read my sisters blog if you want, its AMAZING!
http://www.darcyywam.blogspot.com/
She is going to Chile and Paraguay on a YWAM mission Dec-Feb, yeaaaaa, do work Darcy!!!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Never and Always are God words
David Montoya told me yesterday on our way to Church that "Never and Always are God words." I am not even sure how that came up, but I really like the depth of that phrase. Think about it for a minute...
My child, My little one, oh how I love you. I would rather die than be without you-so I did. And know that I love you just as you are, not as you should be. Circumstances do not alter My love for you or My faithfulness to you. I am always thinking of you and I'm pleased. No matter where you are, no matter what you've done, I love you-unconditionally. My love for you is furious and unrelenting. Believe it. Accept acceptance. Trust that I love you. Such faith is your gift back to me. Believe that my words are true..."NOTHING CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM MY LOVE!" Come sit upon My lap and let Me hold you. Get lost in my arms as if you were 4 years old. I know things are tough, but trust in me. Bring it to Me first and once the matter is in My hands do not hold onto it or take it back or worry about it. In my perfect time, not yours, I will address and resolve it perfectly. Because I do not sleep, there is no need for you to loose any. Simply rest My child, rest on My shoulder, and I will renew you. As you go about your day, follow My spirit...I will guide you because I love you and want the best for you. Simply acknowledge me in everything and I will make your paths straight. Come and waste time just being with me. I died for you because I love you and I want to have this relationship with you. I long for you to trust Me, to trust that I love you, to trust that living with Me is life...real life...abundant life. Let me transform you into what you are meant to be-flushing out selfishness/sin, and pouring in selflessness by My Spirit. You will not be satisfied any other way for they are apart from Me. Come, My darling, My beautiful one, come with Me. I have chosen you to be with Me...with Me forever. I will never leave you, I LOVE YOU! Isaiah 43:4, Psalm 103:11, Song of Songs 2:10, 1 John 3:16, Romans 8:38-39.
I am so good, because God is good and I am his child. Whooo! Saturday GHT YL went to a regional Student Leadership conference up in Everett and Rob Seims was our speaker. He gave us the above prayer before we left, the words of God are so true, I can almost hear God speaking those words to me when I look at the prayer.
Friday I climbed 1/4 the way up Mt. Rainier on the Paradise side by myself and I sat down on a slab of granite rock overlooking the entire mountain range, 360 degrees all around me in every direction as far as I could see where mountain peaks and trees. Right then and there I prayed and said to God, "Lord, I am leaving all the pain I feel from an event that happened in my life a few weeks ago up here on this mountain with you." Today I move forward in your love, I choose to allow you to heal me from this point forward! God I trust you with my heart and my future, I am yours. Then I heard that Bebo Norman song play in my head (the one he wrote at Malibu)
So walk down this mountain
With your heart held high
Follow in the footsteps of your maker
With this love that's gone before you
And these people at your side
If you offer up your broken cup
You will taste the meaning of this life
On my way home I called one of my best buds in the world, Sun. He mentioned that song as I was telling him about my experience that day. So solid!
Other great things happening in ministry this week: Meeting with some Seattle area YL staff folks to discuss Urban leadership development in the Seattle area. Grabbing breakfast on the UW campus with two great guys (Jeff and Zach) leading YL at the tent as we try and set up "open gym" opportunities at Mt. Rainier high school. Within the first 20 minutes of me EVER being on MRHS campus I had met the assistant principle and upon him finding out I am the new YL area director in town he offered me essentially the keys to the gym during lunches at the school to open it up for kids to play hoops, volleyball, and soccer! The potential of this could be enormous!
I hope and pray the LO banquet went well last night, praise God for Jim and Patsy Steinfeld, praise God for JC and Krissy for giving their testimonies there, and Go Ducks! For the first time in world history we are ranked number 1 in the country for college football!
Thanks for reading if you made it this far, ha! Never and Always are God words...Blessings!
