around the world.

pouring.

2010-05-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

"on the judgment day i will restore david's house that has fallen to pieces. i'll repair the holes in the roof, replace the broken windows, fix it up like new. david's people will be strong again...God's Decree. He will do this. 'yes indeed, it won't be long now.' God's Decree. things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. you won't be able to keep up. everything will be happening at once--and everywhere you look, BLESSINGS! blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. i'll make everything right again for my people israel:
'they'll rebuild their ruined cities.they'll plant vineyards and drink good wine.they'll work their gardens and eat fresh vegetables. and i'll plant them, plant them on their own land. they'll never again be uprooted from the land i've given them.' God, your God, says so."
amos 9:11-15

rain pours. wine pours. blessings pour. God pours into me. He pours into others. others pour into me. every trickle begins with the fountains of heaven.

God's been teaching me about faithfulness--His unwavering faithfulness, and the blessings that come as a result of faithfulness in me. i have seen the fruit of His promises in my own life. jesus led me back to grand rapids, and laid it on my heart to stay here for the time being. i didn't know what this would look like, but He has promised to take care of me as i listen for His voice and follow His will. life here has fallen into place like pieces of a big, beautiful puzzle. He has given me income, a community of others who are seeking His face, and most recently, a place of my own to live!

a couple of weeks ago, i signed a lease with two of my friends, deborah and kristin, to live on the top floor of a duplex house on barth street in eastown, grand rapids. this home is further confirmation that jesus has big things for all of us here: spacious, newly redone, with a jesus-loving landlord and amazingly cheap rent, located right across the street from the boys' house!

we have moved in, and are currently figuring out the rhythms of community living. what does it look like to share everything? what kind of disciplines are necessary for seeking jesus first, together? how can we best love our neighbors? who is going to clean the bathroom? we're learning together, and it is bound to be an adventure.

gifts and blessings have been chasing us down since God gave us the treehouse:
free furniture. lots of it. pots and pans. dishes. lots of them. a microwave. a new oven. towels. a spice rack. cleaning supplies. beds. wonderful family and friends who have helped us move, and donated unbelievable amounts of stuff to help us build our home! oh--and our garden of flowers...

in other news, we've also secured the bottom floor of our house for others who have the desire to chase after jesus and live in close quarters with fellow believers. :)

we can't keep up! everything happening at once, everywhere we look, BLESSINGS! blessings, pouring like wine off the mountains and hills.

joy.

2010-04-24T16:07:00.000-07:00

it's been far too long since i last posted. i am easily carried away by living, and very seldom have the willpower to pause and reflect. (this is something i desire to learn: to incorporate a pattern of stillness in my otherwise noisy, busy life. 'be still and know that I AM GOD.')

i have frequently experienced a day, a miracle, or a moment of revelation that inspired the urge to write, but it seems i was quickly preoccupied with alternative tasks, keeping me from sending my thoughts into space. therefore, i have resolved to be more intentional about writing. i've discovered in reading the daily thoughts, observations and epiphanies of others, my walk is profoundly affected. i'm praying that Jesus uses the words He gives me to speak into the lives of my friends.

i have mentioned before that the Spirit has lately been impressing upon me the importance of remembering. i find this to be more true the longer i live in pursuit of Heaven. the power of remembrance - and simply speaking out the blessings of the Father - is undeniable. each gift is experienced again (and often more poignantly) as i share the stories of my Savior's love. with that in mind, here are a few recent experiences that have blessed me:

*God's obvious direction in my life. never before have i experienced such certainty in deciding where i'm headed...and in this case, where i'm NOT headed. Jesus is doing something big in grand rapids, michigan, and has made it abundantly clear that I am to be a part of it. how flipping exciting.

*fellowship beyond compare. not only has He plunged me into a group of beautiful, wonderful, inspiring and devoted friends, but i was also blessed with a visit from 6 people who journeyed the last year with me. kristi, skye, phil, katy, kenny and beau traveled many collective miles to reunite with emrie and me in grand rapids! the result was unbelievable encouragement, fellowship in the Spirit, and plain old FUN. life is more full when it is shared with like-minded companions.

*His Holy presence. every week we participate in a shift at a local 24/7 prayer house. sunday mornings from 12-3am consistently find a group of us in prayer and worship together on bridge street. it is an enormous blessing in my walk, and our community is already beginning to see the fruit of time spent solely in pursuit of fellowship with Jesus. He has faithfully shown up in powerful ways, and i am constantly aware of His comforting presence, even in my every-day living. the mundane has been transformed by the JOY of His companionship.

there is so much more, but i'll save some for my next post...which WILL show up soon. grace and peace.

twenty-five.

2010-03-02T20:25:00.000-08:00

25 years ago was the beginning of the beginning of my life. one year ago was the beginning of the beginning of the rest of my life. and today is my 25th birthday.

confused?

what i mean to say is, i was brought into this world 25 years ago. on march 2, 1985, my life began. some years down the road, after a little bit of living and lot of screwing up, jesus gave me another beginning. and another. and another. i was caught in a cycle that has been familiar to God since the fall of man:

sin-consequence-repentance-forgiveness.

...over and over until i became so complacent, i had nearly dropped the repentance right out of my life. but instead of giving up on me, He shipped me off to new zealand to begin a journey during which i couldn't help but encounter the LOVE of my God face-to-face. a journey He used to change my perspective, my desires...my whole life.

a journey that started a year ago TODAY.

God's timing is impeccable, His wit is sharp, and His love is never-ending. i showed up in oxford, new zealand as a lost, bitter, and hardened 23 year-old. these are the verses jesus gave my leaders to share with me as i stepped skeptically into my 24th year of life:

i will betroth you to me forever, i will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. i will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.

i will show my love to the one called, 'not my loved one.' i will say to those called, 'not my people,' 'you ARE my people.' and they will say, 'you are my God.' hosea 2:19-20, 23

i was not able to fully appreciate the significance of this verse on my 24th birthday. it was a promise from the Lord; a promise of faithfulness to one that had abandoned Him. looking back on the past year, i can see so clearly the fulfillment of this promise. God has been good to me. He chased me down, even after i had rejected Him--when i was still in the process of rejecting Him--until i finally acknowledged His Lordship over my life. in the meantime, He never stopped loving or pursuing me. the message version of hosea 23 says:

i'll say to Nobody, 'you're my dear Somebody.'

and she'll say, 'you are my God!'

i am nobody. and yet, the all-powerful, awesomely majestic King of the Universe loves me dearly! enough to come after me when i had all but spit in His beautiful face.

24 was the birthday when He caught up with me...and 25 has been a birthday overflowing with blessings and thanksgiving.

all praise to my Savior, the giver and sustainer of life!

contentment.

