Well, lecture phase has been over for a week now and I just got back from Witchita Kansas. I don't have time to tell you about kansas now, but ill make sure I do when I get back from Thailand.
Life is crazy and full of adventures, and tomorrow I begin the next big adventure of my life. Thailand. The land of smiles! I fly out of Denver at like 6am tomorrow, and I have no regrets. no second thoughts. nothing holding me back, i've never been so not nevous in my life. I'm stoked! well I don't really know what else to say, but when I return i'll tell you tons of storys about how awesome God is!
God's peace,
Jake
Friday, December 23, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Who am I?
Who I am is a question I've been asking for a very long time. Since my brother Ryan died I have struggled with trying to understand that I am not, and never will be, Ryan incarnate. I can't. I'm not programmed the same way he was. so why did I try so hard to pull it off? I don't know. And I might not ever now the exact reason. One thing I am now secure in. My identity.
I am a child of God. Yes, he is my Lord and I will serve him. But he is also a kind loving Father who adopted me into His family.
When I first came to YWAM I knew who I wanted to be. So I took this as an opportunity to change into him. I knew what Jake I thought was cool. But he wasn't me. And so off came the mask, and I began to enjoy who I was again. I had thought that moving across the country would give me a chance to change. But the change comes when you change, not when you move.
I spent the last three months going through a surgery of my soul. My mind, my will, and my emotions. I have changed the core of my being, and when you change the inside, the outside copies it. Sure i'm still the same
guy, the same scar on my forehead, the same green eyes, the same great sense of clothe matching skills. But the thing the drives me has changed, the thing inside me that makes me tick, that is different.
And now as the last week of teaching comes to an end, I understand i'll never be done learning. But now, as I go to Thailand, then home, the change I was searching for in the beginning has finally found me.
God's Peace, Jake
I am a child of God. Yes, he is my Lord and I will serve him. But he is also a kind loving Father who adopted me into His family.
When I first came to YWAM I knew who I wanted to be. So I took this as an opportunity to change into him. I knew what Jake I thought was cool. But he wasn't me. And so off came the mask, and I began to enjoy who I was again. I had thought that moving across the country would give me a chance to change. But the change comes when you change, not when you move.
I spent the last three months going through a surgery of my soul. My mind, my will, and my emotions. I have changed the core of my being, and when you change the inside, the outside copies it. Sure i'm still the same
guy, the same scar on my forehead, the same green eyes, the same great sense of clothe matching skills. But the thing the drives me has changed, the thing inside me that makes me tick, that is different.
And now as the last week of teaching comes to an end, I understand i'll never be done learning. But now, as I go to Thailand, then home, the change I was searching for in the beginning has finally found me.
God's Peace, Jake
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
lovely morning :)
top of the morning to you all!
Today has been crazy thus far, it started out with a mad scramble to clean the room before class and missing breakfast cuz I woke up late. But it got much better!
This morning for class we were supposed to go off for like 20 mins and just talk to God about this next week. And so I did just that. I asked him what I was supposed to learn this week and I heard in my head, 'David and Goliath.' So of course my first thought was this, "what? that has nothing to do with missions..." (this weeks class is on missions.) But I said to myself, 'whatever, I don't have anything to lose by reading the story.' So I get out my bible and of course I have no idea where to find it in the bible so i'm flipping around the old testament hoping to get lucky.... and of course there happens to be a bookmark on the exact page that I would swear I never placed in my bible.
This is where things get good. I then read through the story and i'm starting to see something, but I still don't understand it. And now God gives me a picture of a giant pickle. What is this supposed to mean you ask? well how bout when the pickle starts talking and then you see a little asparagus hopping towards it? Now I got confused until I remembered a veggie tales episode from when I was younger.... Dave and the Giant Pickle. So here I am trying to find some relation between pickles and missions, when I hear a song play in my head from veggie tales, 'little guys can do big things too!' is the name of the song and it talks about how size doesn't matter when God is on your side.
