Some Thoughts

This time of year always makes me so sentimental and introspective. It seems to be when I analyze and really take to heart and start processing everything that has happened in the last year. Part of that is probably because of the New Year ahead, and because of Christmas. Christmas seems to bring out the sentimental side in most people. Also since highschool I have been doing this thing where every Christmas holiday I sit down and write out the main things I have learned over the last year and the goals or things I hope to learn or grow in for the next year. It has always helped me to really see how much I have grown (or stopped growing) and to see and understand more about who I am, who God is and where it is that my next step of life should or could take me.

I wanted to share some of the things I have been learning through my time with Anchored Warriors! We have been doing so much in the last month that it will be hard to go into detail about everything (at least it would be hard to keep the attention of people for that long I think haha).

So, since Septemeber, it has been a whirlwind! We have travelled around to so many different communities and had the opportunity to meet with so many different amazing people! We have had the chance to share our vision and heart about Anchored Warriors and where it is that we feel God is calling us through it all. It has been such an encouragement in each situation where we have been, with each person we have talked to because every person I have met has been genuinely excited and interested in what we are doing! I have found support from people that I didn't expect to find support in and encouragement from complete strangers. During our time at Miller College of the Bible we had two seperate groups of complete strangers come up to me and Kim and ask if they could pray for us. That was such a special experience for me. It was so encouraging because here were people, my own age, who were complete strangers, and yet they wanted to take time from their day to talk to God about us and our ministry. I have really been encouraged by the goodness and generousity of all the people we have come into contact with.

Another thing that has been an amazing experience for me has been getting to know and build relationships with Aboriginal youth. I have some amazing youth in my life that I love with all of my heart! It has been so cool to see relationships building over the last few months. Some have been very slow, and others have been quick, but they have all been very meaningful to me! I am so excited to be able to be a part of these youth's lives and all the ups and downs they face in their lives. I used to be more worried about how a youth would view me, what they would think of me and if I was being cool enough or relevant enough, and I have just realized that it isn't about how cool I am, it's about how I show my love for them and how I express the Love of God for them through our relationship! I am myself with them and I don't have a certain agenda of what I want to teach them about God or what I want to teach them about themselves or anything like that, my agenda is to love them, be there for them and talk to them about the questions and things they have going on in their lives. I want them to see and experience hope and love and empowerment through the love of God. And by loving them genuinely and honestly with no strings or anything attached, I have been able to learn more about God and about myself!

It has been an amazing journey so far being a part of Anchored Warriors. It has made me feel so full that I don't know what to do with myself or who to talk to about it! It has also made me feel frustrated and sad and angry at how horrible the state of the world is in, because of us and our own human race! I have felt pain and joy for the people I love and have been building relationships with, and more than anything else it has caused me to pray. It has caused me to realize that no matter how perfect of a program, or how much I try to figure it out, it isn't going to work without God behind it all. It isn't going to work without love, and unity between all of us as humans.

No matter where we all come from, or what our story begins with, it should always end with love, and be filled with as much love as it can. We need each other, no matter where we come from, what we do or don't know about each other, or our backgrounds, cultures, pains, joys; it doesn't matter, we need each other. This world has alot of hurt and pain in it, but we each have a role to play in changing that. We each have the chance to change those things because we are each capable of loving other people, and that's where this all begins and ends. It isn't about what we should or shouldn't do, it's about loving God and loving others. It's about God and us and our story together. I am so glad that Kim, Tristan, Lesley and myself have had the amazing privilage of having so many people in this journey together with us! You are such an important an valuble part of what we are doing, even if you don't realize it. So thank you all so much for being a part of the journey this far and I am so excited to see where the next year takes us and Anchored Warriors!

Indian Life Article by Kim Kakakaway!



This is the article Kim wrote for Indian Life Newspaper! Check out their ministry
http://www.indianlife.org/