Today is “Aloha Day” where we welcome all of our new students.  We have over 30 students in the DTS this quarter and 10 in the SBS.

Jess’s students in the SBS (School of Biblical Studies, a 9 month intensive inductive Bible study course) started on Monday.  They hit the ground running this week diving right in to learning the inductive method.  For the past two days Jess has been in class with her students starting at 8:30am and returning at 9 or 10 at night.

While we were worshipping this morning I was getting excited for what the DTS students were about to embark on.  My DTS, in Adams, Tennessee, 11 years ago, radically changed my life.  God became so real, I learned to hear  His voice, and I gained a heart for the nations, and grew in faith by hearing testimonies of people laying down their lives in obedience and doing great things to further the Kingdom.

I won’t be working directly with any of the students, so at times it’s easy to forget why I do what I do, which includes a lot of administrative stuff which is admittedly not my favorite.  But if I can help provide an environment where these 18 -25 year olds can be and learn about who God is and learn who they are because of that, then I’ll keep doing it!

I remember last year a staff member commenting to me that the longer he was in YWAM the less fun it was.  I chuckle now as I write that because in a way its very true.  The older you get the more responsibility you pick up, so that the younger people coming in can have a care free environment with their only priority being, to know God and to make Him known.

Would you pray for Jess and I as we embark on another year here at YWAM Honolulu.  We never intended to stay here, but I think, (actually I know, but if I don’t admit it, I can have a bad attitude about if I don’t like whats going on) this is where God has us.  The plan was to come here for 5 months and then move to Kona for 4 and return to Maryland, that was 2 years ago.  Now embarking on year 3, we’ve now lived in Honolulu longer than we’ve lived anywhere else.

Our base leader shared with us during staff conference last week, how it’s easy to complain about the things we’ve given up to become missionaries.  But then she reminded us all that we live the lives of millionaires.  And it’s true, we don’t go hungry, we live in on a beautiful tropical island, and get the opportunity to travel the world to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Even millionaires have bad days, and frustrations, which seem to abound if I’m not consciously being thankful.  But we’re blessed, and I need to remind myself more often, of the reason WHY we do what we do.

Here’s a photo of me and the guys on my DTS outreach team in East Asia from 11 years ago.  Right before everyone had digital cameras.

Hey everyone,

September is flying by.  Late August and early September are SO hot in Hawaii.  The trade winds die down so there isn’t that cool breeze which means things are humid.

Staff training for YWAM started this week.  Today we were taught about “moralistic therapeutic deism” and discussed how to battle this in our own lives and also when we’re discipling others.  A much needed conversation.

I’ve got a lot of things rolling around in my head, I need to sit down and really be disciplined to have them make sense so I can share them with you.  Would you pray for me that I’d do the hard things that I need to do, that I’d walk in greater self discipline in all areas of my life.

-sigh- oh the battle for consistency.

Engage:  What’s been going on in your life recently?  Comment and let us know.

[the team gathered around a campfire at the Walrod’s house]

Almost every night we had a debriefing time.  I think we called it team time.  I had realized the week before on a camping trip in Hawaii that I could buy a small charcoal grill and use it as a fire pit.  So when we got to Jamestown I bought a grill.

I’m not sure what it is about campfires but they’re pretty magical.  You can just sit and stare at the fire and people start opening up.  Maybe its the darkness and the lack of eye contact because everyone is looking at the fire, you feel less vulnerable.

But each day, we had an intentional debrief time.  Sometimes we just talked about what God was showing us through the day.  The impact that serving at certain ministries were having.  Sometimes we would have a topic and discuss it.

Two topics came up through conversation throughout the trip that we decided to talk about more during our debriefing time.

One was cynicism.  The other was our fear of confrontation.

Both things that we all struggled with.  It was good to talk openly with the group, about the hurts and disappointments they’ve received from people and the church, and how that had led to cynicism, and then led to bitterness, that then robbed us from what God has for us.

The other thing was fear of man, and fear of confrontation.  Never wanting to impose ourselves on anyone else.  Is this a product of growing up in Howard County Maryland where the county slogan is “Choose Civility?”

Obviously none of us wanted to be jerks, but operating out of fear isn’t what God wants for our lives either.

We looked to Matt 18 which showed us the biblical model for dealing with confrontation.  But even that was a bit severe for us.

