AND IT WENT ALL QUIET

Tonight I asked Josh the question,

"Do you like chunks in your drink?"

Naturally, the room went all quiet just as I asked the question. Who says that?

And, earlier today, Kelley started giggling during our staff meeting because I used the word "pounce".

HEN HAO!

Today was pretty cool. Two guys (one Dal and one Dal/SMU...kind of), both first-years, both originally from China, prayed to receive Christ. Praise God.

GUYS ARE GREAT

I love men.

Uh..I hope you know what I mean when I say that. Just so it doesn't get weird.

I have a great desire to build into men. To see men raised up as leaders- leaders in the household, in the church, in the workplace, in the missions field. I desire to see men built up so that they can build into other men, who will build into other men, who will build into other men...and so on. I think it's no secret that there is a real shortage of men who are leaders in today's generation, and, while I won't get into why that is, I will say that I have really been made more aware of this problem in the last few months.

I have had the privilege to have had so many great men impact my life on so many different levels, at so many different stages of life. It makes me realize how blessed I've been. So...I made a little tribute list thingy, highlighting some of the men who have impacted my life the most. There are 12 of them, because I hear that 12 men have done big things in the past.

(in totally random order by the way)

1- My Dad (Jerry Rice)
Kind of an obvious one. I am so thankful for my dad, and I really can't say that enough. It is so humbling that a great man like him considers his children to be the biggest blessing in his life- I say it's the other way around for me. My dad taught me all kinds of things about respect growing up- mostly by modeling it for me. He also did pretty much anything for me: rides to early morning practices or paper routes, financial help while I was in school, always ready to play catch outside. God gave him the gift of teaching, which he did for over thirty years- needless to say he impacted the lives of hundreds of students. If I can be even kind of close to the husband and father that he has been, then I should be okay.


2- Peter Eddy
I smile pretty much every time I hear this guy's name. Peter Eddy represents the vision of what I do. It has been so amazing to see how God has worked in his life over the last couple of years, and how he has pretty much poured out his life into other men, investing all kinds of time in them. Honestly, I felt so blessed to be able to simply watch that happen. It was also a real joy to have Peter on my OEX team this past year- to get to do ministry halfway around the world with him was pretty much the perfect way to transition out of my time at Carleton. I really admire his passion to know the Word (and to apply it to his life), and I always get a kick out of how he likes to call me "Boss". There's no one I'd rather get in a shouting match with over a game of Settlers either!


3- Darren Lung
Darren is someone who, for whatever reason, saw something in me during my first year at Carleton, and chose to invest time in me, meeting up with me on a weekly basis and taking me out sharing the first few times. This guy is incredibly passionate about seeing the nations changed by the gospel. He has a great heart for the nations, and really does cast a vision that inspires others to be a part of changing the world. He played an instrumental role in getting me thinking about going on OEX. Carleton is blessed to have Darren back there this year, as the "old guard". The fact that he is on some sort of itinerate preaching tour to various campuses this semester speaks volumes of how much people love hearing him cast the vision.


4- Jevin Maltais
Another guy who I really looked up to in first year. Jevy was my first DG leader, and he modeled what it looked like to be a university student and to chase hard after God at the same time. As a first year, I was always struck by just how open and real Jevy was. I really appreciated that, because it made me have a greater enthusiasm for meeting with Christians on campus, and a lot more comfortable with the guys in our group. I continued to see that realness in Jevy throughout my time at Carleton. He also happens to love trance music (if you've ever seen him do the robot dance, you know he's a master of that), and he has mad photography skills. To pay the bills.


5- Russ Martin
It is amazing how God used Russ to impact my life in such a short period of time. On OEX 2005, I was really blown away by Russ' hunger for the Word. It totally reinstilled a passion in me to study the Bible. Russ sometimes gets knocked as unemotional, but his heart for the campus and for the world is definitely there. He's also one of the most organized guys I've ever seen, and seeing how he managed his time really made me assess my time management skills (or lack thereof). We were also unstoppable as euchre partners. I think we lost once, and I think it was a fluke. Russ has used the gifts God has given him to have a real impact on two fronts: the campuses in Toronto, and also with Internet ministies.


