish I could have been there for JM and made me admire both JM and HM for their great faithfulness to the Lord who never for a second let them go. PTL!! The Lord is sooooo good! haha

Finally this past weekend I was in Simcoe, ON for the Gentlemen of the Road tour with Mumford and Sons headlining the 2 day music festival. It was great time with friends, playing and teaching many strangers the game of Kan Jam, the music was good, late night bonfires, playing volleyball in SD's pool. It was an all round enjoyable weekend!

Now this next part is not a highlight for me technically but I feel it is important to share it as it shows how great the Lord truly is! The woman, who this time last year I was having thoughts of marrying someday, got engaged this past weekend! Now that sounds like it would be something sad for me but to be honest, ya it hurts very slightly but how can I be selfish about something so glorifying to God! In the matter of 1 year, SM fell in love with the love of her life! PTL! Since the break up, my prayers have been answered as God is doing great things in her life as she is engaged to a godly Man who loves her with all his heart, she has a dream job teaching in a christian school, and I'm sure there are plenty of more blessings that I just don't know of :P. Sure I'm still single and still going through somethings but God has been so good to His children and my prayers for her to be blessed with work and a godly man have all been answered so swiftly. Now I'm just being patient for, if it ever happens, for my friendship with SM to be mended so we can be united in Christ. After a year though, I know there is nothing I could ever do to mend it and it would have to be something supernatural by God. Hey, as long as God is getting the glory, I'm 100% stoked about all that has happened in SM and mine's lives. Someday I will experience the joys of love like SM and our friend KB. I have no doubt in our God as I am waiting for when the Lord see's that I am ready for the responsibility of caring for one of His daughter's heart.

Anyhow, that is all I have to say at this moment, please comment at the bottom after you read so I know if you liked/disliked, agree/disagree with anything I say.

All the best and God bless you all,
Your brother in Christ
John