I have been deeply loved all my life, whether I knew it at the time or not. Now in my adult life I know better how well I've been loved and have chosen to dedicate my life's purpose to helping others, in persistent persuit!
My care for others has brought me all over Western Canada and around the world.
My goal is to:
Dispel loneliness and isolation
Embrace vulnerability and community connectedness
I believe that people are made for relationship and for helping each other thrive.
Throughout my life I have met incredible people that have helped me find a better and more complete self.
My hope is that what you find here may help you in your journey as well.
This is me. My name is Russ.
I love to have fun! I think that there is more to life than routine actions and mediocre emotional stability. I want to experience the fullness of joy and peace and love with God, myself, others and creation.
My career has seen me be involved in professional youth ministry in church settings between 2005 and 2018. I've really enjoyed it. I love the people that I've met, the progress that they have made and one of my greatest joys is watching young people overcome obstacles and become leaders of their own. I feel privileged to have been invited into the lives of so many.
I currently work for a large communications company as a technician. I've experienced that my passions and job don't always have to be the same. So while I enjoy my job I also continue to look for ways that I can exercise my passions in creative and growing ways.
Besides my career I am still me. My career and my gifts don't define me. I am learning this better than ever. It's not always an easy lesson to learn and I have a long way to go, but I am happy to be on the journey and I"m learning so much.
This is my family!
Julia and I got married in 2001.
Our sons Isaac and Oliver are amazing.
We have a lot of fun together most of the time and attempt to go through life together as a supportive unit. We have lived in Sundre since 2016. Before that we also lived in Winnipeg and Vancouver.
In short form here is my story.
I strive to live as my mentor and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I share in the history of the Jewish nation with a God who Creates, Redeems and Sustains. I strive to understand and live according to the Bible in the way that it was originally intended in all of its beauties and complexities. I also strive to not say things about my faith that I can't live. I want my thoughts and my words to equal my faith in action.
I believe that my faith involves all that I do and my goal is to see all things through the eyes of God. So it effects how I work at my job, how I interact with my wife and how I parent. It effects how I neighbour and how I spend my time and money. This is my attempt and though I fail often I know that I am deeply loved by God and that no shortfall of my own could take that away. This is my confidence.
I am currently in a new season of my faith and practice and though I have less clarity about my future I actually feel more freedom, optimism and peace about what God is doing in me even in my lack of certainty.
Thanks for taking the time to read my story. I trust that you will have people in your life that will take the time to hear your story as well.