2010-02-08T18:08:00.000-08:00

i've been home for about 3 weeks. the title of this blog is finally accurate... i have circled the globe! i realize since arriving i've been rather uncommunicative with the outside world, but getting readjusted has felt like a full-time job. which is kind of funny, since my goal these past few weeks has been to find actual, PAYING full-time work.

i was nervous about returning to grand rapids. for one, it's cold here. secondly, i wasn't sure how well i would be able to adapt to life back home. traveling the way i have--for as long as i did--changes the way you see things...the way you want to be. this past year changed me. rather, God used experiences and people to aid the change He wanted to make in me. as our dts was fond of saying, i've been ruined for the ordinary. and i have always seen life in michigan as ordinary. i planned on coming back here...and leaving again. there's only one good reason for giving up an already-paid-for ticket to new zealand: the will of the Father.

and that's what i've been scared of. that i might one day have to admit that my plans aren't always...the best. that sometimes what i think i want isn't going to get me where i really want to go. since college, that's been the main question: where is it that i want to go? straight to the top, katie couric-style? straight to the home, martha stewart-style? no. and NO. then God took me on this crazy adventure, jim eliot-style, and i've finally decided where i want to go: wherever jesus takes me.

sometimes i think i know what this should look like. i mean, jesus spent his time on earth exemplifying life to the full, and he was a poor, homeless traveler who lived to serve others. he urged his disciples to leave their old lives behind--including their homes and families--in order to follow him. "whoever loses his life for me will find it," matt 16:25. this is what i want! so, i often have the urge to wander. but recently, God has been reminding me to ask him what's next, instead of assuming i know. i look to scripture. i ask questions. i seek advice from people i know to have a close relationship with the Living Savior. and i talk to my God.

i've been asking for direction. open doors. guidance. peace. understanding. an obvious path to follow. and now i'm here. in grand rapids. a place i expected to be in and out of in a flash. and God's been throwing doors open. i wasn't looking for this pathway, but here it is, laid out in front of me. the dreams jesus has put on my heart seem near enough to touch. really, God? i wasn't looking for that here. but, like i said, my plans aren't always...the best.

so i'm praying for more faith. i'm praying for the ability to fully trust my future to the loving grasp of the Father. i'm still not exactly sure what's next, but for now, it's looking like some job interviews, and an attempt to embrace my life and relationships right where i am: HERE, in grand rapids, michigan.

if you happen to be someone in my life who is NOT in michigan, know this: my heart breaks at the thought of being far from you. saying "yes" to one path is inevitably saying "no" to a thousand others. i struggle with this every day, because relationships are so important to me. but don't worry, i'm a born traveler, so i'll be coming your way soon...no matter how far apart we are at the moment.

dreadhead.

2009-11-29T15:45:00.000-08:00

the seasons are rushing on. christmas lights shine in every town we pass, and the world is a mere month from ushering in the start of a brand new decade. my international travels will soon be interrupted when i return to the states to visit friends and family. as i look forward to where I am going, i am also spending time thinking about where i have been. ten months ago, i left home looking for adventure, meaning, and personal growth. i had no way of knowing that 2009 would be such a turning point in my life. i am not the same person i was in february. my heart is softer. my dreams are bigger. my life is no longer mine.

oh – and my hair looks a little different, too. in april, i made a spur-of-the-moment decision to dread my hair. no big deal, it's just hair, right?

apparently i was in denial about how much i allowed my appearance to define me. up until then, i mostly measured myself by the mirror. my identity, self-worth, and confidence all rested on a teetering scale controlled daily by my reflection. God obviously had an issue with that. He didn’t create me, His beloved child, just so i could spend my life obsessing over my outer shell, which will eventually perish anyway. He didn’t make me His, giving me infinite worth, just so i would be tricked by the devil into thinking i am nothing!

so, along with doing some major soul-work on me during DTS, He also decided to let me permanently do-away with the most universally important element in a woman’s appearance: my hair. let’s just say it was an overnight lesson in vanity.

but that wasn’t all God wanted to teach me through my dreadlocks. not even close.

true, i can no longer rely on a cute hairdo to make me feel like a new person, but that kind of makeover only touches the surface anyway. God has been much more interested in giving me an internal makeover during this season. i was churned up, broken and rained on, and saw massive amounts of new growth. at times it hurt. other times, i felt like there was just way too much work to be done in my spirit – that things would never get better.

and then there have been those times of beautiful breakthrough, when i can hear God’s voice, feel His presence, and believe beyond a doubt that i am in His will, resting in His hands. it is during these times that i can see most clearly who i want to be, and how i want to spend my time here on earth. this journey has given me a mindset that is at odds with the rest of the world. while the voices around us scream, “get ahead!” jesus whispers that we should stay behind; we should walk the other way, with Him. moments of intimacy with God are moments of clarity. that's when i see life for what it is: a gift. an opportunity to glorify the One who created me. a fleeting moment in the span of an eternity spent either in the presence of the Almighty, or outside of His presence.

there has formed, in my mind, a strong connection between living life recklessly for Christ, and the dreads on my head. my flesh fights every day against the decision to lose my worldly life for Jesus. my flesh wants to be comfortable. my flesh wants to be admired. my flesh wants to be important. but my spirit knows that all these things eventually come to nothing. they will ruin me before they ever give me the joy they deceivingly promise. the ONLY thing that will ever give me true joy is life alongside my Savior. the decision to follow Him wherever He leads unavoidably means leaving my earthly pursuits behind. money, recognition, beauty, success…they can no longer be my goals. instead, i want to listen for God’s voice, and follow where He leads. i want to love people. all kinds of people. i want to use my gifts to glorify His name. i want to help bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. i want to share the joy i have with everyone i meet. i want to get out into the world and meet more people, so i can share more joy! i want to enjoy the blessings that God promises His children, and bless others in return. i want to worship in everything. this is the life that has been offered to me, and i KNOW i want it.

beau reminded me that these are the very circumstances Paul refers to in Galatians 5:5. “But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.” i’m not there yet. but i finally know what it is i want. God has shown me heaps of grace, and used this season to throw me a wake-up call. “HELLO, JACLYN. what are you living for? where is it getting you? i have something so much better to offer.” and He does! LIFE TO THE FULL. (john 10:10) i know how good it can be. i have tasted that kind of life. i have been reborn. but my old, depraved self insists on making me very forgetful at times.

my flesh is stubborn. what the world offers can often blind me to the promises of Christ. i am easily distracted, confused and discouraged. without the Holy Spirit, i wouldn’t last long out there. He knows this, and i’m pretty sure He’s using my hair to protect me from my own weaknesses. my dreadlocks are a physical reminder of the change that’s taken place inside of me. they’re like a barrier, preventing me from easily blending into my old way of life. i can’t pretend i am unchanged. my hair automatically labels me on the outside as a drifter, someone who is unconcerned with the material, and can’t be bothered to conform. it’s like God is reminding me of who i truly want to be, so i won’t be tempted to forget what’s really important. i no longer fit into the box i chose to live in for so many years. thank you, jesus.

although i know in my heart the kind of life i want, turning my back on old ideals can be extremely uncomfortable. i experienced this as i hitched from budapest to berlin a few weeks ago. there i was, hanging out in gas stations, scoping the customers for a friendly face. i looked at the people in their shiny beamers and audis (it’s germany. nice cars are par for the course), and so many of them regarded me with a wary eye. they avoided looking into my face, acting as if i wasn’t quite the same as them. (i’m assuming the dreads, backpack, and lack of vehicle is what tipped them off.) i found the situation amusing – and frustrating – because little did those nicely-dressed, civilized people know that I USED TO BE ONE OF THEM.

but no more…my nappy hair constantly reminds me that i am no better than the next guy. actually, according to the standards of the world, i am worth less than the next guy. which is exactly where i want to be.

so I’m going to keep my dreadlocks for a while longer. if God can teach me that much in a few months, think what he can do with a couple of years! (sorry, mom.)

reunions.

