teamshelvey-blog

[teamshelvey-blog]

september 2017.

september long camping.

identity youth conference.

dead of winter = one of the only board games kyler willingly plays (maybe because it kind of resembles a zombie video game). luckily i think it’s pretty fun too. 

M: i feel like i became a lot more self-aware this month. over the past little while kyler and i have done the ennegram personality test and read some books that go a little more in depth and it’s been super enlightening. i’m a seven (click to learn more) and kyler is a one. also, do the test yourself because it’s super interesting! there’s also little sections about how the numbers interact with each other, so for example, ones and sevens in relationships (click through if you want a peek into what our relationship is like haha). out of all the tests i’ve ever done, this one is definitely the most accurate and has actually shown me a lot of things about myself that have been really helpful. both kyler and i have been learning more about how god created us and how we can be the healthiest versions of ourselves, and how we can encourage the other person as well. i love getting to know kyler more and being able to spend more time with him. now that i’m back in school and not working full time, our schedules have a little more overlap and it’s not just a quick hello-goodbye every day. it makes my heart glad knowing i get to get to know him for the rest of my life! on the whole, september was such a joyful month, full to the brim with laughter and so many wonderful memories. trips with old friends, making new friends, time with family, new classes, fresh perspectives, and our second anniversary! it was a great start to the year and i’m really looking forward to whatever follows. colder weather means more blankets and books and tea and i am so thankful for having a cozy home that i get to share with my friends and family. 

on an unrelated note: i started watching a show called this is us. it’s essentially just a show about family, which is a super simple way to describe such a lovely and complex show. but i don’t want to give anything away, and you should start to watch it if you have some time. i cry every episode and have watched the whole first season in the past week. i think i love it so much because it reminds me how broken people are, and just how incredibly important it is for us to be kind to one another. nobody’s life is as perfect as first impressions may make them seem. we all carry around hurt and frustration and memories of the past and hope for a better future and we all have a choice every day whether we are going to connect or disconnect with the humanity in others through all the things we say and do. and friends, let me tell you something. the time we have on this earth is too short to harbor bitterness, or to choose to hold onto hate instead of hope. forgiveness and compassion make the world so much brighter, even when the darkness seems overwhelming. above all, be kind. it might just be the most important thing you ever do.

[teamshelvey-blog]

july/august 2017.

M: and with that, we say goodbye to summer 2017! it was filled with wonderful people and beautiful places, and has left me with a joyful heart and such lovely memories. i learned a lot of things. i was reminded that we need other people more than we think we do. i had incredible realizations of what an incomparable hope it is that we have in jesus. i was completely overcome with love for my family and friends on a regular basis and i can't begin to describe how thankful i am for the community that surrounds me. it's such a gift. i have grown up with such strong support on all sides and i know that i take this for granted more often than not. never stop paying attention to just how special the people in your life are. continue to offer kindness and honesty and steadfast love to those who surround you, regardless of if you receive any of those things in return. this life we get to live is a gift. we've done nothing to deserve it and it would be wasted if we only tried to make things more comfortable for ourselves. treating people with unconditional positive regard is not always simple nor is it always going to be the easy choice. but as humans living in this world we have the opportunity to make it better for those around us. and what a fantastic purpose that gives us! 

[teamshelvey-blog]

june 2017.

M: i don’t really know where to start. i have a lot of feelings! i’ve been processing a lot this past year. inspiration for this month is largely from james k.a. smith’s book you are what you love, which kind of summarized all my thoughts this past year. also the alarming speed at which life can rush past us. speaking of which, we’re saying goodbye to june and i can’t even fathom how we’re halfway through 2017 already.in james smith's book, he talks about how human beings are not primarily thinking things that possess brains that get filled with information. we are primarily a species of lovers who have hearts that desire things; these desires drive us to do everything we do. i have fallen in love with humanity this year. i have crossed paths with some incredible people who have changed me in beautiful ways, and i have begun seen the world in a new light. i am beginning to understand the inherent value that each person has and the importance of communicating this worth to them on a regular basis. loving people is arguably the most important thing you will ever do in your whole entire life. amidst my first year of university wrapping up and an almost full time job starting for the summer, my brain was busy. and it took me a little while to remember that i'm not just, to quote smith, "a brain on a stick", walking around and acquiring information. i am a person who has the opportunity to love others wherever i go. i have a heart that is drawn towards many things, but that ultimately longs for redemption and grace to be the defining characteristics of all of our lives. (if you haven't read smith's book, i highly recommend that you do. these are the thoughts floating through my mind but he says things in a much more profound and interesting way.)

i hope you can all have a refreshing summer. take every opportunity to reach out to those around you, to encourage them, to ease the weight of their burdens, to support them in any way that you can. this world will be all the better for it.

[teamshelvey-blog]

march 2017.

a psalm i wrote in fall of 2012 when i was doing my ywam dts in madison, wisconsin. it’s been resonating in my heart again quite a lot lately.

pender island missions trip 2017 with vbc youth! pc: kylie.

M: the month of march, you guys! amazing! the thing that stands out the most is the missions trip we take the youth group on over their spring break. one week in BC with 25 teens and 10 other leaders. we spend four days working at hope bay bible camp on north pender island completing various projects including things like painting, pruning, construction, landscaping, etc. this was my sixth year there and my second time going as a leader. i managed to take zero photos while we were there, which is a little sad but i was also able to just be so in the moment, and i feel like i really needed that this year. i learn so much from my youth and fellow leaders and we have so much fun together; spending an entire week with them was such a gift. it honestly feels like we're just a big ol' family, and i love them all so dearly.

most days i am so overwhelmed (in a good way) by the community god has placed me in and the friendships he has blessed me with. most of my life i have always wanted to be in a hundred places at once and i never felt truly satisfied by my friendships. i also think we’re kind of taught that friendships should be 100% mutually beneficial and as soon as something isn’t perfect or we don’t feel like our needs are being met all the time, that it’s okay to just cut people out of your life or respond in unkind ways. over the past year, as i have tried to be more intentional about spending time reading scripture and focusing my eyes and heart on god, i found myself filled with way more grace towards people in my life. when you rely on god to love people through you instead of feeling like it’s only your efforts that matter, your ability to forgive and be patient and kind just skyrockets. and as you let god move through you, you begin to see people the way that he does. this is where i find myself quite often these days. overwhelmed, often to the point of tears, as i think about how truly wonderful my friends are. it is one of the deepest desires of my heart to be able to help the people in my life truly understand the way that god cares for them. what a gift and an honor it is to be able to love people!

and to close off this post, here is a reflection i wrote in march, five years ago. “it's true that good luck won't always fall into your lap. it's true that you'll never have an umbrella when you need it and when you finally remember to bring one, the sun will shine and wink at you and say "got ya". it's true that the universe isn't always on your side. it's true that gum loses it's flavor fast, and sometimes life is like that too. it's true that grass is basically ashes, and bridges collapse, and houses fall down for sure, maybe followed by the sky, and the tears will fall. but don't be afraid of having a soft heart. the bruises and scars are there to remind you that you're alive. you're alive and you've hollowed out this passage through the earth, this constantly transforming outline of yourself, always moving and changing and laughing and breathing and inhale, exhale, release. letting-go reaching turning stumbling walking running crying drinking in every last moment of sunshine and every last twinkle of every star in the sky and crunching through the snow and knowing that spring is just around the corner. it's true that we get overwhelmed and it's true that sometimes we just need some time and it's true that life keeps going whether we want it to or not. but it's also true that a hug and a cup of tea can solve a lot of problems. it's true that laughter is contagious. it's true that you will fall, but it's true that you'll get up. it's true that you're beautiful and worth it and powerful and passionate and loved. it's true that you're capable of more than you think. it's true.”