I mused that if Jesus or Paul were around we probably wouldn’t like them very much because they weren’t gracious enough and didn’t take into consideration our feelings.

Anyway, I truly enjoyed our campfire chats.  Being open and having productive and insightful conversations with people was beautiful.  Those types of conversations are a rarity.

Engage:  Do you struggle with cynicism and fear of man and confrontation?  When was the last good conversation you had?  What was it about?  Comment and let us know.

If you’ve been a reader here long you’ve read some of my blog posts about going down to Waikiki and doing street ministry with the homeless.  Blogs like Blistering Sunburn, An Ambulance, and a Drunk Preacher Pt 1, or how about Homeless Man Gets Beat Up For Obscenity.

I met up last night with Pastor RK who heads up the Tuesday night outreach that YWAM Honolulu partners with.  RK also also has a church in the park for homeless people on Sundays.

As we hung out, I asked RK how church has been.  “Hard, real hard” he responded.  He told me about the struggles that come with pastoring a church of all homeless people.  How people will look like they are making great progress and then completely fall off the bandwagon.  How people after years of investment are still distrusting.

I truly admire RK.  He believes the Lord told him to start a church in Waikiki for the homeless and to be faithful.  They’ve been at it for a few years now and if I were in his shoes I would have given up long ago.  There are no quick results, 1/2 a step forward, and 8 back.  But RK and his wife Like have faithfully shown up every Sunday and Tuesday to hands on, love the least of these.

RK also has a dream of employing homeless people to work on a farm, to learn a tangible skill, to be able to feed themselves, and then sell their produce at a farmers market.  Doors have been opening up for that vision recently.

RK’s main source of income does not come from Pastoring a church full of homeless people.  When it comes to offering time… well… lets just say it’s not as big of an offering as some of the larger churches for tourists in Waikiki.

RK’s main source of income was doing media for a larger ministry in the region.  But with cutbacks everywhere that source of income ends at the end of this month.

RK does have some supporters, but the consistent support that comes in is less than his rent.  RK lives in a small apartment with his 3 children above a bar where he is always asking people outside to not smoke weed and crack outside of his window because he has kids in the house.  RK is one of the most visionary, hardworking and faithful people I know.

I don’t usually make appeals on this blog, much less for other people since we raise support for a living too, but I’m asking you to consider partnering with RK and his outreach to the least of these in Waikiki.  Would you consider sending him and his family a one time gift or partnering with them on a monthly basis?

For tax deductible giving you can give online through their sending church.  https://giving.newlifecity.org/client/index.php  You have to select RK and Kelike Missions for it to be given to them.

Please if you’re reading this and can or can’t give would you pray for miracles of provision for RK, and Kelike and their 3 children.

Another ministry that I wanted to partner with on our Jamestown trip was House of Hope. This ministry didn’t exist when I worked in the area, but I knew it was a dream of Dianne’s.  Dianne’s office was right next to mine at the church where I used to work at in PA. I remember her talking about her desire to have a house in Warren for some of the girls she was working with at the prison.

I actually contacted Dianne when I was in the Philippines. To see what resources or program they were using to rehabilitate girls. And when I started planning the Jamestown trip, I knew I wanted to take our team there.  I was excited to see a vision turn into reality.

Dianne was very up front about us coming. She said she couldn’t promise that any of the girls would show up, as they were all busy with different schedules, appointments, and jobs. And she also told me that they most likely would not be able to connect with any testimonies from typical suburban upbringings.

I appreciated Dianne’s directness. She e-mailed me several times before the trip, still asking me if I wanted to come or not since she couldn’t promise that any of the girls would be there. I felt like God wanted us there, and He would have show up, who He wanted to show up.

I didn’t really have a plan for what to do once we were there, I just knew that we needed to go. I felt like we were to listen more than share… and then God dropped an idea in my mind, that well… was kind of awkward.  I e-mailed Dianne about it and she was open to it but wasn’t sure how the girls would respond.

We crossed the the state line into PA on Monday after VBS.  We were all piled in Jess’ mom’s white aztec, with Shannon in the trunk.  We pulled up in front of a beautiful victorian style home. I couldn’t tell if the house was divided into apartments so I didn’t know what door to go to. Dianne pulled into the drive way and we followed her in.

