A dazzling start (and finish)

Neena and I spent the Labour Day weekend (Sept 1-4, 2006) with a group of other Jesus-followers at Manitoba Pioneer Camp for IVCF's annual Leaders' Camp. We prayed together, sang together, watched the stars together, and laughed a lot together!

We were greeted upon our arrival with a spectacular rainbow, followed by a dazzling sunset...as these photos show (of course they can't capture the full beauty and wonder of these phenomena).

As we reflect on a full and meaningful summer, and now journey into an unknown fall, it is wonderful knowing that the same God who greeted us with rainbow and sunset journeys with us.

As fall comes upon us and inevitably blends into winter, we will be exploring "the unthinkable" mystery of Christmas once again - that the Creator of the rainbow and sunset (and the whole Cosmos for that matter) chose to reveal himself to us face-to-face in the person of Jesus - Immanuel ("God with us"). The Son of God came dressed not in a rainbow or sunset, nor in a lightening bolt or supernova - but in frail, limited human flesh that could grow tired, thirsty, hungry and even sick - just like us.

Together, with others who also desire to explore this mystery, we want to ourselves live with the mindset described below (from the Holy Bible, Phillipians chapter 2):


"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!"

What does it mean to live a life following a God who would do something as "crazy" as this? We are excited about what we will discover, and what plans such a God has for us!