K:  As I have written about before I feel strongly driven by truth to address things that are untrue. This sounds obnoxious and arrogant in a way but I believe that the truth sets us free and that objective truth exists. So if I care about you I will disagree with you if I feel it is necessary. After all, humans almost always hold true beliefs. At least beliefs that they think are true. There are instances where we will block out things in favour of an alternate truth, like refusing to accept someone has died, or the outcome of some other unfavourable scenario. Even this example lends itself to the way I see the world, where we are free to choose our truth but that choice does not change the nature of objective truth or reality itself. Some people live in perfect denial of hard facts about themselves or perhaps someone close to them when they are not a fan of the truth. This is dangerous, and in a world where truth can be known means it is possible to live a lie. I often times feel compelled to keep these urges and arguments internal, and not hassle others with what I would disagree with. Sometimes it feels as if what I have to say is irrelevant. When I meet a human being who is very secure in their beliefs that happen to contradict what I think or believe I feel compelled not to disrupt them. In these cases truth feels like a very hurtful or pointless thing. If someone's truth makes them feel alive, if it makes them a better person, if it makes them love themselves and the world around them, is that such a bad thing? Certainly not. But I cannot help but feel like I need to speak. It is like a tug of war in my heart to either argue or live and let live. If someone believes in a higher power and is focused on loving their fellow humans and the earth we live in, is that really so bad? Just because they do not explicitly believe in my God, does that mean they still need me to convince them? Will God not care about what name they call Him, as long as they live a life of love? Is it possible to know God without being a Christian? Is being a Christian simply a lifestyle that is not contingent on any strict set of beliefs? These questions are compelling to me, and they cause me toss and turn at night if I give them too much thought. I think my difficulty with these questions involves some cultural pre-suppostions that have seeped into my life over the years. Pre-suppostions relating to human depravity. 

The underlying question of the questions I listed earlier is how badly do people need grace (and a Saviour), and can this be bypassed through the way a person lives their life? The problem with the idea of someone being a "good person" is that it is relative. According to the Christian faith no one is righteous, not one. But yet I find myself thinking very highly of my life and how I conduct myself. Throughout my adolescence and adulthood I have always wrestled with pornography. If I am honest I would confess that is probably the "worst" thing I struggle with. The rest of the time I tend to think I live quite upright. This may not be inaccurate. I think as mature Christians, the Holy Spirit within us is making us more Christ-like as we submit ourselves before God. I still think that this is a blind spot because I know I do not appreciate my Saviour as much as I ought to. This is probably also a result of being a cradle Christian and how it feels almost as if I do not know what it was like to be without God, or at least I cannot remember it. Despite this I still need Him as much as anyone.

So when we begin to look at those around us and question just how badly they actually need Jesus, we will never truly understand how much if we are unable to correctly understand our own need. This is why I consider this a blind-spot. If I appreciated my need for Him fully, I would understand why everyone around me needs the Gospel just as much as I do. For the Gospel is not: simply live a good life and God will be with you. The Gospel is not: find who you are as a human and the rest will figure itself out. The Gospel is not: do what you feel is right because your feelings will not lead you astray. The Good News is that Jesus is risen. The Good News is that he has defeated death. The Good News is that He will transform you into who you are meant to be if you accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. The universe will not save you, your feelings or actions will not save you. You are saved because 2000 years ago a man from Bethlehem died and defeated death. This is not something that is open ended, the Gospel is based on a specific event that we as Christians believe actually happened. We have no hope outside of Lord Jesus. Jesus is not a feeling, He is not the universe, He is not simply a lifestyle. He is God. Let that sink in. God died for you. Not so that you could have the freedom to live as you please or worship whichever god you desire, but so that you could worship the right one for once. The one we were made to worship.

[teamshelvey-blog]

february 2017.

shout-out to shay and kris! watching your friends become parents is truly the very very coolest thing. sharing in their joys and struggles is an honor and i am inspired by them in so many ways. also shoutout to all my other friends-that-are-now-moms that i love and adore.

misha’s annual galentine’s day bash! these women are NEAT. evenings like this are such a treat, i love spending time with my girls.

family day 2017 out in canmore. a weird and wonderful bunch.

makes me laugh, rips hair out of my body, produces very cute babies, and is generally just an all-around kind and genuine and wonderful human. life is significantly brighter with you around, my dear.

evidence of said production of cute babies. i love photos of messy kids.

M: general life update: i started a new job in stroke rehab (so pumped to be back in the therapy world), my second semester at u of c is going as well as one could hope (i actually have one really amazing prof, finally), and kyler and i basically have opposite schedules and we need to be better at intentionally building into our relationship because our time together is so limited. i’m so glad he is my dude. he works so hard and makes me laugh all the time and is genuinely a fantastic friend. if you want to know any more about the general life stuff, let me know! moving on :)

last year at my church’s epiphany service (click through for more info if you aren’t sure what that is), they handed out these paper stars, and when you picked up a star, there would be a word on it, and that word would be one that you could focus on for the coming year. last year my word was “vision”. at the time i didn’t really think about it and just stuck it in the journal i was using. a couple days ago i found this old journal and when i picked it up and started flipping through the filled pages i found the star. without even realizing it, i feel like 2016 actually was a year of vision (even though i completely forgot about the star). i spent a lot of time thinking about the future and also about how to live a meaningful life right now. as 2017 began and i attended another epiphany service, my word for the year ended up being “steadfast” which i think falls really well in line after vision. when you feel inspired by an idea or you have the desire to do something new or change your life or the lives of those around you, that steadfast faithfulness and integrity is what will carry you through. it’s not enough to simply have the dream. if you want to see anything to fruition, you need to be steadfast in your dedication to making it happen. one of my biggest desires is to foster genuine relationships and create intentional community wherever i go. and this month i am so incredibly thankful for who surrounds me. god has placed me in the midst of such a ridiculously huge number of amazing human beings. i truly don’t know what a life without such a strong community is like, and i do not want to ever take that for granted. this year i want to focus on being an encouraging and faithful friend. i feel like one of the most important things we can do in life is just show up, and remind people that they’re loved. and whether a person is part of my current community or not, i want my eyes to be open and my heart to be ready to encourage them and support them wherever they’re at. i want the space i occupy to be an open space where people can let go of the armor they hold around their hearts and be honest and vulnerable, knowing they will be received with grace and compassion and love. out of this heart (and some discussions with a dear friend), rice night was born. once a month we gather as fellow humans, regardless of race/religion/ethnicity/gender/culture, to have a simple meal and to find sincere connection and inspire and challenge each other to live with intention. if you’re reading this and i haven’t invited you personally yet, but you are interested, feel free to reach out to me!