2009-11-22T05:34:00.000-08:00

since sheffield, we have traversed mainland europe once again. after saying a tearful goodbye to beau in london, dan, phil and i flew to eindhoven in the southern part of the netherlands. we hitched a ride up to amsterdam from a wonderful guy named rob, who drove many hours out of his way...just to be nice.

we spent a week enjoying the beautiful canal city of amsterdam, hanging out at the ywam coffee house in the center of town, and enjoying the hospitality of yet another couchsurfing host named stephen. on november 1st, our band of three dispersed for a little solo holiday. i took a train to friesland, to the northern city of groningen. it's a beautiful old town, surrounded by ommenlanden (farmland), centered around a university, and interspersed with a web of picturesque canals.

i was interested in this part of holland because many of my family's ancestors came from nearby towns. i was able to visit oldekerk, the hometown of my mom's forefathers on the olthoff side. i ate olliebollen and windmill cookies, shopped in the outdoor markets, tried (and failed) to learn dutch, bought some actual delft, and saw a few real, working windmills! all in all, i felt fairly at home in the beautiful country of the netherlands, and thoroughly enjoyed experiencing the culture my great-great grandparents left behind so many years ago.

after meeting up with the boys again in amsterdam, we all flew east to budapest, hungary. the following two weeks were a whirlwind of reunions, hungarian food, ministry, sight-seeing, new friends, and the unprecedented hospitality of our hosts, chris and debbie gibson. the gibsons are living in budapest, providing counseling and "soul-care" to missionaries in the surrounding areas. their work is much needed, considering there are over 2,000 missionaries in budapest alone. they kindly offered to put us up, and treated us to the most comfortable two weeks i've had in a long time.

an hour after we arrived, we picked up our long-lost companion, kenneth bayless! after saying goodbye in israel at the end of august, kenny proceeded to wander all throughout the holy land, turkey and greece doing ministry, before unexpectedly meeting us in hungary. such a TREAT. two days later, we were joined by my parents, whom i hadn't seen in 9 months. it was great to see them again, catch up, and introduce them to my traveling companions!

while in budapest, we attended different churches, saw the city, met lots of missionaries, spent time with the current dts students at ywam budapest, took a day-trip to vienna, participated in street ministry, attended a play at the international christian school, did some random evangelism, attended an english club, and so much more.

we also had the chance to meet and spend time with some of beau's friends from kansas city, dave and rivers partin. they are a young missionary couple working with campus crusade hungary. they moved to budapest in may, and have jumped right into the culture there, from learning hungarian, to attending a small hungarian church, to sending their oldest daughter to a hungarian preschool. they treated us to a thoroughly american sunday afternoon, complete with enchiladas and a movie in their home. so appreciated.
you can check out their lives and ministry at www.daveandrivers.com.

last week we said another sad au revoir. this time it was dan who left us. he flew back home to LA, and my parents also traveled back to the states. kenny stayed on in hungary a little longer, but phil and i set out on our own in an attempt to make it to berlin in three days...by means of hitch hiking. with much prayer, many humbling attempts at securing a ride to the next city, and a few very long days of travel, we arrived in berlin. we got there just in time to catch our friends from dublin, 'the mighty atomics,' playing a gig in a very cool, slightly grungy vintage venue in the city.

i am currently sitting on the top level of a double-decker bus on my way to hamburg, germany for the band's next show. (we always seem to end up on the groupie train!) our plan from here? nothing's for certain, but we hope to hook up with our friend carsten, who lives near hamburg. we would also love to visit and serve at the ywam base there, as well as check out the house of prayer. eventually we'll be making our way back down to zurich, where we will catch our flight back to london...

in less than 30 days, i will be flying back to the states. i have one month left in europe, and i really want to concentrate on spending time with my Father, enjoying his blessings, and in turn, blessing others along the way. the Spirit is constantly teaching me new things every day, and it's exciting! i'm praying for open ears and eyes...i don't want to miss anything. God has been answering my prayers to see more of His hand in my life. He is always directing, comforting, and walking with me. i am learning to trust, and becoming more aware of His presence in my every day life. Jesus is so good, and i have found nothing better in life than following Him, and learning to love him more with each step i take. i have the joy of my salvation, which is stronger than any power that would try to hold me back or pull me down.

as i near the end of this part of my adventure, i am getting more and more excited to see friends and family back home. i want to share my stories, and the things that God has taught me over the past nine months! plus, i'll be spending thanksgiving with a bunch of europeans, who can't possibly appreciate the combination of turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sparkling grape juice and football on a thursday in late november...
christmas this year will be a grand reunion.

as always, continued prayers for safety and direction would be awesome...

much love from deutschland. <3

snaps from...
holland.
and budapest.

journeying.

2009-11-06T01:52:00.001-08:00

neglect has left my blog in dire need of an update.

due to the fact that i have either, a: had no time, or b: felt completely overwhelmed by the prospect of condensing this last month into a coherent post, i have failed to relay a number of great experiences. i hope to remedy this now.

i believe i last left off while we were still in the great land of éire...

we left dublin, a band of four, and landed in the beautifully gothic city of edinburgh, scotland. we set up lodging with a couchsurfer named adrian. his place was superb, shown up only by our host himself. kind, gracious, funny, and generous, adrian and his girlfriend lara treated us like family. they cooked us dinner, hung out, and adrian even left us the place for an entire weekend while he was away! jesus shows his love to us in many ways, but i find he often uses people. and usually those you least expect.

while in scotland, we had the chance to hook up with some friends of beau's, also known as 'the deadstring brothers.' the band was in the middle of their uk tour, so we caught up with them as they rolled through edinburgh. not only were we stoked for the chance to hear some live music, but it turns out these guys are great company. we followed them to perth for another show, slept in their tour van like a bunch of groupies, and headed up to inverness.

the northern regions of the uk are magnificent. never-ending ranges of sweeping hills, dotted with sheep and hedges. around every turn is another crumbling castle, emanating an air of mystery and regality. and the often-present blanket of clouds only enhances the landscape, which is intensely lush and green. our megabus ride to the northern coast was equivalent to the color tour in vermont, but probably even more beautiful. the combination of cliffs, lakes, and brilliant autumn woodlands was enough to take my breath away.

inverness is a vibrant little town, in close proximity to many interesting attractions, including loch ness, and a castle called tulloch...otherwise known as the seat of clan davidson. we had the opportunity to visit the ancient home of beau's forefathers in the town of dingwall. our explorations included a self-guided tour, a picnic in the haunted ballroom, and the discovery of a hidden staircase that led to the top of a turret, offering an expansive view of the countryside. a successful adventure, i'd say.

our hostel in inverness was positioned directly across the street from a small baptist church. we couldn't help but notice the sign as we strolled past on our way to and from the town centre every day. although we weren't there for a sunday service, every wednesday night they hold a prayer meeting, "visitors welcome." so we went. and it was delightful. we were the youngest people present, by about 30 years, but they welcomed us with open arms and thick scottish accents. we sang hymns, joined in spirit-led prayer, and fellowshipped over tea and pancakes afterwards. the body of christ is diverse and beautiful.

from inverness we traveled to sheffield, england for a long-awaited reunion with our good friend and fellow dts student, amanda! i immediately felt comfortable amongst this community of friends. we showed up at the tail-end of 24 hours of prayer, and were able to worship and pray with the group that very first night. it was spoken that sheffield was to be a safe place for me, a time to let go of burdens, and to enjoy intimacy with God and friends. and this is exactly what came to be. i was so encouraged and loved on by the wonderful people there. i learned much, and grew tremendously during that long weekend. we shared stories and insights, played music, watched movies, attended a play, went to parties, and worshipped our Creator together. oh - and while we were there, jesus freed a paraplegic from his wheelchair at the local pub through the prayer of one of amanda's friends!!!

so sheffield was ok, i guess. :)

*here ends part 1 of my update.

corresponding pictures:

SCOTLAND.

flash.

