Yesterday was the third Sunday of Advent.  I've been writing on the 7 "I Am's" of the Gospel of John but that has been a digression from the traditional themes of Advent.  Many churches observe the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love for the four Sundays leading up to Christmas.  Each Sunday a candle is lit in reference to these themes; by Christmas Eve, there are four candles lit and then the culmination of the waiting and anticipating is the fifth candle: The Christ Candle.  Here are some thoughts to point to the third candle of joy. 

JOY.  "A feeling of great pleasure and happiness." (Oxford)  Human experience usually connects joy with pleasant and exciting events, an emotional response to good things.  Joy can surprise us and quicken our hearts in a sudden and unexpected way.  Joy can be a deep and abiding comfort and happiness that comes with family, friends, gifts, sunsets, rainbows and accomplishments.

But the Bible's definition of joy is different than the worldly, human definition.  James1:2 instructs Christian believers to "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds..." That is totally opposite to how we naturally respond to difficult circumstances!  Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Rejoice always..."  How can that even be possible?  If joy is a feeling, how do you command yourself to feel joyful when honestly, you don't?

There was a man in Israel, hundreds of years before Jesus came to earth, who was an ancestor of Jesus.  King David was a lowly shepherd boy who was elevated by God's calling to be the King of all Israel!  His journey from shepherd to king was not  a straight path.  The king before him, Saul, had grieved the Lord and God rejected him from the throne of Israel.  The Lord told Samuel the prophet to anoint the next king already and directed him to the family of Jesse.  When all the sons of Jesse were presented to Samuel, none were the chosen to reign.  Finally, Jesse mentioned his youngest, David, who was out tending the sheep.  Samuel insisted that they bring him in from the fields and see if this was God's choice.  To the surprise of all, David was the one!  But he was only a youth and the current king was still on the throne.  Samuel told Jesse and the family to keep this news hush-hush until the right time.

David waited years to become king.  He served under Saul for quite some time, soothing the tormented king with music and song.  Saul nearly killed David and so he fled to escape with his life!  More drama and intrigue unfolded until finally David became the acknowledged king of Judah first, then seven years later, king of all Israel.  His reign also had ups and downs.  His own son sought to obtain the throne by force.  His family was a mess.  He was successful against many of his foes and had drawn around him mighty men of valour, but David had his flaws.

Sadly, when he should have been at war with his troops, he stayed home.  He spied a married woman bathing and wanted her for himself.  Bathsheba was the wife of one of his faithful and mighty soldiers but David did the unthinkable and slept with Uriah's wife.   When she told David she was pregnant wit his child, he tried to cover things up; eventually he arranged for Uriah's death. Tragically, the child of Bathsheba and David became ill and died.  And David seemed to be caught in consequences of his sin.

In writing Psalm 51, King David expresses his brokenness.  The prophet Nathan spoke into his life and David realized his devastating sins! He humbled himself to God, calling out for mercy.  He made no excuses but acknowledged that his sin was against God.  He confessed, repented and prayed these lines in the psalm to the Lord:

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  ..Restore to me the joy of our salvation..." (verses 10 and 12a)

David's circumstances were dark, hopeless.  His deepest regrets had distanced him from the Lord his God.  But he also knew where his joy would come from!

It may be rough circumstances, health challenges, financial problems, relationship strains or even our sinful choices that are robbing us of joy this season.  We don't have to manufacture a happy personae; we often can't conjure up a smile or laugh when life is at its heaviest.  But we have a path to find joy, to be restored to right relationship with God and others.  As we confess any sin, apologize where we need to and make things right where we can, then we will find that wonderful joy of our salvation.  God will restore and heal our hearts, even when the mess we made is self-induced, and will fill us with JOY once again.  

David knew darkness.  And we know our Saviour experienced the worst of darkness and death when He died on the cross.  But we can trust that JOY will come as we rely on our God.

 

 

 

 ONE WAY 

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem..." (Matthew 2:1)

Ever been late for an event?  Some of us get stressed about time and punctuality.  Others aren't as concerned about the clock, as long as they show up.  But being late for an appointment or class can have repercussions.  We'll have to re-book an appointment or be reprimanded for tardiness!  Other activities are not so time-sensitive, for instance a wake in the First nations community.  If you show up and show your respects for the departed, and shake hands and express condolences to the family, that is what matters. 

In the account of the wisemen traveling from the east, we see they arrived sometime "after" the birth of the Christ Child.  Why were they so late?  They knew the general location of the birth of this special baby, but they had left from a very distant country to the small nation of Israel.  Assuming that a royal heir would be born in the capital city, they stopped in to inquire of the reigning king, Herod, in Jerusalem.  The estimate is that they were up to two years late.

And think about the unusual GPS these wisemen used to find the Messiah? A star!  Somehow God led these magi in a low-tech world to find a tiny baby born in a nowhere town, Bethlehem.  A miracle.  These men trusted God's Word and His sign to lead them to the baby Jesus.

I also went on a journey to find peace, to find God. I wanted to know God and found myself invited to join a youth group.  There was no angelic announcement or bright star to follow.  But the Holy Spirit drew me, giving me a curiosity to find out how to have a relationship to God.  I had assumed going to church, reading the Bible, praying and even doing good deeds could make me acceptable to God.  Somehow being religious, doing religious things, would bring me closer to the Lord, in my human understanding. And I don't think I'm the only one to think that way.

But by God's grace, I began to read the Bible, ask questions of my youth leader and  come to realize that all my good deeds and religious activities would NOT save me.  So what was the answer?  How could I be okay with God and find peace for my guilty conscience?

One Bible study was a particularly challenging one for me. John 14:6 was the key verse and I just couldn't wrap my head around the words of Jesus.  He claimed, "I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  How could Jesus say such a thing?  What about all the people who went to church, gave to charities and took communion? Was there really only ONE way to God, to heaven?

Lying on my bed one July afternoon, I wrestled with the Lord about this.  And when I finished wrestling, I decided that I would choose to believe what Jesus claimed.  If He was the way, the truth and the life, that's what I wanted!  I prayed and received Jesus as my way, the only way.  I wasn't going to waste time searching other "paths" to enlightenment, or other religions to find truth. And I've never regretted the decision that day.  

1 John 5:11 & 12 "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."

And just the like the magi, when we find Jesus, we find the greatest treasure of all!

  

 

 

 

My husband is a very talented and handy guy.  When I met him in Bible college, he was known for his knowledge with mechanics and repair work.  In fact, I had trouble with my little VW Rabbit and when I inquired about someone taking a look at it, everyone suggested Walter Selke!  Before we were married, Walter worked in construction, primarily as a framer but he could probably do all aspects of building and installation of plumbing and electrical, too.  Since we've become homeowners, he has tackled most repairs and remodeling, including building an addition on our house and a large garage/workshop.

If he is unsure about how something works or what is needed for repairs, my husband is very resourceful.  Before the internet, he knew people who could help him or he would simply use the "trial and error" method. His experience in small town and agricultural-based communities means his skills are homegrown and adaptable to all kinds of situations.

But when it comes to Biblical times, we may not have the understanding of agriculture, architecture or cultural context of the Middle East.  What do we know about mud, stone or brick construction?  What experience do we have with ancient farming practices or animal husbandry?  Many references Jesus used in His teachings and stories were common to the people but to us in the 21st century in North America, we are clueless.

Jesus claimed these seven "I Am" statements about His identity and one in John 10:7 makes little sense to us today.   As I listened to a speaker on YouTube (Priscilla Schirer), I gained a lot of insight through her study of the historical context of Jesus' statement.

"Therefore Jesus said again, 'Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.'"

I picture the kind of gate my husband has constructed of wood, on hinges, that swings open and must fasten to keep it closed. How is Jesus comparing Himself to being a gate?  (Some versions of Scripture use the word "door" rather than gate.)  Priscilla explained that in Biblical times, shepherds would often have up to 100 sheep they cared for in the pastures and remote places.  During the day they grazed and hung out around a water source, but at night, the shepherd would round up the sheep and keep them in a stone enclosure.  The practice of the day was that several shepherds may feed and water their sheep in the same location and at night perhaps up to 10 shepherds with 100 sheep each would stay inside the one enclosure.  Stone walls would be several feet high; the opening was narrow and had no door or gate.  One shepherd would spend the night with the sheep, while the others would find food and lodging in a nearby village.  For safety, the shepherd would stretch himself across the opening to sleep, and would protect and guard the sheep from predators and thieves.

