Tag Archives: YWAM

Stepping into the Unknown Part 2.

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Stepping into the Unknown Cont’d
(Please read the Part 1 blog below before reading this blog!)

We have had our ups and our downs in the past year, but we can honestly say that God has really grown us. He has shown us even more of who we are when we walk in Him and what walking in Him looks like. It is not a formula and that is exciting, somewhat scary yet extremely intriguing and beautiful.

One more 2008 moment and we will move forward into 2009!

Ted woke one December morning and told me to listen to his dream. Let me just say that the last time he told me to listen to a dream he had, it was in Decemeber of 2007 the night before the shootings at YWAM Denver occurred. He actually woke me to tell me that dream and had me take notes in his journal. I was incredibly morbid and confusing and once the shooting happened, it hit us so suddenly that the dream had to do with that very thing. So I was worried when he told me about another dream he needed to share.

He then went on to tell me he dreamt that we had poineered a photography school here in YWAM Denver. We both took it lightly and continued on with what we felt for our future. Pushing this dream to the back burner and honestly thinking nothing more of it. Well, that was until February 09.

In February Ted headed to New Orleans for a Mardi Gras Outreach with the winter WISE school he was working with. He took our Canon and began documenting the things he saw on the streets. He ran into a man that the team had told him about, a man who prophisied over a few of them. When he prophisied to Ted, he told him that he felt like Ted was coming to a Y in the road and then he said it might have something to do with a camera. He said he saw polariod pictures and he told Ted, like someone flipping through the photos and stopping to realize he saw a photo that caught his eye, then flipped back to it. He said he felt that Ted needed to go back to something that God showed him. Kind of vague and actually I feel like I am leaving some things out. I will ask him and update more specifically later. Ted called me from New Orleans to tell me this and was excited about it, even though we both had no idea where this was going.

When Ted returned we spent time talking, praying and taking notes about what this could mean. We talked about the possibility of heading out in 2010, spending the summer working and with relatives, then moving to South Africa for a 4 month long photo school and heading to Tyler, Tx to do a TESOL, etc. We looked up the cost to live in Thailand and we were floored to think with the amount of support we have now, we would be able to live in Thailand! We kept searching, seeking and dreaming.

And then came our week long staff conference in March. We spent most mornings in worship and I remember clearly this one morning while in worship, God asked me to release my dreams and plans for our future. I was 6 months prego at this point and the thought of releasing our dreams and plans meant that we don’t have a plan. This scared me, but after batteling within for a while, I let them go and cried.

That afternoon Peter, the director of our base here, spoke about having a communications school here in Denver. He was saying he stepped out in faith and told the founder of YWAM that our base would be running all four “core courses” by 2010 and we at the time were only running 3 of the 4. Kind of confusing, but I’m trying to condense this blog. Ted turned to me a few minutes later and said, “I feel like we are supposed to propose a school of photography here.” Without even hesitating, I agreed. This is not typical for me. You see, Ted is the visionary, the one with the big dreams. At the moment I didn’t freak out, but later my mind was trying to understand what this could mean and the logistics of it all. That was when I freaked out!

Ted and I went to a local coffee shop and prayed for a while then felt we were to begin writing a very detailed proposal for this school. Our vision with it came out as soon as we began to write.

You might be wondering, why photography? Was it just because of Ted’s dream in December? Isn’t this a little too visionary and lofty?

I would normally answer with YES to the final question, but I can honestly say we know this is where God is leading us. Does this mean we know what this might look like, or if we will be leading, or if we will even be running this school here? No! How crazy I must sound. We are really stepping out here and we are trusting God as He leads. I think the most exciting part is the fact the He is leading, not us, not me!

Random bits of information:

*Ted and I feel strongly about raising awareness of what is happening around the world. One way to do this is through media. In the new testament it talks about Jesus seeing the crowds and being moved with compassion. The importance of seeing is actually quite incredible. We would love to travel and document the lives of people around the world through photography, video and journalism and bring awarness into churches, youth groups, highschool, etc. Letting people see and be moved in compassion. Causing people to say, “I want to do something about this”.

*Ted is truly gifted. I know I am his wife and a bit bias, but God has gifted him with being able to read something once and remember it almost word for word. In the past year Ted has researched the use of our camera, lighting and exposure, etc. He now has this incredible knowledge. I don’t know very much about our camera and he always seems to amaze me and those around us. His photography from New Orleans brought me to tears! Not only does he have the knowlegdge but he also has such a heart for people. Combine our camera with his heart for people and the outcome is phenominal. (I will post some of his photos soon).

