Living in Paradise...

So once in awhile God decides to bless someone in an amazing way. For me, He decided to send me to the beautiful island of Kona, Hawaii. I've been here for a little over 2 days and its amazing to see how God has moved. I got here and instantly fell in love with the laid back Hawaiian culture. For those of you who know me, I'm usually the cold rainy/snowy weather type of guy. So for me to like any place that is incredibly hot and humid, it has to be pretty awesome. But as I got to spend more time at the YWAM Kona base I began to fall in love with this place in another way. The presence of God is so present here. Over the past few months I've felt distant from God. My relationship has been one of just trying to get by. I'm done with that. I'm so happy to be able to close that chapter in my life. After spending only one full day on the base I feel so much closer to God and so much more alive. This place isn't just a beautiful tropical Island. It's a  spiritual haven. A place where people can come and really spend time focused on God. A place where we can forget the worries and troubles that we so foolishly hang onto and simply cling to God. I know it probably seems easy to do that in a place like Hawaii. But to be honest I think the reason I feel God is so close, and the reason I'm able to let go of all those things I've been holding onto, is simply because the people here know what it means to love God and each other. They know how to live in community. They are able to reflect God's love and make this place a safe and secure place to grow in faith. I know that life here is going to be far from perfect. I still have a long way to go, but I also know that God has brought me here to spend time with Him and really learn to love Him. I've never felt so full of purpose and so hopeful of the future as I am right now. God is working here and I get to be apart of it. Yeah, its pretty fantastic

View from my bed, yeah I've had worse views to wake up to. (Its cloudy now but normally its got a sick view of the ocean.) 

Blessed by the Impossible

     As I pulled apart yet another air conditioning unit, my mind struggled to grasp how I was going to make it through another month before my DTS. The basements dark and smelly presence did not help my attitude. Is this really what I'm supposed to be doing God? I had planned and worked for the past two months and while I felt God was with me, I wasn't seeing much action. My bank account continued to increase at a snails pace and as I watched gas prices climb, my outlook on life was in danger of free falling. But as I tore away at the AC unit in frustration a phrase God often spoke in my times of frustration continued to run through my mind. Just do the possible, and I'll take of the rest. 

      

     The possible, it was all I could do, and believe me it was quite enough of a challenge. My life seemed like an endless cycle of working, sleeping, and eating. Sometimes changing slightly but not enough to make me feel like I was "breaking up" the routine. It was in these moments that I began to feel God challenge me. A challenge to go deeper. To stop trusting in the worlds version of sense, and to say, "alright God, you said you would provide, and I know you will".  

  

     So slowly as the month wore on I began to give, little by little, my worrying about finances to God. In the end, reason was actually one of the things that made my mind up for me. Either God was going to provide or He wasn't. I couldn't change my situation. And I felt such a strong sense that this school was where I was suppose to be. So March went on, and people began to give, it started out small, a few people giving. But as I look back I can see how God's hand was in the amounts people gave. He was building trust. Slowly I handed the situation over to Him. By the end of March I was resigned to the fact that God was going to be building my faith during my DTS by giving me only part of the money I needed. But the awesome thing is, I was totally at peace about that. I felt confident that God knew what He was doing and that He had a plan.

     Fast forward to 36 hours ago. I was flying pretty high. God had provided 4500 dollars! Only 1500 under what my school said the maximum amount I would need for outreach! I had done the possible, and God had filled in the rest. What I didn't know was God was far from done, in fact He decided He hadn't done enough impossible yet. So in 24 hours I received 1300 dollars.  

     To some that may not sound like impossible, but to me it was. To me it was God saying, well done, you did what I asked, you did the possible now you get to watch me do the impossible. It was the final boost I needed to know that God was saying, GO! I've never felt so blessed. Blessed at the enormous generosity of the people God has placed in my life, and blessed by the incredible journey He has taken me on through these last few months. I wouldn't trade those long hour days, when I felt like life couldn't get more dull and uninspiring, for anything. It was in those days that I truly learned relying on God means sacrificing relying on ourselves. It means saying I'm not strong enough to do this, but you are God. So thank you God! and Thank you to everyone who has prayed and supported me. I couldn't have done this without all the amazing friends and family God has placed in my life. You guys are awesome! Thank You!