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
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