what if it all ended tomorrow?

i was just reading something, and a thought came into my mind....

if the kingdom of God was going to come tomorrow, would we be living differently?

im sure we would, so why aren't we living like that.... why aren't we living with a sense of urgency? are we living the ways a modern Jesus would be living here in Canada? are we living the way we would if we only had a bit of time left on this earth? if we knew Jesus would be coming soon... what would we be doing instead? what should we be doing instead?

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anyway, i recently came back from a weeks' worth of kids camp in Paris, Ontario, at a place called Braeside, where it's like a little village of cottages and trailers, and cabins, with like a small community consisting of a tabernacle, a tuck shop, a dining hall, a ministry center, some first aid stations, a pool, a skatepark, a basketball court, a big field with baseball, and a zip line, and much more.

it was a fun camp... with a bunch of kids from windsor, etobicoke, brampton, and from the jane and finch area. i was one of many camp counselors, each looking after 4 or 5 kids, totalling up to 200 kids, and though at times it was chaotic, and tiring, it was still fun.

i met some really cool kids from the different inner cities, just so intrigued and curious about many things. over the summer, im learning how to just bust out scripture and bible stories with kids randomly, in a relevant way, and it's a pretty cool thing, when the kids are so curious about it.

one day i was sitting by the pool, reading Shane Claiborne's Irresistable Revolution, and they were intrigued by the unique-looking book cover, and that turned into questions about the book, then questions about the bible, then questions about how we should sell our possessions and give to the poor, then to questions about the story of the widow's offering, who puts in only two small copper coins, which was all she had.... and how these kids actually listened and understood it, gave real life examples and stuff, it was truly encouraging.

overall, the camp was a different but cool experience, and at the end of the day, it was pretty fun.

now back at the jane and finch internship program, we've been working in a different cycle. In May and June, the ministry comprised more of the after school program, and stuff like that, but now that school's out, we're in a more flexible, unstructured phase, where pretty much each day we meet up with people and use these small group/1 on 1 settings to minister or disciple. every morning, we, the intern team, come and have some quiet time and prayer time, then we schedule and arrange to meet up with seniors, located at the seniors home next to the church. after lunch and time to read the bible, we arrange times to meet up with kids in very small settings, whether it be a couple kids, or just 1 on 1 mentoring, and with this framework, it allows for more flexibility, and enables a deeper connection between us and these kids, because they can see us on a more equal, and personal level, and hanging out just brings about a more casual atmosphere, a lot easier to disciple and teach these kids and for them to see us living the ways of the bible, and as role models. i, personally, find that this works... and sometimes the structures of a day camp or a VBS, can sometimes have its limits and inefficiencies, where the kids would see you as a camp leader or counselor, and that creates different levels, and creates an authority figure, rather than a friend. it also may limit the ability to connect with kids on a deeper level and give them attention, because at a camp, one leader may have to look after a bunch of kids and have to lead activities and whatnot, and the right amount of attention may not be given.

of course, there are the pros and cons, and im not trying to hate on camps or those structures or anything like that at all, there are lots of good things about camps and all those fun activities. i'm simply just trying to explain what we're doing now in the summer months in relation to mentoring and discipling kids without programs and camps, though we have a weekly basketball houseleague program on thursday nights which includes an awesome devotion, and we'll be starting basketball camps in August, which i'm looking forward to.

we're still doing tuesday York University outreach and bible studies, every tuesday at York at about 1:30pm, we still do community bbq's on friday afternoons, we still take a bunch of kids on trips on saturdays, and we still do DEEDZ every friday night, where we go downtown and just hang out with the homeless and the broken, and those dealing with addictions, and the lost and the hurting, however many of the people we encounter are those that are on their turning point.

so that's the update. im excited for the fall, and going back to university, though im really loving it here in this community, and starting to feel a bit sad that this internship program is slowly coming to its end.

keep praying for these kids, that they may just have a breakthrough in their lives, a deep conviction and an ultimate realization, that life isn't about makin' money, or becoming rich and having it all, or the life involved with gangs, trying to find your identity and loyalty in that, but it's about denying all of that and living in the ways of Jesus and being a peacemaker and loving others as yourself.

peace and love.

in our world, Be Lifted High...

convictions...

just after a really long conversation with sarah today, and several other conversations with john and others, there are so many convictions and so many truths and so much there is to this world that we are just so unaware of, and the devil just tells us so many lies, and just always tells us 'it's okay, the world is doing it', and like honestly, you just become so desensitized in this world through the way the world is, the way society is, and the way the media is...

i've never been someone that cares about the environment, world issues, social injustices, economic injustices, social oppression, stuff like sweat shop labour, fair trade coffee... stuff like that. i've never cared about that stuff, but like i've just (and starting to...) come to this realization, that pretty much every aspect of our lives, everything we do, everything has to do with our spirituality, our walk with God, our connection with God, our obedience to Him, and how much we follow God.

seriously, everything... leads back to God, and we've been told so many lies by the devil that everything is ok, that if it doesn't hurt anyone physically, it's okay, or if no one finds out, or if no one sees, it's alright.

