Ok well lets just start off by restating the title...WOW. My last few weeks have been a little rough. I've been so incredibly busy with homework (miracle month november!) an almost every single assingment thats big is due in this month and IM going insane!!!!! And to top that off, Ive really really been missing home. I miss my parents, I miss my friends, my bed...and the list goes on, but most of all I miss the ICE Youth. I Love you guys so dealry, you cheer me up and I have so much fun when I am with or around you. You kindle my Joy and give fire to my passion. I cannot wait till I can see you guys again. I love most everything out here, well really just 3 classes and Joe's Place but MAN I miss home. The other day @ Joes we had Disco/Hippy night...OMG, 2 and 1/2 hours of stright dancing and then 2 hours in the booth running the tunes and showing the lights...so much fun, my spine is out of whack and my hips are so sore from all that Boogie'n and gettin down. Well sorry to bid thee farewell but I have some things to do and even more stories to share @ Christmas (lets say things such as decapitatad Deer...???) oh and I'll share some pics of my adventure on the way back down here, it was a beautiful day with lots of sun and the Rockies were so perfectly glossed with snow!
Anywhoo, I'll post those shots someday when I get the time..but for now, Dios te bendiga mi hermano minor eh mi hermana minor en Cristo!!! Te Amo*
Buh-byes :)
Your bro (and son, grandson) in Christ,
Jason :D
Monday, November 6
Thursday, October 5
So what exactly does college look like?
Well to make this really short and sweet (like collge is...literally) The other day in Youth Ministry class, a fromer student knew what it was like to sit through a long (realy short though) hour of class with a boring (favorite prof) Marv Penner, so at the beggining of Class he threw about 3 safeway bags full of candy at us and i even sick after cuz I had so many lil chocolate bars and fuzzy peach (my fav soft candy*) and then on top of that, we got to watch a funny improv skit on the difficulties of beig a youth pastor. he story though has only begun. In my Literature and Composition (fancy way of saying English) class, we have to have one hour/week of a night class fo further study. In this particular night, our tutorial leader baked us a fresh batch of warm chocolate chip cookies! Then in that class we split up in groups and were even let out early! So that was only the middle part of this story...one would now only question "what else could possibly be as easy and more fun than that in a high;y acedemic college like BBC?" Well, have you not forgotten that I am also in a Childrens Ministry class? So other than the brutally hard stuff like working with play-dough, cutting and pasting as part of a class assignment, and having all the notes in class accessible online...our Professor thought that it might be nice to have a lil break, and since we are disscussing the role that the world has in a childs life, we are going to focus on the media aspect, and in todays class, Amy has prepared 2 half hour programs of her own childrens favorite TV programs (ok so not TV programs, that sounds too formal...CARTOONS!!!)
So yeh, that is the horrible work load that I am currently dealing with here @ Briercrest.
Hope that I'm not scaring you from applying here in the future....
Anywhoo, see you guys in 13 days!!!!!!
oh and the Butterfly...i took that when I was @ the Toronto Zoo* just thot i'd throw that in for the effect of my difficulty.
Sunday, September 24
Whose that stud? LOL
Oh, why its ME, Jason Derkson, feel free to copy and paste these pictures as your wallpaper Background...LOL
Anywhoo, back to the books!!!! YAY!
Thursday, September 21
Guess what week it is?????
ITS MUSTACHE WEEK!!! YAY....NO SHAVING! man I'm already perdy scruffy lookin and my stache is comin along not as bad as I thought, but i tell you now that I will never grow a stache again, im really not a fan of that. But I will post a picture for you guys when things are looking ugliest*
Till then, God Bless!
Jason :D
Till then, God Bless!
Jason :D
Monday, September 18
Exclusive Room Tour!