My child, My little one, oh how I love you. I would rather die than be without you-so I did. And know that I love you just as you are, not as you should be. Circumstances do not alter My love for you or My faithfulness to you. I am always thinking of you and I'm pleased. No matter where you are, no matter what you've done, I love you-unconditionally. My love for you is furious and unrelenting. Believe it. Accept acceptance. Trust that I love you. Such faith is your gift back to me. Believe that my words are true..."NOTHING CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM MY LOVE!" Come sit upon My lap and let Me hold you. Get lost in my arms as if you were 4 years old. I know things are tough, but trust in me. Bring it to Me first and once the matter is in My hands do not hold onto it or take it back or worry about it. In my perfect time, not yours, I will address and resolve it perfectly. Because I do not sleep, there is no need for you to loose any. Simply rest My child, rest on My shoulder, and I will renew you. As you go about your day, follow My spirit...I will guide you because I love you and want the best for you. Simply acknowledge me in everything and I will make your paths straight. Come and waste time just being with me. I died for you because I love you and I want to have this relationship with you. I long for you to trust Me, to trust that I love you, to trust that living with Me is life...real life...abundant life. Let me transform you into what you are meant to be-flushing out selfishness/sin, and pouring in selflessness by My Spirit. You will not be satisfied any other way for they are apart from Me. Come, My darling, My beautiful one, come with Me. I have chosen you to be with Me...with Me forever. I will never leave you, I LOVE YOU! Isaiah 43:4, Psalm 103:11, Song of Songs 2:10, 1 John 3:16, Romans 8:38-39.
I am so good, because God is good and I am his child. Whooo! Saturday GHT YL went to a regional Student Leadership conference up in Everett and Rob Seims was our speaker. He gave us the above prayer before we left, the words of God are so true, I can almost hear God speaking those words to me when I look at the prayer.
Friday I climbed 1/4 the way up Mt. Rainier on the Paradise side by myself and I sat down on a slab of granite rock overlooking the entire mountain range, 360 degrees all around me in every direction as far as I could see where mountain peaks and trees. Right then and there I prayed and said to God, "Lord, I am leaving all the pain I feel from an event that happened in my life a few weeks ago up here on this mountain with you." Today I move forward in your love, I choose to allow you to heal me from this point forward! God I trust you with my heart and my future, I am yours. Then I heard that Bebo Norman song play in my head (the one he wrote at Malibu)
So walk down this mountain
With your heart held high
Follow in the footsteps of your maker
With this love that's gone before you
And these people at your side
If you offer up your broken cup
You will taste the meaning of this life
On my way home I called one of my best buds in the world, Sun. He mentioned that song as I was telling him about my experience that day. So solid!
Other great things happening in ministry this week: Meeting with some Seattle area YL staff folks to discuss Urban leadership development in the Seattle area. Grabbing breakfast on the UW campus with two great guys (Jeff and Zach) leading YL at the tent as we try and set up "open gym" opportunities at Mt. Rainier high school. Within the first 20 minutes of me EVER being on MRHS campus I had met the assistant principle and upon him finding out I am the new YL area director in town he offered me essentially the keys to the gym during lunches at the school to open it up for kids to play hoops, volleyball, and soccer! The potential of this could be enormous!
I hope and pray the LO banquet went well last night, praise God for Jim and Patsy Steinfeld, praise God for JC and Krissy for giving their testimonies there, and Go Ducks! For the first time in world history we are ranked number 1 in the country for college football!
Thanks for reading if you made it this far, ha! Never and Always are God words...Blessings!
Monday, October 11, 2010
The Zeal of Baruch
Who is Baruch? Two days ago I would have asked the same question! Nehemiah 3:20 is where its at! I wont take the time to count the number of workers listed in Ch 3 of guys rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem. But Baruch had to stand out to all who observed. What was in his character that got him the label of a zealous worker? He was the only man building this huge wall that was labeled as "zealous." The definition of zealous is=marked by fervent partisanship for a person, a cause, or an ideal. Baruch must of been a fervent believer of God. He was a man building a wall...A seemingly mundane task...yet did it with fervent partisanship because he knew it was honoring God and was a task for God. Like Baruch, I have a passion to build, not a wall, yet a family of believers in Jesus Christ in the greater Highline/Tukwila area. I pray I can build (and when I say "I" that means God through me) a Young Life ministry with the same passion and zeal Baruch had. Even when it comes to the most mundane and routine tasks that I treat those with so much zeal that it sticks out enough and is done with so much excellence that God's kingdom is built here! And that it is not only me God is using, but he is using an entire community of believers here and back in Lake Oswego through prayer! So thanks for your prayers and keep praying!