Those of you who know me must know that I'm a small guy. And I never knew how much that really affected me. How I tried to be good at everything so that people would not look down on me. And now I realize that its in my weakness, in my small size, that God can show how big he is! And he will get so much more glory because of it!
And so I guess God is telling me that I just need to be plain old me in order for him to use me! And if that means taking me across the world for the rest of my life, well God, use me well, you only made one of me!
God's Peace,
Jake
Today has been crazy thus far, it started out with a mad scramble to clean the room before class and missing breakfast cuz I woke up late. But it got much better!
This morning for class we were supposed to go off for like 20 mins and just talk to God about this next week. And so I did just that. I asked him what I was supposed to learn this week and I heard in my head, 'David and Goliath.' So of course my first thought was this, "what? that has nothing to do with missions..." (this weeks class is on missions.) But I said to myself, 'whatever, I don't have anything to lose by reading the story.' So I get out my bible and of course I have no idea where to find it in the bible so i'm flipping around the old testament hoping to get lucky.... and of course there happens to be a bookmark on the exact page that I would swear I never placed in my bible.
This is where things get good. I then read through the story and i'm starting to see something, but I still don't understand it. And now God gives me a picture of a giant pickle. What is this supposed to mean you ask? well how bout when the pickle starts talking and then you see a little asparagus hopping towards it? Now I got confused until I remembered a veggie tales episode from when I was younger.... Dave and the Giant Pickle. So here I am trying to find some relation between pickles and missions, when I hear a song play in my head from veggie tales, 'little guys can do big things too!' is the name of the song and it talks about how size doesn't matter when God is on your side.
Those of you who know me must know that I'm a small guy. And I never knew how much that really affected me. How I tried to be good at everything so that people would not look down on me. And now I realize that its in my weakness, in my small size, that God can show how big he is! And he will get so much more glory because of it!
And so I guess God is telling me that I just need to be plain old me in order for him to use me! And if that means taking me across the world for the rest of my life, well God, use me well, you only made one of me!
God's Peace,
Jake
Thursday, November 24, 2011
happy thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! As a family tradition we always go around and say what your thankful for, but since i'm not home I'll say so here!
Firstly I am thankful for my God who loves me and gives me second chances!
Second, my amazing family that had been so supportive of me in my 19 years.
Third, my amazing YWAM family that has made this Thanksgiving very special and memorable.
And I also find it appropriate to mention both my Grandpa Dave, and Brother Ryan who both taught me so much, I would not be the man I am today if it wasn't for them!
Please comment below some thing YOU are thankful for as well!
God's Peace, Jake
Firstly I am thankful for my God who loves me and gives me second chances!
Second, my amazing family that had been so supportive of me in my 19 years.
Third, my amazing YWAM family that has made this Thanksgiving very special and memorable.
And I also find it appropriate to mention both my Grandpa Dave, and Brother Ryan who both taught me so much, I would not be the man I am today if it wasn't for them!
Please comment below some thing YOU are thankful for as well!
God's Peace, Jake
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Crazy week!
So three things come to mind that you all should know about.
First is that another DTS came up the mountain to stay with us for a week. I'm not gona lie it wasn't something I was too excited about, They are noisy, loud, and sometimes overbearing. But guess who was proven wrong.... again.... ME :)
I thoroughly enjoyed having them stay with us, sure it was louder than normal, maybe a tad crazier, but it was alot of fun. And now because of it I have become good friends, with great people!
Second, I spent two days and one night in a hospital. I won't go into detail of why because it's really gross. But I guess it was some kind of stomach virus :/ here is my advice to anyone who might go to the hospital, DON'T! The food is gross, the iv hurts, and the doctors are men. haha Just kidding, that's no reason not to go, but really they are men.
Thirdly, I got to go to the graduation of the DTS before me. It was amazing! We got to hear stories of the outreaches they went on, and we got to see some of the dramas they did too! It was great and I can't wait for my turn to talk after outreach!
Well I better run, I'm off to learn my dramas to do. This week is outreach prep, all week we will be learning sermons and dramas and who knows what else. take care! God bless!
