It was a phone call in early April 09’ that caused Loretta (wife) and myself to step out into a deeper Faith. I had applied for a position as a Chaplain in Thunder Bay Ontario in September ’09 and I was interviewed for the position in November 09’ and both Loretta and myself believed that God was about to stretch us, we were sure this was my ministry. This meant Loretta would have to give up her employment of ten years, not such an easy requirement to ask of anyone, with employment the way it is in today’s economy.

At the time I was working with Developmental Pedophiles for five years. These were young men who were both victims and abusers themselves. Or as I like to say “God’s training ground for what Ken was about to face. To say that one has “Faith” is all good, but there comes a time when it has to be activated and you have to step out of the boat. James 2:17 in the same way faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by actions, is dead. I was struggling working in this environment, not with the clients, but with the other so called Christians there. The things that were allowed to go on at this house and the other houses run by the same manager and organization were anything but godly. I tried to stand up for what was right but the manipulation that went on, even or especially by the Senior Pastor. This only caused me to trust and believe God to take me out of this kind of corruption. I was in a position were I had to activate my FAITH and believe God.

Anyways back to the phone call, the gentleman on the other end of the line asked me why I wasn’t up in Thunder Bay yet to start my new position as a Chaplain. I told him that I hadn’t heard anything about it yet. Then a couple of phone calls later and we agreed on a start date of May 11/09. I was on my way up to Thunder Bay. Not very much time to sell a house, give your employer notice, use up what vacation I had left and all this within about five weeks. Not something to be done in the natural but then this was God’s doing not mine and that made it supernatural. My Faith was about to be stretched in a major way and still is.

Loretta and I had decided to put the house in Hamilton up for sale in anticipation of a move. I had put in my resignation with the Christian company that I was working for at the time. I knew that I had heard from God and we were doing the right thing. The manager tried to make me feel like I couldn’t come back if I left, with God there is no turning back and the fear they were trying to threaten my future with, was recognized for what it was, fear of man. To me was just another sign from God.

If you wanted to find where the centre of the Bible is, this scripture is found there Psalms 118:8 Fear God and not man…… I knew at this moment that it was God calling me out of this place and it was not by my wishful thinking of getting away from this corruption but by His sovereign hand of mercy and grace. Psalms 37:4 delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. This is what we were doing, we were crying out to God and He answered us. Jer.33:3 call to me and I will answer you…..

We left for Thunder Bay on May 1/09 and arrived May 3/09, and through the real estate person we had, she got me a temporary apartment until we could purchased a house. We had seen a home a put an offer on it and it didn’t pan out. But we had prayed and believed God that this was our home. And by God’s leading we ended up with that very same home for a few thousand less then we originally offered. See I told you before delight yourself in the Lord………….Loretta had gone back to Hamilton to rent or sell our home then would join me once it was rented or sold. August 1st we had renters. I went back to Hamilton to move our furniture up to Thunder Bay, hooray.

We left Hamilton on July 26/09 with a truck load of furniture and belongings so we could move into our new home on July 27/09. The guys from Teen Challenge Thunder Bay unloaded the truck for us. Loretta, me and our good friend Bob organized the furniture to the individual rooms. Bob stayed up with us and helped us with putting together the beds and setting up the home as comfortable as could be.
O YA’ did I mention Bob also drove the rented truck back to Hamilton for us.
What a true friend, Bob is.

We were planning on going to the 2010 Olympics out in Vancouver as we have family British Columbia and hay the Olympics are a once in a life time event to see live. But we had to cancel because it would have been very difficult for me to move around with that many people, because I walk with a cane. Loretta, said I would have had to walk a long distance to get to the different events. But that wasn’t the only reason either for missing Olympics. I had received a letter from a specialist in Hamilton. I was to have surgery on my hip in March. It wasn’t hard to prioritize, my hip (walk cane free and have a better life style) or the Olympics. Which one would you choose?.

I informed work that I was having an operation and it was OK and they wished me all the best. Although I was going to have the operation, I was not alone, my wife was there to help, my family and I got lots of well wishes from people at work and through work. Loretta also gets to listen to my aches and pains or should I say whining. I feel really good about the operation as it went well, I am still recovering and getting stronger every day. I am finding that I have been challenged daily because of my FAITH in God. With all that has gone on in the last year. Beginning with the phone call in April, the problems we faced with having two mortgages, the renters that we had, moving to a new location, making new friends and other financial impairments, the operation and the time it takes to heal, could have turn out a lot harder. But this is our prayer; Psalms 16:1,2,5 Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing. Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.

There is a key to having true comfort and it is only found in God’s rest.
Hebrews, chapters 3 & 4
When a person finds that true rest, they will find that working as a Chaplain in Thunder Bay or whatever God’s portion is for you, it will come to be a blessing to others. Keep sending your prayer request and don’t forget to sign the guestbook. - Chaplain Ken