It's been a little over a year now...

So yeah I haven't said anything to any of you in quite a while now and I guess it's time for an update. Right now I am absolutely loving life. Soo many amazing things have been going on right now. Ever since I left New York I've had a passion to serve and God's blessed me with countless opportunities. Currently I'm leading a small group in my churches rediculously huge youth group. Ive seen this youth ministry grow from 5 kids a few years ago to 150 kids on an average week, I've been mentoring a few of my middle school guys and it's been soo much fun! I've also been volunteering a lot at a youth drop in center for street kids in Victoria, for those of you who go to Briercrest it's not like joes place, were a little bit smaller but I've been seeing some amazing things going on there and hopefully will be getting a job there soon. Living downtown I also get a lot of opportunities to serve the homeless which has been sweet God's been giving me patience in this ministry which is amazing. And to top it all off God's blessed me with the most wonderful girl I've ever had the pleasure of meeting who is just as passionate as I am about all of these ministries. She's challenged me soo much in my faith and has been such an encouragement. So here's me and Whitney at warped tour....I know beautiful and into punk, what more could i ask for?

Hi there everybody. So i just checked the blog after about forever and realized that there's at least 3 or 4 of you still keeping up with it, so i figured i should let you all know im still alive. I am. And doing so good! I got to be quick though because I'm going out with my girlfriend soon. WHAT??!! Haha, yes. Around Christmas time right after I got back to NY i started noticing this girl named Erin (props Vic). I've know her since i got to NY (she was here working at the ministry when I got here). But after hanging out with her in groups and spending time with her i realized that she is so encouraging in everything and passionate about the Lord and His work and evey time I hung out with her I found myself wanting to be a better man, not to mention she is so darn cute! And so I thought to myself, "I should really have a crush on this girl" so i started to like her a lot. Then after I got to know her better I realized it would be stupid of me to let her get away, so I asked her out and she said yes, and I am so happy. But other than that is sunday school that is still amazing. I still love what i do although sometimes i get really sick of this city. But i've learned that that is a good thing because it is forcing me to do what i do for the right reasons. I still plan to be here for a long time. Im going to South Africa for a few weeks in January. there is a team of us going to work with the Metro Ministries over there. My parents just adopted two kids from Naniamo named Quin and Miranda, So I am super excited and will be back on the island to visit now as often as i can. I have a little sister! So in short I am completely overwhelmed with how blessed I am. And to whom much is given, much is required so I am just so excited about what is going to happen with this life Im living. I love you all. God be with you. Peace.

It's About Time...

What an epic summer it's been. I had my summer pretty much planned. I had a job and was having a great time reuniting with family and friends...Within 25 hours everything drastically changed and I was off to Vancouver Island. I could have never dreamed what God had instore for summer 2009 at Camp Qwanoes.

The time I spent in Winkler was truly a blessing and in the Lord's grand plan. He taught me so much while I was there and graciously set up divine appointments I could have not planned better myself. Old friendships were grown and new ones were made. God challenged me on some things that needed a lot of work in my life and the lessons learned while in Winkler helped prepare me for what was next.

Going back to Camp is kind of like going home. As there are many big changes in my life and lessons learned while I have been there. Though Heaven is my true home, I do have a special place in my heart for Qwanoes.

I arrived just in time for Staff Training. During this time I was able to reunite with some dear friends, but more importantly prepare as much as possible for the summer adventures ahead. The summer was full of tough challenges, hard lessons, great victories, and joyful memories. There were definitely times when I just wanted to pack up, give up, and go back to Manitoba, but He helped me stick it out and constantly provided the strength and encouragement I needed to keep going. Three big things the Lord is teaching me are: Provision, Trust, and Freedom.

Throughout the summer I was going back and fourth with whether or not to return to Briercrest for my final year of college. Long story short, I'm back and God is providing the means for me to be here one piece at a time. And if everything works out, I can make it through this year without any extra debt! Praise the Lord! This semester I have a full course load and am working at the cafeteria and am doing an internship in my dorm and my old dorm as well. It may be a busy year, but I am looking forward to it. I am also able to take a seminary mod for college credit. This starts on Monday...which means I have today and tomorrow to finish my book and write a short paper as I finish off my 5th and 6th shifts this week at the Caf. I can do it with His help, but I would love prayers. The mod I'm taking is called "Life in the mess, forgiveness". The books I've had to read for it so far have been pretty epic, and I'm looking forward to looking further into what forgivceness is all about.

