Peace This Christmas

 

Ah! Christmas is in the air everywhere!! Walking through the living area of our home…. I’m overwhelmed by all of the sweet smells and sounds in the air… I immediately feel the warmth from the woodstove as the crackling, burning logs eminate heat, then the smell of the Christmas tree in all of it’s piney-ness, the smell of fudge being made… I know that technically doesn’t have a smell per se, but to a well trained nose one can find it from a good distance away. :) Then… there’s a sweet sound in the midst of this… the sound of my brother playing his guitar and singing worship songs… just inviting God’s sweet Presence into our home… *sigh* it’s just so sweet. This peacefulness doesn’t come terribly often; while there is always a God-given peace in our midst, there’s not often this kind of relaxedness.

Oh how I wish you all could be up here for at least a short time so you could feel this! But… I pray for you all- whoever it is who reads my posts. I know that not all of you have the opportunity of being in a soft environment like this at Christmas, or maybe even not at all! Those of you who are doing the work of God in foreign places, or in busy cities… or those of you who are trapped in a home with all sorts of fighting or abuse… or pain of all kinds… my heart goes out to you. I pray for you… and know.. that God is just a moment away from you. He is there at this moment with you- and yet, if you do not realize it, you cannot feel His abiding Presence and source of strength! But… if you call out to Him right now, if you ask Him to come and be with you- He will. No matter what your circumstance is at this very moment, no matter how sad you feel, or depressed, or distressed, or overwhelmed, please, please know! He will bring to you comfort. He will take you into the shelter of the Most High. He will bring a calm and a peace that is unexplainable except that it’s simply Him.

I say this because… we have been through so much. In fact, there aren’t to many things you could say that we haven’t been through. God has brought us through severe trials all of my life and they haven’t gotten easier! Yet, somehow, He has given us more peace than I’ve ever felt before! I want to offer you hope because I just know that whatever you’re going through, He can overcome the difficulty and give you strength and peace in the midst of it. It’s not the fireplace, or the baking or any of these things that bring peace… We’re in a precarious position (in the world) at all times, and at any moment we can receive terrible news and something that could shatter our worlds. And this has happened many times. Yet God is in the midst of it all and has brought us to the most secure position we could possibly be in- that of holding onto nothing in the world for our peace and comfort, and holding onto Jesus’ hand with both of ours.

So, my dear friend, I want you to know, that even though you may be in a totally different environment from where I am… and what I described, you can experience the same peace. Trust me, for I have not always been in this place. I’ve felt the same thing in the middle of New York City and that proves that God can bring peace anywhere! :)  And those on their own trying to bring the gospel to all different places- be encouraged in the Lord! He will indeed bring you your reward in His due time and your sacrifices do not go unnoticed! He will bless everything you give up to Him.

God bless you! I love you and I know more than anything, that God loves you too; more than you could ever know.  May He wrap you in His arms this Christmas. :)

Merry Christmas!

Your sister in Christ, Miriam

AND we're off!!! Wahoo! =D

and I'd like to introduce you all to Sarah (left) and Tai (right) who are on board for a new adventure! sadly... Lisa (middle) is staying back this trip. :( She's going to be home at the Lodge to continue the ministry that is going on there- which, by the way, is REALLY exciting!! In this picture she came with us all the way to Kensington! =D

and for those of you who don't know these folks here... from left to right, Gabe! oh wait, you probably knew him already... then, Sir Reginald Artichoke Leo III, Sir Edgar, Marquis of Wolthemshire, and myself. :) Oh oh, you can call those other guys Jon and Chris.

Ahhh yes... one thing I love about being on the road is you finally get to be away from so much technology... glad to leave behind the other 3 computers! *Whew*

AH! Here it is- our new favorite place in Quebec Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! What a great name!! Man I hope we get to play there some day... =D

Woohoo! Foliage to play in!!

bunches and bunches of leafy-ness! :]

Hmmm.. something isn't quite right about that mound of leaves over there...

haha! There was a Chris underneath! =D

y'know those dream about falling and how you always wake up before you actually hit the ground...?

oh sure... just make it worse, huh? haha :)

us girls :)

shadow hellos!

haha- this is so fun...

okay, okay.. I won't post anymore =D

*by the way, that's Sarah and I*

a lovely, if quick stroll to the lakeside down the street from our friend Jackie's home.

