The End of the Beginning

Everyone else was in t-shirts.....I was freezing! I still have Bali blood in me

The last 3 months

To join staff at YWAM Denver, you have to take a 3-month staff training course called School of Ministry Development School (SOMD).  This is what I've been doing these last 3 months.


Personal Testimony
The SOMD is made up of 13 weeks, each week covering a different topic.  The week that impacted me the most was the Fund-raising week.  It was this week that God showed me that my faith has been too little....that I wasn't trusting Him to be big enough to know, understand, and provide for every need; now and to come.  It can be scary asking people to support me because I don't want them to feel that I'm only seeing them in terms of how much they can give me.  I know too many people who have been hurt by this (me being one of them) and I don't ever want someone to feel like that from me.

 God reminded me that it's never about the money....it's always about the relationship.  He also reminded me that He values responsibility, planning, and faith.  The question is where is the balance? Too often, we lean too far one way or another.   It's easy for me to operate out of only responsibility and planning.  But God challenged me to trust Him for every penny I have and every penny I will need.  He knows and He will provide.  My job is to trust Him and honor Him with His provisions.

I have now completed the SOMD and ready to be full-time staff here at YWAM Denver.
So! What's next?


The next 6 months


Many of you know that YWAM offers a training program called Discipleship Training School (DTS).  This is an opportunity for people to take 5 months to dive into God's character and learned to live a crazy adventure with God.  People who take this program get ruined for the ordinary.  They learn that they can hear God for themselves, that He is more gracious than we think, and if we let Him, that He is a God that works outside the box.  Young peoples' lives get changed.


The program consists of 11 weeks of lecture phase (in which the students live on base and be a part of the community) and then 8 weeks of outreach (in which they experience other cultures and get God's heart for all nations).


I have the opportunity to staff the next DTS (January - May).  Once the lecture phase is complete, I then get a chance to lead a group of these young people to work with refugees in Germany then to Bali (my old stomping grounds) to work with the unreached.  I get 5 months to invest into these young lives.  THIS is why I do what I do....to change the nations by changing the individual.  My heart is to see each of them know God in ways they never thought.  That they finish with a deeper understanding of God and how to live HIS character in this world.
As of now, there will be 25 students in this school.



If you want to know more about the base I work on, visit their website:
https://www.ywamdenver.org

DTS is a key component with YWAM.  Everything else stems from our DTS's.  Even though I've been a part of YWAM for 9 years, I have never staffed a full DTS.  So, the next 5 months is important in my preparation for pioneering a base in the South.  I have to know how a full DTS is ran before I can start a base.




Prayer points

1) Wisdom for guiding the DTS students for the next 5 months

2) Living situation: our lease is up next April and we don't have enough girls to renew the lease.  At the moment, I don't have a place to live.  To make it even more interesting, I'll be gone on outreach during April so when I get back, I will need a place to return to

3) That God will prepare people to join me for pioneering a base in the South.

 From hot and humid to 

cold and not humid

It was this day, 11 months ago, that God rocked my world.  There I was, living in Indonesia, ready to serve God there for the rest of my life. 

Then BOOM! God throws a curve ball to me.  

"I want you to go back to America and start a new YWAM base among your own people.....the South".  

I would say I was completely surprised but to be honest, God had been dropping hints to me for the last 2 years that something of this magnitude was coming.  I just didn't expect it to be THIS big.  Pioneer a new base?? ME?? 

YWAM is a training ministry.  We train people with Biblical values in order for them to take the Gospel to all the world....no matter what country, sphere of society, or people group. We train.  Therefor we operate similar to university campus.  We have dorms for students, apartments for staff, classrooms, dining hall, administration offices, etc.  And God wants me to start one....AAHHH!!!  

So, what now?  

First:  take a training course in Perth......done

Second:  join an existing base in America to learn the in's and out's of leading an American base (legal requirements, admissions for students, website, etc).  

Third: get a team to join me

Fourth: be commissioned by the base I'm trained at, go and pioneer a new base (while being covered by the sending base)

The step I'm at is #2

I've joined the YWAM base in Denver, Colorado.  This is a strong base with strong leadership.  They are wise and experienced in pioneering bases.  

This past June, I moved home from Indonesia.  After spending time with family, I started making my way across country (first time) to my new home.  

I just happen to be in Knoxville, TN visiting my brother's family when the total eclipse went over.  I got to see the full thing. Apparently, your shadow's edges become extra clear during this event.  

On I went.  It was a good trip until........KANSAS!!!! If you never driven through the entire state of Kansas, let me explain.  The road becomes very straight and very flat.  You think "oh good! easy traveling!".    Then, after about 1 hour,  you start seeing these wind thingys.  Again you think "wow!!! so many!! how beautiful!!! this should be cool!"