Earlier in the passage of John 10, Jesus says that if anyone would try to come in another way rather than through the one gate, or door, he "is a thief and a robber." (verse 1 & 8)  Jesus claims to be the only true gate or door into the sheepfold.  All others are imposters, liars and cannot be trusted.  Anyone familiar with the industry of shepherding would agree that predators would try to sneak in other ways; those who come through the one gate would legitimately belong in the sheepfold.

Verse 9a is a very clear message to you and me:  "I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved." Jesus fulfills the role of gatekeeper, doorway and Good Shepherd all in one illustration.  As we consider who Jesus is during the Advent season, let's meditate on the goodness and uniqueness of our Lord to be the gate we can enter to eternal life.

 

 Waiting. 

The season of advent is all about the anticipation of something great and monumental…but it is also about waiting for that event to happen. 

Two sisters, Mary and Martha, had sent word to Jesus that their brother, Lazarus, was gravely ill.  Jesus was traveling with His disciples so was a distance away. But the Scripture records that “When He heard that Lazarus was ill, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was.” (John 12:6). Doesn’t that statement seem contrary to the compassion of Jesus?  Wouldn’t you expect Him to leave at once and rush to where Lazarus was lying sick in his home in Bethany?

But His greater purpose was to wait for God’s timing.  He explained the reason for the delay: “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (Verse 4). Now the disciples didn’t fully grasp what Jesus had in mind; and Mary and Martha had not received any message from the Lord Jesus as to His intentions. The waiting seemed impossible and hope began to die.

When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. What is the significance of four days? This was the official confirmation that a physical body was dead, that they weren’t simply unconscious.  The Jewish belief of that day was the spirit of the deceased was truly now with God in the bosom of Abraham, in Sheol. So Jesus made sure He didn’t show up before Lazarus was good and dead. 

Both Martha and Mary were completely heartbroken when they saw Jesus.  “Lord, if you had been here…” ( verses 22 & 32).  They both believed He could heal the sick. They believed He could do miracles and had even raised the dead before. But four days later?  It was beyond  hope.  They had waited with faith but Jesus had disappointed them. 

Jesus declared that He is more than a miracle-worker, more than a healer and physician. John 11:25 is a powerful statement of who Jesus is! “ I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live…”

In this passage of Scripture, the most quoted verse of the Bible is written:” Jesus wept.” (Verse 35). Jesus was moved by the sisters’ grief, by His own loss of a dear friend and perhaps by the heaviness of death itself. Walter has preached that He may have wept because he knew the fate of Lazarus both to be alive again but then to have to experience death once more. 

But the focus of this miracle and Jesus’ “I Am” statement is this: Jesus Christ is Lord over death. He is the resurrection -He can perform the miracle of restoring life even in death. He demonstrated that He can bring people back from the grave. And He himself would soon experience that very painful and ugly criminal’s torment and death before rising to life. 

Life. Advent is about waiting for what God wants to do in His time, according to His ultimate plans.  Sometimes things have to look absolutely impossible, fully dead, before God comes in with His miracle.  

Those heartbroken sisters received back their brother and so much more.  Jesus revealed who He is - the resurrection and the life.  Eternal Life.

“Do you believe this?” John 11:26b

 

 I AM the GOOD SHEPHERD 

John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

How often did Jesus use parables and illustrations about sheep and shepherds?

Often.

As He spent most of His time travelling and speaking in the countryside, Jesus used what was familiar and available around Him to illustrate His teaching points. References to wheat, weeds, sparrows, flowers and other natural things were the subjects of His lessons.  

Even when Jesus was teaching in the synagogues or the Temple in Jerusalem, couldn’t the worshipers hear the bleating of sheep, especially those being offered as sacrifices? Everyone would know about sheep, their behaviour and the unique place in Jewish religious practices.

And everyone would have an opinion on shepherds.  They were the lowliest of all in the hierarchy of professions.  Necessary but dirty, smelly and despised. A shepherd was often a little boy, either the youngest in a family, like David or a slave/servant assigned the unpleasant and dangerous task, like Moses. The local people would know who was a good shepherd and who was lazy, lacking skills or shirking their duties.

Jesus uses the shepherding imagery to explain who He is. In John 10, He first describes those who would be thieves out in the pastures and back country.  They would sneak into the sheepfolds, steal, kill and destroy (verses 1 & 10).  They would abandon the sheep when danger approaches (verses 12 & 13). By contrast, Jesus says “I am the good shepherd…” and goes on to explain how He takes care of the sheep by protecting them, staying with them and even laying down His life for them!

Would any other shepherd willingly give his life for mere sheep? 

Not likely.

Our Saviour was not only willing, but He did offer up His life on a Roman cross, dying like a criminal yet totally innocent.  Like the lambs offered as payment for sin, the Lamb of God was offered to take away the sin of the whole world! (John 1:29)

As we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent, let’s focus on the Good Shepherd and His ultimate act of love, giving His very life for the sheep.

2.  I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Packed in the mini-van, our family - plus grandparents - set out on a Christmas light adventure.  We drove on icy streets to the neighbourhoods of our city where the most creative and festive displays could be found.  The ooh's and ahhh's sounded from all over the vehicle as we gawked at the colourful, blinking lights.  And how amazing when we could tune in our radio to the FM frequency and hear Christmas carols as we watched animated Santa and reindeer, or Nativity scenes that looked so lifelike!

Light draws us, doesn't it? The brightness captures our attention and draws us to itself.  And its appeal is most powerful when all around is darkness. The sparkle and twinkle delights our senses with a childlike wonder.

In creation, God began by declaring "Let there be light." (Genesis 1:3)  He was not content with the darkness, the formless void of the universe, and so He established light by His very Word. The world was designed to function best with a balance of darkness and light, for optimum seasons of growth and rest.

But the world was plunged into spiritual darkness when Adam and Eve sinned.  With that sin came disease, conflict, danger and ultimately death.  There was nothing Adam and Eve could do to reverse their choice.  God pronounced consequences for their disobedience and generation after generation has lived under that curse. 

Isaiah, the prophet of the Old Testament, explained the state of the world thousands of years ago.  "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness light has dawned." (Isaiah 9:2)  To a world that was cold, dark and hopeless, came One who claimed to be "the light of the world."  (John 8:12)  Isaiah foretold in that same discourse who that promised Saviour would be.  "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given...and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

What hope is found in these verses? That God knew and understood our helplessness and gave us His own Son to be that light in our darkness.  And is it any wonder that God used a star, a supernatural and unusual sign in the sky, to direct wisemen from the east to Bethlehem?  The imagery of light is permeated throughout the Christmas narrative. We use candles, strings of lights, and often a star atop our trees to remind us of the greatest Light of all.

"Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12b)

Won't you follow the Light of the World and never have to walk in darkness again? 

 

 

 Are you ready for Christmas?

A typical greeting this time of year: Having you finished your shopping?  Did you start your baking? Will you have a houseful for Christmas?

Even though all these activities can be fun and exciting - maybe even tradition - is that really what getting ready for Christmas is all about?

For the next four weeks, stay tuned for some Advent blogs that lead up to Christmas Day.  I challenge you to take a few minutes and read as a way of preparing your heart for the true meaning of the holiday season.

THE "7 I AM'S" OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 

As a unique way of introducing who Jesus is, the apostle John chose to describe Jesus Christ in terms that his audience could understand.  They knew that God identified Himself by saying "I AM who I AM" in the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14).  And so to connect Jesus with God directly, John uses 7 names or descriptors using the "I AM" titles that Jesus declared about Himself.

1.  I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE 

John 6:35 "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst."

To get the context of Jesus' self-identifying statement, let's look at where Jesus was and what was happening.  In John 6, Jesus and His disciples were traveling throughout Israel.  They were by the Sea of Galilee and a large crowd was following them.  Jesus taught this crowd and many of us may know how it was getting late and the people had no food or access to supplies at this remote location.  Jesus did the impossible and multiplied the five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand!

The next day, Jesus and His disciples tried to get away from the crowds for rest, but the crowd continued to follow them.  Jesus knew that these folks weren't following because of His amazing and life-changing teachings.  They wanted more food!  And they wanted to be entertained by the incredible miracles that Jesus could do.

"Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.  Do not labour for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life.'" (John 6:26 & 27a)

This is how Jesus was different than the religious teachers of that day: Jesus could see into the hearts of individuals and truly know their motives.  Being all-knowing, Jesus still looks into our hearts today and knows everything about us: our thoughts, our intentions, our secrets and our sins.  But instead of judging harshly, Jesus chose to offer the crowd something more than the temporary filling of the stomachs or flash-in-the-pan thrills of signs and wonders! 