I say quick because we had 8 minutes to walk down there, touch the water, throw a rock, take a couple pictures and load back in the van =D

Dear Jackie and her son James :)

umm.. US! =D

Aw- bye Jackie! We love you SO much!!
Thanks for opening your cozy home to us again! =)

at the Hounsomes'!!!

AND they have a riock-climbing wall!!

... 'course I probably shouldn't say anything 'cause then EVERYBODY will want to go =D

Zoe and her friend Anita who just flew in from Alberta :)

*compliments of Nina's photography :) *

and Nina! :) :)

*compliments of Bronwyn.. or Bon-Bon as I will now affectionately call her* =]

all of us together- what a super sweet time!!

We had such great fellowship even in a short time! Praying together and chatting... really wonderful =)

Awww- we love you guys!

We're praying for you and miss you already!

Hey Everyone!
Guess what!! No, you'll probably never guess, so I'll just go ahead and tell you... today, yes, this very day, I won't say the date... is the day for my bi-annual blog post!!! Woohoo! =D Haha haaaa..

Well, maybe not quite that long since my last post ( I hope..) but it certainly seeeems like it, doesn't it?

Well, my goodness, the only thing I can say to sum up this summer is... God is on the move!

Can I just give you all an update on the events of the summer?? I don't know how long this might take, but it's definitely worth a read. :)

This summer we started our Skys Summer Stay program for young adults. We wanted it to be an opportunity for teens- 20's to be in an environment apart from secular input like tv, video games, excessive internet use, worldly music, worldly friends and so on. A place where someone who really, really wants to grow in their relationship with Christ can get away from distractions. So God brought up several people who were very much affected by the Holy Spirit and jumped right in to ministry with us. They travelled with us on day trips for concerts and prayed and talked to people and got right into passing out tracts and stuff- it was awesome!

It was so wonderful to be able to work together, and pray together, serving God and
learning that He is the most important Person in our life and desiring to work for Him!
We had a real house-full this year because at any given point there were at least 20- something of us besides guests for the lodge! It was so, so wonderful being able to pray all the time with so many, and work with them and make meals together-- so, so special and I hope that many, many more of you can join us!! Another really exciting thing was that God arranged a baptism for 6 people at the end of July! What an awesome testimony... it was SO powerful. Despite the cold and the wind, the group wanted to go on, being baptized amidst the crashing waves of the North Shore.

Also officially started as of July, is night ministry in Charlottetown. Some of the team goes out from the hours of 10pm-3am *roughly* and goes to all those who are actually desperate for Jesus- for freedom from their desolate lives. These dear people are stuck in the endless cycle of drugs and alcohol, and every sort of perversion with no way out... it all leaves them so hopeless. The people we see and witness to during the day lead generally the same lifestyle, but aren't willing yet to admit emptyness. So the crew prays continually and goes wherever God leads them and so far every night 2 or 3 people have gotten saved and their lives are radically transformed! Praise You Lord! A few of these have started spending lots of time over at our house and coming to concerts and services and praying with us... it's So so so wonderful.... :) :) :)
Lord willing, we're planning to start up a Bible study at UPEI in less than a week and have the place to hold it in- also are hoping to find a place to start meeting in downtown C'town for all those who have gotten saved off of the streets and need a place to pray and grow in Jesus.
All praise and glory to our dear Lord Who has started His rescue mission to save those on PEI.. it's so exciting to see.

So I just wanted to encourage you all- This work is happening because of your faithfulness in prayer and just because you may not live up here, every one of your prayers is kept record of by God and He is answering. Please continue to pray for the work going on and feel free to give us a call if you want to talk to us or even if you need prayer for something-- we're always, always glad to hear from you!!
Praise God, Hallelujah!

God bless you all and be encouraged in the Lord! He's coming back soon! =)

Your sister in Christ, Miriam

Hello Everyone!
Spring is in the air up here on the Island! Haha I know that's a funny thing to think about for all you Southerners... I'm sure you're already half way through summer! However, for us here on the Island... the lilacs are just blooming... the forget-me-nots are turning all different shades of blue and purple and pink... the lupins are starting to come up (wayyy before their time, I might add) the apple blossoms are blossoming, the crab-apple is all shades of deep plum and purpley-mauvey tones and sweet breaths of floweriness...