K:  I have not written in a while, as I feel like the last few months have been unbloggable. Sometimes monotony is hard to write about, and then I question how deep one ought to go on a blog like this. Anyways... this past month I had the privilege of meeting with some Mormon missionaries. I have met with several sets over the last few years and I take every chance I get to meet with them. A friend had expressed some discomfort in meeting with them, as it was a new experience for her and I offered to tag along because frankly, I enjoy it. I enjoy speaking with people about what they believe and the missionaries are so kind and open to meeting to discuss the deeper things of life. Well, most deep things. Within Mormonism you will find one of the most fascinating sub-cultures in the world. As much as I love talking with them, there is a definite downside. They present their truth so boldly, so confidently, and with such joy. But it feels so empty. For when one attempts to press upon this great truth, to poke it, to prod it, to try and find out what it is truly made of, it withers before your very eyes. Which to the un-religious may seem ridiculous. After all, this is coming from someone who claims that our world was made by an infinitely complex, infinitely perfect being in whose existence is revealed who we are, where we come from, and how we ought to live. How do you prove that this invisible, supernatural God exists? I suppose what I am trying to get at is in Christianity you can have a conversation. You can ask questions, you can disagree on some things and still pursue the same God as someone else. Christianity is defensible. Christianity can explain reality in a rational way. It is certainly still faith, but it seems far more likely to be true than any other worldview available, especially its would-be successor, Mormonism. The Mormon church thrives and survives on one very simple but powerful premise: If you read the book of Mormon, God will reveal it to be true to you. This truth is most often described as a feeling of a burning in the bosom. The problem with this is that God revealing truth to an individual is not exclusive to Mormons. Some Muslims would express the same sentiment about the Quran. I myself have felt this burning, whilst reading a C. S. Lewis book. The feeling is not exclusive to the LDS (Mormon) church. If that feeling alone is to be identified as the sole indicator of truth, then God is a liar, because he is clearly contradicting himself by affirming just about what anyone wants to be affirmed, or even things that are unrelated to him. Or you can argue that they are feeling wrong, which seems a very difficult thing to be certain of. When addressing the truth claims of a worldview, I find it helpful to think of a worldview like a house of cards. The truth claims must line up and fit together, otherwise parts of the house will collapse. Depending on how important the card, or how much apart of the foundation it is, its collapse brings the house down with it. Take Christianity for example. In order for the Christian house of cards to stand there are several things that MUST be true, otherwise it is a false worldview. One of these foundations is the fact that Jesus of Nazareth existed. Without this there is no true Christianity (or Mormonism for that matter). Another foundation would be that Jesus rose from the dead. If we found the burial site of Christ, our faith would be false and our trust misplaced (1 Cor 15:14). In order for Christianity to be true, God must exist. A supernatural world around us must exist. These are a few examples of essential parts of the foundation of Christianity. They are all quite defensible, and certainly (I think) not unreasonable things to believe. For those holding a LDS faith, all of the aforementioned pillars must be true, as well as a whole new set. For example, after Christ rose from the dead, the newly established Christian church falls into a state of apostasy after the apostles die, and lose the status and authority of the true church of God. Also, people from Israel had to sail to North America and become a bustling civilization for a time. The book of Mormon has to be an inspired work from God, Joseph Smith had to have been a legitimate prophet. All of these claims, ALL have to be true or the whole faith falls flat on its face. No feeling can contradict the nature of reality. This is where the LDS faith begins to trouble me. When any objection to any of these claims is made, most often I have found that there is no defense offered. I think the reason a lot of people view the LDS faith as a cult is this blind faith. I am not trying to say that faith is a bad thing, I myself have faith. Christian living can be seen as 3 essential things working in unison: Loving God with your heart (soul), mind and hands. Having sincere belief is an admirable thing, but at the end of the day what you put your faith in must be true. No amount of sincere belief can change the nature of reality or what is true. Through my exposure to the LDS faith I have witnessed amazing community. I have witnessed people who love God with all of there heart and hands. But it is the mind that troubles me. There is a reason that no one outside of mormon scholars consider the stories in the book of Mormon to be true. There is a reason that when the Book of Mormon talks about the Israelites living in the Americas having horses (long before the Spanish first brought them over as is universally understood), people simply do not see it as being true. There are so many damning reasons to reject Mormonism that when pushed on these topics they shut conversation down, or simply stop listening to you. When first confronted with the truth of the Mormon worldview, one thing became very obvious to me. If this was true, I need to be a Mormon. If it is not, they need to become Christians. One cannot be true while the other is as well. When talking with holders of just about every other worldview I find that there can be conversation. We can challenge each other, learn from each other, and actually dialogue. I am yet to find a Mormon that can truly hold a conversation without having to fall back on their testimony when they read the book of Mormon; it is so difficult to have these conversations. It is a funny thing to talk to a Mormon in the process of converting you, especially as a Christian. What can they offer me? I already have Jesus. Part of the reason Christians reject the LDS faith is that the idea of Christianity needing a restoration or having a loss of authoity seems ridiculous. We cannot see it. When looking back on the last 2000 years of Church, you will see some troubling things. You will find death, destruction, and sin. You will find separation and heartbreak. However if you look closely enough, you will find God. You will find men and women, lit afire by the Spirit of God, healing people, even raising people from the dead. You will find people who looked at Jesus, fell in love, and changed the world as a result. What greater authority will you grant me? What is greater than direct relationship with God? How can you beat being consumed by God himself? If you have something greater than that, you can keep it, I have no use for it. I wish the Mormons and Jehovah's witnesses would join forces, so we could have less versions of the "true" church running around. The idea that the truth has been lost is not a new one, we are just still waiting for a compelling enough of a reason to actually consider this idea viable. Whenever these discussions come up I fear how my tone or demeanor comes across. Disagreeing with people or challenging beliefs often comes across as an attack. I think that in proper delivery and context it should be understood as love. I love truth. If I am challenging what you believe I am not doing it to upset you, but rather I am showing love. Or at least that is my intention. I think one of the greatest things we can do for eachother is tell the truth. Whether you like it or not, some of us are wrong. I might be wrong. That is the way reality is. Let me be clear that I love Mormons. I hold their communities in high respect, they do community very well. I just believe their view of the world is missing some things, so I challenge them where I disagree with them.

