Doer Downey...

Well it has been far too long since some of us have gotten to grab a coffee and have a good long chat about life... so why not grab a cup of coffee, put a splash of eggnog in it (chai will be allowed for you non-coffee drinkers) and continue reading=)
Where to begin... oh gosh, I guess I'm going all the way back to October and when I was in Israel. Wow it was incredible. Two weeks jammed full of everything imaginable. Started out around the Dead Sea, saw Masada, Qumran, En Gedi. Then headed up to the Sea of Galilee and saw everything around there, and then made our way into Jerusalem. It was crazy... we saw multiple 'sites' a day, learned all about the historical, archaeological facts of that place, and then my Pastor who leads the trips would do "life lessons" from that place and the people there. Some of the meatiest sermons I've heard, and we had multiple lessons per site we were at! We also did a fair bit of hiking around to the places, which added to the experience. I am sure that I learned far more in those two weeks than in four years of Bible college (Oh shoot was that out loud?). If you EVER get the chance to go to Israel, you need to go.

Needless to say, school has been pretty frustrating this Fall. To come back to sitting in a classroom after the kind of learning I experienced in Israel... not fun. Also with the busyness of stuff at church, I had some serious third year blues...but they've opened up some new programs, and so I am now going graduate with a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Biblical Studies and a Minor in Youth Work, which I am pretty stoked on!

As for the church side of things. I think I've talked before about how I became the Director of Middle School Youth this past April when the pastor I was assistant to ran in the provincial elections. It has been such an experience. Working with 70 middle school youth, and 25 leaders definitely has its challenges but also its many rewards. My leaders are so amazing, I have loved working with them, as well as the youth. I have been stretched and challenged in ways I could never imagine. Twenty years old and leading a youth ministry... God seems pretty crazy sometimes. When I started to be referred to as Pastor Chris it really hit me... but God began teaching me some lessons about two months ago. Overall it was the fact that I was too busy. I needed to realize that I (yes I, Chris Friggin Downey) have God-given limitations and that I cannot do everything. I had gotten so busy that it was actually starting to affect who I was. I did not have time for family, friends, exercising, even hardly any time for God. Not the best way of living. Stepping into THE lead role for middle school really weighed heavily on me. With the buck stopping at me, I could never focus on one thing or the other, either church stuff or schoolwork. We all have the choice to choose what is better, and that is to sit at the feet of Jesus. While things still need to get done and organized there is still the better option, which Mary chose as opposed to Martha. After much prayer and discussions with important people in my life I chatted with the lead pastors at church about this. So long story short, they have hired a new Middle School Youth Pastor (he was actually my roommate in Israel, yet again God working in mysterious ways!) and I will be stepping back into the Assistant position. I am honestly so stoked on this guys. God is so good and He has shown this once again by revealing to me that I was running towards the invisible brick wall of burnout. My prayer is that I would truly learn this lesson so that in the years of ministry to come, I would better be able to recognize the signs that I am getting close to the wall. Also that I would discern how to be Doer Doweny beacuse that is who I am, while still choosing what is best. Please join me in praying for this, as well as that all of our love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that we maybe able to discern what is best...(Philippians 1:9-11).

And finally... is your coffee cold? Need a break to top it up? Remember that trip to Mexico I did this past June with my church? Well upon coming back from that and having chats with Jim and Kristie all about what I did there, they wanted to see if we could make a Kaleo trip happen. Well it's happening and they've asked me to co-lead the trip! So freaking stoked on this one. Not only do I get to return to Mexico and serve alongside this ministry once again and continue to grow the relationships that were started when I was last there, but I get to lead a group of Kaleo students! We all know the huge part these missions trips can play in the kaleo experience!!! This is also a huge opportunity for me because I want to be leading short-term missions trips for students for the years to come in whatever ministry God places me.

God is so good. Even in this time of scary uncertainty for me as I somewhat shut the door on this amazing position and opportunity that was right in my lap with church, He opens other doors of opportunity like Mexico. If you would like more info on how you can support me, both financially and to get on the prayer list for Mexico let me know!

Love you guys. Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas Kaleo!

I hope you are all well fed, surrounded by family and are loving Jesus more today than yesterday! Christmas day has just ended for me, I have tucked 23 beautiful little children into bed and and now reflecting on the day! Ahhh I wish I could hop a plane like Michelle and catch up with every one of you personally! I've told my kids about you all, they know all about Kaleo (cough cough.....and maybe some seed's are planted......just saying!) and they have even heard some stories about you guys in our devotional times! I am beyond in love with these kids, and the hope that's in them!

After I finish on tour with them I'm going to be...drumm roll please......making Little Dot's Booties again...but this time in Africa! The crazziest thing is that in Africa there are parents, wonderful mom's who have the desire, ability and heart to raise their children. The only thing they don't have is food! In North America, most of our mom's who can't raise their kids it's because they lack the parenting ability, struggle with addictions or what have you. But these mom's have the ability, the passion and the desire to raise their kids, just no food. So I'm hopping to create an African business, making the BOOTIES in Africa. Employing and educating local mom's to make them, equipping them to handle all the business and production and eventually take over the business!