6- Parker
I didn't know Parker that well in my first year, but then he started discipling me in second year. The guy was just always there for the next two years, and it feels so weird not seeing him every day. I thoroughly enjoy having girl-talk with Parker. I enjoyed having him saunter into my room when I was in the "bougois". More importantly, I appreciated his heart to build into men, his vision for reaching the world, and the fact that he always seemed available- ready to chat about anything, and to pray for anything. The guy is a leader in the truest sense in that he serves the people around him. Though the old "control tower" of 1139-E is no more, Parker has set up shop in East Asia this year, and God is using him there. Parker is also secretly the master of Mario Kart.


7- Josh Wong
The fact that I was willing to come out to Halifax to work alongside Josh without having yet met him in person speaks volumes about the reputation that he has, and being in close contact with him on a daily basis the last couple of months has only reaffirmed some of the characteristics that originally attracted me: an amazing passion for building into men, the gift of discipleship, an incredibly humble servant heart, and a constantly positive outlook on life. Josh is a great leader, and it is such a privilege to get to work alongside him. I have learned a ton just by observing and doing ministry alongside the guy. He happens to have a black belt in kung fu, so he could kick the crap out of me. Not that he would. Today is also his birthday.


8- Brandon Clark
Since I was six years old, Brandon has been there. It's been hard in a lot of ways the last couple of years as we've been at different schools and moving on into a different phase of life. The amazing thing is that we can always pick up right where we left off, no matter what, and that to me is a real testament to the length and depth of our friendship. There is no one I would rather have as a teammate (in any sport), and he and I have so many memories- whether from school, sports, summers out on the golf course, or the Sega Genesis. It is awesome to have been able to grow up with a guy like him as my friend, and I'm excited to see where our lives will continue to go.


9- Nathan Onifrichuk
I hardly knew this guy in my first year at Carleton and then suddenly we were living in 1139-D. I may have been the "mom" of the house, but Nathan is the rock. I totally admire this guy's passion to know God more, to chase after His plan. He does it with such quiet humility and intensity. Nathan has a real heart for the world. He started up the prayer meetings in our house (which then moved next door the following year). Though he may give you the impression that he has no clue what to do when it comes to ministry stuff, I have seen how God has used him to build into other men. Nate is also the best air drummers I have ever seen, and a legend in foosball.


10- My Brother (Paul Rice)
You would think that because we are twelve years apart, me and my brother aren't necessarily close. That's not the case. We bond over our common interests, most of which I inherited from him: a passion for baseball cards, the (now-defunct) Montreal Expos, Ontario highways, music, and right-wing politics. My brother is also the one who took the time to make sure that I truly understood what it meant to have a personal relationship with God, when I was younger. He is probably one of the best guitarists I have ever heard, and he has followed my dad's example of being a great family man- despite being a successful business manager, he puts his wife and two kids first.



11- Mark Mowbray
One of the biggest reasons of why I'm in full-time ministry right now is because of how Mark modeled for me what it looked like to be involved with ministry. The summer after my first year at Carleton, I worked as an intern at my home church. Mark (our youth pastor) time and again simply showed that it was about knowing God more, rather than just doing as much as we can for Him. I really appreciate Mark because he has a special ability to come at students from a different angle and yet still meet them where they're at. Whenever I connect with him, he always manages to ask the questions that get me thinking the most- enough if they are hard to hear at the time. He is also an amazing family man.

12- The Brother-in-Laws (Steve Heidt and Mark Cretney)
Okay, I guess it's hard to lump two guys together. But I am thankful for the men that my sisters have married/will marry next summer. I've known Steve (left) since I was about 11, and so I saw a lot of him during my "formative" years. He is a real influencer, and someone who is passionate. It is heart to find a bigger heart than Steve's- he is always ready to give of his time, without having second thoughts about it. I saw him model to me first-hand what a dating relationship looked like before he married my sister, and I have always been struck by how he respected her. Mark (right) is currently engaged to my other sister, and though I may have only known him for a few years, we're tight. Tight enough that I call him Mike (I have no idea why). Again, I have appreciated how he has respected my sister, and I wholeheartedly approve. My sisters have some great guys in their lives, and I am blessed to have them as my brother-in-laws.