[teamshelvey-blog]

january 2017.

M: my personal day-to-day life was pretty lowkey this month, but i feel like the rest of the world sank into a state of catastrophe. with the rise of so much negativity, i made an extra effort this month to seek out things that are encouraging and challenging and positive, instead of the opposite. i don't think it's okay to ignore bad things, but i also don't think it's okay to despair. we cannot let ourselves simply be angry and stop there. there has to be a purpose and there needs to be critical thought and helpful discussion that allows us to take the most effective steps forward into creating a better world. recently i just watched "the mask you live in", a film by the representation project about masculinity in our culture. it dissects many aspects of the male condition, and calls into question the typical way that we treat boys as they grow up, and the expectations we have as they become men. it discusses how our society hinders the emotional growth of boys and how far-reaching the many effects of this problem are. i could try and summarize all the points and share all the statistics, but just please take an hour and a half and use netflix for something quite valuable! i think this movie should be mandatory viewing for all humans. (on a side note, the representation project has a feminine counterpart to this movie called miss representation that is also incredible and well worth the watch).

one thought i had after i watched this movie is how the culture of north america essentially gave rise to the person that is donald trump. people were so horrified by the terrible morality he seemed to display and couldn't believe that someone like him could become president. and while donald trump is a problem in some ways, he is in no way the source of the problem. he is the poisonous fruit of a sick and withering tree that is rooted in a culture lacking in integrity, truth, kindness, respect, compassion, and grace (among other things). i don't know why people are so shocked by his behavior when we see people acting in a similar way in movies, and listen to people saying similar things in popular music, and all of a sudden somebody is here and he is embodying all of these crude and vulgar and hurtful aspects of our society and people simply will not stand for it. they got upset when donald trump talked about non-consensual sexual acts, but where were those people when pornography became a celebrated industry and it began to overflow with violence and abusive non-consensual acts? how can we expect men to know how to treat women with respect when nearly every boy has been exposed to some form of pornography by the time they're in grade school, and when their minds are inundated with countless movies and innumerable songs released each year that degrade and objectify women. we think we have come so far as a society, but have we? i think there is undeniable growth in some areas, but there is also undeniable damage that continues to be done to the minds and hearts of all humans in our society. when we make light of vulgar movies and celebrate pornography and the over-sexualized culture we live in and joke about crude songs, we make room for people like donald trump. america welcomed him in. despite the dismay of so many citizens at his election, despite the horror everyone felt when he started to make rash and hurtful decisions. he is the exaggerated embodiment of some of the darkest parts of our culture. greed, entitlement, disrespect, lies, manipulation. i realize i've only touched on a couple things, and that things like this are incredibly complex. i'm still just processing.

i can get bogged down by how impossible it seems to tackle all these issues. one positive thing i can say is that i am incredibly grateful for my friends, the countless boys and men that i have grown up around that are kind, compassionate, thoughtful, and expressive. chief among them being my husband, who is actually much better at voicing his emotions than i am, and encourages me to grow in that area as well. i am thankful that i grew up in a supportive and loving community. i am thankful that i have the example of jesus, which allows me to better myself as a human and gives me the ability to love those around me and try and make the world a better place for them as well. no matter what, the darkness cannot overcome the light. look up, move forward, love deep, and love wide.

[teamshelvey-blog]

december 2016.

belated birthday celebration for TM.

a behind the scenes sneak peek at part of a music video that i got to dance in with my friends from montage! coming out in february.

christmas at the shelvey household now includes two puppers.

what’s christmas without a puzzle! someone tell me why so many families do this. where on earth did this start.

christmas morning view (with the shelvey/bouwman/wiebe fam).

christmas evening view (with the hepburn/lerigny/cowan fam).

so cute, so fidgety, just wants to see himself on the camera. love you, ollie.

friends friends friends

hugs all around.

and selfies all around, too. #2016

M: most people i know waved a hasty goodbye to 2016 with a huge sigh of relief. which is odd, because time is a man-made construct and a year is essentially meaningless in the grand scheme of things. also, whatever terrible things happened in the past year aren’t just going to disappear. we’re still going to feel the effects of many of those things far into the coming year. but as the end of 2016 came around and everyone felt especially grateful for christmas and all the good feelings that come with it, i realized something. i tweeted about it a while ago and have been processing it ever since. here’s the tweet: “the spirit of christmas is actually the spirit of christ. generosity and compassion should not be seasonal characteristics in your life.”

the greatest thing about christmas isn’t just that it’s so special and wonderful and we get to spend time with our families, and it’s not even that jesus was born then, because he wasn’t born on that date anyway. the best thing about christmas in our world as it is today, is that it gives us a glimpse into how we should be living ALL the time. there isn’t a single thing that happens at christmas that is actually important that we shouldn’t do the whole rest of the year as well. have dinner with your family. do kind things for strangers. volunteer at the mustard seed. sing songs with your friends. invite strangers who need community to your dinner table. let it show through your actions that you truly believe it’s better to give than to receive. we were not created for ourselves. we’re not here to run the show. we’re here to learn and grow and serve.

along with this line of thought, i’ve been ruminating on what we truly were created for, and i recalled some of the thoughts i had when i was reading genesis earlier in the year. throughout the whole of creation god spoke, and it was. yet when it came to make man, god FORMED man from the dust (v7) and BREATHED LIFE into his lifeless being. we experience existence in a way that nothing else on earth does. the breath in our lungs is truly the breath of god. his words didn’t just call us into creation; his hands shaped us. we are made of the most natural and earthly substance, but we are filled with the most glorious, life-giving substance straight from god. he did not choose to form us out of gold or silver. he formed us out of the dirt that we walk on. but our glory does not come from these dusty bones. it comes from the breath of god in our lungs, and the passion of christ in our hearts. literally, we are mud. we are dusty bones and a little bit of horse poop sometimes. but we also have the breath of god in us. in a way, we have the ability to speak creatively, just like he did. in our relationships we have the opportunity to breath life. and the good and true and loving things we say do not come from these muddy lips. they come from the throne of god, they are spoken from his mouth, through us. we get to be vessels. never forget what an honor that is and never underestimate the power of the spirit moving through you.