Well hey, this is my room, yup, right across the hall is the applicance room with a full size fridge, oven and microwave. Theres a sink and cupboards. I am connected to another room like mine via a bathroom. It has a toilet and sink, and a full size bath/shower! Life is awesome here, one thing though, its on the other side of Caronport from the Caf and the classes are even further. But its a nice walk everyday. Its Sept 19 today and man it feels good to be cold. Were sittin at about -2 right now and tomorw may only be like 5 degrees, give er a month and it'll be -20, 2 and it'll be -40!!!!! I havent had temps like that since before last summer!!! Its so exciting!
Anywhoo, you now owe me 10 bux in change (for laudnry) for the exclusive one of a kind tour!
Luv yall,
pax!
Sunday, September 17
Old skool picturez* (back in the day)
Mexico 2003
Paul Band (me and Tori) 2004
Grad pic 2004
Yeah I was so not cool back in those days, hehe, but hey, i just thought i might give you guys a few old pics of me, well even though they are only like 2-4 years old, i am way different..LOL
Peace out..
ps. this is MySpace....
http://derkson1.spaces.live.com/
l8r readerz*
Peace out..
ps. this is MySpace....
http://derkson1.spaces.live.com/
l8r readerz*
Say Hello to the newest Joe's place DJ*
Well hey ho how'd'ya'do? Life is great here in Sask. But I really miss you guys and pray for you all the time. I'm learning so much being here and just growing daily in my knowledge of Christs word and being continually encouraged to really give everything I have to God. I have devoted myself to Joe's place and I just feel at home whenever I walk through those doors! And well, I signed up for Disc Jockey-ing and went through training and well...now your reading from one of the newest Joe's Place DJ's* I take requests, play my own tracks, and mix them into eachother. I get to go back and forth with the soundboard and change DVD's for music videos as music is still playing. Or I can just play a DVD (like silly songs with Larry or Madagascar) in the background. I have even on occasion played with the stage lights and disco ball and what not. This is an awesome way to interact with the kids and BOY OH BOY is it ever fun!!! Well I should get back to the books so I better jet off.
I miss you all and am always praying for you, cant wait to see you guys again!
Dios te Bendiga mi hermanos eh hermanas en Cristo*
signing out...
Jason :D
Wednesday, September 13
Life as it is in the eys of Jason
So heres a quick update on my life, nothing has changed since my last post, im still here @ BBC and still makin new friends and aquaintences. Heres a breakdown of my classes...
Pauline Epistles: This class is a study of the life of Paul and how all 13 of his books in the bible came to be. We are currently studying what order the books were written in and where they were written from (ie. On the road, in prison or to the pastors he mentored) We are reading the book "Apostle" the life of Paul, and it is written biblically, but in the form of a story, as if it were a novel and it is rather intreaging* The proffessor has taught there for years and even taught one of my (young @ heart fogie) proffs that i had teach @ Kaleo! He is incredibly knowledgable and makes everything booring into something funny or intense.
Literaure and Composition: Oh wow. Well this is a course that I must take in order to be eligable to recicve my Bachoulor of Arts degree. The proffessor is your typical University Proffessor you see in the movies. Really foramal in his appearal and really into books and strict. We are currently going through the short stories of a famous american female author Flanneray O'Conner. All her stories are about 30 pages each and have some minor christian theme tied into it. We have to also read some CS Lewis, which should be interesting, and also learn the EXACT way to write a properly formatted essay (which btw is not one bit like high school) And next semester I have to take a poetry class, but I LOVE that!
History of Christianity: wow, history never seemed so interesting. Learning how the church came to be and the certian individuals responsible. This course is incredibly tough with ridiculas amounts of reading and taking notes, but so interesting.
Foundations of Children's Ministry: some of you read the story I sent you of the boy and his peanuts, thats what our (female*) teacher is like, always relating children like Jesus did, how its not about us more so teaching them, but learning to become more like them. This course does NOT focus on sunday school or kids camp ministry, but rather the calling to love one another deeply and using that in our ministy to everyone, by way of the example of how we love our generations young ones. Very easy course load work wise, but mind blowing info and lectures that can make you laugh or even cry.
