...I'm over it...
Time has flown by and I have experienced 'the edge' on what seems like every positive human emotion. There's been unconditional joy (especially when the whole DTS team is ice-skating in Spokane), times of revelation (that after weeks of freezing showers we realized that if we turn the shower knob the opposite way it'll be hot...!), excitement that is so uncontrollable it leads to tears (I realized my hidden talent of having the ability to stretch the unusually excessive amount of skin under my chin), and how I can truly pursue a life that is discipled by Christ.
[Hidden Talent]
For a quick update of what's been going on here:
- It's the 8th week of the DTS
- As of 1 Month from now I will be leaving on my outreach (the second part of the DTS is the outreach phase.
- I will be in BRAZIL for 3 months in the cities of
- Rio de Janeiro
- Salvador
- Recife
- We will be working in the slums, playing and loving on kids, speaking and playing music, and doing a lot of intercession. We will be hitting up the largest party in the world in Salvador in Feb. This party will have 20 million people and will be a pretty good picture of Hell of Earth. Everything sinful will happen and everything is endorsed and encouraged by the people, government, and culture. This is a big part of our trip, to witness and be a light in this place.
- Oct. 22-Nov. 2 I was in Spokane, WA on our 'Mini-Outreach' which is a time to connect with your outreach team (the Brazil team is 9 students and 2 leaders) and do things like street evangelism, which is something I've never done before but very cool to experience.
- I have had several opportunities to lead worship and do a lot of music. I have a show this Saturday in a near by town and then next week we have a 'Cafe Night' where the musical people on base will present some of their own music. Super pumped!
- Swing dancing has been HUGE here and I have gone to a local restaurant that has a live band and dance floor just about every other weekend. All the credit is due to a fellow in the DTS from Seattle, WA. His name is Mark and he is an amazing dancer (specifically swing) and he has an awesome ability to teach. (really funny but as I'm writing he's playing ping-pong behind me and he just asked if I want to go swing dancing friday... he wasn't reading this either... haha) If we don't go to the restaurant we end up dancing in the gym. It's been great!
So that's a good chunk of what's been going on over here. I've been doing a good amount of photography when I can and I've created a photo album on my Facebook called, 'Portfolio,' so if you enjoy photography feel free to check it out!
Real quick, cause I know this is getting long, I wanted to just write a little something that I wrote in my journal yesterday that I've been thinking about a little bit yesterday and today. Quick background to what was going on- A guy in the DTS, Bruce Kauss, had his knee healed during the morning lecture as three DTS students prayed for him. Crazy in itself I caught myself thinking something right after we celebrated God's decision to heal him. Here's were the journal picks up--
"As we were praying again as a group, I was looking down at the blister on my foot [from dancing] and I began to pray [quietly], 'Father, if you would heal my blister in front of me--if I could watch as you remove even the scar that it will cause and heal it completely, I would be shouting and singing; weeping and praising you because you are real...' My faith is non-existent.
Would I act differently if I saw a miraculous sign from God that was Blatantly in-front of my face? Better yet, would I act differently if I saw GOD in the flesh, or spirit (... however he could reveal himself without killing me...)? If so, why is that? It comes down to my faith in God's power and the amount I am willing to die to myself and allow my life to be as a servant, doing what God's plan is for me- which includes everyday! Not just the future! It's everyday!"
I would LOVE to hear what you think about this. E-mail, Facebook, write on this blog, call me, text me, ANYWAY you can respond to this journal entry I would love to hear it; and not just a "this is good." Though that gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling, it's not really what I'm aiming for. Truthfully i would much more enjoy a, "this doesn't make any sense. You're crazy!" message because then I can go somewhere with that.
Wrapping this up, I want to thank you so much for reading this enormous blog and for (thinking positively) sending me your thoughts on what you would do if you 'saw' God. Would you act different? Would you believe or make an excuse why it couldn't have been God? Would you be scare? Any response.
Thanks again and I hope your loving how your living!
View Larger Map
Brazil Outreach Locations
Link:
