One Homeless Night

So tonight I am going to be homeless.

With only a sleeping bag, piece of cardboard, and the clothes on my back I am going to join hundreds of other students across Vancouver who will gather at the BC Lions Practice facility, and come face-to-face with really what is only a taste of homelessness.

I'll be the first to admit my life growing up was privileged, and I truly have no clue what many men and women go through on a daily basis--living on the streets. I can only hope that tonight God awakens my heart (and the hearts of my students coming) and gives us all a passion to make a difference and to take action against homelessness.

I ask you to please pray for all of those who are going. I don't want you to pray for "no rain" but rather pray that there is an outpouring of God's presence tonight. Pray that hearts are changed.

I'll make sure to throw some pictures up afterward. And check out the news tonight and tomorrow...there are rumors that a news crew will be there at some point.

For more info. check out www.onehomelessnight.com

Blessings,

Ty

30gb iPod Video FOR SALE

SOLD IT IN 2 MINUTES!

I'm selling my 30gb, white, iPod video. It's in great shape, has had NO issues, and has been in the apple protective sleeve for most of its life.

It just shows "regular use" with a few scratches, but that's life for an iPod. It comes with the protective sleeve, sync cable, and the headphones (yeah they're used...so if you don't want them I understand).

$100 dollars and it's yours!

Leave me a message, or email me at tchagan@telus.net

Death

This really isn't the easiest post to write. This past summer has been a whirlwind of tragic events that have claimed the lives of a friend from high school's husband, along with another friend just this past week from Briercrest.
I got a note on facebook on July 20th letting me know that my friend Christine lost her husband, Randy, in a motorcycle accident in Calgary. This sent shockwaves through their community, through their close friends and through me. Randy and Christine have two boys, who I imagine struggle to understand where their daddy is.
Now, this morning as I find out that a friend of mine, Preston, was killed on the side of the road while trying to help a student who had struck an elk with his car. Preston and his wife Tara were good friends of mine while at Briercrest. They have a son, Jacob, and Tara is pregnant with their second child.

Here is the link to the Oregon news station that reported the accident:

CLICK HERE:

It is so hard to find words to write this morning. I search the scriptures for words from God to try to bring some reason to this. To see two amazing men, godly men, great husbands, awesome daddy's be taken from this earth...is hard to deal with.

But through this I know that we have to look to God for our strength...even if this hurts. I found these words in the Psalms today...this is a promise to hold onto.

Psalm 119:76-77
Now let your unfailing love comfort me,
just as you promised me, your servant.
Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live,
for your instructions are my delight.

So I ask you to join me in praying for Christine & her two boys, and Tara and her son (and soon to be child). Pray for their families & friends. Ask God to surround them with his love, to mourn along side them, and to shower them with his grace.

"To Live is Christ...and to die is gain." Phil. 1:21

-Ty

God of this City

Well today I got something free! Yup...in the mail arrived a package about the Passion:Vancouver Conference that is coming on October 6th. (side note...if you have not heard about this yet...check it out...click here)

So today I open this info. package from them, and there's a free copy of the Passion: God of this City CD. WOO HOO. I have wanted this CD for a while, and now I got it for free. Check out this lyric video from the title track "God of this City"





May your prayer be that our God does great things in your city!

-Ty

What a great morning!

I would give anything to start my mornings off like this every day! This morning I went out with a guy from my church and his friend wakeboarding.

Now the truth is I haven't been in 6 years since I worked up at Barnabas Family Ministries back in the summer of 2002. But as I arrived at the water this morning it was calm, sunny, and warm. Today was a GLORIOUS day to go wakeboarding.

So after a few minutes of just taking it easy I ventured out of the wake, did a few cuts across and even got some air (enough to pull a backside grab for a second!) It was a 15 minute ride that felt absolutely amazing. It was a great morning. We finished it off by taking a dip in the pool (heated to like 30 Celsius).

Needless to say I can't wait for the next one! Here are some pictures from this morning.