[teamshelvey-blog]

november 2016

women’s retreat with church: quite a good turn out from the younger generation!

jayne came to town for the weekend and OF COURSE we got together and laughed and hugged and had a lovely time and OF COURSE i want her to move back here like right now.

the guy on the left had a birthday party and it was super fun, just like him. the guy on the right is also super great and i’m blessed to know them both.

i think this is actually the first photo that i have of my dear friend john and i, which is appalling since i treasure him so much! what a kindred spirit.

in lieu of a post from kyler, here’s a photo of him. team shelvey!

a handful of the amazing people that changed my life this semester.

dance montage 2016 crew photo.

and we finally get to see the photos from my basically-sister’s wedding! look at how much fun we had. this is right around when she was telling me to stop laughing so hard cause it was gonna make my face red.

M: summary: november was everything at once. it seemed to take forever but also how is it already over? school was pretty terrible and i basically stopped going to classes BUT i got to hang out with my friends a lot and was a part of dance montage at the uni this year so that's all fantastic. i seemed to watch a lot of netflix but also did alright in my classes? i'm tired all the time and i never want to go to bed but also i want to nap all the time and i don't know how that works exactly? brains are weird. and mine has been especially weird this month. i feel so scatterbrained and in a million places at once but i also feel like sometimes there is just nothing going on up there. in other news, i got my first grown up job at carewest in neuro rehab! i'll be starting in january and i'm pretty pumped.

school: the actual work itself is not brilliant. this degree is kind of vague and weird in some ways and it's not always totally related to the diploma i already have or my future goals at all. my classes are less than thrilling, my professors are not great teachers or engaging speakers, and it's mostly just been a pretty bland semester. but i've met some really fun people and we manage to have a pretty good time and we're getting through this together. it's gonna be okay. dance montage: a recreational collective made up of dancers from all different backgrounds coming together to make some art. i had the gift of working with the most phenomenal group as we worked to create a piece that spoke to the influence of social media on our identities and the way that we connect and form relationships. the brilliant individuals that took part in this experience brought life and light to this semester and to my life. when you make art with people, you see parts of them that you might not see in people that you have known for years. a genuine transparency and vulnerability arises in people when they come together to create. i am so thankful for the opportunity to just get back into dance and have fun doing it. dance montage was a beautiful thing, and an experience i will remember for as long as i am remembering things. work: my friend's mom works on the neuro rehab unit at the fanning centre, and she kept saying i should apply for casual hours when i would bring up the fact that i wanted to look for a bit of work while i was in school. i'm so pumped to actually be getting a job in the field i went to school for! it makes me a bit nervous but mostly really excited. while i know that transferring to the degree at u of c is getting me where i want to go and a necessary step on the way there, actually being able to work in the field gives me a much greater sense of forward motion. and that’s all for now, folks!

[teamshelvey-blog]

october 2016.

sorry for the late post! october went by so fast and november has been nuts so far and i just kept forgetting. kyler had a lot to say but couldn’t condense it down in time to post for october. maybe next month :)

M: a while ago i made a list of goals and things i wanted to start in september. among them were things like "get up at 6:00 every morning" and "exercise for at least 30 minutes every day", etc. i got up at 6am maybe once in september, and i probably exercised for a total of 30 minutes in the entire month. i also wanted to eat healthy and always work hard at school and spend time in scripture every day. now it's almost the end of october and things aren't going much better. and i mean, i kind of just suck at really committing to things and just starting them and sticking with them. so i'm not trying to blame anything other than myself. but i think when i decide to do things, i don't think my heart is necessarily doing it for the right reasons. i think to be honest, my reasons are usually just kind of petty and selfish? like if i'm someone who gets up at 6am and exercises every day and always reads my bible and makes delicious healthy food all the time, i'm somehow more worthy. worthy of what, i don't completely know. worthy of friendship? worthy of admiration or respect? like if i'm put together and productive and full of incredible will power, that makes me a better person? i have no idea. i just know that i usually don't have the motivation to carry through with my goals and i think it's partly because i don't totally understand why i make them in the first place. they just seem like good ideas, i guess. and i think my heart behind them has never been that honest. so basically all i'm saying is that i'm kind of a bum and i eat too much junk food and i'm not madly in love with exercising and i struggle with daily bible time and honestly i think i am like a terrible student. and you know what? god loves me anyway. what do i care if people think i'm smart and fit and healthy and productive? the real truth is that most of the time, i'm not. however, the failure of september/october and my lack of goal-meeting really changed my perspective. all the goals i made do have some good reasons behind them. and i think i would like to commit them again, but at the heart of it this time is because i want to treat the one body that god gave me with respect. i want it to have good food to eat and i want to make time every day to read my bible because that nourishment is just as important. i want to work hard at school because i've been given the opportunity to be there, and i don't want to waste it. i want to be healthy and fit because i want to be able to do whatever it is that god calls me to do.

life seems to be rushing by so fast, and it's easy to let all these goals and things slip away as i just try and finish assignments on time and buy some vegetables once in a while. but god has a reason and a purpose for all the days we spend here, and i want to discover all he has to reveal. i want to be ready. and i'm not suddenly going to become some incredibly motivated whirl-wind overnight. but by the grace of god, i want to start to make some changes that will make the transition easier. here's to the process, not to perfection.

[teamshelvey-blog]

september 2016.

youth kick off at bowness park!

these ladies are taking on the junior high girls this year and i’m so thankful for their presence! up until the very first day of youth i was pretty sure i was going to be the only female leader. thank you kaelin and ciara!

sunsets happen every day but they’re always different and beautiful.

i missed hanging out with these weirdos. it feels good to be back leading youth after a year off!

surprise anniversary dinner at bow valley ranche house (our personal favorite). he also surprised me with a night in banff! while i was at school he packed a bag and had it in the trunk so we left from the restaurant in calgary and headed out to the mountains.

M: i can’t believe i didn’t take more photos than this! september has been absolutely filled to the brim and i feel like so many things happened that i could’ve gotten a picture of. but sometimes things are just too crazy for you to remember to pick up your camera. this month saw a lot of transition. you’re pretty sure you know what’s coming, but september always seems to throw a curve ball. the switch from SAIT to U of C was definitely not my favorite, to be polite. it’s difficult to transition from a very practical, hands-on approach of learning into a more research-oriented style filled with writing papers. if it weren’t for the handful of friends who transferred from sait with me who are all in the same boat, i would’ve jumped ship a couple weeks ago. i can’t imagine doing this alone! i really can’t explain how grateful i am for those girls, and also my dear friend emily who enrolled in “intro to canadian politics and judicial systems” just because i was in it and i had no other choice. she has made it so much more enjoyable. my friends are truly the best. you know who is also the best? my lovely husband! i can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that it’s been over a year since we got married. it honestly feels like just a few months most of the time, but when i think back on this year it’s crazy how much actually happened! i’m so thankful for his strength, wisdom, and kindness in my life. we are still learning new things about each other and about doing life together and i’m so happy i get to do this all with him. so excited for year two! i’m also super pumped:

1. to be back leading youth. varsity youth is home to some of the craziest and most wonderful kids you’ve ever met. it’s such an honor to be a part of their lives in this way and to journey with them as we learn about god. 2. that the saturday morning sisterhood bible study started up for the year. i don’t have any photos of us, because we meet at 8am on saturday mornings and pretty much just roll out of bed. love those mornings so much, and i hold those women so close to my heart. 3. for our young & married group that is starting this year! it blows my mind how many fantastic and inspiring people god has placed in my life, and i am everlastingly grateful for this little fellowship and our future together.

september may have hit me pretty hard, in the face, a couple times... but i’m still standing and i have lots of support around me and the prospects of this year are pulling me forward even though i mostly just want to stop and sleep for a few days.