On Thursday night when I returned from an area director training at WFR I got straight into Bob Thompson's car and went to Carly Henley's house where there was a prayer vigil for her. The previous day she took her life on UW campus. Below is a link if you desire more information.
http://www.b-townblog.com/2010/10/07/highline-high-gradmusician-carly-henley-found-dead-at-uw-frat-house/
Carly went to Malibu with Highline HS a few years ago, she was a student leader, and her sister is currently a student leader for us at Highline. Needless to say this is a tragedy that has hit our community hard and as the area director here, only a week in, I did not know her, but I know several people who grew up with her. So we have done a lot of praying this week, for a lot of the leaders it's been a long week, her memorial service was yesterday, and it was a celebration of her life, beauty, and talent! I think a lot of our leaders are evaluating their own faith right now so pray for them, a lot of them currently attend UW, and lead here in town. God is moving, even through the most tragic of circumstances. Carly was recently diagnosed with clinical depression, and that hits close to home for me, as most of you know why. This is a time where people can choose to trust Jesus and allow him to cradle one's heart in his tender hands, and that is my prayer for the people who suffer from this great loss.
On a lighter note, we received a $5,000 check in the mail the other day to fund this ministry, what a blessing! And tonight Foster High School is starting Young Life club for the year, let it begin! Whoooo! I get pumped because the starting of a club year, represents the starting of many kids' journeys toward a relationship with Jesus. So here we go!
On Thursday night when I returned from an area director training at WFR I got straight into Bob Thompson's car and went to Carly Henley's house where there was a prayer vigil for her. The previous day she took her life on UW campus. Below is a link if you desire more information.
http://www.b-townblog.com/2010/10/07/highline-high-gradmusician-carly-henley-found-dead-at-uw-frat-house/
Carly went to Malibu with Highline HS a few years ago, she was a student leader, and her sister is currently a student leader for us at Highline. Needless to say this is a tragedy that has hit our community hard and as the area director here, only a week in, I did not know her, but I know several people who grew up with her. So we have done a lot of praying this week, for a lot of the leaders it's been a long week, her memorial service was yesterday, and it was a celebration of her life, beauty, and talent! I think a lot of our leaders are evaluating their own faith right now so pray for them, a lot of them currently attend UW, and lead here in town. God is moving, even through the most tragic of circumstances. Carly was recently diagnosed with clinical depression, and that hits close to home for me, as most of you know why. This is a time where people can choose to trust Jesus and allow him to cradle one's heart in his tender hands, and that is my prayer for the people who suffer from this great loss.
On a lighter note, we received a $5,000 check in the mail the other day to fund this ministry, what a blessing! And tonight Foster High School is starting Young Life club for the year, let it begin! Whoooo! I get pumped because the starting of a club year, represents the starting of many kids' journeys toward a relationship with Jesus. So here we go!
Monday, October 4, 2010
he knows a way
I am sitting in Burien Press which between here and Starbucks I consider my office for the first month as I soak in the profound calling of what it really entails to be an area director for Young Life and specifically this Greater Highline/Tukwila area. Burien Press has free wireless and I purchase either an americano with some room, or a french pressed cup of vita roasting company coffee to feel "right" about sitting in here hours at a time. I was attempting to think of a clever name for this blog and here in Burien Press a Johnny Cash song came on and I heard the phrase "he has the way" and I changed it to "he knows a way" because I was thinking there are so many lost kids here, so many kids who don't speak English, so many kids who don't have parents, so many kids with little hope, that Jesus Christ KNOWS a way for hope for each kid here as we reach a world of kids, the only way to do so is to trust that Christ knows a way and to follow him in this.