God's peace, Jake
First is that another DTS came up the mountain to stay with us for a week. I'm not gona lie it wasn't something I was too excited about, They are noisy, loud, and sometimes overbearing. But guess who was proven wrong.... again.... ME :)
I thoroughly enjoyed having them stay with us, sure it was louder than normal, maybe a tad crazier, but it was alot of fun. And now because of it I have become good friends, with great people!
Second, I spent two days and one night in a hospital. I won't go into detail of why because it's really gross. But I guess it was some kind of stomach virus :/ here is my advice to anyone who might go to the hospital, DON'T! The food is gross, the iv hurts, and the doctors are men. haha Just kidding, that's no reason not to go, but really they are men.
Thirdly, I got to go to the graduation of the DTS before me. It was amazing! We got to hear stories of the outreaches they went on, and we got to see some of the dramas they did too! It was great and I can't wait for my turn to talk after outreach!
Well I better run, I'm off to learn my dramas to do. This week is outreach prep, all week we will be learning sermons and dramas and who knows what else. take care! God bless!
God's peace, Jake
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
i'm running out of clever names
I don't have anything huge to share, just a little lesson i learned.
So we had a meeting with the directors tonight, just like we do every wed night and we were ending in prayer. well I was tired and kinda annoyed with how long the meeting was and I didn't really want to pray. I thought "we had worship this morning and a bunch of classes and I prayed durring quiet time and before lunch" and I just kept coming up with excuses.
Well my small group got together and we started to pray for the next six weeks of lecture phase and I decided I would pitch in my two cents. right?
JK! the holy spirit took my over and I started praying like a mad man. he in turn used it to fire up the other guys as well! one dude started callin me rev. lol, so here we are, sitting in the directors office, just five guys, going nuts over God. Truth just spitting from our mouths, visions and words from God flowwing through us. And to think I was tired of praying. As one guy put it, "God never changes, but he never gets boring either." And its so true! our small group leader had to put a close on things so we could give the dir back his office. I honestly think that the five of us could have prayed all night, and I think we will some day too. lol
So thats my little lesson for the day, just be open to God even when your tired. Its in your weekness he will rock you the hardest!
So we had a meeting with the directors tonight, just like we do every wed night and we were ending in prayer. well I was tired and kinda annoyed with how long the meeting was and I didn't really want to pray. I thought "we had worship this morning and a bunch of classes and I prayed durring quiet time and before lunch" and I just kept coming up with excuses.
Well my small group got together and we started to pray for the next six weeks of lecture phase and I decided I would pitch in my two cents. right?
JK! the holy spirit took my over and I started praying like a mad man. he in turn used it to fire up the other guys as well! one dude started callin me rev. lol, so here we are, sitting in the directors office, just five guys, going nuts over God. Truth just spitting from our mouths, visions and words from God flowwing through us. And to think I was tired of praying. As one guy put it, "God never changes, but he never gets boring either." And its so true! our small group leader had to put a close on things so we could give the dir back his office. I honestly think that the five of us could have prayed all night, and I think we will some day too. lol
So thats my little lesson for the day, just be open to God even when your tired. Its in your weekness he will rock you the hardest!
Monday, October 31, 2011
it's been awhile
sorry everyone for taking so long in posting this but i've been super busy!
So about three weeks ago we as a school went to the Acts 1 conference with all the other YWAMers in Colorado. We all met in Colorado springs for a three day session of praising Jesus and Interceding for the nations. about a week before going there God told me that he needed to know my faith, he told me that i needed to praise him even when i could not feel his presence.
Believe me it was hard to go to this conference where God was going crazy and not feeling him for myself! But i praised him through my loss and was rewarded greatly. the day after we got back to base God spoke again, this time telling me to fast for two days straight. My fast ended in what i like to call a holy spirit party, or getting drunk in the spirit. sounds pretty awful but its indeed the best thing ever! me my four roommates and two other guys went out into the woods and did nothing but seek God.
the week after that we were taught on the father heart of God. about how his love is unconditional, seems like sunday school stuff right? yeah, until his love take you over and makes you cry. lol I swear I've cried more in the last month than in the last 8 years. I guess I'm learning to let the past go.
this last week we learned all about relationships. Wow. what a life changer! I don't think ill be ready to date again for a long time, and i don't really want to be either. I'm just not ready for it.