8----EIGHT hours later, all you're thinking is "dear God, help me!!!"

After 3 days of driving, I see this glorious site!!! DENVER!

 

I join YWAM Denver

This is what the base looks like......beautiful!

 

Not too long after I arrive, I see this.....what is it again?  uuuhhhh.....

In October?????

Us Southerners never heard such a thang

I think I dealt with the cold weather well.....don't you think??  

The last 8 years has been spent with high humidity and high temperatures, with little air conditioning.  I forgot what it felt like to NOT sweat. My Bali blood don't know what to do with this

  At the moment, I'm half student, half staff.  

For people who want to join staff here, they are asked to go through this 3 month course called School of Ministry Development.  Here, I'm a student. 

But, because I've already taken many schools like this and they have a high need for someone to help in Admissions, they are letting me audit the course and spend my other half of the time working in Admissions.  

This means I process all applications for future schools.  I contact them, pray for them, answer question, organize their arrivals, and send vise letters for foreign students.  I love this job because I get to have an impact on every student that comes to us.  Meaning, I impact up to 6 different nations and up to 30 students every 3 months.  So, in 1 year, I have impacted 24 nations and 120 people every year (not including staff). 

Which means for those who support me, YOU impact 24 nations and 120 people every year.  

 

Being a student means I'm in a small group. This is my small group of amazing girls!  

As a base, we worship and do intercession over the nations 3 times/week

I'm also involved in helping with the prayer/prophetic ministries.  I've already organized 2 prophetic nights (in which people can come and get a prophetic word of encouragement) and I've taught a prophetic workshop where I teach people Biblical principles about the prophetic gifting and then have them practice it in a safe space. 

A sunset from my balcony

And who wouldn't want to end with this???

Brisket!!!

Prayer points:

1) a team to join me
2) I'm going to a gathering of all East Coast bases next week.  This could be my only chance to meet all the base leaders.....which is important because I'll be pioneering a base near them.  I need divine appointments.
3) Continue financial support.  With a base in my future, the needs are increasing.  Also, living in Denver is A LOT more expensive than living in Bali.

Praise

1) Even though I do still have a need, I HAVE seen an increase in my monthly support.....so thank you everyone who has joined me in this new adventure!
2) I am learning more than I thought I would quicker than I expected.
3) I have quickly found my place on this new base.  I am already making good friends and I get many chances to speak into the younger lives here on base.  I'm loving it!!!

I'm baaa-aaack

I am officially back in the States.  

How did I get here?  The last calling I had was to Indonesia....nine years ago.  After serving with YWAM overseas for 8 years, God surprised me.  

Have you ever thought you had God figured out....only to be surprised?  This was me.  Last year, God began to stir something within me.  Something that I resisted; something I knew was of God but I THOUGHT was just for prayer.  

The stirring within me was a burden for America; specifically for the church.  

I thought it was just to intercede for the church....for revival (which I did).  The more I prayed, the heavier the burden became.  As I served in Indonesia and fell more in love with the country, I found myself thinking "someone needs to raise up more Americans into missions".  Because I knew God had called me to Indonesia, I resisted this thought.....many times.  However, it kept coming back to me; each time a little stronger.  

FINALLY I began to ask God the right question: "are You calling me back to America???".  

It wasn't long before I got my answer: "Yes"

So, I obeyed. 

Since June 7, I have returned to the States in answer to God's calling.

It was hard for me to leave a country I had prayed for and invested into for so long.  But, I have said "good-bye" and have moved back. 

At the moment, I am still in transition.  To be honest, this is a journey I am taking one step at a time.  I know God well enough to know He will lead me with every step.....until He leads me to where He wants me.     

Here is what I know

#1

I will continue to work as a full-time missionary with YWAM

#2

I am to join a YWAM base somewhere in America

#3

I will help youth deepen their intimacy with God through Biblical understanding and experience.  As a result, I hope to see more people go into church planting; both locally, nationally, and internationally.    

Note

The expenses of living in America far exceed the expenses of living in Indonesia. 

My monthly budget in Indonesia was $800/month

My monthly budget in America will approximately be $2000/month.  

I am looking for 200 people who are willing to donate $10/month (tax-deductible).  

If you are interested, please contact me at kjhappyfeet77@gmail.com

I love Indonesia.....I also love America. 

So here are some pictures of both 

Indonesia: Grilling out 

 America: Grilling out

Indonesia: food

 America: food

 Indonesia: leg room

 America: LEG ROOM!!!!

Indonesia: concert

 American---South: concert!!!

Indonesia: friends

America: family