This is the view that greeted me at the dock!

Enjoying the ride!

That's enough...take me home!

shortness of life

I have been awakened quite recently to how short our time on this earth can be.

Last week my dad called me to tell me his childhood friend suffered brain trauma as a result of a motorcycle accident and was in a coma. Doctors aren't saying whether or not he will be able to walk again, or even be "normal" after such a severe accident. I remember getting rides on the second seat of Bruce's motorcycle as a child when we visited him in the Okanagan. Those were great memories.

Two days ago I received a message on facebook from a friend of mine saying a mutual friend from highschool lost her husband as a result of a motorcycle accident this past week. He was a daddy to two young boys, and I can imagine that his wife Christine is just overwhelmed with loosing her husband...and her boys not having their daddy there to see them grow up.

So I'd ask for your prayers for my dad's friend Bruce, his wife and his kids. As well please pray for Christine, her two boys, and her family as they grieve the loss of Randy.

As much as we like to think....we have no control over when our lives will end. I have realized this lesson many times in my 27 years, with loosing a neighbour, and other friends I graduated with.

Psalm 39:4-5
"Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.."

So I ask my readers to take a minute from their day today, or tomorrow, or whenever and pray for these two individuals...

Thanks,

Tyler

simplify

seems simple doesn't it?

these past few days I have been really challenged in my faith journey to recognize what it means to simplify. better yet, what it means to live without.

sure I now own a townhome, and we've filled it with "stuff" even a new big screen tv....so where do I get off talking about a topic like "simplicity".

well over the past few weeks I have dramatically reduced my "screen time". We don't have cable, and still haven't even plugged in our TV. We chose not to purchase cable for the next while in an attempt to enjoy our summer, and spend time doing other things (with each other & with friends)!

at work I have implemented a "no screen time" rule for the first 30 minutes from when I arrive in the office. this time is meant to read God's Word and pray.

simple...yet effective.

this morning as I drank my coffee at starbucks (it's VBS this week...I need the jolt of caffeine), I sat there on the patio and for 10 minutes just found myself soaking in the warmth of the early morning sunshine.

doing nothing but just being still.

sounds like a familiar passage in Scripture.

"be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10

I have recognized that I need more simplicity (that almost seems paradoxical). We all need to think creatively as to how we can simplify our lives...focus more on our walk with Christ.

may you be encouraged to spend more time being simple. enjoying life. enjoying Christ.

-Ty

Get Smart

So tonight Charity and I decided to take a break from unpacking boxes, and go watch Get Smart. Needless to say I laughed...a lot! These days have been filled with nothing but unpacking boxes, sorting stuff, putting that sorted stuff away into new places, and then repeating the whole process over again...so we realized we needed a break!

The really funny thing was, when I went to stand up after the movie was over...my legs totally cramped up! The truth is, I haven't sat down for that long in weeks! I couldn't believe how funny it felt to stand up after sitting for 2 hours! I guess it's a good thing that I haven't been lazy for the last while (I even weighed myself today and have lost a few pounds!)

Anyways, the house is slowly starting to look "like a house". More rooms are starting to be finished, and even today I bleach washed the walls in our storage room! That was really fun! Hopefully in a week or so it'll all be done and we can welcome people over!

Back to work tomorrow...but I'm looking forward to it. Lot's of great stuff happening this week!

-Ty

We're Home

We did it! After month's of slowly packing up boxes, selling old stuff of craigslist, and cramming stuff into our moving truck we have arrived at our new place in Pitt Meadows.

I was overwhelmed by the amount of help from our family, who totally bent over backwards to help us move. It was so great to have Charity's mom & dad here for a few days too. We miss them, and wish we could see them far more often.

There are still tons of boxes to unpack, and we gotta figure out where some major pieces of furniture will go, but that will all happen in time.

I still wonder when the next day is that I'll get to sleep in, but for now Charity and I will continue to work well into the evenings to get this place ready for the hundreds of "house warming" parties I think I've promised to have!