We all gathered in a beautiful living room, that fit the victorian exterior.  I almost felt like I was in a beautiful museum or hotel.  4 girls joined us, as well as Dianne. I told them we’d buy them pizza and that we were grateful for them having us over. One of the girls wanted pizza hut, with the cheesy bite crust. So that’s what I bought, Jeff and I went and picked it up after we played my favorite “get to know you game.” Which is sharing your favorite color, nature scene and animal and then telling why those things are your favorite.

One of our team members shared her testimony while Jeff and I were getting the pizza. We brought it back and ate with them in the living room, and asked if they’d mind sharing their stories. A few of the girls did.

What we heard was atrocious. Upbringings filled with neglect, sexual, mental, emotional abuse. The destructive cycle of alcohol and drugs. Abusive boyfriends, introducing them into harder drugs. And then hard time behind bars.

But then we heard a story of redemption. Of the faithful ministry of Dianne and her team, who came in to the jail to share about the good news of Jesus. And we heard of how lives were transformed, and how these girls were brought to group sessions by evangelists also serving time.

We heard of the transition out of jail, and how it’s more difficult because they are faced with so many more opportunities to choose incorrectly. We heard stories of intense spiritual warfare as these girls walked in greater freedom in their new identities. We heard of the continuing work of The House Of Hope to walk with these girls through their transition.

I had shared with our team, God’s “awkward” idea beforehand, and told them we’d just play it by ear. And being the amazing team that they were they were down for whatever.

So after the girls finished sharing their stories, Hannah asked them if we could wash their feet. And she pointed them to the scripture where Jesus washed His disciples feet. I chimed in, asking them to remember that we serve a God that knelt down and took the place of a servant and washed His disciples feet. I asked them to remember this when other Christians were not as gracious or forgiving to them. These girls were blessed to have been on Dianne’s radar, a woman who loves unconditionally like Jesus. Who fights for their true identity as daughters of the King of Kings.

I made sure to always give these girls choices. They didn’t have to share, they didn’t have to have their feet washed.  They have already been through so much, where they had things forced on them. I let them know that they could choose to have their feet washed or not. Two girls said yes.  So Jess and Hannah filled up bowls of water and paper towels and knelt down and washed these girls feet.

The beautiful moment here was that as our team washed their feet, one girl had a house arrest ankle bracelet on, and the other one smoked from vaporizer e-cigarette, but I sensed the Lord smiling down on the beauty of this situation.  After all it was His idea anyway.    We spent time praying for them and blessing them and we were on our way.  We found out that the week after our visit, one of the girls who was hesitant to share with us, accepted Christ.

Engage:  What beauty are you experiencing in life right now?

(One of the people that gathered for Sunday night’s service.  Photo by Shannon Kim)

This is a blog post from Jeff who joined us on the recent Jamestown trip we led with the Bakers Ministry.  It was originally shared as one of his e-mail updates.  This is his perspective of one of the first nights of ministry.

The Protector

Sunday night, we drove to the edge of town and parked outside a garage behind an average-sized home.  Walking in, we discovered a church building with chairs, a stage, instruments, book nook, and signs on the wall proclaiming that God fights for us – and we fight too.  A group of ten or so folks trickled in and soon we began our time together.  Jim gave an introduction and had us spend some time in prayer asking these questions: What does God see in me that I do not see?  What dreams does God have for my life?  What lies do I believe that need to be replaced with God’s truth? 

Then our team came to the front and Jim said, “these folks will pray and listen to God and see if He has any words of encouragement for you all.”  So we prayed, trying to hear God’s voice.  This is something I have enormous difficulty doing for whatever reasons.

Two of the girls (Shannon and Jess, if I recall correctly), heard these words for a man there named *John (I paraphrase): 

“People have told you recently that you are not enough, but indeed you are enough.”  “John, I see you as an enforcer, a protector, one who does what he does from a pure heart.”

 John was overwhelmed with these words.  A few days later, we found out that he had recently been sent to prison and is now having difficulty finding work.  The reason for his imprisonment?  He tried to defend a woman who was being assaulted by some relation of hers, punching this man so that he would stop his attack.  When the police got involved, she turned on him, lying about John in order to protect this relation of hers – and John was the one to go to jail.

In the midst of this injustice, Jesus says, “I know that you did what you did out of compassion, and I see that.  I want you to know that though there is a mark on you from this sentence, you are enough.  I have bought you.  I love you, infinitely.  I will carry you through.”