"I am the bread of life."  (John 6:48)  Jesus repeats this statement to emphasize that He is the fulfillment of God's Old Testament miracle of manna in the desert.  When the Israelites escaped from Egypt under Moses' leadership, God provided daily food called manna.  The Jews called it "bread from heaven."  But Jesus is much more than a daily sustenance; He promises that "I am the living bread that came down from heaven.  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever..." (John 6:51)  In the previous verse, Jesus gave the simple instruction on how to access that eternal life: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life." (verse 47)

As you are baking for the holidays, maybe cookies, cakes, pies or buns, think about Jesus, the "Bread of life" and consider His offer to fill and satisfy a deeper hunger in your life.  

 

Believing in Jesus as the One sent from God the Father to bring eternal life is what Christmas is all about!

 

 I'm married to a self-proclaimed "collector of hobbies."  RC planes, drones, rebuilding VW Beetles and woodworking projects...the list goes on!

The latest project has been a cedar hot tub!  18+ years ago, we had built an addition on to our home: dining room and deck, including a seven-person jacuzzi.  But time, use and then a 40 degree below zero stretch froze one of the lines and it was irreparable!  We had enjoyed the hot tub, but wondered, now that our children have all moved away from home, if we would make use of one again. 

Walter did some research and found a company near Winnipeg that made cedar hot tub kits.  When the kit arrived at our doorstep, I was not at home!  No, I wasn't avoiding work; but I was surprised when Walter had wheeled everything to our back yard and was already assembling the cedar pieces.  We would fit a round tub in a square space in our deck!  No problem.  Walter had already figured to fill in the area with more pressure-treated decking.  Over the span of a few days, we had put together the round tub, which took both of us holding the pieces, applying silicon and then tying string around to keep the pieces in place until they dried.  Walter wrestled the three metal bands around and tightened them with a ratcheting tool.  It looked like we had a whiskey barrel in our deck!

Once the tub was positioned on the gravel pad that we had under our previous jacuzzi, we applied stain on the outside of the barrel.  The inside would become seasoned with the water inside, but the outer surfaces would turn gray from weathering if we didn't finish it with some protective product.  While I stained, Walter began assembling the spa kit.  With a few twists and adhesive, the pump, filter and ozonator were hooked up.  Then we filled it with water.  According to the instructions, the first filling would become quite discoloured as the cedar would leech oils.  The expectation was that there would be some leakage.  After the first 24-hours, there was only a slight bit of moisture on the gravel around the tub.  We congratulated ourselves on a great job of applying the silicon! 

We decided to try out the tub.  Outside, the temperature was just above 0 degrees Celsius. The water inside, according to the the digital temperature read-out was 101 degrees Fahrenheit. (Truly Canadian citizens educated in the 1970's switch from Celsius to Fahrenheit all the time!) We stepped onto the low seat that encircled the inside of the tub, then sunk into the deliciously warm water.  It looked like we were floating in a big vat of tea!  But the smell of cedar rose up and gave us that wonderful spa experience.

Once we determined that it had stopped leaking, we drained the tub and cleaned out any junk on the bottom.  Then we refilled it and added the necessary chemicals to keep it clean and clear.  But that's only part of the project.  Walter designed and built counters/storage around the tub and a cover over the spa kit and mechanical stuff.  The lattice we had to provide some privacy and wind protection is now a cedar wall with black trim.  We stained the decking as well, to match.  

I'm so blessed to be part of my husband's creative designs. And it's so rewarding to relax and enjoy the fruit of our labours.

 

 

 My Birthday

Reality is sinking in that this is my last year in the decade of the 50’s.  I am growing past “middle aged” and have the privilege of being married to an official senior, as well. I guess I better become mature soon or my grey hair will not be the sign of wisdom that it ought to be!

What are some blessings of being 59?

I have a wonderful husband of 36+ years, who has stood faithfully by my side. I have the honour of sharing life, hardships and celebrations with Walter Selke, who has been a rock during crises and a tender-hearted shepherd for the hurting. We have weathered many storms and he has always pointed the way to the anchor of our faith, Jesus Christ. 

I am blessed to be the mother of 3 amazing adult children. They will always be “the kids” when I describe them!  My heart will never stop caring, worrying and praying for them throughout their lives. From the moment I knew each one was in my womb, I’ve been praying for God’s plan for them.  I miss them terribly when they go back to their homes but I’m fiercely proud of them and the wise choices they have been making as adults!

Being in my 50’s has given me the gift of becoming a Grandma!  The feelings of love, joy, pride and helplessness are all wrapped together in the grandparent role.  I pray everyday for our granddaughter and can’t wait for the next one to arrive!

To be called into ministry as a lifelong calling has been a true miracle ~ who would have thought this bratty, stubborn and mouthy Hallowe’en baby would become a missionary/pastor’s wife and servant in God’s harvest field?  God calls the unlikely, the inept and the impossible.  He is the one who equips, empowers and encourages those who are willing to say “yes” to His invitation to serve. It’s not about me.  And God has been faithful to keep me, protect me. 

The Bible verse that touched me this morning is Psalm 121:7 and I will claim it for the next year of my life:

“The Lord will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life.”

God is good!  I will trust my 59th birthday to the One who created me and knows me intimately. My times are in His hands.

 Summer.

Warmth, growth, abundance.

Picnics, bonfires, Bible camps, vacations.

Family.  Travel.

Weddings, reunions, celebrations.

Ice cream, berry picking, barbecues. 

Mosquitoes, forest fires, drought.

Garden produce.

Blessings.

The season of summer is so short in Saskatchewan that we have to pack in so much activity in a small space of time.  We experienced ALL of the above and here it is: September. Walter and I didn't officially take a vacation this summer, just day trips to the beach, the cabin and to the Sukanen Museum Threshing Bee.  But with the beautiful oasis that is our backyard, we didn't have to travel anywhere to feel the cooling breezes on a hot day, to eat a meal under the shade of our tamarack tree or cook "bush pies" over a fire.  

As I see the leaves beginning to turn to orange and gold, I feel that nostalgic twinge that summer is over and did I do all the things I hoped to?  I'm so thankful for the surprise blessing of a ride in a combine last week.  I hadn't ridden in the cab of a wheat-gobbling monster since I was a teenager!  Wow!  The view was amazing and the computerized technology blew my mind.  There is nothing like a sunset at harvest time.  Thanksgiving and praise flooded my heart.  How good it is to have those roots of farming in my family, to appreciate the pioneering spirit of my ancestors who made a living from the land!  

My heart ached as we heard news that our sister-camp, Pineridge Bible Camp, was threatened by wildfires and had to evacuate all campers and staff members.  They were unable to return to hold any camps all summer.  When it was deemed safe, the full time resident staff were in utter disbelief at how close the flames came to the buildings and houses.  Clearly God spared the camp!  Thankfully, the firefighting crews were diligent and kept watch, dousing flames that came within ten feet of the main house.   Only one old barn burned, leaving the tin roof on the ground.  The camp director commented that it saved his crew from having to tear it down anyways!  The upside was that some of the camp volunteers came to serve at the camp our daughter Caylea directs (2 hours away from Pineridge) and so enabled Big River Bible Camp to accept more campers this summer.

Although the calendar may say fall is around the corner, we will soak in these last few days or weeks of heat, flowers and fresh vegetables.  I will be grateful to my God for the beauty and joy of summer and rest in His faithfulness through all seasons. 

 

 

HEAVEN IS A WONDERFUL PLACE - Cindy M. Selke (August 23, 2025)

Sitting in my elementary school desk with the space for books and supplies above my lap and the metal rack under the seat for more storage, I recall discovering the gift of writing. The smell of old textbooks and chalk dust was the backdrop for the creativity about to burst forth. And the comments written in red ink beside my literary composition by a caring school teacher stirred what would become a lifelong desire to express myself through writing.

The first significant piece I remember working on was a short story on “Heaven” and I don’t remember how I came upon that topic. Had someone died recently? Was it chosen randomly from a list of suggested subjects? But once the idea was conceived, I took off with a rudimentary concept of the afterlife and my imagination.

I hadn’t read the Bible and didn’t have any theological understanding of heaven; I just had a desire for paradise. An escape? A home? A longing for peace and love and acceptance? I understand myself a little better now as I look back 45 years to the life experience of a 13-year old girl growing up on the prairies of Saskatchewan. Heaven seemed like a place I wanted to be sure of ending up eventually. So I created in my composition all the “best things” I could think of and put them together into a dream-like experience. On paper.

Now at the age of 58, still living in southern Saskatchewan, I am much closer to actually arriving at my heavenly home! Greying hair, wrinkles around the eyes, a granddaughter that I adore, all prove that I am not that young, idealistic and ambitious girl anymore. As God has seen fit to draw me into a relationship with Himself and open up the Scriptures to my finite - but spiritually renewed comprehension, I want to write what I have learned about that wonderful place called HEAVEN.