Foundations of Youth Ministry: Last for the best. My absolute favorite course this semester! Marv Penner is the most amazing speaker I have ever sat down and listened to. His testimony of how he came to be here is phenominal and he literally shouts his lectures with the passion that is burning in his heart for training us. Today we were warned about stats with youth of today, and even scarier, the stats of youth leader,'s struggles. The signs we have to watch out for when on the frontlines in youth ministyr, especailly in this generation of postmodern youth who are open to a God out of box that they cannot understand. This generaion has a spiritual hunger like never before, take a look at the secular music and movies, their is such a spiritual (God or not) hunger and longing for something greater than this earth, and its beggining to leak out in our generation. We as future youth leaders have to prepare for a generation that is more open to relationship and family, despite the situation of familes today. Youth are getting married @ younger and younger ages now a days because they are full of hope for that kind of relationship. Youth 11-13 are disengaging from thier familes, we see it all the time..they no longer wanna sit with thier parents in church, they wanna find out who they are in Christ, not who the world says they are (becuase of thier GPA's and athletic abilities). My chruch has been incredibly blessed becasue of its size. The biggest peril in youth ministry is churches who separate the youth form the church. Generationally, churches are splitting in spiritual unity. The youth NEED the senior generation to see how wise they actaully are, and to see what the spiritual walk is like later on in life. But the seniors NEED the youth's enthusiasm for life, the 'whatever' attitude toward spiritual things. We cannot be a body of Christ with a division of the generations. we just cant. We'll just have to put up with the odd hyme and they'll just have to put up with a drum set. But we cannot just draw straws here and start up youth services @ 11 and have the older mature ones @ 10 to solve the problem. And that my friends is whats spilling the body of Christ in todays world. Small churches are a blessing becaaue with only 60 ppl, you cannot have 4 services and you are forced to deal with eachother. There are even youth services in large churches splitting today because they want just a hip/hop or metal service??????
Youth leaders of today are facing the sowers problem in Matt 13. Some the seeds planted fell on the stone grond with shallow soil, and therefore the seeds (youth) "sprang up quickly..but when the sun came up the plants were scorched and withered , BEACUSE they had no ROOTS" (Matt 13:5) Pretty scary how accuratly represents the leaders today! We get so excited to save the youth of today, we dont bother taking the time and doin the work of planting the seeds where they should be! Statistics have proven that over 70% of youth that come to Christ through the youth group, leave it all behind after they graduate from High school! What are we doing wrong???
*So yeh, thats basically a run down of not only WHY im here @ Briercrest, but also WHERE my heart lies in my future ministry. But I do actaully have lots of homework and its actaully quiet for once in the Loo (Our Dorms) so i better get to doing some more reading and reflections.
Love you guys tonnes and hope and pray and encourage that you will (like Pastor Bill always says) really consider @ LEAST one year @ a bible institute somewhere, you would be surprised how many ppl think they "know enough" to go striaght for University and fall in the perils of satans grasp in thier walk with God. And then theres those who only go for a year to get rooted in faith and end up scrapping the plans they've had throughout highshcool.
Just seriosuly consider it guys,
Love your Bro in Christ,
Jason D:)
Pauline Epistles: This class is a study of the life of Paul and how all 13 of his books in the bible came to be. We are currently studying what order the books were written in and where they were written from (ie. On the road, in prison or to the pastors he mentored) We are reading the book "Apostle" the life of Paul, and it is written biblically, but in the form of a story, as if it were a novel and it is rather intreaging* The proffessor has taught there for years and even taught one of my (young @ heart fogie) proffs that i had teach @ Kaleo! He is incredibly knowledgable and makes everything booring into something funny or intense.