*We both love finding beauty in all things. I have a more creative point of view but not the knowledge of the camera and Ted vis versa. We are learning on working together in this and encouraging and challenging each other to grow in areas that we need growth.

*We would aslo like to add a journalism track to the photography school and I am hoping to be involved in this somehow.

We have proposed the school and had our first officially meeting to see if the school would fit into the criteria to run as a communications school and it does. We are still waiting to hear of anything more and can only hope for the best at this point. God’s got our back and we are trusting Him. Please pray for us as we are walking into the unknown!

Thank you and we love you!
Any questions? Colourherhope@gmail.com or comment on here. =)

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Stepping into the Unknown Part 1.

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Ted and I have shared with many of you about where God is leading us and I realize that unless we spoke to you in person, than you are totally unaware of what on earth I am talking about. Hopefully this blog update will fill you in a bit!

I’m going to rewind back to March of 2008 and begin there…

In March of 2008 our commitment with YWAM Denver was up and we had the choice to recommit for another year or move on. We prayed and felt led to recommit and as we did we were asked by leadership to join a leadership team called the Timothy Team. We needed time to pray about this because we knew it was a two year commitment. We spent the next week praying and calling our friends outside of YWAM and our families and asking them to pray as well. God was speaking to us but nothing specific about whether to stay or to go, and He did this all the way up to the “11th hour”. The night before our deadline to give our answer, God finally spoke and clearly.

Then the LORD answered me and said:
“ Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith. “
Habakuk 2:2-4

When we read this together we knew God was asking us to stay and commit. We also knew that this was a step of faith for us both because our flesh was telling us that two years was a very long time! This is what we felt was right for us, and that He is faithful and would not let our vision tarry! AMEN!

God totally rocked this last year, challenged us in our faith in Him and in trusting Him. He brought us through a valley where everything seemed to be crashing in on us. Almost from the very moment we commited to the Timothy Team our financial support began to drop. Not long after that, a situation arose which had the potential to ruin our names in this ministry, specifically my name. We were shocked speechless, “What was happening?”. Both of these situation had us questioning God’s intention for us staying on staff another two years. We wondered, “Is this what the next two years will hold?”. It was such an intense time of attack.

Our Faithful Father helped us walk through these difficult times in such a miraculous way. Both situations caused us to trust Him and walk by faith rather than by sight. On paper, financially we should just be able to pay our rent and have gas money for our car, but with each month, God always provides us with enough for all of our expenses!! He blesses us beyond what we could ask for!

With the other situation, God challenged us to not get on the defensive side but that in the end He will show our true character and the truth of who we are. This was so hard for me personally because I am very black and white. I’ve been a victim of injustices before and when something great or small arises now, I want justice and it is extremely hard for me to be merciful. Ted is the opposite. He is usually more merciful and understanding naturally.

With the help of God and Ted I am able to release the desire to see “justice served” and let it go. And that was/is completely freeing for me! I still occasionally struggle with questions of why and I have to deal immediately with unforgiveness when it arises. I spent too many years in unforgiveness for things that happened in my past, that dealing with this was incredibly draining. Causing me to walk back into some of those sickening feelings of bitterness. God’s been faithful to us through this all and is slowly but surely healing and mending areas internally. Maybe this is one reason of why these things came about, not that I believe God causes these, but He most definitely creates something beautiful out of something difficult.

He has promised to “restore the years the locusts have eaten” (Joel 2:25) and He is doing what He promised me. Slowly but surely I am seeing this!

This is getting very long, but honestly this is the beginning to where God has been leading us. I’m also a detail kinda girl and writing a small blog update is actually really hard for me =) Please bear with me. I will continue to write the rest on our “Part 2″ after my lunch break.

Specific Prayer Requests.