Revelation 21:1-5 is a reasonable place to start. The description of the eternal home of the saints was given to John, the Apostle, who was exiled to the Island of Patmos for following Jesus Christ. John received these images and words through visions given by Jesus Christ Himself through an angelic messenger (Revelation 1:1 & 9). He was also the author of the Gospel of John and the three letters entitled 1, 2 and 3 John of the New Testament. We can trust His authorship as the early church leaders approved and included these writings in the canon of Scripture.

Verse 1: “Then I saw a ‘new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…” John saw a new heaven and a new earth. The implication is that somehow the original created heaven and earth was gone, destroyed, disappeared. A new reality replaced the old. As Dr. Voddie Bauchum taught in a YouTube sermon, the new doesn’t mean “better or improved” but is the best, supreme, incomparable. The old had to go because of the stains and decay of sin. The heaven and the earth that God created out of nothing was beyond fixing up, repairing or patching somehow. Just as humanity needs a full replacement of heart, so nature, the universe needs to be made new, brand new.

And how could this depraved world be made new? One of the foundational influences that had to be dealt with was the devil, Satan, the deceiver. In Revelation 20:10, John wrote these futuristic words: :And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

But how did God finally end the tyrannical reign of the devil? Backing up sixty years or so before the giving of Revelation, our Lord Jesus Christ died on a Roman cross. His death signalled the fulfillment of the Old Covenant between God and the Jewish nation. Yearly, the sacrifice of the Passover lamb pointed to a once and for all Lamb who would take away the sins of the whole world! In Hebrews 9:12 Jesus served as both the priest offering the sacrifice for sin, and as the sacrifice, the Lamb. “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.” The perfect and sinless Man, Jesus, fully satisfied all that God required to pay the price for sin - the sin of humanity all the way from Adam and Eve until the last person born on earth.

Not only that, but Jesus’ death on that cross, and His resurrection three days later, sealed Satan’s fate. He no longer owns nor controls the heavens and the earth. Revelation 1:18 declares, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” One of Satan’s titles is “prince of the power of the air” - after he had been cast out of heaven for leading the rebellion of many angelic beings against the Lord God Almighty. (Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ephesians 2:2) Satan had been allowed to exist and operate on the earth, in the spiritual and unseen realm of the “air.” But Jesus died, descended to the depths and retrieved the keys to death and Hades (hell). Forty days after Jesus rose from the dead, He ascended in the clouds to His place at the right hand of the Father. We see that Jesus reigns as the King…well, His final act is yet to come to take His rightful place as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Which is what John the Revelator continues to record in Revelation 21. Let’s look at verse 2. “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” Who is the bride? Why the reference to Jerusalem? What does that have to do with heaven and Jesus?

The city of Jerusalem is prominent in the covenant of God and the Jewish people. Many prophesies yet to be completed involve Israel, Jerusalem and the Hebrew people. It is more than politics or religion. This is God’s promises that He will prove good for throughout history. He promised His dwelling in the Temple of Jerusalem, to be present among His people. Now that promise extends beyond the nation of Israel and those of Hebrew lineage, but all the peoples of the earth have been invited to join in the spiritual vine through Abraham, Moses, David and the fulfillment, Jesus of Nazareth. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The term “world” is from the Greek, “ethnos”, which refers to nations or peoples, not exclusively the nation of Israel. The work of Jesus’ death on the cross is effective and available to all who believe. This forgiveness and redemption comes by faith in Christ alone. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…” Ephesians 2:8a

Back to the bride and the Holy City…

God promised to dwell on earth through the Temple located in Jerusalem. Now John records the vision of a new Jerusalem - His bride. We know from references in Ephesians 5 and other statements in the book of Revelation, that the Bride is the Church, those who follow Jesus Christ by faith and are called saints. We collectively are known as Christians, Christ-followers and Jesus is the Bridegroom, coming back to take us home.

Home. Heaven. We all as believers in Christ are the betrothed Bride, having been promised to Jesus as our groom but not having been taken to our home with Him yet. We are preparing, being prepared by the Holy Spirit, to join with Christ. There is even a wedding supper being planned and prepared: “Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” (Revelation 19:9)

What a day that will be! The Bride in all her glory, having been made beautiful and perfect by the Blood of Jesus. And the banquet! Our North American weddings cannot hold a candle to the Jewish traditions of week long celebrations. The celebration of God’s Son and His Church being joined forever in eternity will be grander and more glorious than we can fathom!

“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people…” (Revelation 21:3 b) That place is described further in chapter 21 and 22. But the thing that John records in these first five verses of chapter 21 are that “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” The significant quality or notable point of heaven is that we will be comforted from all our sorrows and no longer have to deal with death, mourning, crying or pain. With no sin, no evil influences upon us, we will have perfect peace and joy. The “old order” refers to the laws of sin and death. They are gone.

Verse 5 is packed with truths that we can hold on to and fully believe. “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” God himself affirms from His place of authority and power, the throne. He says to write the words down because they are His words, fully trustworthy and true. God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). So when God declares He is making everything new, that includes you and me, the heavens and the earth.

My simple, imagined vision of heaven as a grade school student pales in comparison to the Biblical descriptions. I wrote about angels, clouds, light, a lovely bedroom all my own decorated as a teenaged girl in the 1970’s might envision. I can’t wait for the wonderful mansion God is preparing for me - for all of us - to delight us with pure joy and pleasure and freedom in His everlasting home. His presence will be the absolute delight of our souls!

Heaven is a wonderful place

Filled with glory and grace.

I want to see my Saviour’s face,

Heaven is a wonderful place.

(unknown)

 "A change is as good as a rest."  (anonymous)

Our second full week of camp was a change of pace:  Walter stepped out of his maintenance role and I handed over the kitchen duties.  Instead, Walter became the camp speaker, speaking ten times in five days.  He had prepared five lessons at home and hoped to finish his preparations once at Big River.  We were so busy once we arrived that there was little time to spend in Bible study. The theme Walter chose was to do an overview of the whole Bible, leading up to the death and resurrection of Christ.  A tall order!

I was to lead the worship sessions during the chapel times, choosing three or four songs each session.  I tried to carry over some of the songs Caylea and Campbell (who led worship in the evening chapels and at campfire) had done.  Some of the favourites during the Junior teen camp were:  My Lighthouse, My Redeemer Lives, Awesome God, Glorious Day and How Great is Our God!  I usually had Caylea at the keyboard, Eric on bass guitar and Kervans, a cabin leader from Saskatoon area, on "Cahone" and we sounded pretty good! A Nigerian man played on drums (Daniel?).  I truly enjoyed seeing the kids begin to learn the songs, get into the actions and begin to worship.

The warfare definitely ramped up as Walter and I approach every ministry opportunity very intentionally.  Walter wanted to teach and proclaim the Gospel, giving the foundation for many young people who may not know much about the Bible and why Jesus had to die on the cross.  Each night, we prayed together in our room and every morning, we joined in the staff meeting to pray.  Knowing these kids were often from difficult family situations and did not have consistent Christian input and Bible teaching meant we felt a serious responsibility to feed them truth that would carry them for months or even a year until they returned to the Bible camp!  

How did that warfare show up in real life?  We got sore throats.  Every evening I'd have tea with honey and try to preserve my voice.  And by God's grace I would open my mouth as I stood in front of the microphone and 60+ campers and cabin leaders and songs came out.  There were also some challenging behaviours and relational dynamics in the cabins.  Some kids wanted to go home after the first day!  Eric handled the fights, homesickness and other issues with calmness and kindness.  And we would pray with whoever was handy when the issues arose.  That's our best weapon!

Although at first I missed being in the kitchen and having the satisfaction of preparing and serving three meals a day, plus night snack, it was nice to focus on music and worship.  Walter and I love to minister together, me leading worship and Walter preaching.  We make a good team!

Caylea also assigned us to help her with Tuck at 3 pm each afternoon. Walter took the boys' line up and I took the girls; we crossed off the names of each of our "customers" so they wouldn't double-dip for their daily treats.  This way we did get to know the names, faces and even snack favourites  of each camper.  

Zayne - a small boy from the Big River area, who loved collecting clams during swim time.  He wanted to keep a bucket of them in his cabin and I tried to dissuade him.  He sat in the front row of chapel with his cabin-mates, often commenting on Walter's messages when we thought he wasn't paying attention.

Jake - a tall boy from a community about an hour from the camp, who carried sticks around.  From lovely small pieces of driftwood to long branches that the wind had broken off the trees, Jake gathered quite a collection.  He gave Walter his favourite stick at the end of camp so Walter would always remember him.

