Thanksgiving in the Mountains

Well I was not home for thanksgiving, and I missed my family; but I actually had an AMAZING thanksgiving!! The whole weekend was lots of fun, but thanksgiving Monday was definately the highlight! On thanksgiving Monday I went up to the Mountains for the day with Meghan (whom most of you, if not all, have not got the chance to meet yet--but someday I'm sure you will, she's amazing!) We went up to Lake Louise (which Meghan had never been to before cuz she is from the other side of the Mountains in BC) and then we went to Banff and then to Canmore for dinner. Anyways the day was perfect, and so I'm going to post some pictures for you to see---by the way, if you have never been to the mountains...you have to go sometime!!!

"Your love, O Lord reaches to the heavens.

Your faithfulness to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.

Your Justice flows like the great deep."

Psalm 36:5-6

Meghan gave me a picture she painted of Lake Louise and put that verse on it---which is very fitting---We serve an amazing God!

Christians are Cowards...

It's been a long time since I have 'blogged'....things have been super busy, but going well for the most part. It's thanksgiving weekend, and I'm here in Calgary...I actually don't mind too much, hopefully it'll be a great weekend...
In some of my reading for school I have come across some great statements on the 'state of our church'/ or state of "Christians" today. The more I get into ministry, and study to be in ministry and observe the way Christians live (myself included), and the way the "Church" acts in our society the more I am troubled, and the more God is breaking my heart; We as God's people are failing the society that God loves around us.....here is a quote or two from a book I am reading.....

"...the typical patteren of the Christian church, at least in middleclass America (or Cananda)....We have moved, in George Hunter's words, from being 'fishers of men' to being 'keepers of the aquarium'. We shy away from engagement. We move out of our cities, pull children out of public school systems, build our own Christian universities. Then we move even further away from engagement by developing Christian music (and criticizing those who attempt "crossover" into the secular market), Christian radio station and Christian stores--all implicitly designed to keep us away from the negative aspects of our culture."

"...there is no room to hide in the church or in our private safety zones!"

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I have been someone to "hide" at times, and I look at those in our churches who we would consider "good Christians" and I am beginning to see cowards. Do we really believe 1 John 4:4 "...because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." ??!! If we SAY we believe, why do we ACT as if the world is going to "do us in"? I have also realized in my devotions lately that God detests when his people SAY one thing, yet do not ACT wholeheartedly.....If we as Christians believe what we SAY, and yet are more concerned about sheltering ourselves, then reaching out in Christ's love to those around us; we have been living as cowards, in hiding from those to which we are called to go.....Lord have mercy...