While the wife's away...

So Colleen is working this weekend so I figured I had better update our blog.  Just to warn you, I am not as eloquent of speech as Colleen nor can I keep an audience hanging at the edge of thier seat as she explaines something with so much depth it makes me feel like I'm right there part of her story.

This week I've felt quite inadequate.  In my new job where I'm working, I got to use a jackhammer for the first time in my life.  You may say "Blake, I thought you were a journeyman carpenter and you don't know how to use a jackhammer?"   Well, I do now.  My experience has been mostly working with wood, both rough carpentry and finish carpentry, I've done a litte drywall, I can do siding on a house like nobody's business, but concrete/masonry work is something that has eluded me.  But I got to tear out concrete and replace it with new stuff.

You may ask why I am telling you this.  Well, I was reading Dwight Lagore's blog this week (http://www.dwightlagore.blogspot.com/) and he was explaining work to be done on the Pastoral training centre in Mozambique.  As I saw the first picture it was a wood roof and I was all excited because this is something I know and something I will be useful to do.  Then the next 10 or so pictures were of brick, mortar and concrete.  All things that I practically know nothing about.  Sure I took the theory of how to build with brick when I went to Carpentry School.  But I also learned how to disect a person in biology and I don't think anyone wants to hire me as their surgeon to remove their tonsils anytime soon.

As I looked at my inadequesies, I started thinking about how I think I am a poor evangelist.  Of all the mission trips I have been on, and all the youth and children's clubs I've helped with, I have led a total of 1 person to Christ.  It happened 10 years ago in the little town of Caronport, before I had traveled the world to proclaim the Gospel, or worked at camp, it was a simple program at the Caronport Elementary School.

In my personal devotions, I am reading through Acts.  One person really stands out to me, Barnabas.  He is an encourager.  When Paul was converted and the church was afraid to take him in, Barnabas went to Antioch and enabled the church to accept Paul.

At camp in 2009, I was a senior councellor at Big River Bible Camp, and I didn't get to lead any of my kids to Christ, but I believe (and hope) that through a little of my encouragement and example, my junior councellor led 3 kids into the Kingdom.

I may not be called to be the one to harvest the fields, but I know God has a place for me in His work.  I may not know how to build with bricks, but I believe I can be an encouragement and someone eager to learn about those things.  I may not lead another person to Christ, but my prayer is that those who see me and know me will see Christ in me and desire to have that relationship with Him as well.
On an encouraging note for us, our tickets are bought.  We are officially going to Mozambique!  We leave Calgary on January 17 and return home July 19.  Many thanks to the churches of Bow Island E. Free and Vegreville Alliance who let us share with them the vision we have to share Christ's love to Mozambique.

I'd like to end my post with an apology to my wife, I'm sorry honey if this is not what you had in mind for a blog.  Also an apology to you, the reader, for having to endure my lack of tact.  But I hope you were encouraged by my stories of  how God sometimes uses people to encourage others and that encouragement is an important gift to the Body.
Until Next Week, (I pray God sustains you till then)

Blake