Having moved to Quesnel in mid-October, I had the fortunate (or maybe unfortunate) opportunity to be part of the largest snow fall year this fair city has experienced in decades.
Yet in the midst of the endless snow and the sun setting at the depressing time of 3:30 p.m. I found myself joyful that I moved here.
The primary reasons being the warmth, love and hospitality of the people I have met. What a wonderful little community Quesnel is, something I would never have learned had I not moved here.
Well, now that I am here I have the goal of trying to leave the community better than I found it. For myself, the best way that I know how is sharing the love of Jesus Christ.
Some of you might be thinking, “I’ve heard that before,” but let me assure you I don’t equate sharing the love of Jesus with being a condemning jerk to those who are not Christians.
No, for me, sharing the love of Jesus is a very tangible thing. The love of Jesus, as I understand it, is a self-sacrificing love that has the interest of others at heart. A love that remembers the oppressed and does something about it, a love that reaches out to those who are broken and befriends them. A love that is most greatly demonstrated by Jesus choosing to offer his life on a cross so that humanity can be reconciled to God. What a beautiful love!
So, as I try to share the love of Jesus with this great city of Quesnel I know I am not alone.
I have the grace-filled community of Maple Park Alliance Church with me.
It’s an honor to serve as their youth pastor. Yet I must also mention how surprised and overjoyed I have been with the collaboration among the churches of Quesnel.
Praise be to God that the different denominations in town see each other as companions in sharing Jesus’ love rather than competitors trying to get people to come to their church over the others.
Curtis Christison is the youth pastor at Maple Park Alliance Church.