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Prayer requests

Working with YWAM Denver:

  • Our passion and our purpose. Ted and I are passionate about discipleship, relationships and especially people finding Christ and who they are in Him. We want to keep our center in Jesus and our main focus the very things which He puts on our hearts.
  • Remaining broken before God. Living in a christian community is such a blessing. We have realized lately how important it is to maintain our times with God and remaining broken and humble before Him. Not allowing this lifestyle to become habit instead of relationship with God. We need prayer for us to find new meaning and purpose in Him and to not become stagnant.
  • Our ‘everyday’ jobs and our focus. Sometimes the very thing which we are passionate about gets placed on the back burner to the everyday jobs we do around here. We need prayer for our focus and passion to remain as we serve the base. And that we serve with everything in us! Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4
  • Opportunity. Ted and I long to head back overseas with a team to disciple. We are hoping to lead an outreach off the fall DTS. Please pray that God makes a way for this to happen. With a new baby (well, 5 month old) the leaders might be more hesitant, which makes sense in the natural. Please pray that they see our hearts and support our desire to take a team overseas.
  • Currently. We are dreaming big and going with something that God has spoken to us. We’ve submitted a new school to the leadership here in Denver and might be running this in the near future. Please pray for us in this and to trust God completely in how this will work out!

Our relationships with others:

  • Loving as Christ. I always feel like this is an area in which God is constantly growing Ted and I. Situations arise with every new day and we have a choice to make. Will be love as Christ and view others as He would or will be see people through our own eyes. God is challenging us in our relationships with others and we need prayer to love as Christ. Follow God’s example in everything you do just as much loved child imitates his father. Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave himself to God as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, for Christ’s love for you was like sweet perfume to him. Ephesians 5: 1-2
  • Against Bitterness. I (Jami) struggle with this a lot. I have seen (even in our christian community) many kinds of injustices and I have personally experienced the brunt of a few here. I had a situation that wasn’t dealt with in the right way and I am the one left wondering if anything was every made right on their side. It really, really hurts me inside. I do not want to be bitter! I feel like for years I dealt with unforgiveness and bitterness and I don’t want to get back into that again! Please pray for me! God has been speaking to me about letting go and not defending myself because in the end He’s got my back and He will make my character known, but this too is so hard for me, honestly! Romans 6:4 -We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
  • Justice and mercy, hand in hand. (This kind of ties together with the above prayer request) A few blogs back I wrote about the struggle that I have with this. I struggle with seeing an injustice and wanting it to be made right that I cannot move forward in being merciful. It’s very hard for me. Please pray for me in this. James 3:17-18-The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. Colossians 3:12- As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
  • Friendships. Being “newly” married and with a baby on the way, our friendships sometimes take the back burner. We don’t want this! We want to remain in good, deep, godly relationship with our friends. God has really blessed us each with a few deep friendships that challenge, encourage and inspire us to be better people. Please pray for these to continue in an even greater way as we become a family.
  • Marriage. Ted and I will be celebrating our 2nd anniversary on June 24 and that is hard to believe. 2 years already?! We are also expecting our first baby and this will make us not only husband and wife, but mommy and daddy. Please pray for us as we make this huge transtition!
  • Family. We are about to add a sweet baby to our family! Please pray for us as we enter this new journey. We are so excited but we know that we are about to have the most responsibility of our life!

Supporters and Finances:

  • Supporters. Please pray for more supporters to stand with us. In the past year we have lost 4 supporters and recently friends of ours joined in supporting us. God is always providing miraculously and we are always okay, but with a baby on the way we will definitely need people standing beside us!
  • Updates. Please pray for Ted and I as we are figuring out how to let everyone know what it is that we are doing here. Please pray for us to affectively share what is happening in our lives. There are SO many things Ted and I have dreamed about doing for supporters, family and friends but financially it is impossible. We began this blog almost 2 years ago now, to let everyone know what we are doing, but we always feel like there is more we want to do. The cost of doing things like printing and mailing newsletters, making a family magnet, or sending mail to supporters is kind of high. We want to be able to bless those who always bless us. If you have any creative ideas, please let us know!

I love and appreciate the fact that I know many of you read our blog (here) or email update (which is the same thing only sent thru email). I also love that you will be praying or thinking about us and each situation that arises. You truly care and we know that! Thank you for writing me emails of encouragement and of what is going on in your life as well. Those messages always mean the world to me!

Thank you for reading this and praying for us. Please let us know how we can be praying for you!

Love,

A Little Distracted but Here We Are!

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Oh my, I’ve been a little distracted lately from updating our blog! My (Jami’s) last post was in February! I’m so sorry! I updated our baby blog on a regular basis, but that doesn’t explain anything about what Ted and I are up to these days.

