One year ago to the day (Saturday, Labour day weekend) I moved to the North End of Winnipeg in response to God's guidance. I love it here. As I reflect, I realize that God has been doing much in my life and in my heart in the past year. Here is a short list:
- God has “given” Isaiah Chapter 58 to me. I mean that he has highlighted it to me constantly over the past year and it is a burden on my heart to live it out. It must become a reality in my life, not simply a neat idea. Broadly, Isaiah 58 is about justice, mercy and caring for your neighbour.
- God has put homeless people on my heart. I am slowly learning what it means to love them.
- God has been developing my character over the past 12 months, especially regarding the words and manner of my speech.
- God has been teaching me about leadership, finances, and faithfulness.
- In the past year I have had more interaction with unbelievers on a daily basis than in the rest of my life combined. As a result I have faced greater oppression/persecution for my faith than in the past. This is blessed.
- I am learning to praise God in and through all circumstances!
- I am learning important principles about God's presence, about faith, and developing a lifestyle of devotion. With these, God has put a longing within my heart that I would be a container of the glory of God, that my heart would be a dwelling place for God's presence. And thus that the glory and presence of God would affect change in the people around me.
- Some of the things I have prayed for the most over the past year are: the glory of God to be manifest in my life, favour before God and men, wisdom, that I would be faithful until the end, hunger for God's Word, for strength to pray, that I would KNOW Jesus and the Father's heart for me, societal transformation of the North End, and for my family.