Okay, those are the twelve. Praise God for awesome men!

Obviously, there are so many more great guys that have had an impact on my life. I could go on to point out buddies from Belleville, guys from missions trips, all the great warriors at Carleton, and some of the studs I get to spend time with at Dal. The point isn't who really made "the list" or not, but more to give God the glory for the amazing men that I have had the privilege to spend time with. My prayer is that more men like these guys will be raised up, not only at Dalhousie, but across Canada- men who will be leaders, men who will be spiritual multipliers, men who will storm the gates of hell and take the gospel to the nations.

I love men.

DATING

Oooooh, I bet I got everyone's attention with this title! People my age like to talk about relationships and things of the sort. This post really won't be me pouring out my heart or giving thoughts about dating. Darn.

I just wanted to point out that in the last little while, I've had a few conversations about dating and relationships (more than usual). I tend to be stubborn with some of my views, and so it's always good to hear other people's perspectives and experiences. I know you're just itching to hear thoughts or rants....alright, I will say this:
a) God has been matching people up since...well...Adam and Eve, and b) I have no doubt that if it's part of His sweet-action plan, that he really does have in mind the best girl possible for me. That is both incredibly comforting and exciting! What's to worry about?

Okay. If you wanted something more to read, sorry....I said there wouldn't be any heart-pouring. Instead, come have some quality girl-talk with me in person some time. I highly enjoy it.

NOSTALGIC

In the last week or so since my graduation, I've found myself thinking a lot about my days as a university student. Though not far removed from them, I feel like so much has changed in my life since I wrote my last exam in April. And, realistically, a lot of things have changed. I love telling people around me about how great my job is- "I'm on campus, without having to go to class..." or, "I'm living the student life, without the schoolwork!"

Nevertheless, I've been reflecting a lot on the student lifestyle that I used to live, and I decided something.

I miss it.

Maybe not so much the aspect of going to class, but pretty much everything else. I noticed some (I'd be taking more than an educated guess to say that they were) first year guys on campus today. I totally remember that look/attitude. Dressing in sweats, having the key tags hanging out of the pocket- the "rez" look. I reminisced on myself in first year- not totally content on where I was at in my walk with God, but often being too apathetic to make time for Him and to really follow Him. I often think about how different my first year might have been if I had known then what I know now.

Returning from the weekend in Ottawa, I really realized how much I miss the house I lived in. 1139-D (see picture) was a lot of fun. We had many good times- Monday night trips to Tim Horton's, countless hours of foosball- where we wrote the scores on the wall afterward (in washable crayon of course), cheeseburger runs, Saturday morning grocery shopping, random songs/dances, our notorious music video (which will not be posted on here any time soon), answering machine messages, and video games. People were always coming in and out of our place, which was cool- prayer meetings in Nathan's room every night...until they moved them to next door the next year. And, I'd always get a kick out of hearing our front door open, thinking "wait for it", hearing the trundling up the stairs, and then Parker's hulking frame would be in my bedroom doorway. The walk from the house to the campus took half an hour, and when the weather wasn't bitter, it was usually a beautiful trip along the canal- a great time for reflection and meditation.

On the academic side, I (to an extent) miss hanging out with people on campus, and I even miss the pressure of having to finish up an essay before the department drop-box closes. In extreme cases, I miss borrowing Tim's car to drop off a paper in the wee hours of the morning (going on campus late at night in cold weather is somewhat scary, but I enjoyed it for some weird reason).

Though I've been thinking a lot about how much I miss it, I'm totally content with the fact that my time as a student is over. I wouldn't want anything to change in the way things have turned out, and how God has worked over the last few years. I'm definitely excited for what lies ahead. I guess because I've recently been doing a lot of looking back, I realize how blessed I am to have been at Carleton when I was. I think it's part of what makes me so excited to be able to continue working with students.

