Forgiveness and Repentance

Wow! I can't believe we are going on week four. Everything is going well and we have enjoyed the sunshine so much this week! Josh and I even did some homework outside in the sun on Wednesday afternoon. Josh is getting excited for the "Youth With a Mustache" competition. He has 1 month to compete with other guys from the base to grow out his facial hair...oh boy.

This week Jerry Praetzel, a familiar speaker throughout YWAM came to speak about forgiveness and repentance. It was a week filled with deep personal thinking and openness with ourselves, others, and God. By the end of the week we were free from what once bound us. Below is a picture of a tree that Josh painted during our creative worship Friday morning, and my little sunshine in the corner.

This week we learned a little bit more about the plans for outreach. Please keep praying for the travel plans since they are not fully in place. We started learning some of the Thai language, and the culture. We also were assigned different leadership roles for the team. Josh is assigned to the childrens ministry and I with budgeting the expenses.

This is a short post compared to last week, but hopefully we can take some pictures in the next few days and put them up.

Josh and I want to thank all of you for the continued prayers & support.

Danielle

Evangelism...

As you can probably tell by the title, this week's topic was evangelism. It was an interesting, powerful and convicting week. Our speaker David Lehmann was very passionate about evangelism and it was all but impossible to pick up on his enthusiasm. One thing that I was really impacted by this week was how complicated Christians and the church make evangelism. Why is it so hard for us to speak the name of Jesus in public? If you go and see a movie and really enjoy it, naturally you are going to go out and tell all of your friends about it. Why don't we do the same with the gospel? It is the greatest news of all isn't it? Jesus is much more important than a movie, right?

It was really challenging this week because I am scared to go up to a complete stranger and start up a conversation about Jesus but the more I think about it the more necessary it is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the entire world! I've always felt I have been doing my part in evangelism with things like mission trips and the Hope Bus, which are great ministries that do great works for the Kingdom of God, but David really pushed it further than just serving people or building relationships. Yes, we can serve someone in the name of Jesus but eventually it has to come to the point where we are intentionally speaking the word of Christ. Someone will not automatically be saved by the actions we do. Our actions are the key that can unlock the door but again, it comes back to being intentional about sharing the gospel message.

We were able to practice the new ideals of evangelism and the practical teachings from the week Thursday night in downtown Portland. There is a ministry called Nightstrike that gathers under a bridge and provides a hot meal, haircuts, foot washings, pedicures, manicures, Christian literature, someone to talk to, and the gospel message to the homeless. We each got placed into different groups. I was assigned to a group of people who would go out from the bridge and find people within the city itself to hand out sandwiches and a drink and socks. During our journey we met a man named Burt. We started a conversation and quickly realized he was very drunk. It was difficult to stand there for an hour listening to him stammer on uselessly and not being able to find the entrance to open up the conversation to Jesus when there are people out there that will gladly speak to us about it. BUT, we stuck to it and like I said, stood there for an hour before we had our opportunity to share our faith. Unfortunately because of his current mental state it seemed that nothing was getting through. We left the conversation discouraged but I remembered David's teaching earlier in the day. We are not going to be able to save every person that we meet on the spot but we can move them closer to salvation with each meeting. So, I left hoping that our conversation would stick enough to move Burt closer to salvation. Our time with Burt went so long that we had to start heading back to the bridge but we still had food and socks to give out so on our way back we kept our eyes and hearts open. I then spotted a couple of people sitting on the corner begging for money and my heart jumped....here was our opportunity. They gladly accepted our stuff and we got into a small conversation. After hearing their story we asked if we could pray for them and they gladly agreed. Unfortunately because of time restrictions we were not able to stay and talk longer but I left that meeting knowing that something was planted in their heads. Although disappointed that I wasn't able to bring them to salvation I have to trust that God will provide the people they need to bring them to him. I did my part that night but I wonder if I did enough.

All of that to say, are we doing enough? 95% of Christians will never share the gospel to someone. How sad is that? What was Jesus' last command? GO, and preach the gospel! Why are we so focused on ourselves that we completely miss the people crying out for help? Why aren't our churches flooded with the homeless, drunks, drug addicts, or lost? What is the worst that could happen if you asked someone if you could tell them about Jesus? They say no. What's the best thing that could happen? YOU SAVE THEM! Now think of what would happen if you don't ask...whats the worst thing? They are lost for eternity.

I'm done preaching but I challenge anyone to work on not being ashamed of the greatest man in history, not being ashamed to even mention the name of Jesus in public. Its something that I'm working on because in the end, it is what we are called to do.