K: This month has been the busiest of the year by a long shot for me. I spent half the month in training for my new job, and half of that time in Orlando for training. Orlando was really nice, I had never been that far south in the states and I also really appreciated the warm weather. Amidst the chaos, Marlo and I were able to enjoy a lovely evening together at our favourite restaurant followed by a night in Banff (thanks to my very generous parents). One year of marriage has gone by so fast, and I look forward to our next anniversary (as well as every day between now and then).

[teamshelvey-blog]

august 2016.

mr and mrs john and danielle polson. “someone so tall fell in love with someone so small” and their love is an endlessly beautiful and inspiring thing.

spent the weekend in radium, BC for a bachelorette. the perdue girls and i have grown up like sisters, and i’m so excited for brie and her man to get hitched next month! we had so much fun revisiting all the places we loved as children and reminiscing about our lives together.

the shelvey parents welcomed another girl into their family this month! somehow we found one of gracie’s actual sisters! blue stole our hearts pretty much immediately, and while her and gracie are still kind of figuring out their order in the pack, we love having them both around.

dates with this goose are always the best.

i will always always always love picnics in the park with friends.

M: i’m just gonna jump right in. my uncle passed away this month. he had terminal lung cancer. but being born is also really a terminal thing. you don't just get a life sentence when you develop a disease. it's like, you're born, and then every second you live puts you closer to death. i'm not even saying that in a weird, morbid way. it's just how life is, you know? i feel like everybody should have someone sit them down and give them the "it's terminal" talk, whether they're sick or not.

you're alive, and that means you're going to die. there isn't anything you can do about it. feel all your emotions but in the end you'll have to come to terms with the fact that you're headed for the end. so try not to worry too much about it; we're all in the same boat. now that you know this, you can just live your life! when you think about it, that's pretty cool. you don't have to worry about what's going to happen to you: you already know. so breathe every breath like it's your last, because one day it will be, and maybe you'll wish you'd spent more time thinking about how much your lungs like the taste of air. never ignore the impulse to pray. give your friends hello hugs and goodbye hugs and i'm-just-so-glad-you're-in-my-life hugs. tell your family how important they are to you. sometimes we stop saying those things because we assume they already know, but it's important for them to hear. know when to take pictures and when to put everything down and just feel the moment with your fingertips. you'll feel more successful if you encourage others to succeed instead of stepping over them to get where you want to go. the most important thing you can do in life is love others. love like the crashing waves; endlessly, tirelessly, and independent of what you may get in return. none of us can escape the journey towards the end, but if you try your best to make the journey a little brighter for those around you, i promise you won't be disappointed. i am so blessed to be surrounded by people who make my life so very bright, and i hope i can reflect that light back to the world around me. my community is such a gift to me and i’m so thankful to be a part of it. as this summer comes to a close, i’m gearing up for a different school, (potentially) a new job, and i’ll be leading youth at church again (after a year off). and this time i’ll be leading youth with kyler! i’m so excited we get to do more things together this year. even though i’ll miss SAIT and my classmates there, everything else about the fall is wonderful enough that i’m okay to start welcoming in the falling leaves and chilly weather.

K: We are quickly approaching our one year anniversary. I do not know where this year went, time only seems to be speeding up as I get older. I am so very thankful to have been married to Marlo for almost a year now, and I look forward to all the rest. Marlo is such a generous, selfless woman who blesses me every day with her love and servant's heart. She makes me want to be the best husband I can be. This month absolutely flew by, but it has been such a good month and it has left me thankful for so much. I am so thankful for my new job, so thankful to be back in school, and so excited and thankful to take part in a bible study with some of our dear married friends. I think if I could, I would live in a massive house with all of my friends. There is nothing more exciting to me than hanging out with people constantly and enjoying each other's gifts and company. It sounds so unrealistic but if i were to wager I imagine heaven will be something like that in some way, but better.

[teamshelvey-blog]

july 2016

a pre-marriage-celebration weekend for the now-married kelsey brown! it was a lovely weekend getaway with the most wonderful women.

birthday celebration for ben thiessen; the man, the myth, the legend.

picnics in the park surrounded by the sounds of folk fest and the smells of summer. these folks are kindred spirits.

party time! so happy we got to see the union of chance and kelsey brown, two of the kindest, funniest, and most wonderful humans. love being able to celebrate with my friends!

the three musketeers.

M: these pictures are pretty full of joy. i can’t believe how much of this month i got to just spend with people i love. this is the first summer since 2010 that i haven’t been busy at camp or working with kids all summer. which is weird! i do miss it. but it’s been nice to have a different kind of summer. a lot of beautiful things have happened, and some hard things too. my uncle was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. as i write this, things are pretty up in the air. the initial prognosis was 4-6 months, but things have been up and down and really rough at times and it doesn’t seem like it will be much longer. both him and my aunt are incredible and strong but this is just one of those situations that is hard no matter who you are. thankfully our family has been able to go out and spend time with them over the past month, which i am so grateful for. i am so lucky to have the family that i do. and despite how much things hurt and how difficult it can be, god is here. no matter how unsure we are of anything in our lives, that is one thing we need never doubt. pursue god even when everything around you would say he isn’t there. to pursue god, and to not merely pursue answers, or a desired outcome. don’t look for the resolution. look for god, whom christ says is present in our pain. nothing happens apart from the care of your father. in the most difficult times of our life, we want clarity. in the most difficult times of our life, god wants our trust. and instead of giving us answers, he wants to give us himself. which is sufficient for the reality that we face. we have to realize our status as created and not creator. fear god. because wherever there’s something that might make you afraid, your father is there. his presence, and not the answers to why, is what will comfort you in those times. the command “do not fear” is always connected to the promise “i will be with you” not the promise “i will explain everything to you” (joshua 1:9, isaiah 43:5, psalm 23:4). the cross proves that god loves you beyond explanation. the resurrection of christ proves that whatever happens to us is not ultimate. the ascension of christ proves that whatever is happening is not outside of his control. the holy spirit of christ proves that whatever is happening to us isn’t apart from the father’s presence, because the spirit is in us, testifying that we are children of god. the gospel of christ proves that whatever struggles we have don’t exclude us from the carrying presence of the father. and that’s enough. faith rather than fear. not faith in a certain outcome, but faith in a certain someone. that he is with us, even until the end. and when the end comes, we’ll be with him forevermore. and that is enough.