2009-10-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

life flies by when you're living in true joy. it's been two months since i was reunited with friends in israel. since then, i've done an overwhelming amount of traveling. i've experienced God's crazy blessings, along with many wonderful, challenging, and beautiful times.

after israel, dan, phil and i flew to athens, greece. this city gets a bad rap as far as tourism goes, but i came to really enjoy the bustle of the squares, the efficient (and clean!) public transportation, and the friendliness of the greek people. plus, no one can deny the magnificence of the ancient ruins. i was in historical and aesthetical heaven.

we stayed in a hostel for a few nights, which put us right in the mix with various other transients and adventure-seekers. i love the traveling community! so many interesting people, all with a desire to experience more, learn more, and live a fuller life. we fit right in...the only difference is, we already HAVE the key to whatever it is they're still searching for. (Jesus. duh.) the cool thing is, everyone is always asking where you come from, how long you've been traveling, where you're going, and why. this is such a golden opportunity to share what we've seen God do, along with our vision and purpose.

our goal is to live lives that constantly point to Christ, but it definitely helps when people give us an opportunity to talk about it. looking back, i realize we came into contact with SO many different people during the last 2 months: roommates, hostel employees, lads out for a smoke, teenagers at the table next to us, bartenders, fellow tour-takers, couch surfers, people on the metro...just living life can bring you onto the mission field, if you make yourself available. moving around so much just brings us into that many more people's lives. and them into ours.

we've also joined the world-wide community of "couch surfers." by signing up online and creating a profile, you can travel the world without worrying about accommodation. it's brilliant. people open up their homes to those traveling through their city, and bam! you have somewhere to stay. those with a couch stay connected to the international community, surfers get to experience life through the eyes of a local, and everyone involved is able to meet people from different places, cultures, and walks in life. talk about a situation ripe with opportunities to witness. aside from our few days at the hostel in greece, we haven't paid for a bed yet! and we now have friends dotted all over western europe who allowed us to crash with them: giannis in athens, hannes in zurich, isabelle in paris, and john in london. all beautiful people who blessed us immensely. our hope is that the time we spent in their homes was also a blessing to them, and that God will continue to grow the seeds we planted for his Kingdom.

zurich was a wonderful couple of days. beautiful weather, breathtaking scenery, and free bikes to ride all day. my favorite memory from that town was our lake-side picnic...or maybe chats with our host, hannes. in paris, we met up with a large group of ywamers to celebrate two birthdays. it was refreshing to see friends again, and paris never gets old. we had so many good times in france, but two that stick out are my visits to notre dame and versailles. the palace is hands-down the most astonishing work of man i have ever beheld. the end. and as for the cathedral, i've been twice before...but this time was different. i took time to sit and pray, and knew almost instantly that God was there. the HOLINESS struck me in a new way. His presence was undeniable, and yet i watched as hundreds of tourists passed by untouched, more impressed by the structure itself than the One it was meant to glorify.

in london we were blessed to stay with a fellow american and jesus-lover named john. he is living by faith, just waiting for God to tell him what's next. (sounds familiar!) his story was inspiring, and such an encouragement for the three of us, who are new to this lifestyle of complete reliance on God. john took us to an enormous worship service at the O2 arena hosted by his church, hillsong. 11,000 people were there to celebrate the 10th anniversary of hillsong london, and to praise God for the work he is doing in that city! it was amazing. afterwards we traipsed down to the thames river for a fireworks show and cultural festival. what a great weekend to be in london.

i now find myself at the tail end of a three-week trip to ireland with my dear friends dan, beau and phil. phil is a dublin native, and his family has taken us in as if we were their own. i even have my own room! barbara, phil's mom, won't stop cooking for us, and phil's friends have greeted us with open arms as well. i haven't felt this "at home" in 8 months. ireland is beautiful, and rich in history. God is really at work here. we've had the opportunity to share at church, tell our stories to friends, pour into phil's family, rest, relax and become rejuvenated. the awe-inspiring scenery, killer accents, and quaint pubs are just the cherry on top of this perfect irish sundae. seriously.

so what's next? we've been asking God that very question. he's confirmed to each of us that we are to go back out into europe to continue ministry. the question in all of our minds has been: how? funds are limited, and we have no solid plan. but God has specifically asked me to trust Him with this time. He is continually building my faith, and has shown me that all i am required to do is take the first step. He'll take care of the rest. if i make myself available to be used, He will come down in power. money, accommodation, travel plans...they are nothing to Him! He is so much bigger than all of my apprehension. so we have chosen to step out. to go with it. to see where God takes us...

we currently have four tickets from dublin to edinburgh, scotland, plus a vague plan to make our way south toward london. and that's it. we have connections here and there, but we will continue to pray for divine appointments, direction and provision. we KNOW God is going to use us during this time. we want to further his Kingdom, whatever that looks like. (and often, it doesn't look the way we think it should. God's cool like that.)

we have plans shaping up that will eventually take us to budapest, hungary, where an opportunity to serve some local missionaries has just come up. what will happen between now and then? no idea. so prayers are appreciated! along with any ministry opportunities or connections you may know of...

i know this adventure is going to provide amazing stories of God's faithfulness and blessings, so be ready for more blog updates. i'll make sure to keep them coming. love to you all. -jaclyn

oh - and here are some DEADLY pictures

of my time in ireland.

CLICK IT.

blast.

2009-09-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

i take lots of pictures. it's the best way i know to capture, share and remember the places and people i have come to know and love during this time in my life. the past few weeks have been a whirlwind of travel. we are constantly seeing new places, taking in the beauty of God's good earth, and forming relationships with awesome people along the way. we are ministering to those we come in contact with, and being ministered TO as well. God speaks through people, and reveals himself through the glory of His creation. i have many thoughts and stories to share, but for now here are some pictures to hold you over... :)

love from éire.

-jaclyn

PARIS.

LONDON/DUBLIN.

zurich!

2009-09-11T14:40:00.000-07:00

new pictures. blog to come. too tired to type anymore...

heaps...

2009-09-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

...of PICTURES.

it's been awhile since i updated my albums. so click it. two brand new collections of images depicting the past few weeks of my life:

ELAV conference.

journey to athens.

chosen.