CLOSING THE BOOK

I went to Ottawa for the weekend for my graduation ceremony. I guess with being busy and on the go, it really didn't hit me until I boarded the plane Saturday morning how much I was looking forward to being back in Ontario to see family and friends again.

I have officially graduated from university, which brings a lot of mixed emotions. I don't find myself thinking "wow, it flew by" that often, even though I only did a three year degree. I guess it felt weird to come back to Carleton knowing that even though I was getting to see everyone again, that it was only for a short visit, a temporary stay, and then I would be moving on again.

I have no regrets about my time at Carleton. It was truly amazing. During the ceremony, I did a lot of reflecting of my time there, thinking about the plans that I had for my life when I arrived in first year. Carleton wasn't even my top pick for where I wanted to go, but I felt I could still work my way towards becoming a great sports broadcaster by being there. Praise God for His sovereignty, and for the fact that my plan didn't work out. As the different people speaking (chancellor, president, honorary degree recipient etc) talked about taking the things that we, as graduates, have learned during our time in university, and using them to change the world, I smiled to myself. I was so blessed to be able to have such great people build into me during my time at Carleton (not necessarily in an academic sense), and now I am able to, by God's grace, be a part of something that is literally changing the world. That excites me.

I had other thoughts, such as, "I wonder if I'm the only person who is graduating and going into full-time ministry", and, "I wonder how many of these graduating students didn't get a chance to hear the gospel". Mixed emotions for sure, but again, it reaffirmed in my heart why I'm doing what I do. Why God used my time in university to transform my dreams and desires, to shape them to be more like His heart for the world. I know I have a long way to go still. But it was awesome to be able to give the glory to God on graduation day.

And, of course it was great to see so many people whom I love dearly. Great to see my parents- I kept thinking about them during the ceremony too, thanking God for them and for their never-ending support. My sister was there too, and we met up with my brother and his family afterwards. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder- whoever the genius who put those feelings into words was, props to him or her.

Had a great time with the Carleton peeps as well. Had a great Saturday morning breakfast with some great men- Adam, Nathan and Jordi- the restaurant booth was flowing with leadership (mmm). I did some dishes with Peter Eddy and Jeremy. Stopped by at the girls house and was offered cookies. It was cool to hang around good old 1139-D again. The house still smells the same, if not...worse? As per tradition, I played guitar and Aaron sang along to our Japanese rock ballad "Tears" on Saturday night. We sang that song pretty much every night before bedtime last year. We played some Battlefield over the network too- good times. Got to go to the church I went to during my time in Ottawa, and hung out with some more Carleton peeps afterwards in the school caf. I got to catch up with Darren for the first time in a long time. The crowning touch may have been Danny Sherman and Adam driving me back to the airport Sunday evening. If I could have anyone as a personal chauffeur, it would, in all likelihood, be Danny Sherman. But, I'm sure he'll be doing more important things on a regular basis, such as helping change the world.

So exciting to hear what God is doing at Carleton, to see the steps of faith that people are taking, to see how special university students really are. Even though I've moved on, it is an amazing place to come back to. I know that as the years go on, it will seem more weird to be associated or connected with Carleton, but I've always been someone to remember my roots, to not forget where I've come from. And so, as my graduation ceremony marks the official ending of my time at Carleton, I look back on how far God has brought me, how blessed I've been to go there, and I really have to give Him all the praise and glory for using my three years there to change my life. This particular book may now be closed, but the adventure certainly still continues.

Goodbye, Carleton. Thanks for the memories.

NOVEMBER

I really can't believe that it's November already. Today was arguably the warmest first day of November in my life- it was so nice out! The days really do seem to be flying by...they say that time flies when you're having fun (on a seperate note, I saw a sign today that said "time flies when you're having rum").

I'm so thankful that I get to do what I do. The people I work alongside are amazing, and God in His love and grace continues to teach me so much- things about myself, but more importantly, more about who He is and how His Spirit works.

When I look at where I was at last November, I am thankful for how far He has brought me. I wonder where I'll be next November, and what more I'll have learned by then.

"Life is an adventure..."