Literaure and Composition: Oh wow. Well this is a course that I must take in order to be eligable to recicve my Bachoulor of Arts degree. The proffessor is your typical University Proffessor you see in the movies. Really foramal in his appearal and really into books and strict. We are currently going through the short stories of a famous american female author Flanneray O'Conner. All her stories are about 30 pages each and have some minor christian theme tied into it. We have to also read some CS Lewis, which should be interesting, and also learn the EXACT way to write a properly formatted essay (which btw is not one bit like high school) And next semester I have to take a poetry class, but I LOVE that!
History of Christianity: wow, history never seemed so interesting. Learning how the church came to be and the certian individuals responsible. This course is incredibly tough with ridiculas amounts of reading and taking notes, but so interesting.
Foundations of Children's Ministry: some of you read the story I sent you of the boy and his peanuts, thats what our (female*) teacher is like, always relating children like Jesus did, how its not about us more so teaching them, but learning to become more like them. This course does NOT focus on sunday school or kids camp ministry, but rather the calling to love one another deeply and using that in our ministy to everyone, by way of the example of how we love our generations young ones. Very easy course load work wise, but mind blowing info and lectures that can make you laugh or even cry.
Foundations of Youth Ministry: Last for the best. My absolute favorite course this semester! Marv Penner is the most amazing speaker I have ever sat down and listened to. His testimony of how he came to be here is phenominal and he literally shouts his lectures with the passion that is burning in his heart for training us. Today we were warned about stats with youth of today, and even scarier, the stats of youth leader,'s struggles. The signs we have to watch out for when on the frontlines in youth ministyr, especailly in this generation of postmodern youth who are open to a God out of box that they cannot understand. This generaion has a spiritual hunger like never before, take a look at the secular music and movies, their is such a spiritual (God or not) hunger and longing for something greater than this earth, and its beggining to leak out in our generation. We as future youth leaders have to prepare for a generation that is more open to relationship and family, despite the situation of familes today. Youth are getting married @ younger and younger ages now a days because they are full of hope for that kind of relationship. Youth 11-13 are disengaging from thier familes, we see it all the time..they no longer wanna sit with thier parents in church, they wanna find out who they are in Christ, not who the world says they are (becuase of thier GPA's and athletic abilities). My chruch has been incredibly blessed becasue of its size. The biggest peril in youth ministry is churches who separate the youth form the church. Generationally, churches are splitting in spiritual unity. The youth NEED the senior generation to see how wise they actaully are, and to see what the spiritual walk is like later on in life. But the seniors NEED the youth's enthusiasm for life, the 'whatever' attitude toward spiritual things. We cannot be a body of Christ with a division of the generations. we just cant. We'll just have to put up with the odd hyme and they'll just have to put up with a drum set. But we cannot just draw straws here and start up youth services @ 11 and have the older mature ones @ 10 to solve the problem. And that my friends is whats spilling the body of Christ in todays world. Small churches are a blessing becaaue with only 60 ppl, you cannot have 4 services and you are forced to deal with eachother. There are even youth services in large churches splitting today because they want just a hip/hop or metal service??????
Youth leaders of today are facing the sowers problem in Matt 13. Some the seeds planted fell on the stone grond with shallow soil, and therefore the seeds (youth) "sprang up quickly..but when the sun came up the plants were scorched and withered , BEACUSE they had no ROOTS" (Matt 13:5) Pretty scary how accuratly represents the leaders today! We get so excited to save the youth of today, we dont bother taking the time and doin the work of planting the seeds where they should be! Statistics have proven that over 70% of youth that come to Christ through the youth group, leave it all behind after they graduate from High school! What are we doing wrong???
*So yeh, thats basically a run down of not only WHY im here @ Briercrest, but also WHERE my heart lies in my future ministry. But I do actaully have lots of homework and its actaully quiet for once in the Loo (Our Dorms) so i better get to doing some more reading and reflections.
