January Update

December 2011

Hello Friends and Family,

As I am writing this, the weather outside is 60 degrees and sunny. I say this because it is beautiful, but also shocking. It has been a mild winter this year in Arvada, Colorado. Another thing that’s beautiful is that I am nearing the 2 year mark of when I joined staff here at YWAM Denver. I must say that I have learned so much and I have grown so much as an adult. I would not change anything. Some of the things that I’ve grown in are as follows: trust in God to provide finances, time management, vulnerability, cultural growth (going to Africa), maturity, spiritual leadership and positional leadership. I am planning to continue to be on staff for another 2-4 years which will include moving up in positional leadership, leading 7 week mission trips/outreaches to other countries, and continuing to learn and grow.

I hosted a movie night at my house in the Summer of 2010. About 20 people were there.

For the last year I have been a small group leader in 4 different schools. This means that within the last year I have directly discipled and mentored 13 students, along with speaking into lives and encouraging many other people. Recently, I have prayerfully decided to take a break from being a small group leader and take some time to personally develop more into my personal growth. Sometimes it can be hard to personally rest and grow when you are constantly pouring into the lives of others. So far, God has been teaching me discernment and wisdom. I have been learning so much since this year has begun, and I am constantly in awe of how great God is and how faithful He is to give us the desires of our hearts. Taking this time off from being a small group leader is a minor change, yet with major lifestyle changes. I’m not quite sure how these lifestyle changes will look now, but I am excited to see how my obedience to God will bring understanding later. Even though right now I am not a small group leader, my work load has not decreased as I am currently working in Hospitality, Childcare, and the Creative Ministry Department.

My Small Group - Fall 2011 (Santa and the Elf were not in my small group ;-) )

            In a couple months I will be making some lifestyle changes such as moving on campus which will allow me to put some money in my savings account. I will also be selling my car to get out of some credit card debt. Although I am making these decisions, I still need more financial support. I plan to save for some big life changes in the future. If you would like to invest in my future please contact me, and I will be greatly appreciative. I pray you are doing well and that you are having a blessed new year.

Blessings, 
Becca   J

Summary of the last 3 months

It’s nearing the end of a year and the new year will begin. I know I haven’t written here in 3 months, so let me start off by paraphrasing what’s been going on in my life.
God has been teaching me how to be more vulnerable which in results in trusting Him more. He is teaching me more positional and spiritual leadership. He is teaching me to believe and hope more in the things He has promised me or that I would like to see happen. He is teaching me how to dream with Him. And I am sure there are more things that He is teaching me.

I have been extremely busy this last 3 months and it’s been good but at the same time extremely exhausting. I know things will be slowing down soon, and as things slow down I will still be busy but in a different way because God still wants to work on these things more in my life.

Some decisions I’ve made in the last 3 months:
* To stay on staff with YWAM Denver until 2015 or 2016.
* To move out of my apartment and move on campus (to save money)
* To sell my car to pay off credit card debt.
* To possibly go on an outreach this summer, to see if I want to lead people on missions trips.

 

This entry is kind of all over the place, and it’s because my mind is in several place. I am currently sitting at the airport waiting to go back to Denver. I had an earlier flight, but had a chance to get a voucher so I took it. I still have 3 more hours at the airport until I board. I will hopefully write a deeper entry soon.

It’s JUST the Beginning

The outreach to Orange County, California is over but the work that God has done in the lives of the people there has just begun. Hundreds of people gave their lives to Christ and some rededicated their lives to Him. Many people were delivered from addictions and oppression, while many more were filled up with the Holy Spirit. And about 40 people, including myself, were baptized with in the Pacific Ocean.

Every day we would begin all 250 of us at a church with worship, testimonies, and intercession. We would take a break for lunch and then split into groups to pray about what God wanted us to do for the day. Most of the time my group would break off into two or more people and just love on people by speaking truth into strangers lives, or even simply pray for them.

It was a very fruitful outreach, the people were ready and beautiful willing to have God move in their life. It was beautiful to be bold and courageous to do the things God was putting on our hearts to do.

This was the end of the outreach but only the beginning of what God is doing in our lives and in the lives of people in Orange County.

Day 3 of 10: This is Real

I don’t even know where to begin telling about today. I will just give a brief synopsis of what happened today. We began with worship and then John Dawson spoke and encouraged us. John was is one of the founders of YWAM when it began and he encouraged us about revival and about how hungry people are for hearing about God. After this time of John speaking, we took a break for lunch and gathered again into our groups to go off into ministry.

My group went to Huntington Beach and walked along and talked to people. We share with them about a “party” at a tent at the Hilton that we were having and they were invited. There were several crazy. amazing stories shared as we gathered.

God is moving in RADICAL ways. I feel like as I am living my life right now that I am reading it in a fictional story. But this is not fiction… THIS IS REAL!!!! And it is amazing to see more and more healings, salvations, and more people come back to God after falling away. It’s so beautiful. The atmosphere is changing in a good way. Woo Hoo!!!

I am so privileged to be a part of another revival moment that will soon be written about in history books.

Day 2 of 10: The Circuit Riders have Arrived

Today we began our day with fellowship and worship. It was an encouraging time to be joined together with Ywam Denver and the Circuit Riders from Kona, Hawaii. Even though we are from 2 different places and doing different things, we have all joined together to see revival be spread across the United States, beginning in the West. The people in Hawaii and Denver are not 2 different groups, but 1 large group moving in unity to the heartbeat of our Father. My heart was overjoyed to see about 300 people giving their all in worship, and literally crying out to God for the salvation of people all across the world. I have been to church camps, Acquire The Fire, Christian concerts, and evangelists preach on revival in churches, BUT I have never seen so many people of all ages so passionate about partnering with God about a revival in America. It is so exciting what God is doing and how He is moving. He is already moving in Orange County and people are noticing a shift in the spiritual atmosphere.

After a time of worship and talking about the things God wants to do while we are here in Orange County, we took a break for lunch and then met back to organize into ministry groups. Most of us went over to Huntington Beach to simply share the love of Jesus with people. It was amazing to walk around and see us talking to people or praying for someone. I am sure tomorrow we will hear some stories of God moving while we are here in the O.C. and I am sure tomorrow will look much like today. Around 7pm most of us went to a nearby church where Brian Brennt was speaking. Brian is the visionary behind the Circuit Riders school in Kona.

We arrived back at one of the churches that we are staying around 9:45pm and most of the girls were eager to get into bed. Today was a fruitful and exciting day.