AND we're doing our once-every-some-odd-century-bi-decade-PAINTING! WAHOO!! =D No, I'm just kidding ... we really do paint ...more...often than... that... =* ahee :)

Anywhooo, things have been positively thrilling up here on the hill! Since returning three(?) weeks ago from our Spring tour (which I really need to share pictures of with you), we have been flat out busy! =D We started painting the exterior of the concert hall the day after we arrived, and that's taken us a good long Hwile (yes, there's a "h" sound there :) and praise the Lord(!) we have a whole bunch-o empty paint cans to PROVE His faithfulness in providing for us every day!! =D

Then, last week we had the joy of having our dear friends the Jost Family from Alberta, and our dear Greeniers from Connecticut AND our dear Helen Bonnett stay with us for a few days, and that was such a joy. We had such sweet fellowship together... it's so wonderful what happens when God is the center! :)
The same day they all left (yes, everyone), we had a youth group come in from New Brunswick, (21 ppl) and stay the weekend, and that was absoutely blessed! What a sweet time! Ahh.. God is so good....
*I'll be posting those pictures later on*

Now our house seems so quiet and empty... SO, somebody (or many somebody's) are going to have to just come up and stay for a bit! :)

So, we're pressing on in the work of the Lord- I'd like to take a minute and just share something really cool that I read last night. When you read through I'll explain the significance of it in our lives.
"I relieved his shoulder of the burden, his hands were freed from the basket. You called in trouble and I rescued you, I answered you in the hiding place of thunder; I proved you at the waters of Meribah. Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you; O Israel if you would listen to Me!
Let there be no strange god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god.
I, the Lord, Am your God; Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it." ~ Psalm 81:6-10
So, God directed us to that verse three.. almost four years ago, when we were seeking Him for direction about leaving our secular work behind for being in His service. It declares our Heavenly Father's faithfulness, and great desire to provide for every need. It shows how important it is to not allow there to be any gods among us that are in His place. And it declares that He is our one and only God. Now I am reading this a few years later, after having left all of the world for the work of the Lord... and have seen for myself... that God is faithful. He has proven Himself over and over and over.. that He is indeed faithful to take care of His people. I am so blessed.
So, I just thought I'd share that with you all and let you know that that Psalm there.. it's true. And, God is glad to take care of all those who put their trust in Him! :)
God bless you all and have a wonderful, wonderful night!
Your sister in Christ, Miriam

paintin' crew! Wahoo! =)

*or at least, half of us*

things get a little bit trickier the less ladders one has...

man, this is fun!

art

hey this is great! We can tackle the gardens now 'cause we got our green thumbs!

Nnow, now.. let's be reasonable here... you got your stroke and I got mine

all's well that ends well anyways...

art

*sigh* I wish I could say this was taken by me.. but I believe Joel took it. What an eye! =)

*not to mention it was his own boot....*

Golly, what a lot of ladders!

er, I say there Joel.. just out of curiosity, how were you at coloring

within the lines as a kid..?

Dandy- lions!!

*you should have seen the fields upon fields of them! Brilliant, golden sunshine all

over the ground.*

*ACK* what a mess! D'you see all those flowers in there???

*whew* that's much better... now that we got that taken care of we have a lovely garden prepared so the weeds can grow more freely. =)

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

sunset

Amazing colors the sun brings out..

resplendent beauty

Ah, I just can't get over these colors!

Thank You Lord for designing such glories for us to behold!

*and thank's Josh for capturing a glimpse of these beholdings*

the Light of the world is fading now... but soon it will come again in glory. Jesus we long for Your return more than the rays of the morning sun...

Ahhh... a perfect setup to begin blogging :)

And my story commences...

What better scene to open a wintry semester post

than a snow angel in the midst of a sparkly, snow-covered field

with bright late-afternoon sunshine?

Don't you just love footprints across the snow?

Especially if you know they're made by the little paws of a fluffy fox. :}

an equally marvelous scene (the type which causes one to marvel)

is this striking pose... that of three fine fellows boldly facing what lies ahead

"Ah, a good shot fellows, nicely done-

how about a round of handshakes?"

ehhmm, we're bound to get it right one of these times..

the sunlight filtering through the bare trees