Terminus

Thank you So much for praying, don't feel you need to stop.

(James, Lech, Mark, Kristie, Kaitlyn)

Done

Life at home...with Mark Guenther

Twas my birthday today and I thought it appropriate to give this time to you in sharing my thoughts and experiences thus far. This has just been copied from the kaleoseven blog page.

My flight upon return consisted of sleep and tears, sad for such experiences that I would never have with you again. Kaleo is a once in a life time opportunity, yes, but it is also an experience that will only happen once in our live in such a way that it did for us. Never again will life be the same as it was during Kaleo. The years beyond can become terribly worse if we are lazy, selfish, slobs as is the world or can become unimaginably far better than anything experienced in Kaleo through every single aspect if we work hard and serve in the way that God has called us to where we now live. Not to say that it will not have its share of strains and difficulties but it will not be comparable to the tragedy that comes with not being like-minded with Christ.

My time home has not been that different to the time I spent home during the Christmas Break. I have no work schedule to keep me busy nor enough time home to settle down and organize my stuff. My room has never looked more worse than it does right now, half of it would usually be kept in storage but knowing I will need to pull everything out in a week leaves me with the thought that I will keep it in a place where I know someone will not move it and loose it. Last year I was working during this time so it didn't feel weird when people were still in school but now that I've come home from school and have nothing to do, it has been difficult to spend time with friends who are either working or in school. Being out of the loop with my friends has left me where I usually miss the get-togethers and having to leave so soon for tree planting has not given motivation for either them or I to get back into the loop of contacting and informing on such happenings in Steinbach. One of my best friends and another friend are still in New Zealand for education and so that leaves me with less than a handful of close friends to talk with.

Most of my mornings post waking up are spent training for tree planting. It usually includes a run and some specific exercises. I have spent some time with my youth pastor who has planted before and he has introduced me to the some of the best and most efficient techniques of planting. This has been a great help in how to prepare both physically and mentally for the adventure ahead of me. The more I focus on the physical aspect of training, the more I understand the challenges and struggles I can and probably will be facing, mentally as well. I am leaving on the 11th of May with training on the 12th and a probable start date being the 13th. For the next 3ish months I will be put through the most difficult scenario I have ever faced. I view this worse than being enrolled into the military (I would far rather go through such boot camp, that would be fun compared to this). I have no idea weather my body will hold up, or my mind. I doubt I will die, Ha, and some days I am really really excited for this but the only logical way that I will make it to the end of this summer is to trust in the Lord and receive the strength that comes from Him. My hope is that when I see many of you this fall, that I will be able to say just that. Much of my excitement for wanting to go comes from my desire to see how God's will unfolds in me through this, what He teaches me and how this forces me to grow in Him.

Large amounts of the rest of my time at home have consisted of golfing (broke 100 every game thus far), reading books (Scripture Alone by R.C. Sproul, Forgotten God by Francis Chan, Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton), reading my way through Isaiah, and praying for you guys. I am overjoyed to say that I have continued quite regularly to read God's word and pray. Looking back at the 2 weeks I have already spent at home, it would definitely not have been as good without it. Staying in the word has made this time bearable, I would have been too much of myself in the bad sense to have enjoyed this time home to rest and have good conversations with both you guys and people here. Looking ahead in the week and seeing nothing planned makes me excited to have time to just sit and read and pray. But that is rarely how it ends up, isn't it. The next day comes and as soon as I wake up, because my dad knows I'm not working he fills my days with work to do around the house. So no, I don't have a steady job right now like some of you where time to read scripture is cut down some, but yes, the devil still tries to draw me completely away from devoted time with God with distractions. Not to say jobs or my dad is a tool of Satan but if we never set time aside to devote that which is God's back to Him, then something has a grasp on us and we need to break free with God's gratuitous grace. May we never forget our first love.

"Who amoung you fears the Lord

and obeys the voice of his servant?

Let him who walks in darkness

and has no light

trust in the name of the Lord

and rely on his God." Isaiah 50:10

Soli Deo Gloria

Last one?

Well, because there is no due date for any more blogs, my last one should be coming tomorrow. I'll need more time to conclude this blogging experience well.

WHITEWATER...floating

We were given the hopes of whitewater kayaking this week. It turned out to be a float parade down the local water street. I have had some experience with class 4 rapids but even those who had a fear of going before hand came back some disappointment of how wild those rapids actually were. I realize there is nothing that can be done with how the river chances from time to time but personally, I would have far rather stayed back and worked on our last paper and project before the years end; mostly because of a painful strain in my neck due to carrying the kayaks down to the stream. (I've recovered since then)

I have been working on my homework every waking moment otherwise. Not so fun, a 2200 word essay for Christian Worldview and a creative project for Field Education. They're both coming along and I should be done them by Sunday night so I can have the entire last week free for mischievous behavioural ideas (I doubt it, it's me, Mark Guenther).