You are probably wondering just that. What are we doing this quarter?
Ted:
Ted is running the maintenance department (like he did in the fall) and this time things seem to be running a bit more smooth than before. He is still busy as ever, sometimes even on weekends and with his phone ringing off the hook usually. That part is kind of a bummer, especially right now as we prepare for our baby! But God gives you the grace you need in these situations. Nothing is too hard or impossible to handle when you walk in Him. Ted is also leading worship here and there, which is a blessing! He is passionate about that and always enjoys it. Ted recently started a photography group here at YWAM Denver, which basically anyone with a Digital SLR can come and learn about the camera and lighting and how to take a good photo, etc. This saturday will be our first outing, so that should be fun. We will basically meet once a week with some kind of teaching and everyone can bring things to the table. During that week, we will go out and put everything to practice and each new week we will bring something back to share.
Jami:
Well other than being super prego right now (30 weeks with only 10 weeks to go)… I am currently working in the web department, updating the website and trying to learn graphics as well. I am also receptionist one day a week. At times things can get hectic, but really I am blessed to be able to relax and really enjoy the work I am doing. You would probably never take me as a web kinda girl… but I actually really love it! I get a maternity leave starting in June, but I am feeling really good right now and I will continue to come into work until basically the baby comes. I want to remain in community as much as possible and when you are gone for even a week, here it feels like a month and it sometimes takes a while to get caught up.
Prayer requests:
  • Future- God is doing something seriously incredible right now. We will share in more detail, well when He shares with us! It’s exciting!
  • Relationships- balance between work and our relationship as a married couple soon going to be parents, our friendships and relationships with co workers.
  • Finances- we are slowly but surely preparing for our baby but this is one area we are still worried about sometimes! It will no longer be just us and that can be frightening.
  • Trusting God with ALL things.
I have really been struggling with loneliness lately. I think most of it is my pregnancy and emotions right now, also with Ted being busy all of the time with little time for us (he tries so hard to make it happen though). I haven’t struggled with feeling alone for a long time now so this all makes me wonder what is going on. I even have backed away a bit from the community in my insecurities which haven’t been with me for a while. I don’t know what is bringing everything back up but I want it to go away and especially before our baby comes. I am writing because this is seriously something I want prayer for.
I know you all care and will be praying and that means the world to me.
We love you all and appreciate your prayers and love to us!
Jami, Ted and Baby E/C
p.s. for everyone who lives close by… we are having a Share Dish at my parents new home in Timnath on May 17th at 5 PM. Ted and I will be sharing some exciting possibilities for our future and we can all fellowship and eat some good food too! Come by! RSVP to Jami @ Colourherhope@gmail.com

New Heights.

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I apologize for being so late in updating! Hopefully now that our quarter is beginning to settle I will update more frequently.

I’ve received emails asking “What are you guys doing this quarter” or “How is the pregnancy” or “Have the students arrived”… well, I’m here to answer all of the questions. Hopefully if my pregnancy brain allows me to remember every detail.
5 outreach teams left from Arvada on Christmas eve; Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, San Fransisco-Tokyo, & Mobile team (secondary students traveling the U.S.). They will return for debriefing February 9th.
The new students arrived January 5 full of excitement & anticipation for what was ahead; for most of them, that meant the unknown. 41 students arrived for our Boarders DTS (snowboarding discipleship training school), and 13 students arrived for our W.I.S.E. school (worship spiritual warfare & evangelism).
Boarders DTS:
For more information on what a Boarders DTS exactly is: (www.ywamdenver.org/boarders_dts.htm)
I personally really enjoy this group of students already. This DTS is unlike any of the other DTS’s we run throughout the year.
The boarders are usually young & like a culture of their own. Ted grew up skating and snowboarding & I tried my hand in both, walked away with some scars from skateboarding & planning on improving my snowboarding by a lot. Despite the fact that we aren’t pros, we both LOVE the culture. The students are brave, raw, courageous, and searching for adventure; whether is be good or bad. I really enjoy watching the growth already. Some may walk in with a tough facade masking private despair. The redemption is this school is phenomenal.
W.I.S.E. School:
For more information on what the W.I.S.E. school exactly is: (www.ywamdenver.org/wise.htm)
For the first time in YWAM Denver history W.I.S.E. school is living up at our mountain campus called Eagle Rock. It has been great watching the two schools interact. This group of WISE student’s is very diverse & enjoyable!
What this quarter looks like for Ted:
Ted is actually working as a small group leader of 3 WISE students & already enjoying sitting in class for each teaching & spending time with his guys. He will be heading out Feb. 18 – 27th for Mardi Gras outreach with the WISE school. Please be praying ahead for good weather & a great outreach! Ted is also leading worship up here.
What this quarter looks like for me:
I am not working a school, because I am pregnant. At first I was disappointed, but now I see it is for the best. I need to rest a lot more than I ever have in my life, and having a small group would have been crazy. So… I am still working in the web department and loving it. I updated the YWAM Denver site (ywamdenver.org) and I am working in photoshop cs3 & dreamweaver trying to learn as much as possible about creating a website & graphic design.
I am also working as the Intercession coordinator with one other girl on staff. We have the awesome opportunity to intercede & ask God what He wants our base to be praying for each Wednesday & Friday morning. We are trying to be creative & catch the heart of each student/staff, challenging them to step out in creativity & prayer. I’ve enjoyed the creative side of both of my jobs this quarter. It is fulfilling!
And… I am pregnant, which I feel is a job in and of itself; just wait ’til baby comes! I am reading material on pregnancy, eating, exercise, the baby in the womb &  outside. It’s been awesome & eye opening. I am also trying to move forward in maturity & quite making life all about me. With a baby that will be close to impossible, why not learn now!
Oh, and we have temporarily moved to our mountain campus for the next three months, along with all of the transition ahead. Hence: new heights.
Thanks for reading this novel. ;)
Love,
Jami
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Impact.