The reason I say "first month" in reference to an office is due to the fact that I have been spending a significant amount of time with Mark Wagner (yes the music artist) whom I have become great friends with. He is on staff as the director of music and worship at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church and we are in talks with pastor Tobien Wilson right now about the church hosting a Young Life office in their building. Tobien, Mark and I just went to lunch today and we have an incredible vision for what Christ is trying to do in our community and we are simply trying to stay out of the way to let him move and shake in this community that so desperately needs him. I truly believe this church is "a hub" of a revival taking place around South Seattle. Under one roof (LBPC) there could potentially be 4 different para-church ministries running out of the church building and we could all end up working together to reach kids for Christ both locally and internationally. The organizations are Orphan Relief and Rescue (based in Seattle ministering in Liberia), Union Gospel Mission, A Woman's Homeless Shelter, and hopefully in a month Young Life! The potential is enormous just imagining all of us and the folks at Lake Burien all under one roof, I can hardly stay in my seat right now thinking about this! Its only my 4th day on the job and all of this is happening, it is so evident God has a plan bigger than my britches for this place, and I am here, and feel so blessed simply to be a part of it. I get beyond myself thinking, wow I am worthy of being a part of something this magnificent, and then catch myself thinking, of course, because Matthew 3:17 says "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." God said this about Jesus and he says this about me and you! His love is extravagant and we all get to fly, and be a part of the excitement, oh what an honor.
How this bad boy will work...ok, I am in a weird mood right now, because I am so psyched about lunch with Mark and Toby, and I have several ounces of coffee and now green tea (organic of course) in me. Anyways, this will work like so....I am going to try and update often because I am sure a lot of great things will be happening weekly, so the best thing to do is subscribe to my blog, instead of trying to remember to check it. When you subscribe you will get an e-mail when I post. ALSO you can get google reader if you have g-mail and then if you are subscribed to more than 1 blog, google reader tracks every new post on every new blog you read and will roll the material into one page. Make sense? Its cool, thanks Amber Cheng for the knowledge about google reader.
Thanks for reading and subscribing, I started this blog per popular demand for the Lake Oswego folks who stated interest in being updated on new life here in South Seattle. I am certain you will read stories on this blog that will amaze you and bring tears to your eyes in future months and years. Lets go on this ride with Christ together through prayer and community! I am all moved in, settled, and am hitting the ground running. Most of our ministries will be starting throughout October, so stoked!
God Bless, thanks for your love and support, and go ducks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_P1PPy7FTo Return of the Quack
The reason I say "first month" in reference to an office is due to the fact that I have been spending a significant amount of time with Mark Wagner (yes the music artist) whom I have become great friends with. He is on staff as the director of music and worship at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church and we are in talks with pastor Tobien Wilson right now about the church hosting a Young Life office in their building. Tobien, Mark and I just went to lunch today and we have an incredible vision for what Christ is trying to do in our community and we are simply trying to stay out of the way to let him move and shake in this community that so desperately needs him. I truly believe this church is "a hub" of a revival taking place around South Seattle. Under one roof (LBPC) there could potentially be 4 different para-church ministries running out of the church building and we could all end up working together to reach kids for Christ both locally and internationally. The organizations are Orphan Relief and Rescue (based in Seattle ministering in Liberia), Union Gospel Mission, A Woman's Homeless Shelter, and hopefully in a month Young Life! The potential is enormous just imagining all of us and the folks at Lake Burien all under one roof, I can hardly stay in my seat right now thinking about this! Its only my 4th day on the job and all of this is happening, it is so evident God has a plan bigger than my britches for this place, and I am here, and feel so blessed simply to be a part of it. I get beyond myself thinking, wow I am worthy of being a part of something this magnificent, and then catch myself thinking, of course, because Matthew 3:17 says "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." God said this about Jesus and he says this about me and you! His love is extravagant and we all get to fly, and be a part of the excitement, oh what an honor.
How this bad boy will work...ok, I am in a weird mood right now, because I am so psyched about lunch with Mark and Toby, and I have several ounces of coffee and now green tea (organic of course) in me. Anyways, this will work like so....I am going to try and update often because I am sure a lot of great things will be happening weekly, so the best thing to do is subscribe to my blog, instead of trying to remember to check it. When you subscribe you will get an e-mail when I post. ALSO you can get google reader if you have g-mail and then if you are subscribed to more than 1 blog, google reader tracks every new post on every new blog you read and will roll the material into one page. Make sense? Its cool, thanks Amber Cheng for the knowledge about google reader.
Thanks for reading and subscribing, I started this blog per popular demand for the Lake Oswego folks who stated interest in being updated on new life here in South Seattle. I am certain you will read stories on this blog that will amaze you and bring tears to your eyes in future months and years. Lets go on this ride with Christ together through prayer and community! I am all moved in, settled, and am hitting the ground running. Most of our ministries will be starting throughout October, so stoked!
God Bless, thanks for your love and support, and go ducks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_P1PPy7FTo Return of the Quack
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