New Beginnings

By: Elliott Shin | Executive Director

Spring has always been a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. After a long winter, we are delighted to see that the days are brighter, longer, and warmer! It is a time to both try and experience new things, as well as view our lives with new optics and perspectives. Spring is also a time to make adjustments to our daily routines. We may choose to walk or hike more frequently, sit on a park bench to read, kick a ball around with our kids, go for that long-awaited first bike ride, or go for a long drive with the family.

Spring also grants us the opportunity to declutter our lives. To throw away some of our winter’s accumulations. It is a wonderful time of year to pass on any unwanted and gently used items to a charity of your choice or to simply throw away things around the house that you have no use for. On the flip side, this is also an opportunity for us to recalibrate and simplify what is in our hearts and minds. We want to eliminate those things in our lives that interfere with our relationship with the Lord.  So that we can increase the frequency and depth of our time with God, and focus on scripture, worship, and prayer.

 As we continue to live through this season of COVID, it is essential that we are right with God. In these times of staying at home, keeping our social distance, restricted from seeing family and friends, perhaps working from home, and even worshipping on Sundays virtually, a healthy, vibrant relationship with God is paramount. 

Allow me to take this opportunity to ask that you keep our staff in prayer as this summer, after almost a full year of hosting online programs, we are endeavoring to offer some in-person Sonshine Summer Day Camps. At this time, due to COVID restrictions, we are unsure at what capacity this will be. However, we are excited to have the opportunity to once again host in-person programs!

So during this season of spring, on behalf of the staff of Toronto City Mission, I encourage and invite you to join us in renewing your walk with Christ, as we desire to draw closer to Him. Let us spend time in prayer and in God’s word in the hopes of aligning our hearts with His, as we seek to live our lives with joy, peace, and service. As the wonderful hymn reminds us, let us “Turn Our Eyes Upon Jesus!’