Trip Report- YellowKnife Canada

Small IntroThis past week I had the distinct pleasure of taking part in a youth retreat in Yellowknife Canada. My good friend Deanna invited me to speak at this retreat all the way back in August. I have been preparing for this retreat for a little under half of a year. Now that the retreat is behind me I’ve had some time to think and journal about my experiences. While I could talk for hours (I have for several of my friends and family), I wanted to share with you two main thoughts I had leaving the Arctic and returning home.What I learnedIn all of my preparation for this trip I tried my best to learn about the culture of Inuit peoples. I watched videos talking about culture, read articles from the Canadian government, and even talked with people who had done ministry with Inuit first hand.In all of my research one thing stood above all the other facts and tidbits. Inuit, when translated, means “Real People”. Oddly enough, when I arrived in Yellowknife all the other things that I learned fell away and the only thing I was left with was this phrase: Real People.As a missionary I can make my ministry very Me and Them. I can see ministry as two groups of people. Me and the people I’m ministering to. I’m learning that this has created a disconnect in my mind. I forget that I’m interacting with people. People who joke, laugh, cry, feel, reason and grow. Meeting the Inuit youth, seeing them smile, joking with them, eating with them - it all taught me something so important: Ministry is always with real people.What I was able to doI had the privilege to speak twice alongside six other fantastic speakers for the youth conference. The entire conference shared one central theme: Identity.My talks were based out of Colossians three. I shared the importance of knowing your identity in Christ. When we have an identity that is based on something other than Jesus and our sonship in God we can find ourselves left of center.When we don't have an identity firmly rooted in how God has called us Sons and Daughters, we can do a whole lot of dumb things in the attempt of getting God’s attention. The truth of the Gospel is that Jesus died for our sins so that we might be sons and daughters adopted into the kingdom of God. This is our truest identity in Christ.During the conference . I was able to see from one-on-ones as well as lecture (teaching) time, that sweet moment of, "I get it”! I was able to witness the Gospel taking root in the hearts of youth from all over the Arctic."Thank you so much for reading as well as the continued prayers and support. My next world travel is going to take me back to Camp Lurecrest in Lake Lure, North Carolina. There I will be speaking side by side with my Father, and then ending the summer speaking at Lurecrest’s New Venture Camp. Stay tuned for more ministry updates coming this summer.