2009-09-04T01:07:00.000-07:00

i have left israel. it was one of the most emotional partings i have experienced on this trip. i felt connected to the holy land and its people, more so than any of the other places i have visited. being there brought peace and clarity to so much of what i believe. i have a greater understanding of the current political and religious situations, and for the first time i can see the significance of zion, and God's plan for the jewish people.

coming from the ends of the earth, in new zealand, to its center, israel, is the divine plan for this school. so after 6 months of challenges, pain, growth, and incredible joy at what the Lord was doing in us, our YWAM school has parted ways. but we didn't go out quietly.

after hearing rick ridings speak during our last lecture week in israel, a large group of us felt called to the ELAV israeli youth conference that was to take place later that month. it meant changing travel plans, but we felt God wanted us to be there.

rick started and runs a 24/7 house of prayer called "succat hallel" in jerusalem. during his time in israel, God has laid isaiah 19 on his heart. the passage speaks of a day when all of assyria and egypt will worship the one true God together with the children of israel. modern day assyria includes iran, iraq, saudi arabia, lebanon, syria and jordan, all of which are heavily muslim countries. despite this, rick has witnessed changes taking place in these areas that have, in the past, seemed so closed off to the message of Christ. he has seen God moving, and feels it is the young people that are going to usher in the fulfillment of isaiah's prophecy.

the conference is meant to bring young believers - arab, jew and gentile - together to worship Yeshua and experience his love. we wanted to be involved in any way we could, and ended up volunteering in the kitchens to prepare food for the event. after four days of living and working at the camp, we saw hundreds of youth arrive. and then it began...

we experienced crazy worship, church leaders pouring into the few and chosen youth of israel, reconciliation between arabs and jews, mighty prayers for peace and salvation, healings, annointings, prophetic words, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. far too much happened for me to relay it all here, but i will share a few stories that impacted me in big ways.

the first night, rick called up and introduced two young arab brothers. even a small understanding of the sentiments between jewish israelis and palestinians makes it hard to believe that these kids were all gathered peacefully together. but God is all about breaking down walls, and he used this conference to tumble many. the brothers were from gaza. i know, right? they had escaped the border and made it bethlehem, where they were miraculously transported by ELAV to tel aviv for the weekend. their testimony was moving, and they brought news of at least 1,000 christians living in the gaza strip! after they spoke, rick asked all of the jewish kids to come forward and lay hands on their brothers in christ and pray for them. a few people prayed over the microphone for the brothers from gaza. israeli soldiers, in uniform, were praying for palestinians. it was the most powerful display of reconciliation in Christ i have ever experienced. praise God.

and then there were the healings. just a few quick stories to demonstrate God's power and love:

heidi baker was there. during one of her teachings, the Holy Spirit revealed to her that someone with intense eye pain was going to be healed. she shared this, and kept right on teaching. the next day, we heard that one of the security guards (a non-Christian) was completely healed of pain in his eyes.

after a teaching session on healing, lots of prayer was going on and my friend dan received a word of knowledge that someone needed healing in their spine. he asked the people around him, and a guy ended up being healed of back pain.

on the way back to jerusalem the very first night, phil, beau, dan and myself got bumped to another bus. there weren't many of us riding, but we were joined by josh and kris, both from bethel school of supernatural ministry in redding, california. kris stood up and told us that God wanted to heal some people on the bus. weird, right? i know...

so he looks over at my side of the bus (there were about 5 of us sitting there) and announces that one of us has bad neck pain that God wants to heal. and i was like, "you've GOT to be kidding me! not again." i'd been hurting from carrying my huge backpack everywhere.

so i raised my hand. my friends laid hands on me, kris prayed, and i felt a little better. but not 100%. so we prayed again. BAM. the pain was gone. REALLY GOD? every time i experience doubt, or feel distant from him, He's there. chasing me down. proving Himself to me. He's insane. i love it.

those are just a few of SO many amazing things that happened last weekend. we were expectant, and God met us. many words had been spoken over the conference before it even began. the leaders felt very strongly that God was going to move in huge ways...and i was able to be there! israel is, and always has been, at the center of God's plan for the world. the bible says that all of israel will one day be saved. in romans 4, paul teaches that abraham's descendants have been chosen. and not just his biological descendants, but also those who have been grafted into the family of God by sharing the patriarch's faith. that's us! gentile christians. we are now fully part of God's chosen people. the gravity and significance of this has never been so clear to me as it was during my time in israel. the jews are set apart, loved by God, chosen for great things. and by God's grace, i have been chosen as well. i am chosen.

so my time in israel has ended. but i have a strong feeling i will be back someday. as for now, it's greece. our big YWAM group - my family for 6 months - has split up, gone separate ways. but the things we've learned, the miracles we've seen, the love of Christ that we've experienced, it goes with us. and it will shape the rest of our time in this world. each of us has a calling on our lives to serve the kingdom. and we're pursuing that! i've already received emails telling stories of ways in which God is using my classmates to share his love, healing power, and redemption in the lives of people they encounter.

that is what i'm praying for. i want God to use me in whatever way he chooses. this next season is all about making myself available for Him to move. we've been in athens for the past few days. it's been a great time of rest, of enjoying friends, and of time spent with God, reflecting on the things i've seen and heard. from here we go to zurich, paris, london, dublin...and wherever else we feel called. what a blessing it is to be free to pursue what God has for me.

kitchens.

2009-08-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

so we've started our volunteer work here at the baptist village in tel aviv...food prep for 300 people. the conference starts on thursday, and it's going to be awesome. we've spent some time praying and worshipping on the field where the gathering will take place. God's going to do amazing things this weekend, and we get to be here to see it go down. this gig has been a blessing to us, since we're staying and eating for free. quite a relief for travelers like us!

i'll post more on our experience here after all is said and done...

KITCHEN PICS.

where.

2009-08-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

next...

2009-08-21T02:59:00.000-07:00

i wrapped up my dts in jerusalem last week. we spent a week touring the holy land, and then a week in lectures with joseph watson, an amazing and inspiring servant of the Lord. it was a great time spent with friends, and saying goodbye was hard. my lovely friend emrie felt called home, and took a flight out of tel aviv the day after graduation. we said a tearful goodbye, and then six of us headed to a friend's house outside the old city to crash for a few days.

myself, phil, kristi, beau, dan and kenny are now doing our own debrief of sorts in dahab, egypt. it is a gloriously low-key spot on the gulf of aqaba in the red sea. we decided to take a short vacation after months of craziness, in order to prepare for the ministry we feel called to continue in these next months. the six of us have realized that life after dts will never look the same as it did before we arrived in new zealand. God has done amazing things in our lives. we want to glorify His name, and continue forcefully advancing His kingdom with every single day we live.

we each feel a call to the nations during this time. since we have an around-the-world-ticket, we have decided to use this unique opportunity to really dig in, and practice living a kingdom life. europe is one of the most spiritually dead places in the world. God willing, we plan on traveling throughout that continent, following His leading...meeting people, ministering, speaking truth, and taking service and volunteer opportunities wherever we can find them. many people have asked how we afford this kind of lifestyle. i love when they do, because it is an opportunity to share about the amazing provision of the Father! each of us have awesome stories as to how God has enabled us to continue traveling. i am learning to rely completely on Him for everything. sometimes it's difficult or scary, and it's always counter-cultural, but what a testimony to the lovingkindness of our Creator!

i know my journey is bound to yield more ridiculously awesome stories, so i will continue to blog frequently and update pictures, etc. i hope you will all be a part of this next stage of my life. i truly believe i am walking in the will of my Father, especially because he has been so faithful in providing and taking care of us in these last couple of weeks.

from dahab, we will return to jerusalem to take part in a christian youth conference in tel aviv. it is a huge event, with world-renowned speakers, evangelists, and worship leaders. the six of us will be volunteering to set up for a few days, and then be free to enjoy the gathering with the rest of the israeli, egyptian and saudi arabian youth. this convention is being anticipated as a time of movement and change in the youth of the middle east. i am so excited to see what God will do!

after the conference we are heading to cairo, athens, zurich and paris. we don't have much of a definite plan after that, but i will be in europe until december. please pray for safety, wisdom, provision and clear direction from God as i continue my journey.

i miss all of you, and would love to get updates on the goings-on at home! much love from egypt.