K: This month has been more eventful than usual. I ended up applying for the position at work, and I was fortunate enough to get the job. It has been so fulfilling. Before, I was already half doing the job and not getting paid for it, so I feel a lot more comfortable at work. It has been a lot of fun learning new things and growing both professionally and personally, I hope this continues in the next few years working at FedEx. I have recently applied at Rocky Mountain College, and I was accepted. So now I am back at the bible school where I began, and I am excited to see what that brings into my life. Lately I have felt very convicted by the writings of one Leonard Ravenhill in his book “Why Revival Tarries”. My passions as a more mature Christian have been to find answers to hard questions, helping people find answers in their faith, and defending orthodox Christianity and God. Mr. Ravenhill has huge emphasis on prayer warriors and people like Old Testament prophets, people who say things that are not popular but that need to be said. He has really made me question my prayer life and how I view the world. His writing convicts me in the way that verses in the NT do about the sheep and the goats, and the narrow path. It makes me question how well I carry my cross, if indeed I carry it at all. Do we truly fight against principalities and powers? If so, how do we fight them? With prayer. My prayer life is so lacking. I fight only on my own strength. If only I had faith the size of a mustard seed. It seems like such a small amount of faith, but i feel I do not even possess that. It is easier to adopt a view like universalism or religious pluralism than to labour in prayer for souls, and battle against the enemy, which has been hidden so very well in the world in which we live. I still have similar passions, but God has shown me new ones in the last few months. I desire more of Him, and to walk closer and in deeper intimacy more so than pursuing knowledge. The struggle has been actually carrying out these longings and not getting lost in the senseless noise all around me, distracting me from what is important.

[teamshelvey-blog]

june 2016

BC road trip with mum!

we had a surprise party for my aunt at bowness park and my cousin’s boy ollie remains the cutest thing i’ve ever seen.

i graduated from SAIT with a diploma in rehabilitation therapy assisting (with honors, somehow). photo cred to mama hepburn.

went on another trip to BC! minus my mom and plus my husband and his wedding party. this was taken at mission hill family estate winery, the most beautiful dang vineyard i’ve ever been to.

classic.

the littlest labrecque had his first birthday party and he was this adorable the whole time. i took a thousand photos.

when you want a pic of all the cute kids and they literally just can’t deal.

M: doing this blog makes the months seem to fly by even faster. two trips to BC, lots of time with the husby, and a few birthday parties later, and here we are! i’ve also spent a ton of time doing chemistry. gross. i’m taking chem 30 online because in high school i dropped it after a week and took gym instead. i still don’t like it. but it’s the only thing standing in my way if i wanted to get a master’s in occupational therapy. just want to leave my options open! even though i’m so indecisive and i usually want to have less options. so that makes sense. anyway, this month i’ve been thinking a lot about the meaning there is in making breakfast, and brushing your teeth, and folding laundry, and just little things, i guess. sometimes i just feel like i need to be doing grand, amazing things every day or i’m wasting time. but i think mostly that’s exhausting and unrealistic, you know? spend time with people, be a good steward with what you’ve been given, and don’t compare your behind-the-scenes with everybody else’s highlight reel. i think steve furtick said that. sorry if this is a bit scatter-brained. as soon as i post this kyler’s taking me to the airport and i’m going to saskatoon for a week!!!

K: I ended up deciding to try and enroll back at Rocky, as Ambrose changed my program and no longer has a program that suits my needs. Also I will be able to save some money which is a big bonus and it will be online almost exclusively online which is convenient. This month Marlo and I went with my wedding party to Kelowna to spend some time on the lake and do some wine tasting. It was a much needed break and it was really fun to be out of town for a while. As this month ends I have another decision to make as a job position is open at work. It would be very similar to what I do now but with more responsibility. It is so very tempting, but I feel conflicted as I hate interviews and I am not sure if it is worth it for the slight pay increase. Another good thing about applying is that if I got the job it would make my resume look better. I still have a few more days to think about it but I truly do not know what I should do.

[teamshelvey-blog]

may 2016

we went to mexico! there was a lot of this.

and a lot of this!

and a lot of these guys.

and about 12 hours of this.

M: and i honestly didn’t take pictures of anything else. what happened?! i don’t have a full time job or anything so i am pretty free to take photos and i literally don’t have a single other photo from the month of may. our belated honeymoon to mexico was kind of the biggest thing, and other than that i’ve mostly been hanging out with kyler and i’ve had lots of time to be in community here. transitioning from saskatoon back to calgary took me a while to process. i got back almost two months ago and i’m just feeling like i’m getting into a groove here. i didn’t come back to a full time job because i wanted to be able to have some more time with kyler before we head back to school in the fall and have totally opposite schedules again. i came back to calgary during exam season craziness and my days looked so different than they did in saskatoon. it was hard at first, but wherever you are, god is at work. trust me on this one, people. you do not ever have to doubt that god is up to something wild and wonderful, just ask him to open your eyes to the opportunities surrounding you and you will not be disappointed! he has given us the incredible dignity of being a part of his work! never forget what an honor that is! during this time in my life, i can sometimes feel kind of like a lump. calgary (and north american culture almost completely as a whole) idolizes “productivity”. you’re admired if you’re busy. it’s weird if the first thing you say when someone asks you how you’re doing isn’t “i’m so busy”. we pretty much expect everyone around us to be exhausted and overwhelmed. but i am getting the sense that the community i am a part of is beginning to see the faults in this lifestyle. we are collectively yearning for lives more focused around connecting with those around us on a more consistent basis. community changes everything, guys! i feel so lucky that i can have a somewhat jobless summer, and that god provided this time for me to really get reconnected with my friends here, and that kyler and i can spend way more time together than we ever have before. relationship is the reason we exist, folks. never forget that!

K:  This month has been quite enjoyable. Lots of time off work, lots of good weather, and it began in Mexico so that is always nice. This month, school has been ever present in my mind. Whether or not I should go back, where I should go back, and for what. I still have not made a final decision but I did make some headway as to why I might go back. When someone is intent on joining the field of ministry, it is important to know why. I have heard the "why" can be a passion, or an ache, even the desire that God has placed within me. With the help of my wonderful Spiritual Director I began to delve into why I might be in ministry. The passion or ache that bothers me most often is usually in regards to truth. I cannot stand it when people give misinformation and I love looking into what the truth might be. I love dealing with what others have found to be true in their own lives, and wrestle with whether or not it is indeed true. I love finding God's truths within his Word, and applying it to life. I have never thought about "truth" being my passion, but as I consider it more, it makes more and more sense. It was because of truth that my spiritual journey was kicked in to high gear when presented with the "truths" of Mormonism. I recognized immediately a problem that needed reconciling when looking at a "Christianity" completely different than that with which I was raised. It was through that struggle that my eyes were opened to the reality that everyone in this world, clings to a truth in one form or another, and that it is possible to cling to that which is false. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." In light of this truth I am driven to share the truth of the good news with which I am blessed, and contend against the other "truths" that have a hold in the world that we live. It feels sort of arrogant to act so dismissive of what other people accept as true, but in the end some things must be true, and others must be false. And I pray that neither myself or you bow to any other truth than the risen Jesus. All of that being said talking about any of this is actually the most exciting thing for me so hit me up if you want to chat, ponder, dig deeper, or challenge your beliefs or others.

