Newbee-er

Hey everyone! I'm Joel. So far it looks like I'm the newest one now. I am SO PUMPED! I never thought that God would lead me down this path. I knew I wanted to do a one-year program right after high school, but up until a month or two ago I would never have guessed it would be Kaleo. I just got back from a spring break in Fernie and came home to a bunch of emails, letters and messages telling me I was actually going! I haven't stopped trembling with excitement yet. It's just so EXCITING knowing that you are doing what God wants you to. There is such a peace and joy knowing you are acting within God's will! A little 'bout me: I love to bike. BC is like the mecca of biking so I'm excited about that. I also love to drum. My family doesn't love it though. Especially at night. Right now I work at Canadian Tire putting bikes together. It is the best job that I could ever have hoped for. I get to work beside my best friend, listen to music, test out bikes... It's amazing! A little 'bout where I'm coming from: I became a Christian at some early age like 3 or 4. At that point it didn't really mean that much to me. It wasn't who I was or what I was living for. I followed the "rules" of Christianity because they were rules, not out of love for my Saviour. Summer 2005. I came into CIT camp at Red Rock Bible Camp not knowing where I was. I went because camp always gave me that spiritual high that felt really good. I left with a desire to know God more. It shook me up just enough to get me started on my journey from a bored, mediocre Christian, to one that strives for more. January 2006. The theme for our youth retreat was "shaken up" or something catchy like that. It challenged me to let God into all the areas of my life. At that point in my life God was in the "God" slice of my pie. He wasn't in any of the others. I needed to let God rule my life and let Him run free to do what he wants in every area of my life. It is so incredible the change that can occur when you let God do what he wants. When I look back to early on in my Christian walk, its like I wasn't even a Christian. The difference was like night and day. Life and death. Life in the fullness of all that God has planned for you. Death when you shove God to the backburner of your life. I have grown more in the past year and a half than I have in the rest of my life. The difference is amazing. This is a verse that God showed me from Isaiah 42:14

"I've been quiet long enough.
I've held back, biting my tongue.
But now I'm letting loose, letting go"

Excuse the paraphrase. Thats God showing me that I've hidden my faith long enough. I've kept still and not acted for long enough. It's time that I let loose. Let go of my life and let it fall into the hands of the one who created me. In the words of Joel Houston: "I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned." God has promised me already that this next year will be amazing. I'll stand with my will cast aside and the will of God in sight. I'm so excited to meet you guys and even more excited to meet God on HIS terms, not mine.