And not only dating relationships either, I'm talking about with everyone! certainly made me want to reevaluate my friendships.
I guess that gets you caught up, i'll be posting much more often in my blog! sorry again to keep you waiting :) take care of yourself and God bless!
God's Peace,
Jake
So about three weeks ago we as a school went to the Acts 1 conference with all the other YWAMers in Colorado. We all met in Colorado springs for a three day session of praising Jesus and Interceding for the nations. about a week before going there God told me that he needed to know my faith, he told me that i needed to praise him even when i could not feel his presence.
Believe me it was hard to go to this conference where God was going crazy and not feeling him for myself! But i praised him through my loss and was rewarded greatly. the day after we got back to base God spoke again, this time telling me to fast for two days straight. My fast ended in what i like to call a holy spirit party, or getting drunk in the spirit. sounds pretty awful but its indeed the best thing ever! me my four roommates and two other guys went out into the woods and did nothing but seek God.
the week after that we were taught on the father heart of God. about how his love is unconditional, seems like sunday school stuff right? yeah, until his love take you over and makes you cry. lol I swear I've cried more in the last month than in the last 8 years. I guess I'm learning to let the past go.
this last week we learned all about relationships. Wow. what a life changer! I don't think ill be ready to date again for a long time, and i don't really want to be either. I'm just not ready for it.
And not only dating relationships either, I'm talking about with everyone! certainly made me want to reevaluate my friendships.
I guess that gets you caught up, i'll be posting much more often in my blog! sorry again to keep you waiting :) take care of yourself and God bless!
God's Peace,
Jake
Sunday, October 9, 2011
week two, snow!
Well week two is finished, and yesterday it snowed for the first time! the mountains are breath taking while covered in snow! I love Colorado and all the new friendships that have been formed, my roommates are the coolest guys you will ever meet!
This week our speaker was a man by the name of Blake Mattocks. He spoke about the character and nature of God. My only complaint is that i wish we had more time to learn from this wise man. He spoke with authority, based everything he said off the bible and was completely open about his life with us. That i think is why I respect him as much as I do.
As me and my team prepare for a two month outreach im Thailand we are becoming more like a family every day. We eat, sleep, worship, learn and live together. This family is the most loving, sharing, caring, and supportive community I have ever lived in. And it's not because of the people I live with. It's because we are all here to seek God and his kindom here on earth.
I can feel myself changing. Every day I'm a new person entirely. I'm afraid that when i get home no one will even know me anymore, but that's ok, it's the price paid for living life in the spirit. Each friday night we have the option to give up our night off and go into downtown Denver for street evangalizm. I decided to go for a night and God rocked my world. We started off with an hour of worship at a local church to prepare our hearts before the Lord, during this time God led me to pray over my friend from Brazil. God said "Pray for him to be able to speak freely." (his english is good, but he struggles with alot of words.) Right in the begining of our outreach he met a guy and girlfriend who spoke spanish and he was able to speak the gospel to them and pray for them.
As we worshiped in the streets of Denver I was led to stay with the small group of people who were singing and playing guitar instead of going out with the many groups of YWAMers that went off in twos and threes. After about an hour of Intercession a man began talking with some of the other people who were with me as well, I watched and prayed because something felt off about him. After a while I saw him aproach a dear friend of mine so me and one of the staff girls went over to her side. Within only a few minets I knew he had demons within him. He spoke of spirits and auras and other evil things. Soon he wished to depart and wanted a hug. I told him I would not, but I would shake his hand in parting. The girls I was talking to him with left and he told me, "If you knew my spirit you would hug me." I told him, "I do not know know your spirit, I only know the spirit of God!" He stared at me for a moment and then I could see the demons within his eyes, but I could also see the spirit of God shining from within me. We stared at each other for several minets as the spirits within us fought. And then I prayed, "Father God, let your spirit shine through me." and I found myself looking down on this man taller than me. His face grew worried as he turned and disapeared into the night. I did not see him agian, but I pray that the man wants Gods spirit instead of the ones he woships now. This is how I know that the Holy Spirit is inside of me. Because I saw it. After wards I asked the girls how long i spoke with him, and the many minets that had passed were indeed only about ten seconds. This is the Power of God.