(i'm in no way, perfect, or saying that i've come to this realization, or that im righteous or judging anyone or anything, but i'm just trying to make known that there are these truths that we need to reveal for ourselves, and be convicted of)

things like...
- sweat shop labour (unfair wages/mistreatment of workers)
- fair trade coffee (same as above)
- environmental issues (global warming/pollution...etc)
- appearance/brand name clothing/make-up (the need to impress/look good/appear a certain way...etc)
- downloading music/movies (sharing/distributing/stealing?)
- consumerism (the need to buy that coffee/pop/bubble tea... i.e. the morning Timmy's coffee...i.e. eating out at restaurants)


stuff like that... like im wrestling with some of that stuff, actually all of that stuff.... but like you may think it has nothing to do with christianity or spirituality...but the fact of the matter is... IT DOES. it all relates and all ties back in...
if you have questions or comments, i'd love to talk about any of this stuff, i definitely dont know all the answers, but i'd still love to talk about any of it, though im still learning each day bout more of this stuff.

but what i'm trying to say about all of this, is that... so many of these things become so 'idle' or 'irrelevant' or 'insignificant' but that's exactly how we've been told lies by the devil. the fact that it's 'okay' to support some of these things... the lies that dwell in your mind that tell you (and me) that it's part of our culture and society to partake in some of these... i'm guilty of buying brand name clothing, going out to eat at restaurants more way more than necessary... downloading... not caring about our environment, but we really shouldn't be giving ourselves excuses and trying to justify it, because at the end of the day... some of these things are just separating us from living like Jesus, and living Christ-like... and it's not what God wants for us, or what He has for us in His plan....... i don't think God WANTS us to pollute, i don't think God WANTS us to be spending money on unnecessary things...etc.... i dont think God WANTS us to be downloading and watching or listening to media that we've 'taken' for free (a.k.a. stealing/theft)

so it's a struggle, but a conviction that i'm coming to (more so in the past hour), and i've tried to justify it to myself, i've avoided these situations, and been ignorant, brushing it under the carpet, but really (for me) these issues have surfaced and they can't keep being swept under the rug... as the Vintage21 Jesus-Parody-Videos portray Jesus saying, "and don't try to hide, I am Jesus, I WILL find you" LOL. that was just a parody, but there is a hint of truth in it... that you can't take these issues and run away from God, cause... I don't know how to say this... but, you JUST can't run away from God, you can't be ignorant and you just can't avoid these types of issues (and others). I have in my past, because I didn't want to be convicted of them... because following through with convictions involves being uncomfortable, it involves sacrifice... it involves changing yourself, maybe even your lifestyle... being convicted and then doing something about it is definitely not easy, but then again following God is never easy.

Broad path and the narrow path. The broad path leads to destruction, and the narrow path, very few find it. (paraphrased from Matthew 7:13-14)

The Believer's Freedom
23"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. 24Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)

so i'll leave you with that.... i hope you guys could pray for me... i'm wrestling with all of this stuff, myself... and it is hard to let go of some of this stuff, or even to change it for the better, it's very difficult, but like this truth that i feel that i've unveiled is that, living in a Godly way, and striving to be like Christ has a cost and requires sacrifice and it's for God, so you can't go wrong there.

it is my hope and prayer that other christians can become aware of some of these important issues, hopefully are convicted by God, and want to have a desire to strive to live like Jesus, and not conform to the way our culture is, not conform to the consumerism and individualism in our North American world, and uncover some truth that has been buried under the media, our culture, and our society, and see God behind,and in the center of all of these aspects involving our lives and the world around us, and then help others and join in a movement to bring awareness and mobilize change to the rest of our world (both the physical planet, and the people)

so what are you waiting for? in the words of Britney Spears, "Why don't you DO something?"
peace out, and God bless.