It's December here in CO! The grounds are covered in snow and it seems as though God is purifying the ground! I got the opportunity to go home and did. It was great! I got to see my family and hang out with them 24/7 for 10days! It was such a blessing just to be able to relax and be with them!

Also in December, we graduated the SSJ (School of Social Justice), and sent them off to continue their ministry in the way that griped their hearts the most. One went to Med school to be able to use that gift in missions. Another went to get her Law degree to work on the other side & stop injustice at the heart. Others went straight into the missions field overseas!

January not only began the New Year for us here at YWAM Denver, but kicked off another quarter of schools and amazing things all around! Our Compassion and Boarders DTS's have been "All in or Nothing" this quarter. When you mix the quiet and meek with the outgoing and passionate, you get a new breed that LOVES, WITH NO BOUNDS- Exactly what Jesus was looking for in disciplers before, and what God searches the world to find, now. 

Over the course of their training, these two schools went on what we call, a "Mid-Lecture Phase Outreach". The Compassion students went to Kansas City in Missouri with IHOP (International House Of Prayer) and saw that they aren't just supposed to receive from God, but also, allow Him to give out to others through them. The Boarders went...guess where...yep, to the X-Games 2012 and got to speak into many of the lives of others coming to see the competitions.  But it doesn't stop there! 

Now, in three more weeks, these two groups of students are breaking off into 7 smaller groups to go overseas. They will each hit two locations and spread what God has shown them to others as they build relationships with them in those areas. 

I have gotten the pleasure of being able to assist one of the main leaders on one of these teams and will be going overseas with that group!...There aren't many words that can explain how excited I am right now! Wow, yep, it's going to be a crazy whirl of an adventure! And I can't wait till I find myself walking off the airplane into a completely different culture! God has so much in store for this particular people group, please keep me and our team in prayer as to how to reach these people with the Word of God! I believe there is breakthrough to be had there on many different levels.

But that was just the schools. While all that was taking place, our staff met together for a three day conference. We found it a time of rest and receiving from the Lord and sharing those things with one another. We laughed a lot, played some games, ate great food, had amazing worship, enjoyed fellowship, and heard the Word in a new way. (By the way, if you've never read the Bible like a story, you ought to get started- it will capture your mind as the writer captivates your heart.) 

And it was there, at that three day conference that I re-found my first love!  And He is BEAUTIFUL! There is no combination of verbs to describe Him, no nouns to define Him:

He chooses to love me, unrelentlessly, unabandoned;

 limitless, he limited himself to human flesh and then condemned it to a cross...till death.

 Yet, He would never even think of condemning me...

 ...No,

 He searches for me till He finds me, wipes off the filth and cleanses me.

like the snow i am clean, like a star He sees me.

I have never done anything to deserve, nothing to earn what he did...

...and still, He loves me.

I've been broken, torn down, ridiculed and abandoned.

...but that didn't stop Him.

Instead He took my place, wiped the tears from my face and said "WELCOME...

my child, my friend, my beloved.

Will you come in and find rest? Will you let me feed you?

will you just sit at my feet and let me care for you?"

"I don't need a long prayer to hear you. 

I don't need your alligence to want you."

"I don't even need your tithes to provide for you.

I do what I do because I love you!"

And that, my friends, family, my brothers and co-workers, is why I can't describe my God- HE LOVES ME TOO MUCH. There is no sense to it, I can't wrap my head around it. Go ahead and give it a try. You'll find it overwhelming, just as I did. Then you won't be able to shut up about Him, just as I can't. He is why I do what I do, say what I say, live how I live- All, just to bring a moment of joy to His heart...and it's worth every second.