In my heart I feel one of the solution to Africa's large number of orphans is already in the hearts of these African mothers! it's the most efficient way to care for these kids, equipping African mothers to do it! So that's my dream for the new year! Ahhhh I'm so excited for this!

I'll leave you with some Christmas pictures! I still haven't figured out ho to make a slide show.....but not many people are writing on this blog, so I think it's ok to take up some space!

.... TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!.. is a day.... THAT IS CHRISTMAS!!! .. i can not believe i'm the first to post.. COME ON PEOPLE

so i was getting tired of waiting for people to post so i could read them as i sit at home. at the moment my mom is chatting to my Nana, Dayle and Andrew are playing N64 (YAHHH you read right N64).. my dad is stringing a guitar and i sit longing to hear from all of you on this day. Because today is a time for family and in my heart you are all still my family! and will always be... If we are 70 and you call me up(and i still remember who i am lol) I pray it will be like we were never apart.

I went to Calgary the other week and got to stay with Katie and jay in the dorms and got to see Al and Dan also. Its was wonderful. My cousin got married that is why i was in the land of the flat... But really it just gave me a sweet excuse to buy a plane ticket to see every one there.

These last few weeks have probably been the hardest of my walk with Christ. Its kinda scary. I felt my heart reverting back to the person i was just a few years ago. My self worth went down, my heart became lonely... longing for love. Not spending time in the word and with my Jesus the way i should did not help this situation. My guide was down and Satan stepped in. Instead of turing to my savour for the true honest love.. i sot out a boy.. one who made me feel beautiful and wanted... but does not love Jesus. I think i started making up excuses for my self to just hang out with him. Knowing the my heart had begun to hold on to him. My heart crossed some lines that i was not read to cross and told me self that i wouldn't for a long time. I laied(not a word Catherine i know lol) on my kitchen floor one night and thought about how i have been, and how my actions have been speaking WAY louder then my words. I prayed and prayed.. feeling nothing but just KNOWING i was in the wrong.. but my heart had not made that same connection. and then I got a text from Jesus.. It was beautiful!!... he chose to speak through a boy who desires not to be with him ... Its crazy how he does that!... Knowing this was a sing from God i told my self to be more careful.. well that never works!.. the strength i have been relying on has been my own... How silly of me! trying to carry the weight of the wold on my back when Christ is bagging me to pass the ball to him. Every time i try to speak out my heart I'm at also for the right words. SO I'm unsure of what picture all of this is painting for you.

My sister Dayle and i have been talking about Christmas and what it bring.... Hope... When Christ was born he brought hope for things yet to come... Now we LIVE IN THIS HOPE!... we are the thing that were to come so long ago.. We live in the Freedom and Love that Christ died to Give!.. Praise Jesus for the hope that people back then ... and praise him for the hope we have today!.. the hope that he saves, The hope that he loves, The hope that he will be back soon.
I do wish to hear you thoughts on what this beautiful day and brought you.
Jim, you shared and passage with Shannon psalms 32. Thank for that! it brought my heart much rest. Its crazy how the Lord told you to memories that knowing that it would not just speak to you!.. GOD IS SOO COOL!
So my christmas morning was grand! my rents gave me a wounderful new camera bag!.. I had my first paying photoshoot yesterday Prase the Lord! lol
I love you all deeply!!!
Peace out Home slices!!!
michelle

Merry Christmas!

Hey Everyone!

I’m just letting you know that I’m heading West and I’d love to see you if it works out! I’m leaving Jan 12 from Winkler, MB, and need to be back at Briercrest by Jan 23. I have very loose plans right now, gotta hit up a few places, but am willing to go almost anywhere.

Hope to see you,

Steve

http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf2111

yooo maybe you've seen this. this sweet opportunity for that hip hop crew me and kev were on last year to make some money to fund their ministry which can always use support.
wooooooooooooooooord.

quick side note...
He is Faithful.
at church this past Sunday...this really sweet church in downtown toronto. made up of just hipsters in toronto. its sweet. pastors are solid, really genuine brothers. annnyways..their old pastor spoke...he talked about isaiah 40. talked about how its frustrating how we just pull those verses out and put them on christmas cards cause we lose so much of what the israelites are going through. he talked about how crazy it was for God to say...comfort, comfort my people....in the circumstances they were in.
and then he really focused on the verse that talks about the shepherd drawing His sheep close to his heart. man it was so phenomenal, He talked about the problem with our gospel message of being a "sinner saved by grace" and while there is complete truth in that, dang, what a shame to stop there and not receive fully what God has done. We ARE NEW creations. He actually, like realllly, more then we know which is a problem because sometimes we stop pursuing it..but he reallly really, likes us. To say He loves us is difficult jsut cause we've heard it forever. But man he really likes us.
It's crazy how understanding who He is as our Father and because of what Christ did, how that affects how He sees us changes life. annyways this is about refined undignified and voting for them sooo hoppe life is good.

psalm 103