Love you guys tonnes and hope and pray and encourage that you will (like Pastor Bill always says) really consider @ LEAST one year @ a bible institute somewhere, you would be surprised how many ppl think they "know enough" to go striaght for University and fall in the perils of satans grasp in thier walk with God. And then theres those who only go for a year to get rooted in faith and end up scrapping the plans they've had throughout highshcool.
Just seriosuly consider it guys,
Love your Bro in Christ,
Jason D:)
Sunday, September 10
Joe's Place
So as most of you have heard, a part of my Feild Ed minisrtry here @Briercrest is with "Joe's Place". I will be spending hopfully my next 3 years here @ BBC serving at Joe's on Tuesday nights for bible study and Quest (http://www.quest-series.com/faq.php), in the past they have used the Nooma videos. On top of that I will (and already have) been apart of the friday night and saturday night drop in centres. Amazimg things happen at this place and its been a part of dream I have had for years. This place has been on my heart for years now and God finally brought me here. Check out the website...
www.joesplaceyouthcentre.ca
I willputting in about 5 hrs on fridays, 7 hours on saturdays and a few hours on Tuesdays. I am so siked for this and I know God has called me to this. I am so excited to come home and share this with all of you, I miss you all like a lil boy who is not potty trained and tries to 'aim' for the first time! (thats alot btw*)
Im praying for all of you and know that God has special things for your lives no matter your age. Go after whatever it is that is in your heart and you will NEVER regret it, take it literally to, do for God what He wants and you'l be ok. Sell all you have (Matt. 19:21-23) Follow whole heartedly after Christ and take up your cross even if it means leaving friends, family and posessions behind (Matt. 16:24-27) Seriously guys, I dont know what this world holds for me after I graduate, but I can tell you that I am not one bit scared, I am so excited to do God's will in my life and take up the cross that he has given to me. Jesus took up the cross as a physical object because that was his fathers will for him, what is that mean for us? What is our cross? Its that feeling we all carry inside of us as followers of Christ. That burning feeling that sadly most of us ignore, what is your passion, your hearts whole God-given desire? Find it and sell all you have to get it, take up your cross and never look back!!!!
Thats a lil bit of what Im going through right now and I am praying on my knees that you guys will take this seriously...cuz you are the ones on my heart*
I Love you...
your bro in Christ,
Jason :D
www.joesplaceyouthcentre.ca
I willputting in about 5 hrs on fridays, 7 hours on saturdays and a few hours on Tuesdays. I am so siked for this and I know God has called me to this. I am so excited to come home and share this with all of you, I miss you all like a lil boy who is not potty trained and tries to 'aim' for the first time! (thats alot btw*)
Im praying for all of you and know that God has special things for your lives no matter your age. Go after whatever it is that is in your heart and you will NEVER regret it, take it literally to, do for God what He wants and you'l be ok. Sell all you have (Matt. 19:21-23) Follow whole heartedly after Christ and take up your cross even if it means leaving friends, family and posessions behind (Matt. 16:24-27) Seriously guys, I dont know what this world holds for me after I graduate, but I can tell you that I am not one bit scared, I am so excited to do God's will in my life and take up the cross that he has given to me. Jesus took up the cross as a physical object because that was his fathers will for him, what is that mean for us? What is our cross? Its that feeling we all carry inside of us as followers of Christ. That burning feeling that sadly most of us ignore, what is your passion, your hearts whole God-given desire? Find it and sell all you have to get it, take up your cross and never look back!!!!
Thats a lil bit of what Im going through right now and I am praying on my knees that you guys will take this seriously...cuz you are the ones on my heart*
I Love you...
your bro in Christ,
Jason :D
Friday, September 8
Briercrest College
Hello all: my friends and my family. Well sorry for the late notice but yes I did arrive safely to Briercrest College in Caronport, SK (the middle of nowhere in case your wondering). Since here I discovered that I will not have a roomate for this year but that is a great thing for a procrastinator like myself. I am writing to tell you all that I miss you dearly but am greatful and excited for what is going to do through me here. Nothing big will happen. I am unable to do any extra curricular activities because of reasons to be explained. My proffesors here are absolutly amazing! The guys in my apt. building are crazy and so much fun so I will be kept busy and allowed to express my wild side. Anywhoo, why can't I do any activities here like say intra-mural b-ball or football, hockey, worship or choir????