Danielle - at the end of chapel one day, she wanted to talk with Walter and her cabin leader brought her over to where we were still sitting when the others had been dismissed.  She lived on a First Nation nearby, and had been to camp once or twice in past years.  With amazing articulation, Danielle expressed her concern about forgiveness.  She believed God would forgive her but she felt she couldn't forgive herself.  My heart broke as I wondered what shame she was carrying and the lies the enemy was feeding her that she was somehow so stained she couldn't forgive herself.  Walter and I listened to her, and Walter counseled her from the Word of God.  She never shared her specific burden but we prayed for her and tearfully she joined her cabin for the next event.  The next evening at campfire, she stood up and shared that she had asked Jesus into her life!  Her smile was bright and she came and gave Walter a hug and thanked him for helping her come to the Lord.  

J., S. and A. - three sisters who were brought to camp by a social worker. They were living in with relatives in a nearby city, separated from their other sister and a younger brother.  The girls were put in a cabin together but their arguments and anger issues began to spill over.  One lunch hour, S. bumped into J., a plate fell and broke and tempers flared.  Eric jumped in to settle one sister; the nurse Juliana, grabbed a broom and began to sweep up the shards.  Finally J. left the dining hall and S. shrugged and continued on to get her food. By the final campfire, two of the three sisters gave testimony that they accepted Christ in their lives.  They were smiling, singing, and hugging one another.  Their fights had made them realize they needed to change or it would end badly.  God did a miracle!

Sh. - one young lady who came with others to say Bible memory verses to me (and I'd reward them with candy).  When the other campers drifted off to swim or play at the playground, Sh. sat at the picnic table across from me and began to share her story.  She had been raped at age 12 and had an abortion.  Her life had been a series of trauma, foster homes and too much sadness for such a young girl.  I listened, asked if she had support and someone to talk to.  She was evasive and I didn't want to pry.  I asked what else she would be doing this summer and it seemed that camp was her only opportunity to get out of a situation where she looked after the younger children in the home.  I was so thankful when Sh. gave her heart to Jesus at the last cabin devotional time.

So many lives, so many precious souls!  The sleepless nights, desperate prayers and extra efforts to teach, lead worship and engage in conversations were worth it to see over 20 junior teens give their hearts to follow Jesus Christ.  The comment was that they hadn't seen this kind of response to the Gospel in a few years at BRBC.  Only the Lord could do that.

By Friday afternoon, we were exhausted, but in a good way.  We helped unload the groceries and I got my mind into the head cook mode once again.  Then we hopped on our quad and rode around the camp property across the road.  The fresh air and change of scenery was rejuvenating.  We went into town for supper at Third & Main, then came back to relax.  

Saturday, I had again volunteered to warm up leftovers for the weekend staff.  I found a couple of cookie recipes and baked several dozen for Sunday night's snack.  I wanted to get a headstart on Week 3.  I think we also watched the Roughrider football game Saturday afternoon that had been delayed from Friday night due to the smoke from the northern forest fires.  (We also had smoke around our camp and one evening the kids had to come inside the chapel for their campfire songs and sharing time.)  Five young people from Pine Ridge Bible Camp (near Beauval, SK), came to BRBC as the fires caused the camp and surrounding communities to be evacuated.  We gained a couple extra staff for the following week but it was sad that our gain was Pine Ridge's loss.

Sunday, we went to church in town.  Walter had been asked to preach and I sang a song with Faith, one of the local young ladies who served at camp.  We sang "Jesus, Thank You", a song we did in chapel at camp.  It was great to be encouraged by the family of God as they prayed for all of us serving this summer.  And by 2 pm, we were gearing up for Week 3 - Kids Camp! 

 

 How does one describe the experience of Bible Camp?  Is it a job, a volunteer opportunity, an adventure or a series of calamities and miracles that God somehow directs by His sovereignty?

YES!  It is all of the above. 

Our first week at Big River Bible Camp was Teen Week.  Years ago the camp would start with the youngest age group and end the season with the teens.  But the former leaders/directors found the staff would be worn out by the time Teen Week happened and they were either sick, tired or both!  So they hold Teen Week first; the staff are fresh for the late nights and high energy needed.  The last two weeks are the youngest age group (ages 8-12) and the schedule has an earlier bedtime and an activity known as FOBIC.  This stands for Flat On Back In Cabin - nap time!  Another reason they have Teen Week first is that many of those teenage campers come back to serve as Leaders in Training (LIT's) and help with dishes, cleaning and games with the campers.  This training is also a practical program for discipleship/mentorship of the teens that make decisions to follow Jesus.  

Being head cook for Teen Week proved to be a challenge.  Even with notebooks and helpful hints to prepare meals, there are always questions about how much to cook, how many leftovers to freeze or re-invent for the week.  I made a few boo-boos, like forgetting a roaster full of spaghetti in the oven overnight (it got recycled into The Amazing Race game!)  Some of our toast turned out too dry so it got repurposed into croutons for Caesar salad!  I overestimated the amount of rice for one meal; it showed up as rice pudding the next supper. You get the picture!

My team in the kitchen was wonderful.  Two of the women were friends of ours from Regina/Saskatoon areas.  I appreciated their energy and support and advice.  One fellow was a volunteer from Edmonton who had cooked at a homeless shelter and as a baker so his height, strength and expertise was much-appreciated.  Another woman - whose husband was the speaker for Teen Camp - volunteered in the kitchen and quietly and cheerfully helped wherever needed.

Each morning, one of our kitchen crew went to the 8 am staff meeting with the other camp directors and cabin leaders.  The rest of us would get breakfast started.  Later in the day, we would take a break and the person who was at the meeting would share the gist of the morning devotional and any announcements and prayer requests.  This really proved to keep us in the know of the schedule and how to pray. 

The teens did their own dishes and cleaned bathrooms for Teen Week and so we got to interact with some of these campers.  As we helped coach them in the dish pit and showed them where the clean dishes, pots and pans belonged in the kitchen, we got to know them a bit.  Some had lots of energy and were teachable; some had little experience with work and needed lots of encouragement and reminders. Investing in their practical skills is part of the overall discipling and teaching at Bible Camp.

No one camper stands out from that week...but several of the staff and interns were on my heart.  I got to see them in their behind-the-scenes roles; I looked for opportunities to affirm them.  Telling them "good job" and writing a couple of encouragement cards was one of my other ministries besides cooking.

A third role I had was fill-in worship leader.  Caylea got a nasty cold and I filled in leading the morning chapel worship songs.  I threw off my apron and strapped on my guitar.  "My Redeemer Lives" and "Glorious Day" became very familiar to me and seemed to be favourites among the teenagers.  Then I'd run back up to the kitchen to carry on preparations for lunch. I felt stretched but it was amazing how God gives new strength.  Every. single. day.

Friday lunch of hot dogs, chips and watermelon was simple to cook and easy to clean up.  After the campers left, we all had extra cleaning duties.  I organized the leftovers for either the freezer or for meals on the weekend.  Rearranging the cupboards was another chore was to get the kitchen ready for the next week's cooking crew.  And then the clock struck 2 pm...the grocery delivery arrived!

For the next 15 minutes, all hands were on deck to unload and put away the food order.  The shelves in the cooler, freezer and pantry were overflowing and I was so grateful for the provision of God for another week of camp.

The last thing I did was mop the floor before calling it a wrap.  Walter and I went for supper with Caylea and Eric.  It was nice to relax a bit, take a walk by the dock along Cowan Lake and debrief.  We called it an early night.  

Saturday I volunteered to warm up leftovers for the staff who stayed for the weekend.  I made a homemade soup with some leftovers and some Pilsbury biscuits.  Supper was leftover smokies and pasta and salad.  

Sunday morning we drove a couple of the junior staff to church and it was good to just sit back and receive.  We knew a challenging week lay ahead of us and we needed all our energy and clear mindedness.  The next installment will be about that exciting adventure of Junior Teen week...

 

 Rachel and I met at the kitchen around 9:30 am to prepare lunch.  The menu included hashbrown casserole, ham and veggie sticks.  We divided up the tasks and got to work.  The kitchen is wonderfully equipped with convection oven, 2 natural gas ovens and 6 burners, a grill and walk-in cooler and freezer.  We also had access to a large Hobart mixer and a smaller Kitchen Aid machine.  The newly installed dishwasher in the dish pit was Walter's machine of choice!  It was a delight to cook in such an equipped and efficient kitchen.