This summer I was met with the rude awakening that there are some things I despretly need to deal with. I met with my Uncle in Calgary on the way out to B-crest last week and that conversation may be the beginning of some really cool stuff. So please pray for me as I'm on this road to healing and learning to trust.

Many people have been asking me what I'm planning on doing after I grad in the Spring. I feel a bit like I'm back in grade 12. It's that same haunting question again "What are you going to do with your life?" I'm not quite sure...other than love and serve Jesus, I think those plans are big enough for now. There are no limits with Christ.

In His grip,
Keerst

Hello Everybody!!

Okay, so down to business...thought I would give you a bit of an update here...cannot believe what an amazing summer we had here at Qwanoes! I never expected to see the hand of God move the way that He did or so powerfully in the hearts of our staff. We saw so many foundations laid for incredible change! Praise the Lord! So many transformations that are foundational, not experiential...praise the Lord! Many staff have allowed the Lord to strip them of the grip the world has had on them and draw them to Himself and let Him rebuild them into the young men and women He is calling them to be. WOW!! So incredible! Time after time the Lord has answered our prayers for this summer...from the Spring when our team began to form, the Lord placed the desire on our hearts to see our summer shift from a focus on decision to a focus on discipleship. God spoke to our hearts and told us to back off trying to "do" this and get down on our knees...we watched Him powerfully sweep through this place and accomplish so much more "than we could ask or imagine." Praise the Lord!
As for me, the Lord has taught me so much about ministry; and though the past year was a difficult one at times, I would do it all again to see the fulfillment of what that time was for. Praise the Lord!
I thought I would let you know where the Lord has been leading me recently and ask you to pray with me into that...I got accepted into Moody Theological Seminary for a Master's in Spiritual Formation & Discipleship which begins in January! So incredible how the Lord has fashioned my heart for this and opened the doors to head this direction. I'm not sure how the next few years will play out as I would love to remain at Qwanoes while working on my MA. If you would pray with me into that I would appreciate it so much! I'm praying about a place to live right now...I have money for school but not housing and hoping that someone in Chicago would like to open their home! We'll see how it all plays out, but for now I'm excited to continue with Qwanoes through the Fall and then...CHICAGO!!!

I love Josh : )

Just thought that had to be said.

Oh and I've got a website slash blog.

Viktor's Pictures
it's found at www.ViktorsPictures.com
Viktor's Pictures' Blog
found at www.ViktorsPictures.blogspot.com

Oh and I'm officially working for the school now, I'm a casual staff member of Briercrest College and Seminary, their newest photographer : ) I'm pretty stoked.

Lots of love. Especially to you Josh. I secretly hope you got a really awkward kind of surgery and that's why you didn't expand on it : ) ; )

Invalid Update.

Hey so I haven't updated since february. So, rather that waiting till exams when I'm procrastinating I thought I would now! (wow.)

I'm now almost a week out of youth camp. Having been a head counselor all summer it was a great shift of gears and transition to get to counsel with the one and only Jesse J. What a blessing to have bros. this summer God taught me a lot and gave me time to deal with some really vague stuff that was holding me back. not done yet - but holding on the hope that we are "more than conquerors."

Theme of the year: Rediscovering Jesus.
I read all but 3 books of the NT this summer and I read John three ties and ya its crazy. My brain melted a little more each time. Now I'm taking a life and teachings of Jesus class.
I'm also taking Hermeneutics 2, Hebrew (eeeps!), Global Environmental Issues (you know that's my passion in life :P) and I'm auditing Catholic Spirituality. I'm stoked for pretty much all of it...and im in two choirs.

I've moved out (mostly) onto campus and it's pretty great. Because I didn't request a roommate I ended up getting the RA who gets a HUGE room. it's awesome. its bigger than the PWL rooms and only for two guys. we have a couch. ya. be praying for my friendship with my roommate Curtis and with the other dorm guys that I would get some meaningful friendships and maybe even some bros this year. especially since I found out that my two best friends in langley are moving to AB after christmas. the reason I said I'm mostly moved in is coz I haven't actually stayed over night on campus yet coz of the fact that I got surgery yesterday and am having my momy take care of me. R&R ftw! On another random but informative note: I'm dating a rad girl named Kristy (from K6). Jim approves apparently...:P

ya. anyway i dont know if there's anything else other than EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU should read ORTHODOXY by GK Chesteron. (In this case orthodoxy is not the Eastern Christian Tradition, but rather just what orthodoxy means: "right belief" and what GK -a buddy of CS Lewis- believes to be right belief and his journey as a man to come to this belief.)

also. let me know how I can be praying for YOU!