 And Jesus spoke these words, it would seem, through His Body, the Church.

I have to admit… it’s easy to get discouraged.

Yesterday I was going to write a blog post and I was looking at the google analytics on each of my posts.  1 visitor was all that my last post had.  Sobering.

If I’m not linking my blog posts on social media, not very many people are coming to see them.  If I do link them, I get a faithful 30-40 views.  Thank you for those of you that come and read what I’m writing.

I battled yesterday… what’s the point in continuing to write this blog?  Feeling bummed out, I felt the Lord ask me: “If just one person was blessed by a blog post was it worth it?  Would I do it for the one?”

Oh.

My friend Jeff shared a quote with me, that blessed him recently.  I paraphrase – “God’s not asking you to be successful, He’s asking you to be faithful.”

I was thinking it’d probably be best to shut google analytics off.  And not measure “success” in the number of views I get.  But be faithful and write, and share.

Where is the fine line between success and faithfulness?  How does God define success?  How do we still have tangible goals, and measurable outcomes, without just painting a bullseye around wherever our arrow hits?

I wonder how many people quit early, because they are basing their work off of initial feedback, instead of persevering, pushing through, being faithful and then one day seeing “success.”  I wonder if in our microwave generation, we can learn to appreciate things that have to marinate to reach it’s full potential.

Thoughts?  Comment and let us know.

Hola everyone.

[the JAMESTOWN team – Jeff, Shannon, Julia, Hannah, Jim, and Jess]

We are back from Jamestown NY and had an amazing time. We’ll be sending out a ministry update soon with all of the details of that trip. If you have not already please sign up for that list here –> http://eepurl.com/kklI1

And my tilapia had a ton of babies while we were gone!  Some of them have since died off, but I’m hoping that some of them survive.  We’ll see what happens.

Hopefully I can get some thoughts organized in my head and get them here for you soon.

cheers,

jim

What are you waiting for?

Ashley currently lives with her husband Nathan in Clemson, SC where she works in the administrative office of a local home improvement store. In her free time, you are mostly likely to find her reading, working on some crafty project, or exploring the beautiful lakes, forests, and mountains of that region. She also enjoys photography and adventures of all sorts.

[A photo from our luau!]

Our friend Sandi came and visited us recently.  Sandi and I went to preschool together.  During her stay she treated us to a day at the Polynesian Cultural Center!   She was such a grateful guest.  At the end of every day she thanked us for an amazing day.  We were refreshed and blessed by Sandi’s visit as well.   I asked her to write down some thoughts and here is what she wrote.  Thank you so much Sandi for coming to visit us!

I started thinking about visiting the Bakers in Hawaii in early 2014. After getting through those thoughts of “It’s too expensive” or “It’s too far away,” I decided to go for it! 

I am so grateful I did. It had been way too long since I had last seen the Bakers (at least three years), and it was wonderful having quality time with them. The school Jess was teaching in was postponed, so both she and Jim were able to spend most of their time with me.

It was so refreshing to spend time with Jim and Jess. They are dear friends and ministry partners from Mission Meadows (a camp we all used to work at), so we spent time reminiscing about the past but also shared about dreams for the future. They are people who are actively seeking God and walking in obedience in what He speaks to them. I found it inspiring to hear stories of how God has been and is using them to bless whomever they come in contact with. They are people of radical hospitality and generosity!

During my stay, Jess made it clear that we would accomplish everything I wanted to do on the island. We went over and beyond that, visiting at least 9 different beaches in 12 days, going surfing, snorkeling, participating in a luau, and eating many Hawaiian specialties (make sure you try an acai bowl if you ever get to Oahu!).

I was blessed to be a part of the YWAM Honolulu base during my stay as well. Jim and Jess live in community with some terrific people who are also passionate about serving young missionaries. I was able to participate in a small group for female YWAM staff, join in on worship and family nights, and accompany the staff to a political/worship rally of some Christian men running for office in Hawaii. I loved being a part of their community and was reminded how valuable community is in our individualistic society.

Overall, this vacation was a huge blessing. I felt incredible peace and a deeper connection with God than I have felt in years. He spoke some great promises to me while I was there, and I feel as though He’s given me a new confidence in Him as my Provider. I also slept like a baby while I was in Oahu – that never hurts anything!

Thank you Jim and Jess for opening up your lives with me and sharing the wonderful blessings of Hawaii!!