I am still stoked to leave this Kaleo program but looking ahead to what can feel like an unknown levels out my feelings. Super excited for peoples family to start dripping into the camp atmosphere and begin to meet faces with names. There is a retreat this coming week before graduation, I'll let you know how this week goes next blog post (the last blog post). Until then, keep fit and have fun with Hal Johnson and Joanne McCleod. Pray that we may finish the last week well and focus on Jesus through everything we do.

Soli Deo Gloria

Mark

P.S. Check facebook for surfing pictures, I've given up remembering

The truth I was taught in elementary, junior high, and high school were lies.

This week we studied Christian World by Cal Macfarlane. It was different then what I was expecting; both good and bad. Because it turned out to be more of a philosophical class then what I initially thought, a lot of what what was taught flew right over my head. It took much time to understand the idea of the main theme I would classify the course as difficult because of this lag to me. Nevertheless, I understood a great deal about where the world has derived its mindset and way of thinking and how Christians need to break free from that fast-paced current of destruction.

One of the topics that we discussed was 'What is truth?' and how the modern way of thinking has taught me all growing up that facts are truth. False. Not all facts are truth but truth can be facts. Truth is Jesus. There is no other way to put it. What we learn, the things we know, they are not truth, they are simply facts; and those facts that do not point to Christ are not true.

We had the last bridge last sunday so this past sunday I went back to Duncan in the evening with the homeless ministry crew. I have been thinking lately and I am not sure why God wanted me to go that night, maybe just to be reminded of what I did all first semester. We may see.

I ask that you would pray that I continue to seek guidance, advice, sustenance from the Lord as Kaleo winds up. I don't want to leave the friends here not knowing when I will see some of them next but I am ready to leave this place. In the words of Bilbo Bagends, "I think I am quite ready for another adventure."

Soli Deo Gloria

Mark

P.S. I'm still working on those surfing pictures, hold on.

Meh

So this last week incorporated the adventure of surfing once again. It was a wonderful time though I was not able to enjoy the second day of surfing due to a pain in my shoulder. Nevertheless, the time spent on the furthest west of coast was great.

As far as what has been happening in my life lately, it has all been quite bland. The food, the weather, my thoughts, and ambitions. There is little motivation to finish off the year within the three week time period. Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to learning what Cal Macfarlane has to teach us this week and for the times of fellowship with friends before we disperse. The educational focused year is winding up and I'm ready for Kaleo to be done. I want to continue with my life, I want to get out of this bubble of a greenhouse and move on. I love it out here, I don't miss Manitoba, though I do want to reunite with friends and prepare for tree planting.

This last Sunday, the youth lead the morning service which went really well. It was also the last Bridge of the year. The time that was spent helping with the Bridge and fellowshiping with the community of Cobble Hill Church was quite a growing experience as far as being so connected with everyone. Being apart of that community taught me what a tight interconnected body of believers means and looks like in a 21 century church setting.

I could use prayer for the energy to serving these last weeks. The focus to be studying both school work and the Book intertwined. For excitement with people, for people and to continue to engage in people's lives before the Kaleo exodus.

Soli Deo Gloria

Mark

(surfing pictures coming soon)

The orb of confusion (the continuation within the 'off' position)

Sure, this last week has had its fills of adventure and fun like snowboarding, rock climbing, bouldering, steak, races, gospel's exam and paper, camp ministry paper, cutting my hair, etc. but the lesson of the week comes from last night.

Missing The Bridge last week put me in a position where I had no idea what was going on this Sunday. The entire week I was fretting over whether I was supposed to do something for the Bridge or if someone else had taken care of it. It came to Sunday morning and I was hoping that Lech would come talk to me about that night but he never did. I confronted him after the

service and by the end of the short and rushed talk that Lech he gave at me (yes, 'at', that's how any conversation happens with him), all I found out was that we were practicing for the Brid

ge at 4:30 that night. When the afternoon passed and the time to practice came, nothing more was settled and I sat before the preparing worship team and began to read The Cost of Discipleship for the second time in about 2 years. Thirty minutes before the Bridge started and I am still sitting on the same chair, reading Bonhoeffer, feeling lazy, not wanting to help with anything, and not looking forward to serving that evening. At this point, I came across Bonhoeffer writing how the grace that Jesus gives us costs us everything and how living a life by grace that is cheap leads to damnation. He talks about how it is tough to serve, to live the life that God calls us to, and easy to dilute His commands, to let life drift by. Quite shortly after that, a rough schedule is put into my hand with the request to chose prayer, scripture, and people to lead us into these things. Though it did not come easy to do this task, I was quite glad to have just been hit with such wise direction that it made the evening bearable and beneficial. I have been trying to keep those words in my head ever since my "epiphany" and am hoping that reasoning for such living will n0t leave me.

Please pray for a strong life serving attitude to continue within me. Pray that I may be able to show and explain such a lifestyle to believers and unbelievers alike. Pray also for safety as we head out surfing this week once again. Whoooo!

Soli Deo Gloria

Mark

P.S. I have hated my long hair ever since I started growing it over a year ago. I very much

disliked the last surfing trip so I cut it off myself before this one. Here's my artistic abilities:

Before-

After-