Gods Peace. Jake.
This week our speaker was a man by the name of Blake Mattocks. He spoke about the character and nature of God. My only complaint is that i wish we had more time to learn from this wise man. He spoke with authority, based everything he said off the bible and was completely open about his life with us. That i think is why I respect him as much as I do.
As me and my team prepare for a two month outreach im Thailand we are becoming more like a family every day. We eat, sleep, worship, learn and live together. This family is the most loving, sharing, caring, and supportive community I have ever lived in. And it's not because of the people I live with. It's because we are all here to seek God and his kindom here on earth.
I can feel myself changing. Every day I'm a new person entirely. I'm afraid that when i get home no one will even know me anymore, but that's ok, it's the price paid for living life in the spirit. Each friday night we have the option to give up our night off and go into downtown Denver for street evangalizm. I decided to go for a night and God rocked my world. We started off with an hour of worship at a local church to prepare our hearts before the Lord, during this time God led me to pray over my friend from Brazil. God said "Pray for him to be able to speak freely." (his english is good, but he struggles with alot of words.) Right in the begining of our outreach he met a guy and girlfriend who spoke spanish and he was able to speak the gospel to them and pray for them.
As we worshiped in the streets of Denver I was led to stay with the small group of people who were singing and playing guitar instead of going out with the many groups of YWAMers that went off in twos and threes. After about an hour of Intercession a man began talking with some of the other people who were with me as well, I watched and prayed because something felt off about him. After a while I saw him aproach a dear friend of mine so me and one of the staff girls went over to her side. Within only a few minets I knew he had demons within him. He spoke of spirits and auras and other evil things. Soon he wished to depart and wanted a hug. I told him I would not, but I would shake his hand in parting. The girls I was talking to him with left and he told me, "If you knew my spirit you would hug me." I told him, "I do not know know your spirit, I only know the spirit of God!" He stared at me for a moment and then I could see the demons within his eyes, but I could also see the spirit of God shining from within me. We stared at each other for several minets as the spirits within us fought. And then I prayed, "Father God, let your spirit shine through me." and I found myself looking down on this man taller than me. His face grew worried as he turned and disapeared into the night. I did not see him agian, but I pray that the man wants Gods spirit instead of the ones he woships now. This is how I know that the Holy Spirit is inside of me. Because I saw it. After wards I asked the girls how long i spoke with him, and the many minets that had passed were indeed only about ten seconds. This is the Power of God.
Gods Peace. Jake.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
taming what has been claimed
This marks the end of week one, and a hard week it was. I told myself on mon that on Fri i would know the names of everyone staying at Eagle Rock Base.... and im proud to say i know them all! Some students i know better than others, but that's to be expected. There are none that i can honestly say i dislike. I love this community.
Faith. This word has meant more in this week than any others. My life is being stretched in every way and it is faith that holds me together. God has spoken in ways i never thought possible, through dreams, words, pictures. people, me. I am truly blessed.
Physically i'm adjusting quite well i think. The altitude is awful, one of the girls here has some kind of altitude sickness and its terrible seeing her in this condition. Today i was pumping some iron, went for a long run, and hiked to the top of Eagle Rock. Pics will be coming soon to my fb page.
Thanks for reading, please pray that God continues to speak to me and through me, pray healing for my friend with altitude problems, and pray Gods peace upon Denver and the surrounding area.
