my dads case

well it finally went to trial, so if your interested in it or wanna hear whats up just search hells angels toronto trial on google or hells angels doug myles im sure you'll find something, the media is painting a pretty bad picture of him which sucks but the jury doesnt get to read it and i know its not true but there ya go, just a wee little update.

STRUGGLING WITH ALL HIS ENERGY

Hey guys, just wrote this on my own blog for my family and I thought I'd share it with my K7 family also. Love you.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10

Being at Briercrest has not been easy. I have wrestled with God these past two months, finding it extremely hard to be living in the middle of nowhere, taking courses that seem to easy to be post-secondary education. I apologize for my lack of blog posts, for my lack of communication with all of you, the people that I trust, the people that pray for me so often. I have not been faithful to you and for that, I am sorry. I promise to do better.

Since I arrived here in September, I have struggled to understand the work in which God is doing within me. I know it's important work, I know it's significant but I don't yet understand it and that is so frustrating.

Weekends are especially hard and quiet here. There's not much to do so, thanks to Mom's job, I am blessed enough to come home every few weeks. This has been a huge blessing this year. Coming back to Ontario brings me refreshment and encouragement to continue running this journey that God has called me to, this race he has mapped out.

So here I am, asking for much needed prayer from all of you. I'm sorry I haven't been good at communicating with all of you. My parents are aware of this struggle and I feel them praying for me daily. In the words of my mom, "Keep your chin up, I will keep praying for you". These words mean more than you know. I am out of my comfort zone here and God is challenging me in that.

This past week I have felt strong in Him and confident that he is doing good work within me that will be carried on until the day of Jesus. As miserable as I can be at this place, there are blessings: soccer, my roommates (Kaitlyn and Ellie), books, trips home, my guitar and music. I know God is working and I trust that he is doing big things I just wish he'd make his direction for me clearer and let me know why he brought me to this place.

I feel almost bittersweet. I hold on to his steadfast love while I cry out to him in a near-angry tone. Although I am frustrated with this place, I praise him anyway. From the song Your Love Never Fails, "He makes all things work together for my good" and I am so very thankful for that.

So in this wrestle, I am growing. I am changing. On Tuesday my English professor Sean Davidson said God disciplines those he loves. I have to embrace this brokenness and understand that He knows best.

I thank you still for your prayers. I love each of you so much.

"Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." Colossians 1:28-29

Kristie's Orchard Adventure

Well, my good friends, I am finally settled here in beautiful Kelowna. It has been a long, arduous journey for which, strangely so, I am grateful. It is incredible how the events in our lives that seem the most difficult soon become what we cherish. For I believe in those moments we see our Lord so much more clearly as we recognize His active Presence guiding our circumstances and shaping our hearts.

Just to give you a quick update: October was Road-Trip Month. I spent my time wandering from Crofton to Kelowna to Prairie Bible College to Briercrest to Home (in Manitoba); back to Briercrest to Frontier, SK to Banff and back to Kelowna. Whooo-eeee!! What a whirlwind. So sweet to see people at Briercrest. I'd have to say it was the high-light of the trip -- as fellowshipping with all of you refreshed my weary soul and brought such encouragement. I am so thankful to be part of such a sweet community!

As the dust still settles, I'm already busy at work with Marv and Lois Penner. Presently, I am working from their beautiful home with a window above my little desk overlooking the

beautiful Okanagan Valley. My job mainly consists of helping Marv on projects and Lois on admin. stuff, and then recruiting staff and youth groups for summer mission trips through a

program called YouthWorks (Ben led SportsCamps with YouthWorks last summer). If you're looking for a sweet youth/missions internship this next summer, let me know!!

Remember the sweet time we had at the Canadian Youth Worker's Convention from last year?! Well, this year I get to be involved in it. How cool is that!?!! Right now Marv, Lois, and I are bustling with preparations and are eagerly anticipating what God will do there. If you're out in Ontario, COME!! I'd LOVE to see you there! It is December 2-5 and is at the Doubletree by Hilton right close to the Toronto airport. If you're in college the cost is only $130 (till November 15th) - you can get the scoop at www.cywc.com . Oh, and if you're a girl - and like tea and bubble baths - I'd love for you to stay in my hotel room (for FREE!). Just let me know SOON so we can make arrangements.

So there's my little life in a nut-shell. Still learning to abide in my Lord; and would love prayer for that. I'm looking forward to discovering more of the Lord in this new season of life.

P.S. Come and visit!

SUNSHINE

hi guys,
so basically this letter isn't about me at all, its about a bunch of people who i really care for and love.
and a bunch of them are pretty discouraged lately,,, if you're not catching on i am talking about the kaleo 7 family, all of you.

um just felt the urge to tell you all to keep going.(random)
maybe you're going through hell right now..( she said what )
but... know that , your character is being built at this second and God is more concerned about your character than your comfort.

and have you all forgot how amazing you are, you are! and I'm not just some crazy encourager either. i don't encourage everyone, mainly you guys . because you know what you're all great, ya you.

so keep going and remember the name God has gave you and live up to it.
I don't think life after kaleo or life in general is going to be a joy ride but i do know that God is with us always and he cares for us so much.. actually think about that..

and honesty i feel like God wanted me to tell you all this,
great things are coming

Finished.

So its been a while….haven’t seen or really talked to a lot of you. Feeling rather lonely. I talked to a friend today. I talked to him about some things I am struggling with. We talked a little about last year, to which I think that perhaps my space should’ve gone to someone a little bit less like me and more like….well I don’t know…just someone not like me. I am not saying I regret doing Kaleo; I loved Kaleo. I got experiences I never would have had otherwise and I met amazing people I never would have. But alas it’s over, and life goes on, nothing ever really lasts it's all a piece of dust that gets swept away as soon as the wind blows. Those days are gone. Maybe I am a tad nostalgic for those days when I see the black hole of space and time that lurks a head of me for either direction I take.

Anyways we talked about some other stuff too. Like why I am feeling the way I am and my thoughts on things like God. He made an excellent point of telling me I am lonely because I have chosen to be that way, because I have chosen not to tell people about my struggles. To which I replied I have tried talking to people about the way I am feeling. They just don’t understand. And maybe some of you know that even when you try and reach out to others hoping they might understand you a little only to find out they don’t….it just leaves you feeling more isolated, alone, angry and frustrated. Well this is not to excuse myself from putting myself in a spot where I feel so alone, because I am positive I have done something that made me feel this way, for starters I have not really reached out to any of you to talk about this, and when I did something else came up, but that is life. I have always found timing a peculiar thing, or just time in general…it slips away far to quickly.

So here am I, in our chapel time opening up to you, a loved family (though I guess some would argue that what I am about to do does not really make me capable of loving) before I put up my walls again. I am tired. So very tired physical and mentally, all I want to do is sleep, but I can't sleep, it eludes me. So instead I push on, through school, family and work. I push my body hard doing as much physical activity I can...feeling exhausted is better then not feeling. But I am tried of feeling alone, so I am just going to tell you. I quit. I am done. This life is not one for me. I haven’t been living it. I am taking this step to tell you I am done pretending to have a faith that I don’t. You can tell me all you want of how I can find comfort and rest and restoration with God but I’ve heard it and I am not convinced. I’m done searching for something I cannot see, cannot feel and cannot trust. I’m not dealing with something that has left me hanging on out of fear for what might come.

That’s all. I’m done. I’m trying a different path, either way I see it, it all leads to the end right? Life and time go hand and hand they both slip away and can’t be reversed….