This week we had a Spiritual Formations class with Marv Penner. It was really fun... but well, you all know how good I am at sitting and listening for any period of time. Marv told us on the first day that "the mind and soul can only absorb what the butt can endure." I was happy to hear that this was his strategy for teaching. He gave us lot of insight and many different strategies to forming your spiritual life. At the beginning of the class Marv had us go out into the wilderness and create a sort of "sanctuary" for ourselves. He would often send us off to our sanctuaries to pray or journal or read a passage of scripture. It was really cool to see how God worked in everyone's lives through these 20 or so minutes of alone time. Marv also had us split off into three groups of about 9 students each and create a chapel for the rest of the class. This was really fun, but also very challenging. Our group did the topic of "Joy". We ran it kind of like a camp fire at a kids camp. We sang silly songs and Kaitlyn read from the book of Acts while the boys acted out the scene. Two of the girls wrote a rap that we all sang and we ended with a group prayer. It was so sweet. For the last day of our class all we did was spend two and a half hours in solitude. We were free to do whatever we wanted during this time, but it was to be just some chill time with God. I found myself very worried about what the heck I was going to do by myself, alone, somewhere in camp for two and a half hours. Oh boy. But God had a plan. I sat down and just prayed for a minute basically telling God that I had no plan and it was all up to him. I turned on my worship play list on my computer and just sat and listed for a minute. Then started journaling. I just wrote and wrote and wrote for what seemed like forever. I finally looked up at the time after an hour and a half and seventeen pages of double-sided talking to God about everything that I have never found myself able to talk to anyone really about. When I finally ran out of stuff to write about I read my bible for a bit and ended my time with singing. I love singing... as most of you know. My heart just felt so light and free. It was crazy, and something that I have never really felt before. After we were done our time of solitude we all met down at the dock for sharing and communion. I shared about how I had journaled alot and how free I felt now. It was a really cool experience to hear how everyone's time went and what they did. Justin came up to me after and just told me how good it was to hear about my heart and to see how it was effecting me. It was really good to hear that from him. I was very encouraged by it.
This week we also went to our first regular youth group. I am a leader for the junior youth group. And every week we break off into smaller groups called "connect groups". My group is a bunch of high-energy, crazy, grade seven and eight girls. One of them is named Rylee, and she is literally a mini me. I was the "Rylee" of my youth group. I now know why my youth leaders got annoyed with me often on Friday nights. But I think it will be really good. I have alot of good feelings about this.
Tomorrow we leave on our five day sailing trip with S.A.L.T.S. Which stands for Sailing And Life Training Society. I am so very excited about this trip. I've wanted to do it ever since I first heard of the Cedars kids doing it. I am really hoping that I don't get sea sick... but my dad gave me some "words of wisdom" so I might be ok. The day that we get back from S.A.L.T.S. Ben is picking me up from the harbor and driving me to the Victoria airport so I can fly to Kelowna for my brother's wedding on Saturday. That, I am very excited about. I am going to be living large for one night in the city. Then back out here for quiet camp life on Monday afternoon. So between all the traveling and crazy adventures I will be having I also do have alot of homework to get done. Prayer for that would be wonderful. And just stress levels in general.
This past Saturday was also my birthday. It was a really great day. I got to hang out with both my Kaleo family and some friends from good old Prince George. So it was very eventful and crazy. But super fun, and very memorable. -Sorry Tim, love you.
Well, I am sure that I will have more to tell you after I get back from this crazy adventure.
Much Love,
Byman
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