-jaclyn

PICS OF GRADUATION, etc.

israel.

2009-08-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

posted pics. yay!

click HERE to check our adventures in the holy land so far...

there.

2009-08-03T20:59:00.000-07:00

new photo album...

MOROCCO.

beginnings.

2009-08-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

i feel like i've been traveling for a week straight. uhh...i guess i have, actually. after finishing our work in essaouira and marrakech, we headed back to casablanca to catch a flight out of africa. this meant two very LONG very HOT bus rides through the moroccan desert, and another sweaty taxi ride to the airport. we flew to istanbul, turkey last thursday night, rejoiced at the sight of starbucks in the airport, and hopped a late flight to tel aviv, israel later that night. we were officially on "debrief," which is a little like vacation, with a focus on looking back over the past few months to reflect on the things our Father has taught us.

where to begin? i have learned so much. this trip was one of the most challenging things i have ever done. and the most amazing. i have constantly been in uncomfortable situations, called to put my own desires aside. i have seen poverty. real, living, disgusting, heart-wrenching, poverty. i have seen people living in deep darkness, and others living so absorbed by the light that the heaviness of their surroundings seems not to touch them. i have cried, i have laughed, i have sweated consistently for the past month, i've gone weeks without a shower, eaten rice again and again until i would rather eat dirt, worshipped with true followers, found joy in the simple things, made close friends, experienced glimpses of God's glory, and had a taste of true intimacy with Him.

the best part of all of this is: it's NOT OVER. i have come to realize that we have a massive choice to make in this life: to live for ourselves, or to live for our Savior. one or the other. i've already tried life down the former road. it leads to emptiness, dissatisfaction, darkness and separation from the Giver of Life. the narrow road is a hard one, mostly because it goes against everything the world teaches us. it consists of sacrifice. gritty, aggravating, painful sacrifice. but it is the only way to find true joy. among the many things He's been teaching me, this is what stands out the most:

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matt 16:24-26

whoever loses his life for me will find it.

i don't want to live a life continuously grasping to save myself. i want to live in reckless abandon for the One who has created, loved, saved and forgiven me. i must die to my old self, so that i may take hold of the righteousness that the Father offers. i want to listen and hear His voice. i want to follow where He leads. this may be the end of my dts, but it is just the beginning of the rest of my life with Him.

i am currently sitting in my hotel room in the middle of the old city of jerusalem. a 5-minute walk from the wailing wall and the famous dome of the rock. david's city. zion. God's holy land. the place where He chose to touch the earth. i still can't get my head around it. but i've only been here one day and i'm already blown away. He is good.

moroc.

2009-07-21T00:32:00.000-07:00

morocco is...sandy, windy, colorful, french, arabic, african, busy, smelly, wonderful, and full of life. casablanca looks nothing like the movie, but it's still wonderfully european with its little cafés and pastry shops. the beach in essaouira is constantly being blasted by a brutally whipping wind, reminiscent of the sahara desert--which is merely miles to the east. the men are overt, usually friendly, and always ready to sell you a tour, carry your bags, or offer you a few "space cakes" to spice up the day. the women are quiet, withdrawn, and mostly covered from head to foot in traditional muslim dress.

and the markets.

every city has them. they are cramped, noisy, crawling with locals and tourists alike, with displays of vibrant fabrics and elaborate beadwork swaying in the breeze, and smelling of fresh crêpes mixed with new leather and the exhaust of motorbikes. it's a shopper's paradise, since they offer everything from curiously unique clothing to beautifully carved furniture...all of it available for moroccan dirhams, at whatever price you can barter your way down to. amazing.

we started in casablanca, and rambled off to essaouira last week. our school leaders, will and jeremy, flew in to join us for awhile. it was such an encouragement to spend time with them, hear their stories, and glean from their wisdom and experience! we got a routine going, and put it into action for our time in morocco.

our schedule looks something like this: breakfast at 8am. team meeting at 9. we give thanks through music and meditation during the first part of our morning meetings. i've been learning the importance of giving Him glory during these past few weeks. everything comes out of this. without it, we are disconnected, weak, and without purpose. we also spend a lot of time interceding. we ask Papa to speak, and give Him time to do so. we ask for pictures, words and scripture for the day, always looking for direction from Him before we go out to do His work. after that, we head out for lunch and proceed to wander purposefully...

not surprisingly, fulfilling our purpose here has required a bit of a different tactic than any of the other countries we have visited in africa. as a local moroccan informed us, "everyone here is a muslim." our presence alone allows light to burst through in a stronghold such as this, but we've also spent our days exploring the city, intentionally positioning ourselves for the Father to use us. we've met many different types of people, chatted with them, asking questions, and many times even getting them to delve into deeper conversation topics! there are already some amazing stories of friendships made, seeds planted, and curious seekers finding truth by spending time with our team!

today tanah, amanda and i went into the market and asked Papa to send people our way. He really does prove himself to us again and again. literally three minutes later, two moroccan guys popped over to say hello, and obviously wanted to chat. we jumped at the opportunity, and spent 45 minutes asking about their beliefs, telling our stories, and sharing the Truth with our new friends, ahmed and yussef. it was amazing how receptive they were! even with the language barrier, we were able to communicate so much. i'm learning more and more that i really don't have to do much for the Father to work. i just have to make myself available, and He'll do the rest.

tonight is our last in essaouira. tomorrow morning we hop a bus to marrakech to continue our work for the next 7 days. that's all we have left! 7 days. after that is team debrief, and then finally ISRAEL!!! excitement is building. but for now, i'm thoroughly enjoying my time in morocco. especially because we finally have running water and a real toilet! :)

love from africa,

-jaclyn

smile.

2009-07-21T00:28:00.000-07:00

got another video uploaded!

a snapshot of kenya.

again.

2009-07-16T00:10:00.000-07:00

ok, so i tried to post this video a while ago, but it didn't work. and then we didn't have good internet for ages. and now we do...so here it is: our video from south africa. it's fun. watch it. i'll be posting the video from kenya next week.

SUID AFRIKA.

bakshish.

2009-07-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

more pictures!

LOOK AT THESE. THEY ARE FUN.

link.

2009-07-09T12:50:00.000-07:00

too tired to re-type the update. check it at the team africa blog-site:

www.teamafricaaw80.blogspot.com

i'm off to raft the nile, see the pyramids, and point to Christ amid the people of morocco...

more.

2009-07-08T02:33:00.000-07:00

pictures from the rest of uganda!

island fever.

tired.

