True North Missionaries Journal

I was watching scene from Michael Jackson’s “This is it” where a scene showing the beauty of nature was an intro to the “Earth Song”.  Nature is so breathtaking. Living in Calgary is a blessing because there’s so many breathtaking sights that I can watch within an hour or two of driving.  If this world were like paradise, I’m sure the real paradise that God had intended was a gazillion times more breathtaking.  If people have doubts about the existence of God, then wake up, look around and see God in nature.

 

But man has a way of doing his own thing, ignoring God’s ways, and messing things up.  Beautiful land become garbage dumps.   Beautiful women (and I’m not only talking about physical beauty) become women obsessed with their looks, full of self doubt, and not seeing the beauty that can seen beyond the mirror.  True men become men overpowered by lust and power over others, having no respect for women, losing the anointing that God had intended for them.

 

So let’s stop messing this up, it’s not too late for us to change the face of this earth.  God worked hard for 6 days to create this world, man , He did a great job.  But let’s be worthy of this world and let’s be worthy of His calling of us, whom He created in His own image.

 

Praise God!

It is always great to have a conversation with the people around you.  Like when you have 1on1’s or just hanging out with friends, you’ll probably be talking about anything and everything that you want to tell that person.  Today at work again I was blessed to share about my faith to another patient, this time his wife.  What stuck out the most was her ability to affirm me in my relationship with the Lord.  She said “the way you speak about Him is not ordinary, you talk to him as if he was right next to you.”

I find it a blessing to be able to develop a relationship with our Lord and to converse to Him the way I do. It has been a relationship full of many conversations.  There are times where I really do forget to talk to Him or that I don’t call on him as much as I should be.  He is a person who is always willing to listen and ready to speak when we are ready and willing to listen to his words.

Thank you Lord for being able to be close to me, for the times you listen and the times you’ve answered.  I pray our relationship will always grow. Amen

@itsmetimmm

Matthew 11:16-19

John came without eating and drinking and they accused him of being possessed, and here comes Jesus, who eats and drinks and was accused a glutton, drunkard and friend of tax collectors. The gospel reading from Matthew 11:16-19 echoes the same attitudes that sometimes still comes up in us, the tendency to look at only at what is wrong instead of looking what the other has done right. Only because we always see a certain person doing the same old bad habits, we already judge him to the point that when he does good things, we still find fault in what he has done. It is not so much about brushing aside the wrongs, but acknowledging the good things a person has done.

The reading from Isaiah 48:17-19, if paraphrased today, says, “I am the God who had taught you for your own good and lead you to the place I have planned for you. If only you had listened to my instructions, you could have been fulfilling your dreams that I dreamed for you as well. If only you had just listened to me, but you choose to focus on others and what they are doing instead of focusing on me. You could have lived a full satisfying life, with a family that will keep your name long before you are gone.”

We might as well take note of this message before we ourselves will say “If only…” Before it’s too late, let us focus on what is good in others and encourage them to continue doing the same, instead of focusing on their faults and discouraging them. Let us build one another instead of tearing each other apart. There are so many things to do than just looking at the faults of others.

“Poverty is someone who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money.”

When I think of what poverty is, I see someone who lacks love, someone who lacks God. When I was in the Philippines I was privileged to experience living and building in the ANCOP Villages. I was able to spend time with the families who lived there. Though their homes were a concrete box with no electricity I was humbled by their love and joy. These families who lived in these homes knew the true meaning of life. Though they lived simply, their lives were filled with the love and joy of Christ. It made me question: What kind of life do I live? I don’t see these families living in poverty because they lack material possessions. If anything I’m the one living in poverty because of my attachment to the materialistic things of this world. In the wise words of Pope Francis, “Poverty calls us to sow hope.” Hope for the world to understand the true meaning of poverty. May we detach ourselves from the possessions of this world, live simply and love freely.

(reflection for the week of June 3-9)

The last 4 weeks have been spent settling into my new home, bonding with my new family, getting to know the area, attending meetings and conducting trainings.  I have met amazing people! I have been blessed to visit the mission areas of Red Deer and Fort McMurray and spend time with their youth who are so eager to get to know God more.  It has been one amazing month and to think it’s only my first month as a fully pledged fulltime pastoral worker.  Fulltime work has a steep learning curve but with the Holy Spirit, passion, and discipline that incline is simply a launching board into the heavenly experiences that await.

When you make that decision, when you respond to God’s call for your life, in whatever way He plans, you are openly inviting God to overwhelm you and trust me when I say that is an invitation He won’t refuse.  God has shown me such beauty, not only in nature but through the hearts of those I serve.  He has allowed me to feel the depth of His care and compassion but He has also allowed me to feel the brokenness of what breaks His own heart.  He has opened my eyes to see His unique signature in everything and everyone and He has heightened my senses to know that He is near me always.

Let’s stop looking at ‘overwhelmed’ as a word to describe a burden, rather that we use ‘overwhelmed’ as a word to describe how we feel about God’s immense love for us.  A love that gives, even when we don’t deserve it.  A love that relentlessly pursues and seeks us out and meets us where we are.  A love that wants to remind us daily of His presence and His guidance.

Lord, please never stop overwhelming my heart.