I'll throw some pictures of the new place up when it's all cleaned up...and look for a new "after" video tour of our townhome comparable to the "before" video on my facebook site.

-Ty

We're Moving...

Yup, it's true! Charity and I are finally making the move from Langley to Pitt Meadows. We take possession of our new townhome on June 22nd, and will begin our renovation process.

There is much to do over the next week and a bit to get the place looking all nice and new. We're throwing in new carpet, lino, laminate floors etc...and getting new appliances throughout the place. As well the whole place will get new paint...especially in the Master Bedroom...where we'll finally get ride of that awful Neon Pink!

We ask for your prayers for us during all of the renovations, that things go smoothly, and that everyone is kept safe. Pray that we stay healthy and full of energy to get everything accomplished.

To all of our friends and family who are helping us out...thank you! There is no way we could do this without all of you!

I promise we'll throw a wicked House Warming party sometime in July when all of this is done, and we get all unpacked!

And it begins...

Ty

My Sermon

On Sunday June 8th I got the chance to preach. My sermon was on "how the gospel can only exist within relationships." and was based off of 2nd Thessalonians 2:6b-13.

To listen click here: (or Right Click & click on "Save Link As" and download it)

P.S. For those who listen and wonder what is the "blatant act of defiance" at the beginning of my sermon...I took a water bottle up on stage and had a drink...but prior to this it was somewhat taboo for any drinks to be in our brand-spankin' new worship centre. I think it's safe to say it's no longer taboo!

Enjoy!

-Ty

Where's Waldo...Tyler?

maybe for many of my "faithful" blog readers out there these past few months of silence have felt like a "where's waldo?" book. needless to say much has gone on in my life over these past few months, but much of what was happening couldn't get posted here on my blog until it had all been finalized...

...well it's certainly all finalized now. so here's a long overdue blog post.

over the last while Charity and I felt God calling us into a new chapter of ministry. more specifically I felt God calling me to leave Northwest Langley Baptist Church and that God was going to open a new door for a new season on ministry. this was not an easy decision as I was coming up in 4 years at NWLB, but Charity and I both new that a change was coming.

well that change has happened and I am now the Pastor of Student Ministries at Eagle Ridge Bible Fellowship in Coquitlam, BC. I started here on May 15th and it has been nothing short of amazing. There is a great staff team in place and it is clear that this is where God has the need for me.

let me tell you that the candidating/looking for a new church process is nothing short of CRAZY! we were pursued and pursued a few churches and often thought we knew what was the "best fit." of course...for any of you who have lived a life of following Christ....we often make this assumption only to get a rude awakening in the end.

though this all God has been so amazing to Charity and I. so much that we were able to purchase a townhome in Pitt Meadows...which is about 20-30 minute drive from the church. the video of it is available on my facebook site to watch. we move into it on July 1st...which is like just over 3 weeks away. our basement suite right now is FULL of boxes. But we promise to have a house warming party sometime in the summer...with how many friends and family we want to have over we might need to have two parties...the place is only 1250 square feet.

this sunday I am preaching here at ERBF, and I am very excited. my sermon is from 1st Thessalonians 2:6b-13 and looks at how relationships define our faith. i practiced it twice this morning all by myself in our new auditorium. I think I'm ready to go.

well, that's a bit of an update for you. the new laptop my church has ordered for me should arrive next week, and then I hope to get into a more consistent habit of positing again. right now I am borrowing Charity's laptop which is a little older and slower then my patience can handle sometimes!

blessings,

ty

Goodbye Langley...Hello Mexico!

I can't believe that I leave in 15 hours for Mexico...

Our team has done so much work to get to this point, and I am incredibly proud of them. We meet tomorrow morning at 5am, and are on the road by 6am. It's a long drive down there, but we get to stop on Sunday at Disneyland!!! WOO HOO. I haven't been there since I was in grade 8. That was back in 1995!

