Rain Rain Go Away!

Today it is 3:07PM

I finished my delicious iced caramel coffee with extra caffeine about 30 minutes ago. I am sitting in the Coffee Bean with wet feet and pant legs. My umbrella sitting beneath my chair soaked and drying while closed! At this very moment I wish I had another coffee because the one I had was amazing... So far better than any I have had since coming here. The flavor was just amazing I wish I could have one for free. So I woke up last night in the middle of the night maybe 4:30 AM to the sound of pouring rain falling from the trees outside my room. It wasn't the light sprinkle or steady drops that I heard. It was the heavy sound of big fat drops splashing to the pavement. So anyways what I am TRYING to say is that it has been non stop raining, down-pouring since the middle of the night. It has slowed down since I came to Coffee Bean but it is still steady rain. The creek behind our property is extremely high. It is rushing above the water line on the sides and there is debris everywhere flowing down through the water, theres big tree branches and plants and trash. So today I want to update everyone on my life.

Today I am sitting here Blessed more than ever because of who God is in my life. There is none like him NONE! Last night some of the students and I and another staff person had prayer and we just spent time In Gods presence. we had intense prayer for about an hour and then we talked for a little bit and then we listened to worship music and worshiped God. To sit in a room with all the lights out and the music blaring loud and focusing solely on God and what the song means to you, it is a powerful thing. I could do it forever it seems like. Even though I would honestly probably eventually fall asleep ha ha. Anyways my favorite thing about last night was first of all, none of it was scheduled... it was spur of the moment people who love Jesus wanting to be with him and set aside what ever they are doing to be with him. and the second thing that I loved is that we did not have anything specific to pray for. we came in to it all open to how ever God wanted it to go. We waited on the Lord and let him guide us. and he did, he told us who to pray for and how to pray he really guided the night. I didn't leave the room until about 1:30 and we started at 10. And the reason I say that is because time flew. it was as if we were only in there for a half hour. and the next thing I know its 1:30. When you are spending time with God time flies! and it was awesome! Times of prayer with the Lord where you make it a point to have no agenda set before hand are my favorite because it submits my wants for Gods. And I always walk away from Prayer feeling full and strengthened and ready for anything that this world could throw my way. I sometimes honestly feel as if I could move mountains or fly like superman. Because when you hang out with God and rest in his presence you realize who you truly are in Christ. And the one truth that I will always stand on and trust in is that With God ANYTHING is possible. Now for you to read that is one thing, but for you to experience this fact with God in your life is a complete other. God told me this sentence when I was in Thailand. Then he put it in my heart, then my mind and then it became a reality that no matter what the task for how impossible something may seem. With God it is fully possible and sometimes more!
I just finished reading the book "The Shack" and I would like to take this time to state my opinion of the book. Opinion number one, read it! ha ! Just stop reading my blog and buy The Shack and read it. I want to say one thing though. I have heard mixed opinions on it and you cannot slam it and say you hate it until you read it. It has given me a stronger perspective of God and how he loves us so deeply. It also shows hod God can take any situation and turn it for Good. I love it! I read the book in 4 days total . And for me that is really good! I never read a book that fast unless its good. So please hear me and read it before you slam it. If you read for what it is, Just a story, you will love it, but if you study and try to break it down and pick at everything in it you will not like it. So I have to say Chew the meat and spit the bones if you know what I mean.
So to update everyone on the school here in YWAM and the current situation. The DTS is getting ready to leave. They are leaving in about one week. And I am sad. I am going to miss them so much. There are 4 teams total. One team is going to Kyrgyzstan with Brandon and his co-leader Katie Miller. Another team is going to Cambodia, the next is going to Bangladesh and the last team is off to the Philippines. I am so excited for them and how God is going to use them and change them and grow them. This school of 34 students is very anointed by God. They are all super hungry for God in their lives and it shows not by what they say but by the way they live. I am so impressed by all of them. They all have grown in so many ways. They are becoming what God wants them to be. They are finding their Destiny in Christ. and I want to say it is a Beautiful thing to watch. To see someone's life transformed by Christ is the most majestic thing to see ever! its better than any beach Hawaii has to offer or any mountain the Rockies could show! its the best thing to watch! If you have never experienced what I am talking about either pray about coming to YWAM or find a young person who is hungry for God and invest your life in them. Pour into them with who you are and what you know! So they are leaving in a week and soon this Base that is more a family than a school is going to be completely empty almost. The students bring refreshment and energy and Childlike Love of Christ. They bring a fragrance that only God can create and I personally will MAYBE cry when they leave because I will miss them so much. I am not prophesying that either. Ok fine I will admit sometimes I cry ok, I'm a man I'm tough ha ha. You know what they say "Real men are not afraid to cry" so leave me alone you can't judge me!
They are going to bring to Kingdom of God to places that have never heard, seen, or experienced before. They have my every blessing and prayer that they would live in the fullness and nothing less!
For me I am going to continue to Base staff and keep the grounds of this base cleaned up and looking nice, also i will continue to keep the vehicles running smooth with problem free rides! Without having all the students here work loads will increase immensely but you know what. I get to do work everyday with the Lord Jesus. He is included in everything that I do and I will get it all done with his help and not on my own strength! About two weeks after the students leave I come home to Hartville Ohio and I am excited! the way I miss my family and friends is deep! I cannot wait to see everyone and catch up and just be with them! Coming home is going to be a good break from here and time of rest and fellowship. And then I will come back strengthened and ready to take on the Yard and Transportation to the fullest of my ability with Christ. And I will also be working with JANUARY DTS STUDENTS WOO HOO! As for right now I am done , It has been a treat to sit here and update everyone on my life. I am so blessed! Sometime I should write a Blessings Blog and let it go for pages and pages because it could and will!