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I just read this, and it truly blessed my heart. I have been in awe lately of how God has used what the enemy intended for evil and made things incredibly good. Please read the news below;

Denver, Colorado — Snow was falling and the temperature was bitter at midnight on Tuesday, December 9 here, similar to conditions the night of shootings exactly one year ago on the YWAM Denver campus which left two young people dead and two injured. But there the similarities end. This year, hope instead of sorrow prevailed at a celebration service in remembrance of Tiffany Johnson and Philip Crouse, held at the exact time and place of the shootings.

“Today we are celebrating a birthday,” said YWAM Denver Director Peter Warren. “It is Philip and Tiffany’s first birthday in heaven with Jesus.”

A palpable joy permeated the gathering, which was attended by YWAM Denver staff, students, families of the victims and members of the Arvada Police Department. Police officers began the evening at 10 p.m, on Monday by running 3 ½ miles in cadence through the snow to the YWAM Denver training center, their way of “grieving and paying our respects to the lost,” according to Arvada Police Chief John Wick. He also said that their participation in the evening program “was about coming to a resolution about what happened.” The march was followed by a reception and a time of worship and prayer.

All involved have walked through a process of healing and forgiveness since the shootings last year. Priceless lessons have been learned. Michelle Connor, YWAM Denver hospitality director, said that staff members have grown closer and rely more on each other as a result of the shootings.

YWAM staff and students weren’t the only ones affected by the shootings, however. Susan Medina, Arvada Police Department media director, said she was surprised how deeply police officers were impacted by YWAM’s response to the shootings, and that police offers have grown closer as a result.

“I saw such an overwhelming abundance of forgiveness, even just hours after the shooting,” Medina said. “I was at Columbine and Platte Canyon when those shootings happened, but this is very different. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Those at the celebration service extended forgiveness to gunman Matthew Murray, who took his own life at a megachurch in Colorado Springs last December after killing two more people. Participants also prayed for the families of Murray and Tiffany Johnson, who were also present at the service. As friends and family shared stories about the impact that Tiffany and Philip had on their lives, it became clear that the two had left a powerful legacy, one that has challenged thousands of people around the world.

The night ended with a candlelight service held outdoors, each person in attendance passing the flame on to the next, symbolizing the enduring legacy of the victims.

“We could (dwell on) the lost potential of their lives, but now we see how God has worked through this for good,” said Warren. “We look back and see that it was all God. Only He could give us this peace we have now—a peace that surpasses all understanding.”

Legacy.

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The candlelight service
We remember & rejoice, they are with Jesus.
A friend gave Ted this picture & frame. Blessed him a lot.
A year ago this past monday evening, our two dear friends Tiffany Johnson & Philip Crouse lost their lives here on earth & went to be with our Saviour.