There is going to be so much to write about when I get back. Please pray for our team. Pray for our healthy, safety, unity, and that God will use us in crazy ways to bless those that we connect with. We're down there over Easter, and I pray that the story of Easter will be shared in many ways through our students.

I can't write much...I've got tons of things still left to do. More to pack, more to print, more, to prep etc...

I'm back in Langley on the 24th...

-Ty

10 Days Until Mexico

10 days until 12 students and 3 adult leaders travel down to Vicente Guerrero, Mexico for our second student missions trip. Wow, I can't believe that we're this close to going. God has been so faithful in providing everything that we've ever needed. We have raised $1,000 in access to the funds required to build the house down there which means we get to decide what additional items we'd like to buy for the family we're helping, and what additional items we'd like to add to the house like additional windows, beds, table, chairs etc...

Please be in prayer for our team while we're gone. We leave Saturday March 15th, and return Monday March 24th. We are down there over Easter which will be extra special to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus together with our students and leaders.

There is so much still to plan, prepare, pack and purchase! Needless to say my life until we leave will be really busy! Oh well, this is a great experience and I can't wait to get down there. We get the chance to see the family we helped out with back in 2006 when we were down there, which will be extra special to our returning students.

God is going to do great things in us and through us. Lives will be changed forever!

-Ty

Off to the Game!

I am so excited for tonight! My dad is taking me and my brother out to the Canucks game! I don't even remember the last one I went to...it's probably been over 10 years. I don't get to spend as much time as I'd like with my dad and brother so this is going to be an awesome night. Hopefully the Canucks will win...that would be really nice!

We've all got our jersey's to wear tonight so look for us on TV (the game is at 7pm on Sportsnet). Our seats are up in the nosebleeds, but who cares, the fact that we get to be there is what's most important!

-Ty

Anti-Bullying Day

Today is recognized as National Anti-Bullying Day, and I am wearing my pink shirt in support of this great movement.

This whole thing was brought to my attention from some of my students who sent me an invitation on facebook. As soon as I saw what this was about it was an obvious choice to click "Yes, I will be attending".

For me, this whole idea is very personal. From grade 5 until grade 10 I was bullied constantly in both elementary and high school. It's not difficult for me to talk about being bullied now, but during my younger years there were no words to express the pain and hurt that I felt. There were many times when I felt like no one loved me, that I had no friends, and that the world would be better off without me.

Looking back on those thoughts it scares me to think that there are so many young boys and girls who are on the verge of great things in their adolescence are are dealing with thoughts and emotions well beyond their years. I praise God that the bullying ended for me the year I entered grade 10, but I know for many others it feels like its never stopped. It Has To Stop!

I hope that you have joined this movement today, but that for you it goes well beyond just wearing pink...that it means a change of thought and action towards how we treat others. We are each created in the image of God...we are all his beloved children. Our purpose and value are found in Christ, and not in the thoughts and actions of someone else.

In times of desperation I often found myself turning to the Psalms. David writes with authenticity and such a real sense of emotion. My prayer today for anyone who deals with the trauma of having been bullied or is dealing with being bullied that you find your hope in Christ, that you find your strength to live in the One who gives us life!

Psalm 143
Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my plea! Answer me because you are faithful and righteous.
2 Don’t put your servant on trial, for no one is innocent before you. 3 My enemy has chased me. He has knocked me to the ground and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave.
4 I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear. 5 I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done. 6 I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.

7 Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don’t turn away from me,
or I will die. 8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. 9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you to hide me. 10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. 11 For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life. Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress. 12 In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.

Stay Strong,

Ty


To watch Global TV's news report this morning about National Anti-Bullying Day click here:

What I didn't get on Valentines Day...

And it's not like I'm upset...because my birthday is only 5 months away! That should leave enough time for all of my close friends and family to pool their money together to purchase this!




Word is that "An underwater car, based on a James Bond film's been unveiled in Switzerland. The Squba can travel on land or up to ten metres underwater."