Lunch was ready at noon, when the trainees were to arrive.  We fed about 30 of us in total and all went well.  (I had an entire pan of hashbrown casserole leftover but Eric assured me he would help consume any leftovers for breakfast!)  Meal #1 was a success and we began preparing for supper right away.

I went to Caylea's yard site, where she had a patch of rhubarb ready for the picking.  I harvested several long and tasty-looking stalks to make into Rhubarb/apple crisp.  While I baked, Rachel prepared a salad and got things ready for perogies and farmers' sausage for supper.  I loved working with my niece and her obvious skills and experience in the kitchen were a delight! I learned a lot from her.

That evening, we visited, relaxed and got the ground beef out for tomorrow's menu.  Quick story of God's provision for the camp:  Caylea received a call one day this spring from an abattoire about an hour away in the small town of Leoville.  "How would you like your beef cut and wrapped?"  came the voice over the phone.  Caylea had a small panic and many questions.  But calmly she said she didn't have any meat at their slaughter/butcher shop.  The man insisted:  someone has anonymously given a beef for the camp.  The cut and wrap fees are also covered by the donor. " How would you like the meat cut and in what sizes would you like it wrapped?" Caylea conferred with the former kitchen manager and then asked for ground beef.  The butcher offered to cut some steaks as well, since the donor thought it would be nice for the staff to celebrate at the end of camp with a nice barbecue meal!  

So back in May, I accompanied Caylea with the camp van to pick up the meat.  We drove one hour on gravel roads to the abattoire, had a wonderful chat with the Mennonite fellow who owned the business and shared the ministry of BRBC.  He was tinkled pink to be part of the secret/ anonymous donation of meat for such a worthy cause.  He carried the boxes to the van and we thanked him profusely.  What a blessing!

Back to staff training...I woke up and had my coffee and devotions.  Rachel and I set out cold cereal and bagels for the staff to help themselves to before their morning session of training. Walter was teaching on spiritual warfare, the armour of God and prayer.  There were also sessions on leading children to the Lord, how to share your testimony of faith and other items of rules, regulations and child protection policies for camp ministry taught by various other presenters.

One young presenter was a former volunteer at the camp.  She is now married, expecting their first child and looking for ministry opportunities in their future.  That morning, she came to me and the camp nurse to say she was bleeding.  We immediately made arrangements for the nurse to step in and cook, while I took the young woman to the hospital.  I drove her vehicle to Shellbrook, the closest hospital about 1 hour away. We waited for bloodwork and tests, to find out that she would have to go to Prince Albert - another 30 minutes away - for an ultrasound and consult with an ob/gyn.  It was a long day, full of emotion, silent prayer and small talk to fill in the time.

Her husband met us in P.A. and Walter brought her things from the camp to the hospital.  What we thought might be some tests and the assurance that all was well, or maybe that she needed bed rest, turned into a day of waiting, worrying and eventually the sad news that they lost the baby.

Nothing prepares you for that.

The young woman and her husband carried on to their home and Walter and I drove back to the camp.  All my concerns about cooking, menus and staff training faded in the light of such loss and feelings of helplessness.  I'm so glad we have the Lord as our strength, our comfort, our hope. I'm so glad this woman has her heart in the Lord's hands.

Rachel and Juliana made delicious food for the trainees - soup & bannock for lunch and then  porcupine meatballs, mashed potatoes and cooked veggies for the evening meal.  Rachel made her famous brownies and they were well-received by all!

The next morning, the young folks finished their training and were sent home.  Some would return for Teen Week as campers in a couple of days.  Some had joined the training via Zoom and were flying in on Sunday (in two days) to serve as cabin leaders.  Others would return to camp in two weeks as LIT's (leaders in training) to serve in practical ways and prepare as future/potential cabin leaders.

I'm glad we had the weekend to recuperate, watch a Roughrider football game and join the Big River Evangelical Free Church for fellowship before the REAL camp ministry began!

 

 The familiar scenery passed by the window as we made our way north.  Blue sky, a few clouds, a breeze coming from the west all accompanied us to Big River Bible Camp.  We planned for 4 weeks at the camp, our daughter Caylea inviting us to help her and the team run staff training and 3 weeks of kids Bible camp program.  

Were we prepared?

Even though you pack, make arrangements for the care of house and yard, and pray, nothing truly prepares you for camp ministry!  We hustled out of the truck when we arrived at the camp.  The NCEM Annual General Meeting was about to start and we made it just in time to join the Zoom gathering.  Following the hour-long formalities, we decided to have supper in town at the famous "Third and Main" restaurant, which is an excellent establishment!  Caylea and Eric joined us and we had a nice visit to start our time off serving at BRBC.

We unloaded our suitcases, electronics, my guitar and a selection of footwear into the main lodge.  Securing our favourite room -  next to the mechanical room - we made ourselves at home.  I also stowed away some food from our own fridge to use up in the next few days.  I was excited and a bit apprehensive about being "head cook" for 3 of the 4 weeks.  Walter was eager to take stock of the boats, sides-by-sides and other areas he would be in charge of as maintenance volunteer.  

But first things first:  Canada Day festivities were our initial order of business.  Early July 1 morning, we joined the BRBC staff to decorate two vehicles and a canoe for the Big River Canada Day parade. Then we drove into town for a pancake breakfast at the town's recreation centre and got arranged in the parade order. By 11 am, we were on our way, about 14 or so of us riding on the back of the truck, on the trailer hauling the old aluminum canoe or walking alongside the camp van.  While other parade participants handed out candy, we gave out kids' sized t-shirts from Big River Bible Camp.  That was a big hit!  The parade route also took us by a senior's home - where the residents and staff were waiting outside for a view and greetings!  All in all, we circled the town in over half an hour and it was a very impressive turn-out of spectators and participants.

We had been given free coupons for the local "Pier 55" ice cream shop and so we headed there as a group.  On the way back to the rec centre, we stopped by the Farmers' Market, buying some items made by local folks.  It was fun to be part of a small-town, rural community again, as both Walter and I grew up in similar communities.  And then it was back to the camp to begin preparations for staff training.

Our niece and nephew, Rachel and Mike, arrived about supper time and so we had food ready for their arrival.  Rachel would be helping me in the kitchen for the next 3 1/2 days; Mike would help Walter with maintenance and lead some worship times with the staff trainees.  The younger folks took off for town again to watch the fireworks, which wouldn't start until 11 pm because of how late sunset and the darkness would be this time of year.  We opted for an early bedtime.

And then the real work began... 

 

 Candidate Training 2025 Part 2...The Sequel!!!

Some highlights from our two weeks together are:

*The Band - Michael, from Pine Ridge Bible Camp, had a very understated way about him.  The first day of classes, I led in a song to open our time with worship.  No one else had stepped up or offered to help with worship leading/music so I didn't pursue.  But at the first coffee break, Michael was strumming on one of the camp guitars and I said, "Hey!  I didn't know you were musical.  Wanna play for our next chapel time?"

Next thing you know, Jordan was banging on the drum kit and seemed to know what he was doing!  So by the evening of Day 1, we had a 3-piece band!  Linsey joined with vocals between feeding and keeping baby Asher happy, and by Day 3, we also had a keyboard player!  We never found a name for our musical group, but we enjoyed playing and singing together songs like "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High", "Come, Now is the Time to Worship" and "Holy Forever". When the group was leading, there was just Walter, Emmanuel & Chalsie sitting in our audience!  On Sunday evening, we had a worship night and "The Band" led in a wonderful time with folks from the church in Big River as well as our candidates.

* Walks - The first evening that we were at the camp, we saw the mother bear and twin cubs.  The next day we saw a bear down by the waterfront of the camp!  So I wasn't so keen on taking walks by myself.  When the opportunity to stroll with others came, I jumped at the chance!  Caylea, her Bernese Mountain dog Lindy and I took a lovely walk with baby Asher in the stroller.  We wound our way along the Philips Grove resort/subdivision area next to the camp.  We gazed longingly at lovely cabins, some very big and modern, some quaint and humble.  The early green of spring was appearing on the trees and the cool spring air was refreshing.  I also took a couple walks with Walter in between our busy teaching schedule.  And Linsey, Asher and I enjoyed a short jaunt to the stop sign and back, just to get some fresh air and exercise.  (No bears accompanied us on said walks!)

*One afternoon, Walter took Ade & Emmanuel (our Nigerian trainees) to the Big River First Nation, at the invitation of a man from church who works in construction on the reserve.  They met a couple of people who work for our friend, Ed, and had a nice visit.  Then someone suggested that Walter and his friends from Nigeria meet another lady who is from Africa, as well.  Turns out Sister Rose Marie is from Kenya and assists the Catholic priest, who serves several reserves and towns in the area.  They had a wonderful time of fellowship with this woman who felt a definite call to reach First Nations people in Canada.  Then Walter, Ade & Emmanuel also had opportunity to pray for a man who recently had a stroke, and then for another relative who wanted prayer!  The doors seemed wide open to share about Jesus and comfort folks through a ministry of visiting and prayer.  

