New Beginnings

How fast life changes, wow. 

So I'm an adult now... aaaaand living in Toronto for the next 5 months...  Maayyybe I should explain the last few months to give some context.  (re-reading this i'm like what the heck Shayla nobody is going to know what you're talking about from that first sentence.)

The past 4 months... so I graduated high school this past June at Northlands Parkway Collegiate.  My grade 12 year was the best year yet and I made so many wonderful memories and friends.  However  probably the biggest question of the year was "so. what are you doing after high school?"  Let me first just say, this question does have a positive side to it and some people love this question, but in my case I felt it was a really depressing question.  I was that girl who had absolutely NO idea what to do after grad.  I had already made plans to volunteer to work as a cabin counselor at Pembina Valley Bible Camp for the summer. Which gave me a little more time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life when September came.  It also helped me become more secure in who I am as an individual as well as grow and deepen my relationship with the Father.   But still whenever anyone asked me that question I would start to feel really overwhelmed and anxious... because I didn't have anything that I just REALLY wanted to do or wanted to pursue.   

So during the summer God was telling me, "Shayla you need to get out of Manitoba".  I was like "uhhhh I don't know about that Lord, that is really risky!  It would be so much safer to just get a full time job and make some money".  But he got me to the place where I was somewhat open to options, so my parents and I started to look at some bible schools outside of the province.  Catch the Fire School of Ministry in Toronto Ontario was one of them.  However I was still really skeptical just because I've never been away from home for longer than 2 weeks at a time, and being in a completely different province where I didn't know anyone was a bit of a scary thought... and living in a big city??  Not sure this country girl could adjust to that...  

God knew my fears and knew I needed some convincing.  So needless to say God put some people in my path who convinced me to attend the School of Ministry this Fall.  I have a friend whom attended the SOM previously.  He shared his experience with me which gave me a little more curiosity about the school.  I have another friend who I had worked with at camp all summer who was also going to the SOM this fall.  This gave me the final push I needed to say yes and submit my application.  

A little while later I was working at filling out the intense application required to be accepted into the school, and the devil just started to whisper little lies into my ears which made me really overwhelmed.  Things like, "you don't have a good enough relationship with Jesus to attend a ministry school", and "you won't be able to handle being away from everything you know for that long".  I began thinking it was way too quick of a decision to decide to move out of the province for 5 months. And maybe I needed to get my act together before attending. (I had applied 3 weeks before the school started)  Plus it was right after coming from working at camp all summer, I don't know maybe it was too rushed.  After talking to my parents and a few people I look up to, they re-convinced me to go through with starting school in Toronto in September even though it seemed like it was a really rushed decision after being at camp all summer.

And now I am here!   I can honestly say its been one of the best decisions I've ever made to attend the SOM this Fall.  It's been two weeks and I have already learnt and grown SO much.  

So yes.  This is my life now for the next little while, and I am excited to share what God is doing here in Toronto, as well as what He is doing and going to do in my heart.  So stay tuned for more updates:)