To read the whole article click here:

Now I need to go and find a cloth to wipe up my drool!

-Ty

CoeXisT

This simple, yet profound diagram, has really gotten me thinking. Last weekend I went to the U23D show that is currently in select IMAX theaters. For 90 minutes you are glued to the 5 story tall screen just amazed at how "real" the concert felt. The concert was from their Vertigo tour and filmed in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The set list was fantastic; filled with all the current favourites and hits from U2's past.

About two thirds of the way through the show during "Sunday Bloody Sunday"Bono reaches into the crowd to grab a headband with the above symbol written in sharpie marker across the front. This is where the conversation starts for me...

-What is the message that is trying to be said here?

-What does a normal person understand when Bono says "Jesus, Jew, Muhammad, it's true...all sons of Abraham"?

-How do I as a Pastor dialogue through this seemingly religiously pluralistic comment?

Now in no way do I profess to be clairvoyant to know exactly where Bono and the rest of U2 align themselves spiritually/theologically, and though I own the "Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2" book I admit I have yet to read it.

What I am wrestling with is how to properly communicate the truth of Bono's statement. At it's rawest form, Bono's "Jesus, Jew, Muhammad...all sons of Abraham" is true.

As we read in Genesis 13:16 "I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted."

Further in Genesis 16 we read of Abraham and his maidservant, Hagar, having a son named Ishmael, who is a prominent prophet in Islam.

In Genesis 17 we read of God establishing his covenant with Abraham and he and Sarah conceiving a son to be named Isaac. "I will establish my covenant with him [Isaac] as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him." (Gen. 17:19)

All three of these Abrahamic Religions claim Abraham as a patriarch of their faith. This is true. However I am unsure of where Bono is going on his mid-song rant. Is he saying that each of these three religions are equally true? Equally viable means of salvation? Equal methods of reaching God?

If so...then why would Jesus say:

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

For a normal person would they believe these words of Jesus as Truth? Even Jesus' followers were confused with his teachings...even regarding being descendants of Abraham:

John 8:31-41
"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father. "

"Abraham is our father," they answered.
"If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does."
"We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself.

Lastly, I in no way want to infer that I don't believe in loving my neighbour, seeing the beauty in other people, and understanding that hatred of others is the farthest thing from Jesus' teachings. But I do want to say that wherever Bono is going with his "CoeXisT" philosophy I encourage my brothers and sisters to approach this carefully, and with discernment.

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1st John 4:1)

Well, now that I've thrown that out there, I look forward to hearing any of your thoughts on this...especially if you have been to the U2 show, or were at the Vertigo tour here in Vancouver. What is your read on this? Good? Bad? Neutral?

Blessings,

Ty

Vancouver vs. Lethbridge

Yup...nothing says love better than a hockey game between my home town and Charity's home town. Thanks to Todd who gave us the tickets as a Christmas gift. Charity and I got to skip our Sr. High Bible Study last night and head down to the game, while our leaders taught the students! Our youth leaders are awesome!

We had AMAZING seats for the game, and were seated right on the red line 4 rows up from the Giants' bench. We could hear Don Hay (Giants Coach) talking with the players. The picture above is without any zoom! That's how close we were to the action! It was a totally different game experience being so close to the ice.

In the end...Vancouver won 3-1 over Lethbridge. WOO HOO. It was a great night and we really enjoyed the chance to go. Another neat thing is that my old Sr. Pastor from Fraserview Church in Richmond is the Giants' team chaplain, and so we got to hang out before the game, and during the 2nd period. I really miss that guy. It was really great to see him and to catch up on our lives.

-Ty

Way Too Funny!!!

Annie, our church secretary bought this card for her husband as a joke. This picture was on the cover! As soon as I saw it I scanned in the image so that I could post this. I just love it.

(click the picture for a larger image)

We have all seen these types of people in our churches. I know that next time you have church you'll be watching and labeling each person with their hands raised!

Have Fun,

Ty