2009-07-06T13:52:00.000-07:00

we're BACK. safe and sound. the islands were crazy. that's all i have the time or energy to say at the moment...but i did post some pictures of the last few weeks:

east african extravaganza.

more to come. soon.

evangelism.

2009-06-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

...kind of a scary word. it automatically brings to mind images of crazy, sweaty, screaming television preachers...or a billy graham crusade. neither of which i'm hoping to emulate through our ministry here in uganda. but, nonetheless, we have been involved in some major evangelistic endeavors in kampala. and it's been awesome.

we're staying with brent and virginia earwicker, a young missionary couple from oregon. they've been married for five years next week, and living in uganda for three of those years. they're hardcore. brent has set up this insanely busy, super-ambitious ministry schedule, and so far i'm loving it. it's hard work -- many times in the scorching heat of the african sun, trekking through dirt and trash, avoiding death by motorbike or gigantic spiders...but i actually feel like we're reaching people! we've seen God work in mighty and miraculous ways, and we still have a week left in this amazing country.

we've gone to local high schools to hang out and share the gospel with kids. a couple of days ago we were brought into a catholic school to speak to a group of about 200 students. about sex. and guess which lucky team member got to share on this fun topic? yep. that would be me. i was given 30 minutes to tell these kids that sex = death. i decided to approach the subject with a focus on sex as a gift from God, how we can screw that up, and how Jesus can redeem us, giving us freedom from our mistakes. we also did a drama, sang some songs...you know, the regular "ministry" routine. after our program, about 50 kids came forward to accept Jesus, and dedicated their lives to him. it was one of the most amazing things i've ever seen. we got to talk and pray with so many students afterwards! so cool.

after being at the high school all afternoon, we raced to brent's church parking lot for a huge evangelistic event involving a kid's program, worship, testimonies and a movie. MORE people came forward to follow Christ, and then we starting praying for healing. almost immediately, two women began manifesting as a result of demons and witchcraft in their lives. it was intense, and even scary. our team members laid hands on them and prayed for deliverance. the spiritual lies barely beneath the surface here in africa! it can be overwhelming. the women walked out of the church thanking us, and praising Jesus for freedom.

tomorrow we're visiting the church for the morning service...four of us have joined the church choir (SO great. african gospel choir. dream come true.) and we're also leading a song. in front of the whole, huge church! should be fun, but pray for us! we'll spend the rest of the day packing, because come monday morning, we leave civilization BEHIND.

we're piling into long boats and heading out to islands in the middle of lake victoria. for a full week. we'll be bringing a day pack, tents, and the Holy Spirit. i'm deathly afraid of spiders, which are everywhere and GIGANTIC here in uganda. so prayers there would be greatly appreciated! the churches on these islands have been expecting us for a long time, and "the 10 muzungus from new zealand," are expected to lead a huge spiritual revival. we're revving up to bring them what they've been praying for. there are even flyers being passed out with our picture on them! i'll steal some to take home, for SURE. :)

anyways, time for bed. i will probably be MIA for the next week or so (no electricty = no internet), but be ready for stories when i get back!

miss you all.

xoxo

vlog.

2009-06-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

since we finally have access to decent internet, i've posted the video made from our clips of south africa. just a little scrapbook of what we experienced in johannesburg:

SOUTH AFRICA VIDEO.

fotos.

2009-06-24T00:32:00.000-07:00

albums from kenya, finally up!

check it:

PICTURES.

second set of pictures!

hearing.

2009-06-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

kenya has been a place of rest. of joy. of discovery. it has also been a place of brokenness, loneliness, and desperation. there have been times where God's peace seems to envelope our team. there have also been times where i've felt far away, and disconnected from the people around me.

the first week we saw recovery. recovery from the hard work our bodies went through in south africa, and recovery from travel. we felt new strength and a rejuvenation of spirits. surrounded by the awesome beauty of the Father's creation, i yearned to worship. God was calling me to him.

at night, we sang and prayed together, asking the Holy Spirit to fill us up. our days were packed with opportunities to visit the surrounding community. we went to schools, churches, and children's homes, and poured out what the Spirit had given us. many times - though we were there to encourage them - the people of kenya ministered to my heart instead. their simple, Spirit-filled worship, and obvious thirst for God's presence stirred something in my soul.

near the end of the second week, i lost my grandma olthoff back in the states. it was an unexpected blow, and hit me hard. i felt so far from my family, and helpless to do anything. i didn't know where to turn, who to talk to, what to do with all the emotions i felt welling up inside of me. i've never experienced the death of someone close to me before. and i was stuck in the middle of the african bush. no phone, hardly any internet connection, and none of my close friends or family with me to carry me along.

i was angry. where was God through all of this? i was praying, my team was praying, my friends in different places around the world were praying. i hadn't heard God speak, i didn't feel his presence, i couldn't see him. why? was he even listening? tears of anger, grief, loneliness, frustration and helplessness fell freely as i wrote all of this in a desperate prayer.

it was then i remembered an email i had opened just after reading about my grandma's death. it was from my amazing friend phil, who's in india right now. he led his team in a prayer of intercession for me, and passed along what God had been speaking to them. i decided, against my will, that i should read the scriptures they had given me.

as i began reading, verse after verse, i had to laugh. i was ranting, pleading, and shouting for God to speak to me...and two seconds later he quietly and obviously answered my prayers through his Word.

seven different verses. one message: "i, the Lord, am FAITHFUL. trust in me, and i will guide you. i am with you, and nothing can separate you from my love!"

it wasn't a loud voice from the skies, no heavenly light shone on me as i prayed, i didn't see visions...but i heard God speaking. he knows me, he knows what i am thinking and feeling. he knows the desires of my heart. he answers my prayers. not usually in the way i expect him to, but he always answers. i am learning to tune my ear to his voice. in this time of grief and loneliness, my God is with me. he is my comforter. i will trust in him.

culture.

2009-06-09T02:57:00.000-07:00

kenya is different from america.
oh, let me count the ways...

swahili is the national language. simba=lion. rafiki=friend. and "jambo!" is not just a line from 'mean girls.' besides swahili, there are over 40 other languages spoken in kenya.

the term "road" is used quite loosely. anything remotely resembling a path, walkway, dry river bed, or expanse of rocky dirt is considered fair game. transportation includes bicycles, motorcycles, cars, ox-carts, and taxis.

taxis (or "matutus") are vans, usually cleverly decorated with window decals featuring tupac and beyonce. the average model was built around 1980, and features 4 rows of teeny, tiny bench seats, holes in the floor, and hopefully a door or two. disclaimer: doors and windows not guaranteed to stay connected to vehicle during transport. our last ride in one of these lovely vehicles saw 18 adults piled in at one time. cozy.

we have no running water. we use an outhouse. we brush our teeth with water bottles. we walk across campus for drinking water. we hand-wash our clothes in big basins. we take showers out of a bucket.
no joke.

the average kenyan's favorite food is "chapati." it is essentially a piece of dough fried in fat over a charcoal fire. i have now spent an entire afternoon of my life cooking this culinary delight. another african specialty is "ughali." maize flour and water. usually served plain and eaten with your fingers...but we've been lucky enough to eat it with cabbage on top! and they let the "mazungus" eat it with forks. mazungus are white people. duh.

