2014, here we come!

 Hello again! It’s Tim with the first Encounter One blog of 2014! Where has the time gone? Things have been amazing here in Ontario. We’ve been going around the Diocese of Hamilton the past week, getting back into the swing of things. Right now we’re in Deemerton, Ontario doing a weekend retreat for some students from the University of Guelph. God’s been doing some amazing things for sure. Here’s a glory story from our own Miss Amy ten-Bohmer.

“We had a retreat today and I was at the sign in table, greeting people at the door. I met this one girl who came by herself, who didn’t know anybody else. I talked with her for a bit but once everyone else arrived I kind of forgot about her until small group time.

God definitely placed her in my small group. I was so happy to have her in our small group. She brought so much life into our small group with her eagerness to learn about God and all He has in store for us.

Later, we had a snack time, where I saw her standing by herself so I joined her and she told me how she didn't know anybody there so I told her I’d hang out with her for the day. When her face lit up into a huge smile, I knew I said the right thing. We spent the rest of the day together; lunch, the talk, small group, and games.

At one point during the day, she told me how she was involved with her church in many of the ways I had been when I was her age, and were able to bond over that!

At lunch, she told me that she wanted to join NET when she was older, and I told her I had been on a NET retreat when I was in grade 9 and now look, here I am at 21 on NET!

At the end of the day, she told me how she had loved the prayer time we had in the church, and said she was looking even more forward to her confirmation after today. As I was saying goodbye to everyone on retreat, she came up to me and gave me a huge hug and thanked me for the day and for being with her. I told her I would pray for her, and I will never forget the pure look of joy that shined on her face. She thanked me and left with her mom smiling.

            At the beginning of a retreat, you have no idea who God will place in your life that day, but it’s amazing at the end of the day looking back at all the goodness God does every day on every retreat, whether we see it or not, God is with us always and guiding us where we need to be.”

-Amy ten-Bohmer

We’re spending the next few days here in Ontario, then we floor it all the way to Regina, Saskatchewan! We’re all so excited to visit Western Canada next week.

God bless,
Tim Elliott
Encounter One