Let me tell you guys something and follow it with a GI-Normous prayer request. For my field ed (which is marks based on your ministry involvment) I have chosen to commit myself to somehting that will be incredibly mentally and physically challanging. There is program here that you need to apply for. It is called Joe's Place. A guy form this school 13 yrs ago started a ministry in his own apt. where he would invite kids off the streets into his apt. This ministyr has grown into a (debt free*) HUGE (Canada's largest) youth ministry centre! There is a chosen 60-75 briercrest students that are 'accepted' into this ministry for there 'field-ed credit'. I went through orienttatin today and let me tell you not what I will be doing, but just how scary this place can be. We went through all the rules today and the 'DO NOT'S' of this place. As a guy on this team I will be involved at least on rotating shifts of being a 'doorman' (aka…bouncer) in which I will have to decide who is allowed in and who is not. Easy right? NO, I have to choose in between the grey area's not just the black and white. Lets say some guy shows up totally wasted and somewhat angry…do I let him in? no, or at least that’s what your first impression is. This place has had people come in drunk and come to Christ through just wanting someone to talk to. One man in particular was not let in by the doormen but later Joe had it in his heart by God that this man be let in. He was drunk beyond words yet they found out that just before he decided to come here and get drunk, he walked in on his girlfriend who was hanging by a rope from he roof. Now who wouldn’t get drunk after somehing like this. We are also going through some mild military training for being shown the proper way to break up a fight, because there is at least one every night. It an awesome ministry. Their bus for goin back and forth has like 3 subs and a 1000watt speaker system in it and is all graffitied up. But hey I gotta run, so please pray for me and forgive me as I may not have much time to write you all as often as I would wish. God Bless you all and I love you all so much.
Be strong in Christ and in His mighty power, always be praying!!!!
Your friend/son/brother in Christ,
Let me tell you guys something and follow it with a GI-Normous prayer request. For my field ed (which is marks based on your ministry involvment) I have chosen to commit myself to somehting that will be incredibly mentally and physically challanging. There is program here that you need to apply for. It is called Joe's Place. A guy form this school 13 yrs ago started a ministry in his own apt. where he would invite kids off the streets into his apt. This ministyr has grown into a (debt free*) HUGE (Canada's largest) youth ministry centre! There is a chosen 60-75 briercrest students that are 'accepted' into this ministry for there 'field-ed credit'. I went through orienttatin today and let me tell you not what I will be doing, but just how scary this place can be. We went through all the rules today and the 'DO NOT'S' of this place. As a guy on this team I will be involved at least on rotating shifts of being a 'doorman' (aka…bouncer) in which I will have to decide who is allowed in and who is not. Easy right? NO, I have to choose in between the grey area's not just the black and white. Lets say some guy shows up totally wasted and somewhat angry…do I let him in? no, or at least that’s what your first impression is. This place has had people come in drunk and come to Christ through just wanting someone to talk to. One man in particular was not let in by the doormen but later Joe had it in his heart by God that this man be let in. He was drunk beyond words yet they found out that just before he decided to come here and get drunk, he walked in on his girlfriend who was hanging by a rope from he roof. Now who wouldn’t get drunk after somehing like this. We are also going through some mild military training for being shown the proper way to break up a fight, because there is at least one every night. It an awesome ministry. Their bus for goin back and forth has like 3 subs and a 1000watt speaker system in it and is all graffitied up. But hey I gotta run, so please pray for me and forgive me as I may not have much time to write you all as often as I would wish. God Bless you all and I love you all so much.
Be strong in Christ and in His mighty power, always be praying!!!!
Your friend/son/brother in Christ,
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