Archive for March, 2013

Support Vanessa and “Sketch & Believe”

Friday, March 22nd, 2013

You know one of my pet programs is Compassion but if you want to support kids closer to home, then you need to think about supporting the Sketch & Believe program of Youth Unlimited that ministers to girls in the Jane & Finch area of Toronto.  This program is lead by a young lady we know very well, Vanessa, who not only goes to our church, but is also a small group leader for our daughter’s group, and a wonderful woman of God.  You can read the “whole” story of Vanessa here.

Vanessa did an *amazing* job portraying Mary in a monologue at church last Sunday.  Reading her story, I can see why.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved the arts—especially acting.  I loved taking on the role of a character and getting lost in being someone else.  … I realized my deep love to pursue this art form as a career.  In my grade 11 year, I decided to get an acting agent and started to audition professionally.  Throughout the remainder of high school and my post-secondary years, I auditioned and performed professionally in various film and television roles.  The plan was taking flight.  So I started to make plans to move to LA after my college graduation.

But in my last year of college, the beginnings of my acting career started to nose dive.  The agency I was with started to go under, auditions were diminishing, I was losing confidence in the audition room and sadly I wasn’t enjoying acting anymore.

But God had another plan!  God has used Vanessa to work with a group of girls in the Jane/Finch area of Toronto.

Thirteen years ago, my story was just like the story of the girls in my program.  I didn’t know how much I was loved by Jesus.  I didn’t know He had a great plan for me.  It is humbling and touching to know that now God is using me to help them see His love and presence.  He is rewriting my story to involve His heart for the broken.

This program is amazing!  Vanessa is amazing!  GOD is amazing!!!

If you want to read Vanessa’s story, be sure to check out her story here, and I really encourage you to support her through her site at http://vanessa.yunorthyork.com.   She’s still looking to reach her target funding (she’s 2/3 of the way there now) AND she’s getting married next year (and my wife and I get to meet with she and her fiancé!)!  I’m sure she would love to hear from you!

TTFN

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Don’t Believe Child Sponsorship Works? You’re Wrong!

Monday, March 18th, 2013

charity-researchOver the years of sponsoring children in other countries through Compassion, and other organizations, I’ve had people ask me “Does it really make a difference?”  I’ve always believed it did, but never had factual evidence to back it up.

Well, today Compassion was proud to release a study that was done by Dr. Bruce Wydick, professor for the Department of Economics at the University of San Francisco.  The study basically states…

…that children who participated in Compassion’s holistic child  development through sponsorship program had the appropriate baby gear from http://babyzoom.net/reviews/convertible-car-seats/, stayed in school longer, were more  likely to have salaried or white-collar employment and were more likely to be  leaders in their communities and churches than their peers who did not  participate in the program.

The study was conducted between 2008 and 2010 on the results of kids who were enrolled in Compassion’s projects between 1980 and 1992.  They looked at the outcomes of over 10,000 individuals in six different countries.

I encourage you read Compassion’s full summary (can you have a “full” “summary”?) here.  You can see a whole lot of quotes and two video clips for those who don’t like to read 😉

But, if you don’t want to be bothered flipping over to the full article take a look at these two quotes.

The research found that, as adults, children formerly sponsored through Compassion were more likely to become leaders in their communities and churches.

– As adults, formerly sponsored Compassion children were 30 to 75 percent more likely to become community leaders than their non-sponsored peers.

– As adults, formerly sponsored Compassion children were 40 to 70 percent more likely to become church leaders than their non-sponsored peers.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t argue with that!!

SO…. what are you waiting for!!!  Help out those stats!  Sponsor a child!!  If you’re in Canada, go to http://compassion.ca and if you’re elsewhere in the world, go to http://compassion.com.

Today!….. Now!! 🙂

TTFN

Posted in Compassion, General | 3 Comments »

People Watching

Tuesday, March 12th, 2013

crowd-of-peopleI admit it.  I love to people watch.

I love to watch people as they go about their everyday business.  I love to watch people as they are on the subway and bus, walking around the mall, shopping, at amusement parks, almost anywhere.

Have you ever stopped, looked up from your phone or other electronic device, and just watched people?  You see all different kinds of people – fat, skinny, short, tall, old, young, happy, sad, energetic, frail, beautiful, and not so beautiful, black, white and everything in between, some married, some single, some used to be married, some never will.  Genesis tells us that they were all made in God’s image.  God must have a wonderful sense of humour 🙂

I love watching, and imagining what they are thinking; where they are coming from and where they are going; what they’ve been doing and what they are going to do; where do they live; *how* do they live; do they have a faith; what *do* they believe?

On the subway, some sleep; some stare off into the crowds; some read; some play games on their phones; some are dressed in suits and ties; some look like the only clothes they own are the ones on their back; some hurry; some walk casually like they have no place specific to go; some walk like they have some place to go, but they’d rather not go there.

In the summer, when we go to a major amusement park for a few days, I watch families; I watch teens interact with their friends; I watch couples; I watch little kids; I watch their eyes;  I watch their walk;  I watch their expressions; I watch.

I don’t know who 99.999% of them are.  But God does.  God made each and every one of them, whether they know it or not.  He knows them by name.  He knows home many hairs are on their head (or used to be there).  He knows their dreams.  He knows their desires.  He knows their past.  He knows their future.  He knows their sins.  And yet He loves them all.

Next time you are in a crowd take a look around at the people around you.  You may not know them, but remember, God does.  And we should remember to pray for them.  It makes the trip (for you and them) much more fun. 😉

TTFN

Posted in Entertainment, General, Personal | 1 Comment »

Change Is Inevitable, But Nothing Is Wasted

Sunday, March 3rd, 2013

I used to get upset at change, and in some ways I still do.  But I see change happening all around now in my life and the life of others and now I look for God’s hand and plan in it.

This weekend we bid farewell to one of the pastors at our church.  Now we’ve only been at this church for just over a year, but amazing the friendship we’ve built up with this pastor over that short period of time.  It’s a change for us, but an even greater change for the church body, and a *huge* change for his family, where he *and* his wife used to be on staff together (she’d left just before we arrived).

We’ve also been going through personal changes with my mother-in-law.  Following the death of her husband of 66 years, she came to live with us when her health started to decline.  That introduced changes in the family and in our house over the past 4 months.  Now we are close selling her home in London, and moving her into a retirement facility (a wonderful one, that I’d already love to put my name in for as spot!!) here in Toronto, and so we’re looking at more change.

But we can see God’s hand in all these changes.  God’s timing is perfect.  I know that.  I believe that.  I trust that.

Not all change is for good.  Not all change is initiated by God.  But we cling to the words of scripture in Romans 8:28….

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)

It’s not that God *causes* all things, but that He works *in* all things.

God has his hand in all this.  I know he has a plan for our former pastor.  I know He has a plan for our church.  I know He has a plan for us.  I know he has a plan for my mother-in-law.

We sang a song this morning in church — Nothing Is Wasted, by Elevation Worship.  The words are so appropriate right now…

You know my every need
You see my poverty
You are enough for me, Jesus
You gave the blind their sight
You raised the dead to life
You’ve done the same for me, Jesus

Your word inside of me
My strength, my everything
My hope will always be Jesus
Your breath inside my lungs
You’re worthy of my trust
You will forever be Jesus

You are loving, You are wise
There is nothing in my life You cannot revive
You are loving, You are wise
There is nothing too hard for our God

Nothing is wasted
You work all things for good
Nothing is wasted
Your promise remains
Forever You reign

TTFN

Posted in Church, General, Personal | 2 Comments »