*For us personally, it was a joy to visit with Tony & Janet Ens from Whitehorse.  They are great listeners!  But we were able to connect on both nights they were at Big River Bible Camp, catching up on family, grandchildren, ministry stories and personal stuff.  Lifelong friends are a treasure and we felt cared for even though we aren't officially under their "Candidate Care" portfolio!

On the last Friday morning, we had a wonderful time of worship together, a  final debrief of the overall courses and topics.  It was helpful for us to hear some of their take-aways and what impacted them most.  We could easily have had another full day of class just debriefing and unpacking the many deep areas that we only covered in a general way.  We gave each one a gift card to Subway and a little personal note of thanks and blessing to these folks whom we grew to love and feel close to in the past 14 days. Linsey gave us a thoughtful gift of fresh ground coffee (roasted locally) and bath salts, also SK made on behalf of the class of 2025. Before we dismissed, we handed them a "Feedback" sheet to fill out and give us some suggestions for improvement for the next training.

 What an honour and privilege to help train and prepare new missionaries/volunteers for ministry!  Even though we know much more could have been taught, more discussions facilitated and more hands-on experience offered, we trust the Holy Spirit will finish the real-life training and equip each one for their service beyond what we could provide!  

As each of us packed our vehicles and grabbed a bag lunch for the road, we felt like we were launching our own kids.  We felt proud, excited and a little nervous for them!  We prayed for them as if they were our own, and will check in with them in the coming weeks to see how they're doing.  

"Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations..."  Matthew 28:19

"Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation..."  Mark 16: 15

 II Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work."

I have experienced this truth first-hand as Walter and I led Candidate Orientation & Training for the past two weeks!  We packed the mission's Ford F-150 with bags, plastic tubs and suitcases with enough supplies to keep us going.  Clothing, books, rubber boots, sandals, coats and hoodies, gifts for the candidates and thank you cards for the staff at Big River Bible Camp were stuffed into every nook and cranny of the box and the cab of the vehicle.  Driving to the location of our training, via Saskatoon and Prince Albert to pick up a few more items at NCEM's headquarters, took us over 6 hours and we arrived in time to unload before returning to the town of Big River.  

Some snow clung to shady spots along the bush, but it appeared as though spring was just around the corner.  The camp itself was dry and a fire ban was in effect.  After supper in town, we brought Caylea and her boyfriend, Eric on a nice leisurely drive around the back roads to explore some of the resorts along Delaronde Lake and Nesslin Lake.  Our drive proved fruitful as we saw a mother bear and twin cubs!  The north of our province is beautiful.

As we unpacked and arranged our supplies on tables, setting notebooks and NCEM mugs on the tables for each participant of the training, I felt a bit nervous.  This was our fifth or sixth such training and I should have felt more comfortable and confident.  But this time, Walter and I would do most of the teaching as we shortened it to two, rather than three, weeks and some instructors weren't available.  I prayed, took some deep breaths, and tried to relax.  No use worrying beforehand.  God had always helped us in previous years.  We had trained and sent out over 30 new missionaries and they seemed to survive our leadership!  But we needed God's grace each and every time!

Sunday morning, Walter preached at the Big River Evangelical Free Church.  We greeted familiar faces and enjoyed down-home fellowship!  Then we returned to camp to scrounge some food for lunch.  Fortunately we had enough leftovers from home and Caylea raided her own fridge to make a reasonable meal.  We relaxed in the afternoon, awaiting the arrival of our new candidates.  Michael, preparing for camp ministry, Chalsie who was about to serve in the NCEM office and Jordan, already involved in media production of "Generation Hope" arrived in time for supper.  Our recent graduates from training 2024 (Bob & Juliana) were cooking for our group for the two weeks and made a delicious ham & scalloped potatoes supper for us.

Our late arrivals were Ade and Emmanuel, two Nigerian gentlemen, who flew in from their homes in Toronto area.  One of our office staff picked them up and drove them the 2 1/2 hours from Saskatoon airport to the camp.  Bob stayed up to greet them and show them to their cabin.  The rest of us were already in bed, resting up before our 8:30 am session Monday morning!

I woke before the alarm, seeing sunlight through our bedroom window in the basement of the camp's lodge/dining hall/chapel.  I wanted an early start, so I quickly dressed and went up to make coffee - the first of many pots that sustained many of us through the two weeks of classes! I found a sunny spot by the fireplace and big windows that displayed the glory of a new day.  With coffee and Bible in hand, I received God's Word, my daily bread, for the day.  I had just begun reading through Psalm 119, which is the longest psalm in scripture, and it would be my daily diet during the entire time at Big River Bible Camp.  

Everyone found their way to the dining hall and helped themselves to the "self-serve" breakfast.  We then gathered in the basement chapel area to start off with a worship song and prayer.  Then we got right down to the orientation session and made sure everyone had been introduced to one another.  

I forgot to mention Jordan came with his wife, Linsey, and three-month old son, Asher.  Linsey had taken the training two years prior, and returned to lead our daily "Debrief" sessions in the afternoons.  Sometimes, I would be the designated "Grandma" and take Asher for a stroll outside or just put him to sleep upstairs when Linsey was needed in the sessions.  In past years, we've had young kids that needed childcare but Asher was passed from person to person or napped during our long days.

We condensed the training, so the first week, we had morning, afternoon and evening classes.  Wow!  By Friday we were all exhausted. So we gave Friday afternoon until Sunday night as a break for us all.  But to hit it hard at the beginning paid off and we were on track or ahead when week two began.  

One thing we did to break up the monotony for the trainees was to show two movies for teaching purposes. The first was "Smoke Signals" and gave a good look at First Nations/Native American life on a reservation.  The movie was made in the 1990's but the issues, the humour and the themes throughout the storyline were very relevant even in the 2020's.  The second film was produced by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation back in 1988, but again the issues of residential school and the experiences of those who were students in those institutions in Canada was pertinent.  We spent class time unpacking the movies to glean all we could.  (Check out YouTube or some other streaming services if you are interested in these movies.)  

We were blessed to have Jim and Marian from the office come to share about the administrative support and financial aspects pertaining to serving with NCEM.  They brought an IT intern/short term missionary who is First Nations from Stanley Mission, SK to share his testimony.  Dimitri took the training two years ago, and then a few months later applied to study at Bible College in MB.   

The following day, we had Tony & Janet from Whitehorse, YT share three sessions on Member Care and related topics.  They also met individually with the new missionary trainees as part of the Candidate Care program.  It is a priority to support and encourage the missionaries all along their journey in ministry.

I'll write more about our time at Candidate O & T 2025 soon!!!

 

 How do you know if you are in love?

Spring time is often when love stirs.  The birds are singing and calling out for their mates. Something about the bright, warm days and extended daylight into the evenings draws couples together.  But the age-old question is how do I know if this is the real thing, if this love is forever?

I'm not an expert, but I do have some experience.  I've seen what love is not; I've felt when a heart is broken.  I've also been on the receiving end of love that is undeserved.  Wow!  There is nothing more humbling than to be loved when I've behaved in a very un-loveable way! 

Real love is described in the Bible in a few places.  1 Corinthians 13 is the classic passage read at many weddings.  Let's see what the Apostle Paul defined as real love.

"Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."  (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)

This kind of description is all about actions, attitudes and sacrifice.  Paul doesn't use emotive terms.  He avoids words that would be about feelings or about how that other person stirs my heart, gives me goose bumps or is all-consuming of my thoughts.   In my teenage years, what I thought might have been love was really feelings that were based on my own thoughts, emotional responses and physical heart-palpitations!  The feelings would come and go.  My own immaturity and self-doubt would affect whether I thought I was in love, or not.  I guess you could say those attractions were not very deep, more aptly identified as a "crush."  At the time, that was all I was capable of and I give myself grace now as I look back.  I've learned what real love looks like and that God is the Author of genuine and lasting love.

I remember being in a Bible study where the leader gave us an exercise:  to replace the word "love" in the 1 Corinthians 13 passage with the name "Jesus."  That was incredible!  Putting Jesus' name in those verses made the description come alive!  I could move the concepts of patience, kindness, trust and hope into a personal relationship that I could hold on to; it became not a definition but a tangible reality.  And to declare "Jesus never fails" transformed my understanding.  I had seen love that failed, human relationships that broke down and family dynamics that felt unstable and unsafe.  But when Jesus promised to never fail me, I began to grow.  I could learn to trust.