This week was filled with ache, good memouries, tears, celebration of their year with Jesus, & silence.
Monday evening the base held a memorial candlelight service. Ted and I had still not decided if we were going to go or stay home. It was a difficult decision. It is hard to find balance because for us both our minds began to relive rather than remember.
We didn’t want to relive the horror of finding out our two friends, and Ted’s long time friend had passed away. We didn’t want to relive that night, and days to come, of being strong for others, when all we wanted to do was break down.
We did want to remember who they were in our lives, what they meant to us, what they taught us, and how they inspired us. We did want to remember who they were & celebrate their lives now with God.
We decided it would be a time for healing so we went. Ted spoke about Phil’s life, a memoury they shared while living in Alaska, and then spoke of what Phil’s life has inspired him to do this past year.
God has taught Ted & I what it means to truly love and to truly serve people.
We will always remember the legacy our dear friends left behind & pray in the years to come we will live this legacy of love and serving.
(Above photos of candlelight service taken by Matthew Sztyk.)

Yet Another Delayed Blog.

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oh golly,

I don’t really know where to begin for it’s been a while! Almost a month! I have recently updated our baby blog frequently, and neglected our main site. I’m so sorry for the delay!
I actually don’t feel well at all right now, so I will make this update as short as possible.
Ted:
Still running maintenance. My Love is so busy lately that although we may work just a walk away from each other, we rarely spend time together! It’s actually kind of sad, but some quarters are like this. I’m so proud of him and how he has run things, despite it’s many (& daily) challenges! Most evenings he is out helping a friend fix up a house, so we aren’t together as much as we typically are.
Jami:
Lately… copingwith morning, afternoon, & the occasional evening sickness (like tonight). I too have been busy but in a entirely different way (um, he’s WAY busier, as you will see). I spend A LOT of time in the evenings doing research, reading & taking notes in my baby journal on everything about pregnancy. It’s been incredibly fun & exciting. Work wise – I am still working in the kitchen office which is simple, and the web department which I LOVE! In fact there is a huge possibility that I will be the “go to” person for web next quarter; updating the site with school dates, news, new schools, photos, staff bios, etc. I still of a lot of learning to do & memorization because the main web guy will be out of the country next quarter… oh boy. I pray the rumor of being spacey while pregnant is ONLY a rumor for me!
Prayer requests:
  • Please pray for Ted to not get burnt out & to keep seeking God in how to lead.
  • Please pray for our baby as he/she grows!
  • For me with my sickness, and my times with God to grow!
  • For Ted & I to cherish the times we have together & find more time too.
Thank You for loving, praying, & supporting us in where God has called us in this season!
Love,
Jami

Chopsticks.

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(01:: I am so sorry for the delayed blog of almost a month!)

Here is my attempt to fill you in on the latest in the Davis life.

Along with each new season & quarter change comes a change in our lifestyle as well. We’ve learned quickly to be flexible and now we anticipate this change with open hearts & minds!

02:: t h a i l a n d
As many of you know, we recently returned from our second outreach to Thailand. This past trip was incredibly redemptive as well as challenging. It truly grew Ted and I into the leaders God is calling us to be. Obviously there is always room for growth and I am by no means saying we’ve got this all together. I believe with each different situation, team or person, new challenges arise causing us to trust God further and either deepen our leadership or we learn a valuble lesson from trusting our own strength falling and getting back up. That was last season; our wonderful summer abroad.

03:: b a s e
Our fall season is completely different and full of new changes and challenges. Neither of us are working a school, but instead serving the base. Let me take a moment to say, this is actually ten times more challenging (for us) than leading a team of rambuncious indepedent youth to a foriegn country. We are missionaries technically, but sometimes when serving the base through little things which may seem meaningless can be difficult. God’s really changed our perspective and shown Ted and I both what it means to serve where He has called us… and to do so whole heartedly. God really shook up our “plans” of leaving staff and traveling with a buddy, to staying on staff and joining the Timothy Team here until March of 2010. This was a huge and difficult descision which ultimetly led to God telling us clearly we need to serve here until then. And all the while, grow in our leadership and live our life as abundantely as Christ’s gives.

04:: D a i l y
Ted
This quarter Ted is the maintenance director. He is really enjoying leading and changing the department for the better, and really putting God in the center of everything instead of just making it mundane every day jobs. I’ve am super proud of him. God is really doing a lot in him in leadership. It’s been amazing to watch this process! Pray for grace, energy, strength, & a more detailed perspective for him as he serves there.
Jami
As for me, I am working as kitchen assistant which uses the tiniest part of my brain and the web department with uses every bit of my brain and energy. The kitchen job is super chill and I spend most of my time in the web department, working along side with two others to help create a new website for the base. I love the graphics and creative side to this job a ton! It’s the coding side which is very challenging. I spent 2 1/2 hours one afternoon working on a project, proudly hitting enter and immediately realizing everything was wrong. I will never again make that mistake and for that I am thankful, but it was dissapointing. Pray for my mind & that I’ll press in with my everything!

