Tragedy Sucks....

Back from the West Coast - holy times...

...of "soul-talk" with Jesus' body (new friends) at a vocational retreat in Abbotsford;

...with my daughter at the Balmoral Hotel/War College, Vancouver's east side, in the cold, windy rain, and meth addicts and bodies posing as lives;

...lunch on a patio in the glorious sunshine with my brother who shared of a couple I know who have chosen to live a part;

...with a new youth pastor whose mission statement is "to keep following in love with Jesus, and lead others to fall in love with Jesus"

I'm back at the office (ouch) in Toronto...

...phone message from the pastor in Montreal - a young man with a free spirit, painful past behind him, whimsical smile whom our family came to love - killed in a traffic accident - family wanted us to know.

....phone call - the father of a good friend (an emerging Christian leader) had an aneurysm, is on life support...

Tragedy sucks - God shouts - I don't like the sound. Even after all these years of philosophizing and trusting, I still ask the why questions, but... I more readily move into the "to whom do I turn?" and "what do I do now?" questions.

Life is complex, life is simple.

Seize it - in the pain of it, the excitement, and the boredom; Seize God - in his mystery, his silence, his grace, his wildness.....

He desires you....he's calling us home....

David Ivany
Territorial Youth Secretary

"Leading people to follow Jesus..."
2005 YEAR OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH

It's all about hair, I mean heart....

Hey my Buddie Kirk and I are sharing a moment of whimsy. We don't share the same hair-dresser, but we share a love of Jesus.

We both are into loving God with heart, mind and soul. We both know that God delights in our soul, that we need to follow our heart without hesitation, and to guard our heart, for it is the well-spring of life.

Young men visions; old men dreams - all for Jesus!

Wise Encouragement from the leader....

A letter from the head of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda written to those who experienced the recent Territorial Camp, of which I had earlier blogged. Thank you Lord for leaders who are in step with the Spirit.

Dear Delegate:

Your courage in walking the pathways of mission has deeply touched my own spirit. I am still the brown haired spikeless hair style, but within I want to dare with you in discovering creative Christ expressions.

Discouragement can often set in following up beat and motivational teaching. Therefore, my prayer is for God's spirit to saturate your lives as you clearly seek out spiritual relevance in your home settings. His communication intentions are best achieved through hearts of boundless capacity - Christ in you can push the boundaries with new hope.

Inhale the Spirit of God, and watch for inner expression of holy thought and purity of purpose.

God is with you.

Blessings,

Christine MacMillan

M. Christine MacMillan
Commissioner
Territorial Commander

Iginters of the World Ignite - be Ignited....

Just spent a great weekend with 9 amazing youth who are keen to "fan into flame" the gift that God has birthed in them. I love them all already.

We've talked about knowing, liking and being who we are - our personalities, our passions, our expereience, abilities, and later we'll get into spiritual gifts.

We had a lot of fun, shared stuff from the heart - real, relevant, relational. Holy moments!

We're going to "bring it on" this year with Ignite. I also pray for the War College crowd, The New East Toronto Glory Shoppe, Boundlessmagazine.com, continuing wind and fire following "Territorial". It's not too late, but I sense urgency, if we are not to lose a lot of youth to other emerging expressions of faith.

Think critically, serve passionately - "follow your heart without hesitation", get around good people - don't die spiritually. It might mean getting something going where you are, it might mean doing something with others who are in the same boat, it might mean toally moving on.

Friends - life is too short - fan into flame the gift God has given you!

We have a problem

We have a problem……

Last year youth from across the territory gathered at Jackson’s Point for Territorial School for Music and Gospel Arts – God showed up.

There was a lot of enthusiasm, energy, freedom in worship, confession, prayer, lives changed – the pessimist said “another youth event high…”

We have a problem….

Youth continued to network during the year through emails. Others who met throughout the year remembered and rekindled memories – accountability.

Many youth took on sponsor children.
Many youth prayed through the bible for 30 days.
Some youth raised money to build a home in another country
Some youth went on mission trips where they saw God.
A couple went to Vancouver’s east side to live and work in the slums.

We have a problem….

Recently many of these same kids returned to camp. They had grown spiritually, had consolidated some learnings, (were not perfect or had arrived) and were keen to go deeper.

God showed up again. People went deeper, thirsting for more of God.

They “danced” before God – sometimes fast and furious, sometime slowly, but with gaze fixed on Him – (a healthier alternative than “dancing with the devil”).

Skeptics intoned “emotionalism”, manipulation, idealistic hormone driven youth.

The Gamaliels in the crowd reasoned – if this is not of God, it will fail, be long forgotten.

We have a problem….

Our youth need our prayers, our conversations, our call for accountability, our wisdom, our encouragement.

We have a problem….

Some of these youth are not willing to settle for a church/Corps experience with the church as its end. They are seeking to do mission, be salt and light, be agents light in the community in the world. . They need channel their passion and have their passion informed, not doused.


We have a problem…..
You are the solution to that problem – I rejoice in this problem, oh that other parents, youth leaders, politicians, social planners would have this problem, instead of the multitudinous problems which blight our youth scene and world today. I don’t need to elaborate.

We are the people we’ve been waiting for. The next generation deserves better.

Have a conversation with someone who was at this camp.

Choose to commit to a young person, to listen and understand (you were young once) to enter into relationship, to hold someone accountable.

Some say this is revolutionary – I say it’s doing what Jesus say.

Bless you – I’m happy to receive feed-back.

“We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done…Ps. 78:4

“This is kairos time, a time to influence and inspire our land for a generation to come…May the Holy Spirit show us what may change, what must change, and what must not change.”


David Ivany
Territorial Youth Secretary

"Leading people to follow Jesus..."
2005 YEAR OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Stinkin' Thinkin' gets hit by rest in the shadow of the ALMIGHTY

Man I've been sick, I'm sick of being sick, I feel compelled to share the gory details - but "too much information".

We can land on the moon - can't find a cure for the common cold - how weak and vulnerable I am, then HOW MUCH MORE everyone else - a fast from health, and sleep reveal our frailty - JESUS can come in - he has come in.

I hum his name between consciousness and sleep.

"He who dwells in the presence of the most high, will rest in the shadow of the almighty. I will sing of the Lord, he is my fortress and refuge, my God in whom I trust." (Psalm 91:1,2)

I'm applying this verse, I am letting the Word dwell in me richly, deeply. Meditate on some key words - I want to, need to go deeper with my God - falling more deeper in love with him.

Looking to Jesus - takes effort - stinkin' thinkin' vanishes with discipline as I keep looking to Jesus.

If it works in your heart....???? Marinating in your love....

I spoke the other evening of the ways we can worship and be drawn to God in worship - it transcends musical genre, style, instrumentation. So let's get a life...

God might even speak through a parody of worship lyrics - maybe to the food junkies, gastronomical wizards out there. I don't know - here we go!

I want to deep fry in your presence,
I long to marinate in your love.
I crave to be pickled in your splendour,
I want to boil in your grace from above.

You're the beef of my roast,
The jam on my toast,
You're delicious, nutricious,
You're the tastiest treat I've ever known.

My youngest son can cook up a storm, is one of my favourite worship leaders/composers and whimsically composed these words - I'm speechless, thank God for his Mother's genes!!

So we can take ourselves and our worship too seriously, and not seriously enough.

God your helping us get to the heart of worship....you really are!