[teamshelvey-blog]

april 2016.

said goodbye to my girl for $80. it was a pretty short-lived adventure but i’m glad mabel was my first car. nowhere to go but up, folks. but don’t tell her i said that.

got VIP tickets to see yelawolf at flames central! rowdy. amazing.

spent a lot of time with our girl gracie lou! she’s a sweetheart.

the squad during our last class, not actually doing anything. surprise.

after out last exam! hard to believe it’s all over.

M: okay did this month even happen? somewhere in the midst of april i came home from saskatoon, turned 22, reunited with family and friends here, finished my classes/exams at SAIT, enrolled in classes for the fall at u of c, did what feels like a million other things and as i’m writing this it’s just past midnight on april 30th and kyler and i are packing for mexico! we’ll be there for the next week. we leave in like nine hours and i’m so pumped. i’m pretty zonked so i don’t have much to say but I promise next month will be better! see ya later dudes!

[teamshelvey-blog]

march 2016 / goodbye saskatoon.

M: this post is a little late but it also now sort of coincides with me leaving saskatoon. i’ll be gone in two days and that’s technically april but it’s fine. i spent the entire month of march in saskatchewan! how crazy is that. one whole month + a little extra in a city six hours away from my home. BUT WAIT. there’s more. i happen to have found one of the most inspiring and loving groups of young people that you will ever know right here in saskatoon! i am starting to lose my voice and my abs are sore from how much we laugh together. obviously i am so excited to go home and actually live with my husband again. but let me tell you something. i wish i could just pack up my friends here and take them with me. because my departure from this place is certainly going to be a difficult one. calgary has been my home for as long as i can remember. but my time here in saskatoon has made me realize that home is about people, not places. obviously i miss my calgary folk, like a ton. but god blessed me in such a HUGE way when he provided the group of friends i stumbled upon here. and as much as i am going to miss them, i wouldn’t have it any other way. they have impacted my life in amazing ways and i feel so honored to have shared these past six weeks with them. i can’t imagine how this all would’ve dragged on if i didn’t find that fellowship here. six weeks would’ve been agony. instead, the time has absolutely blown right by me and i don’t understand how i’m going home so soon. i haven’t taken that many pictures because i’ve honestly been so busy just straight up enjoying the heck out of every moment. i kind of told everyone they had to hang out with me every day for my last week here, and because they’re all so kind and caring, they are doing just that. i know i don’t deserve them, but i’m so grateful that god provided these homies for my time here. basically that’s all i have to say about this month. i feel like the wealthiest person in the world because i am surrounded by some of the richest fellowship i’ve ever known. march was a blessing.

kyler won’t be appearing on the blog for this month. without me, he has given up. jk, it’s just harder to make sure he writes this when i’m not even in the same province ;)

[teamshelvey-blog]

february 2016.

paint nite with mama hepburn! an exercise in doing things that are fun just for the sake of doing it, and not trying to be perfect. enjoy the process, friends! it doesn’t have to look like anything. there is just so much joy in creating. our thoughts either limit us or set us free. don’t say “i can’t” or you won’t.

biannual/semianual/triannual/whatever it is salt and pepper date with emily, janessa, and kylie. i hope these never stop.

galentine’s day at misha’s! i’m an awkward lump but these girls love me anyway. huge shoutout to misha for being the hostess with the mostess and to all these lovely ladies for the impact they’ve had on my life.

our new bedroom in my folk’s place! it’s a tight squeeze but we also have our own little living room downstairs, which we didn’t have in the old place! it was sad saying goodbye to our previous landlords/friends who we will miss dearly, but i am really pumped about the “new” digs too. (you can just see our IKEA bed frame in the back. if you want a fun story, ask me about that bed sometime.)

surprise! i’m transferring into the third year of the community rehabilitation and disability studies degree. come september, i’ll be a u of c homie!

the night before kyler drove me out to saskatoon, we went for dinner at the bow valley ranche house restaurant. we’ve only been once before and it’s the kind of place where you have really high expectations and they consistently go above and beyond them. it was a wonderful last night; indescribable food, delightful staff, and of course, the best company. our waiter directed our poses for these photos. “hold hands. now pick up your wine glasses and smile at each other!”

M: february really went by in a blur, but so many good things happened! i had two weeks off between practicum placements, i got accepted to u of c, and we moved into my parent’s house! immediately following the move, kyler drove me out to saskatchewan for my last placement. i’ll be here for six weeks in total, working at the saskatoon city hospital. it’s a major bummer being away from the hubs, but on the plus side, one of my friends from YWAM lives here and i’m going to be able to go to his church and meet with his young adults group every week. they are all so kind and welcoming and hilarious. i love the immediate connections you can find in the body of christ, regardless of the city you’re in. it’s a great group of people here, but they also meet on thursday nights which reminds me of my folks back home who make up one of the most supportive and uplifting communities i’ve ever known. one thing i really appreciate about our young adults group back home is that we have recently become a lot more intentional in our relationships with each other and encouraging each other and challenging each other to dig deeper in our faith. on valentine’s day we started a two-year bible reading plan and it’s been a huge blessing in my life doing this collectively. it’s so incredible being able to share that part of life with people. i’m so glad god treasures relationship and has placed a desire for community in our hearts. not only does he give us good desires, but he fulfils them as well. god is good and i am so thankful for all the people has placed in my life. also, i miss kyler.

K: This month has gone by so very fast and very slow. It seems like a crappy month thanks to my first stomach flu in 6 years and having to leave my beautiful wife in Saskatoon, but other than that is just work and more work. Having to go several weeks, (the longest we have been apart) without seeing each other has been rough, but it is not fruitless. I have been trying to use this time to catch up with people I do not often get to see, and distance has definitely made the heart grow fonder. I have grown accustomed to always having a sleeping buddy over the last few months and I truly miss being able to share my day and night with my wife. I am so thankful that she has been plugged into a social community out there, and that our family has been so supportive and welcoming out in Saskatchewan. It definitely lets me sleep easier knowing she is not completely alone out in the barren prairies.