Thank you lovely friends for reading my ridiculously long winded blog!
x Jami

The first thing that popped into my mind when naming this blog was Chopsticks.
Chopsticks is a name for my randomosity in every aspect of my life. I have a chopsticks playlist, a chopsticks memoury box, a chopsticks email folder, a chopsticks picture folder, a chopsticks mix cd … don’t really know how this came about but it did and it sticks.

Hence the name of this blog.

Timothy Team.

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Alright, well I did have every good intention in writing an updated blog on our newest change of plans, and obviously it has been a while since I’ve done just that! “It’s the thought that counts” right? No, probably not! :) I’m so sorry!

You don’t need to watch suspense movies, just read our blog!
(We are NOT pregnant, although we both would love a baby. Im so sorry if your hopes were up for that! )
What I was referring to is this…about a month ago now, we were asked by the directors of the base, if we would consider joining a leadership team called “Timothy Team“. We both had a feeling this was coming, considering the fact that we’d been on staff two years and maintained a good integrity in leadership which are criteria for joining. We also both thought we knew, that we would be saying no to this opportunity. Why? Because it was a 2 year commitment and we were only planning on staying another year here in Denver.
So Peter Warren asked us to pray about it and gave us 5 days until we needed to let him know. So we were like, “we already know, but we’ll pray anyhow”. So we did just that, and sure enough God changed up our plans of “hitting the road” next year to joining Timothy Team. We were praying all the way up to the moment in which Peter asked us for an update.
We both really had a lot of confirmation through our prayers and the prayers of others. So we decided to stay another year on staff. Which means until March of 2010 we will have a commitment here in Denver.
What is Timothy Team? Well, it is an opportunity for staff, selected by the leadership of the base, to get together and discuss YWAM Denver, potential possibilities and changes, a time of growing together and individually, and a time to ask Peter and Linda questions about the base, why it runs a certain way, etc. The part about the Timothy Team which we love is growing in our leadership skills, having more authority to speak up about certain things, and the opportunities that may come our way with leadership here in Denver.
We wondered and in some ways are still wondering why God would ask us to stay another year, when our heart is to live overseas and to travel. He is slowly opening our eyes to see exactly why He has us here. He’s been challenging us to be a good example to new staff and students, and to raise our standards and integrity to a higher level.
Also, one amazing thing is Peter Warren knows our heart to go “out” and he gave his blessing and said when these two years are up he would love to send us out with a blessing. It was nice to hear!
One verse we got while praying was in Habakuk 2:2-4 which read:
Then the Lord answered me and said:
“Write the vision and make it plain on tablets. That he who reads it may run with it, for the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold the proud His soul is not upright in Him but the just shall live by his faith.”
It was an interesting verse to come upon, because at the time in which we recieved it, sitting in our little apartment just the two of us, we read it and were like “no…surely not” you know?
We read it again later and shared it with others and realized what God was speaking. We actually do not have our vision planned out, we do not actually know exactly where God wants us to be or travel to and from. We feel like God is telling us to stay, really just one more year than we planned, and in that year he will show us and guide us with our vision and dreams. He will not let it tarries. It is yet for an appointed time. We also know God is going to challenge us in many ways, he already has. In our integrity and what we know he has placed in our hearts.
The temptation, is being comfortable with where we are. It’s a fear and temptation we face, sometimes daily. I think the reason why it’s hard for us, it because we are called overseas to raise awareness of the injustices of the world. So for us, this setting here can sometimes be difficult.

For others, it may be their calling or the lifestyle which suits them best. We love how diverse and unique each individual is! God has placed people all over the world, and sometimes the more overseas- minded people forget that America is also apart of the mission field.
Interesting thought huh? I actually have a friend right now that is working in the states at refugee camps. I was so ignorant that I didn’t even realize they had camps here in the states. I couldn’t believe just how naive I really was. Then Ted shared with me about how there are many Afghan families here in Denver, in fact there are 4,000 in Denver alone!
Alright I just saw the time and I need to head out. We love you all very much!
Jami Joann