Gods Peace, Jake
Faith. This word has meant more in this week than any others. My life is being stretched in every way and it is faith that holds me together. God has spoken in ways i never thought possible, through dreams, words, pictures. people, me. I am truly blessed.
Physically i'm adjusting quite well i think. The altitude is awful, one of the girls here has some kind of altitude sickness and its terrible seeing her in this condition. Today i was pumping some iron, went for a long run, and hiked to the top of Eagle Rock. Pics will be coming soon to my fb page.
Thanks for reading, please pray that God continues to speak to me and through me, pray healing for my friend with altitude problems, and pray Gods peace upon Denver and the surrounding area.
Gods Peace, Jake
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
claiming a new land
So after a day of air travel, visiting Boston, Buffalo, Denver, and Arvada I made home base at Eagle Rock. In the foothill Rockies it barely even feels like the same planet. let alone the same country!
I was picked up by a guy named Peter. A British bloke with a great sense of humor and a fear of the Lord. after talking with him for only a few minutes i knew that the hour long drive into the mountains would go far to quickly. our conversation started out with simple talk of our home towns and what we liked about them, they moved quickly to our family's and then on to our father God. we began to talk about how God works in today's society and i soon realized that Gods plans for this DTS far exceeded my tiny human ideas.
I reached Eagle Rock at around 10 pm day light saving mountain time. The other guys in my room were asleep but despite this a guy named nick rose and greeted me. I later found that he traveled to be here from Australia.
After a very restful night of sleep i woke up at 7 for a beautiful sunrise. a great prayer time and tasty breakers me and my 45 student friends headed to the prayer room for worship time to start off our months together. In moments every fear that i had felt in moving across the country vanished and as i prayed with my new friend Ethan i felt entirely at home and at peace.
Its now 10:39 pm day two. And i'm totally beat! take care, keep me in your prayers. Be praying that over the next six weeks i could raise the money needed to travel to Thailand, pray for Gods guidance in this time of change, and pray Gods peace among us.
God's Peace, Jake
I was picked up by a guy named Peter. A British bloke with a great sense of humor and a fear of the Lord. after talking with him for only a few minutes i knew that the hour long drive into the mountains would go far to quickly. our conversation started out with simple talk of our home towns and what we liked about them, they moved quickly to our family's and then on to our father God. we began to talk about how God works in today's society and i soon realized that Gods plans for this DTS far exceeded my tiny human ideas.
I reached Eagle Rock at around 10 pm day light saving mountain time. The other guys in my room were asleep but despite this a guy named nick rose and greeted me. I later found that he traveled to be here from Australia.
After a very restful night of sleep i woke up at 7 for a beautiful sunrise. a great prayer time and tasty breakers me and my 45 student friends headed to the prayer room for worship time to start off our months together. In moments every fear that i had felt in moving across the country vanished and as i prayed with my new friend Ethan i felt entirely at home and at peace.
Its now 10:39 pm day two. And i'm totally beat! take care, keep me in your prayers. Be praying that over the next six weeks i could raise the money needed to travel to Thailand, pray for Gods guidance in this time of change, and pray Gods peace among us.
God's Peace, Jake
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The night before takeoff
so its about 12:59. and i cant sleep. im really tired and even though i know that ill be tired tomorrow i cannot possibly consider sleep at this hour. not yet. not when i know that in 12 hours my life is going to begin a transformation unlike anything ive imagined.
Tomorrow i am going to move halfway across the country with one suitcase and trust God to take care of me. am i crazy? cuz if i am im loving it! please keep me in your prayers as i travel and become acoustomed to my new surroundings. mostly pray that Gods peace would surround me. i think im going to try and get some sleep now (even though it wont work).
Gods Peace, Jake
Tomorrow i am going to move halfway across the country with one suitcase and trust God to take care of me. am i crazy? cuz if i am im loving it! please keep me in your prayers as i travel and become acoustomed to my new surroundings. mostly pray that Gods peace would surround me. i think im going to try and get some sleep now (even though it wont work).
Gods Peace, Jake
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