Danielle and I are continually blessed with letters, prayers, and support. We just want to thank each and every one of you for partnering with us through this journey. You are all on our hearts and as much a part of this journey as we are. Thanks,

Josh

Week 1

We finished our first week of class! We are creating new friends, routines, and learning many new things! We are all so excited to start this amazing journey with God and “Grow to Go”, the theme for the semester. In class this week we had a few staff from the YWAM base come and speak. Amy McGee, our school leader spoke about our relationship with God and His character. We learned that God reveals himself through creation, His word, relationships, signs & wonders, and His spirit. Andy Yaxley, spoke to us about hearing Gods voice. Many times throughout this week we practiced hearing Gods voice, and we are excited to continually do this to experience and create deeper relationship with Him. As we prepare for the journey over the next six months, Jason Treadwell spoke to us the remaining of the week about living in community and forming strong unity. One of the key verses that stood out this week was Colossians 3:12-17. It tells us to clothe ourselves with virtues like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, and forgiveness. With Gods love, they bind us together in perfect unity. As we continue to apply this, we pray for Gods help.

My birthday turned out to be wonderful! Thank you for all the birthday cards! The girls surprised me with lots of balloons and a big sign on my door. I was also surprised with a delicious brownie cake. Be proud grandpas, Josh had flowers sent to the base for me. It was also an exciting day because it was the revealing of the locations for outreach!

Our school is going to send two teams to different places. After the locations were revealed, we were not expecting to make a decision on the location that night. As one of the leaders started to quiet our excitement, she asked us to go and pray about what location Gods is calling us to. It was silent, everyone was shocked. No one could talk to each other! We sat in prayer and wrote whatever God was telling us on a piece of paper. The leaders then prayed over the locations and picked the teams. Josh and I ended up being on the same team. (A relief for the parents.) Oh yeah.. WE ARE GOING TO THAILAND! We don't have a lot of detail at this point, but we are leaving on March 24.

This past weekend we had the opportunity to walk downtown Salem and hand out cups of hot chocolate to people on the street. It felt like home as it reminded both Josh and I of Vriesland's Hope Bus. Whether students just gave one cup away or whether they sat and listened to testimonies, God was there. I actually talked to three individuals for at least 15min each and they opened up to me about there life story, and allowed me to pray for them. It was amazing what a simple cup of hot chocolate can do.

Thank you for the prayers and support. Josh & I are so blessed and we can't thank you enough!
This week please pray that we continue to hear Gods voice. Also for the leaders as they set up travel arrangements for the outreach.

-Danielle

Some pictures are posted below, and you can click on the pictures to make them larger. Yesterday some friends on base that live in Oregon took us to the Silver Falls. Living in Oregon we have learned that we will do things whether rain or shine! Pictures can't come close to describe Gods beautiful creation!

Its Only the Beginning...

Yes, we made it safely to Oregon.  Yes, it has rained but there has been quite a bit of sunshine as well.  And yes, we are both very excited for the school to start.  This week has been filled with a lot of nerves, awkward ice-breakers, and a lot of down time.  Despite our beliefs, there are actually 16 students here instead of the 9 we originally knew of and yet, I am outnumbered 4 to 1.  The base is, in Danielle's words, "very mossy."  It is really surprising to be walking around in January and not have white stuff up to your knees.  Everything is so green!  The base is nice, open, and large.  Our rooms are pretty basic.  Danielle shares a room with two girls and I am with one other guy.  As for school, not much has started yet just the basic syllabus stuff.  We were assigned work duties for the remainder of the camp.  I will be washing dishes and the kitchen area after dinner while Danielle learns how to cook for a large group of people again.  This time...no cookie dough out of the fridge. So far this weekend it has been more of a get to know your classmates type activities.  We shared testimonies for a good part of the day yesterday and actually just got back from a "Find the Leader" scavenger hunt in downtown Salem.  The group is really a fun group and our leaders are a great bunch of people who really want to see us gel and grow.  We learn where we are going for our Outreach on Danielle's birthday, January 13.  We'll keep everyone posted on the location. On a lighter note, the first thing Danielle discovers on the base....a workout program within the staff here at the base.  Of course.  After much prodding I think that I'm going to get dragged out of bed to join the group as well.

All this in only a couple of days.  Its a wonder what a full week will look like.  Before we know it we will be off for another adventure somewhere in the world!  Appreciate all of the support and we miss all of you already!

Josh

p.s. Danielle wants to give a shout out to the GVSU Student Development for her first postcard.  She was really pumped!