John 14:15 and 21 are verses that I've also had to wrestle with in learning about true love.  "If you love Me, keep my commands."  (verse 15)  This seems demanding at first glance.  Jesus sounds like a tyrant, requiring obedience and rule-keeping in order to prove love!  That is the danger of taking one verse and not looking at the context in which Jesus spoke.  Taking Chapter 14 as a whole, we see that Jesus is saying good-bye to His closest companions, the Disciples.  He is giving His most important teachings as He prepares them for His death, His departure from earth.  So His final words are explaining that "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  (verse 6)  When Phillip says, " Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us" (verse 8), Jesus must further explain how the relationship with the Father and Jesus, the Son actually works.  "Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father."  (verse 9)  

In essence, Jesus claims to be God, saying that He and the Father are one and the same.  So if He gives us a command, it is with the authority of the Father.  Jesus spoke the very words of His Father.  But here is the catch: Jesus is not asking for obedience-on-demand, Master and slave relationship.  He is saying, "If you love Me..." with the invitation and expectation that the relationship will be based in love.  Now, let's jump down to verse 21 which will shed even more light on this statement:  "Anyone who loves Me will obey my teaching.  My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them." Jesus takes the relationship even further; He says the Father will love us as we obey Jesus' teaching.  Not only that, but God Himself, in the form of the Holy Spirit (verses 17, 25 & 26) will make His home in them, in us!  Although the Holy Spirit came upon people (ie, prophets) in the Old Testament, the concept of dwelling right within a person was novel and unbelievable!  

To illustrate, I think of my growing up years and my mom teaching me how to do certain tasks.  She would explain, possibly demonstrate how she wanted me to wipe a counter or chop up vegetables, but then she would also supervise me while I took over the task.  With her watchful eye on me, I would try to perform up to the standard and obey her commands.  Now, 50+ years later, I still hear her voice in my head when I try to do a job too quickly and not be thorough - almost like she is right there with me!  Even moreso is the Holy Spirit in my heart, reminding me of Jesus' instructions and commands.  Beyond just obeying because I feel guilty, I want to obey because I want to show my love and respect. 

Now sometimes I admit, I didn't want to live up to the standard my mom set for cleaning or whatever the task may be.  As an adult, I would feel the burden to keep up with her expectations in my own housekeeping.  But I know that taking pride in a job well done comes with maturity and I soon learned to do the extra things because of my own desire, not just the voice of my mother!  The same is in our relationship with Jesus.  1 John 5:3 expresses my heart's desire in pleasing the Lord.  "In fact, this is love for God:  to keep His commands.  And His commands are not burdensome..." Our Father knows that in our natural selves, we want to take shortcuts, do things the easy way.  We find rules and commands burdensome.  But if we truly want to experience intimacy and closeness with the Father, through Jesus Christ, by His Holy Spirit dwelling in us, then doing what He says will give us that freedom and joy.  

"If you love Me..."  Yes, Lord, I love You!  I will obey Your commands!

 

 

Good-byes are difficult.  As a child, I hated saying good-bye and leaving an event, leaving people behind.  I remember when Walter would come to visit me and then on Sunday evening he would leave for Bible school.  Sadness and loneliness would leave an empty place in my soul. 

Jesus was spending one last Passover meal with His twelve disciples, His closest friends and brothers.  Special arrangements were made and they gathered to celebrate.  Although Jesus had explained to them He would be leaving, these men who had spent three years with Him, didn't understand. 

John, one of the disciples who wrote the Gospel of John, recorded some unique and intimate moments that he and the other eleven men experienced together.  Chapter 13 is the only place in the Bible where we can glimpse a special event just prior to the Passover meal.  

"Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world. and return to His Father.  He had loved them during His ministry on earth, and now He loved them to the very end." (verse 1)

As Jesus is preparing to say good-bye to His disciples and leave them with His final words, it is really without words that He imparts the most meaningful impact.  In seven actions, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, speaks to His followers then and to us as His followers now:

1.  "So He got up..." (verse 4a)  Jesus intentionally got up from the table where they were reclining and eating the Passover.  He was the leader, a rabbi, and should expect to be served and waited upon throughout the meal.  By standing up, Jesus was disrupting the order of things and captured the attention of the twelve.

In Genesis 4:8, we read how Cain and Abel were in the fields together.  With intention, premeditation, Cain got up, rose up and acted violently towards his brother.   "Cain spoke to Abel his brother.^[a] And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him."  While Cain got up with evil in his heart, by contrast, Jesus stood up with pure love.  

2.  "...took off His robe..." (verse 4b)  To our way of thinking, we might wonder if Jesus was too warm in the crowded room.  Or maybe, He wanted  more freedom of movement during the meal.  What is the significance of His removing the robe, His outer garment, while indoors?

If we read Philippians 2:6-8  ^"... who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,^{[b] 7} but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant,^[c] being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled Himself..."  When Jesus submitted Himself to the plan for salvation, this involved Him laying aside and stripping off His divinity to become a man.  He willingly chose to remove and refuse to function with His full divine nature, knowledge and power in order to become a human being.  Taking off the robe was a symbol of His humility and submission to the Father.

Not only did He remove the robe but His garment was gambled for by the Roman soldiers while He hung on the cross.  Truly Jesus allowed Himself to be completely stripped of all self, our greatest human battle, and fully surrender to powerlessness as a lamb. 

3.  "...wrapped a towel around His waist..."  (verse 4c)  To further humble Himself, Jesus took a towel, a symbol of a servant, and wrapped it around His waist.  This action clearly identified Him as the lowest and least among them.  The role of a household servant was to do the most menial and disgusting tasks for the master and his family.  Cooking, cleaning, bathing and bathroom duties were among these tasks.  For Jesus to lower Himself to wash the dirty, smelly, unpleasant feet of the disciples was  not only unacceptable but shocking for these Jewish men to comprehend!

Again in Philippians 2, Paul writes that Jesus..."emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant..." and then proceeded to serve His friends with this simple and humble act.

4.  "...and poured water into a basin."  (verse 5a) Jesus did not symbolically tie the towel around Himself; He actually poured out the water for washing into the appropriate basin.  Jesus did not love with words and speech only, but with actions and truth. (1 John 3:18) His pouring the water showed the extent to which He poured out His very life for the disciples, and for all of us.  

In John 4:14 and later in John 7:37-39, Jesus used the imagery of water as life-giving, eternal, refreshing.  Every human being can relate to thirst and that basic need for water.  We all understand the need for cleansing outwardly but most importantly, inwardly and spiritually.  By this action, Jesus showed that He was willing to pour out His all and get involved in our filth and mess to save us.

5.  "Then He began to wash the disciples' feet..."  (verse 5b) With His own hands, Jesus washed the dry, cracked, dusty and dirty feet of these men, who walked everywhere in the deserts of Israel.  His holy hands touched the flesh of sinful men.  How many others did Jesus touch to bring healing, love, acceptance and freedom?  He touched lepers, adulterers, tax collectors, lame and  blind  to deliver them from their affirmities and afflictions.  

Ephesians 5:26 tells us of the significance of the cleansing work of Christ.  " that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word..."  As Jesus demonstrated with this physical act of washing, He would provide the spiritual cleansing we all need from sin and its effects.  In 1 Corinthians 6:11, we also see this cleansing at work to free us from guilt, shame and condemnation to declare us holy and righteous.  " And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."  

6.  "...drying them with the towel He had around Him..." (verse 5c)  In another version of the Scriptures, the term "wiping" is used, indicating the action of removing the dirt and the water and leaving the objects dry and clean.  Jesus fully removes our sins and the reminder is that " as far as the east is from the west,  so far does He remove our transgressions from us."  (Psalm 103:12)  

Another image is that Jesus will one day " He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”  (Revelation 21:4)  The gentle hand of our Saviour will comfort us and wipe our tears, removing sorrow and grieving as we celebrate our salvation with Him in eternity.

7.  "After washing their feet, He put on His robe again and sat down..."  (verse 12a)  As Jesus completed the life lesson of humility and servanthood to His disciples, He put on His robe once again and sat down.  Such a beautiful picture that He is Lord.  That He will once again be exalted and glorified as the King.  The His work would soon be finished. The cross was still ahead of Him but He demonstrated that He would sit at the right hand of His Father and have completed His assignment on earth.  

Revelation 3:21 "The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne."  

What an incredible picture of the gentle and loving Messiah, our Jesus, who would humble Himself and wash our feet?  

Jesus' lesson was that we do the same.  

What will that look like for me to wash others' feet?  Who am I to serve today, this week?