there is a herd of buffalo, a herd of zebras, a herd of impalas, and 19 giraffes living on this YWAM base. you can see them while running. it's slightly cooler than being on a treadmill at the gym.

church on sunday was in a mud hut. there were four "pews," aka. benches made out of sticks and branches. the pastor rolled up on an old bicycle. there was no official start-time for the service. i gave the sermon. every woman there was carrying a baby slung on their back with a scarf...except the one in the front row who decided to nurse her child as i spoke. oh. and about halfway through the service a lady walked in carrying a chicken. yes. a real, live, squirming, squawking mother hen. at the end of the service, the chicken was offered to us as a gift. we took it.

basically, the only similarity i've noticed between kenya and the states so far is love for obama. you think downtown chicago was crazy on election night? tell a bunch of kenyans you're from the u.s. and you have instant insanity. obama-fever. it's awesome.

there is honestly just too much to tell about our experiences here so far. but i will say this: the country of kenya is beautiful. the people are lovely and joyful. the ywam base is a peaceful place, and the team is thoroughly enjoying our time spent here. we worship and pray every chance we get. we go out to schools, churches and homes to minister every day. we help out with work duties, too. sometimes this means cooking. sometimes chopping wood. and sometimes sorting rice. we eat a lot of rice. we don't have the internet, so cyber cafes are our only chance for communication. time is limited, the connection is slow, and it costs about a shilling a minute. a shilling is worth about 1.25 cents.

sooo....i'll be uploading pictures as soon as i can. hopefully before we leave africa! :) you can be praying that our team is helpful and effective here in kenya, and that we stay open to anything and everything God is trying to teach us! we're here for 10 more days...plenty of time for more experiences and lots of learning. bring it on.

jambo!

2009-06-07T06:19:00.000-07:00

i'm in kenya! it is our 5th day here, and this is our first time on the internet. we had to walk 3 kilometers, take a sketchy bus for another 16, and find an internet cafe here in muchakos, kenya. what an adventure.

so far, our experiences here can all be described by one favorite phrase: this is africa.
i have never experienced culture so different from my own. it's strange, funny at times, and so beautiful.

kenya is the africa i grew up dreaming about. it is warm and green. the roads are orange dirt paths more often used by livestock than cars. the land is a vast expanse of rolling, rocky hills dotted with acacia trees and colorful huts. the enormous skies provide gorgeous panoramas every day, especially during sunset. the people are friendly, and curious, and so full of joy.

my time at the internet cafe is almost up, but i will definitely update again as soon as i can! hopefully with pictures and lots of stories.
miss and love you all!
xoxo

images.

2009-06-02T09:18:00.000-07:00

i spent a day taking pics of the team and the work we're doing...

take a look!

another facebook album.

work.

2009-05-29T11:57:00.000-07:00

i added a few more pictures to the south africa album. working pictures!

see them on the third and fourth pages here.

mush.

2009-05-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

white, sticky, tasteless globs of mush. i think it's made of rice. but i'm not sure.

it's what we've been eating a lot of since we got to africa. needless to say, this part of the world isn't known for it's top-notch cuisine. but in spite of the less-than-gourmet meals, our team is doing well. we are tired. a little sunburned. very grateful for 3 meals a day and beds to sleep on. and praising jesus for his provision and faithfulness.

my time in south africa has been a blur of hard physical labor, hot sun, and interesting conversations with local africans. i've been assigned to help build a security fence around the perimeter of refilwe. as a result, i have spent a lot of time working alongside men from the area. as maintenance volunteers, our ywam team has temporarily stepped into their world. a world full of manual labor, short breaks, and hard knocks. our fence posts have been stolen and vandalized twice now.

despite our joining in their effort, it's obvious we don't belong here. passersby stare, smile in amusement, and sometimes even ask us for jobs. when we tell them we're not in charge - but rather at the bottom of the totem pole - they respond with surprise, and often laughter. they are looking for work (as most people in the area are), and our pale skin makes us a target for requests.

it's become apparent that we are not quite understood here. today our friend john asked us how much our salary was worth.

...hmmm. how can we explain to him that we have actually PAID money to fly all the way to africa in order to do this work, with no monetary compensation??

we tried. we told him that we love jesus, and don't want money for the time we spend digging holes and pouring cement. he looked a bit bewildered, and dropped the matter. he didn't understand...but then, neither can we.

we will never understand what it feels like to rely on labor wages. to grow up without the privilege of a good education system. to wear the same second-hand clothes every day. to speak 12 languages and still be considered "uneducated." to live in a small, tin shack with no running water or electricity. to support a family that waits in a nearby squatter camp for you to return with bread for dinner. to be without medical or dental care of any kind. to live less than 200 miles from the coast your entire life, without any hope of ever seeing the ocean...

i am constantly aware of the gigantic gap that lies between my life-experience, and the lives of the people who pass by as i build this fence. the women plod down the path, babies tied to their backs, large objects balanced on their heads. the men wheel barrels of empty soda bottles, often slowing to observe our work, or to chat in zulu with our co-workers.

living and working alongside these beautiful people has caused me to reflect upon, appreciate, and wonder at the way we live in the west. the comforts of my childhood are a far-off, unattainable fantasy when compared with the harsh reality of this poverty-stricken world. the hopes and dreams i was always encouraged to have simply don't exist here. but the people of south africa are precious, and despite their struggles, they have much to teach me about loving others and God.

our bodies are being worked hard every day, but i go to bed with my mind racing. my prayer now is that the Holy Spirit would rest on me, and pour into the lives of those i meet. i want my attitude to be that of Christ, and for my mind and spirit to be open during the rest of my time in south africa.

sawubona!

2009-05-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

our first week in south africa:

click HERE for pictures.

africa.

2009-05-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

we're here!
we arrived in johannesburg, south africa on monday night. may 18th was the longest day of my life. we left at 4am from oxford, and traveled for a full 24 hours. we arrived in africa at 4pm the same day. and then drove for over an hour to get from the airport to the refilwe base. like i said, longest day EVER.

refilwe is a fairly large organization that includes schools for kids of all ages, day cares, farming, trade school, accommodations, orphan-care, community building, health care education, and more. we had expected to be living in tents here for the next few weeks, but to our surprise and delight we were given a house to stay in! three bedrooms, one (weird) bathroom, a small kitchen and a little living room is ALL OURS. so nice.

the beds are especially appreciated, since most of us have been participating in hard physical labor for the past two days. i am sore. really sore. our projects so far have included day care, going into townships with health-educators, and helping the maintenance crew construct a new fence around the perimeter of the base. i've been raking, hauling trees and digging holes. it's dirty, sweaty work. and we're tired. but it's great to see the progress we're making! refilwe has been having trouble with break-ins and theft, so we are assisting in the effort to make the place more secure.

the people here are amazing servants of Christ. today we went to the small church service held every morning before work begins. it was amazing. we got there relatively on time, but the place was empty. so we walked outside to wait, and all of a sudden we hear glorious harmonies erupting from the hall. we head back inside and see that a handful of africans have wandered in and begun the service with an impromptu worship session. never in my life have i heard a sound that was so simply beautiful. no introduction. no hymnals. no pomp. no circumstance. just praise, the way it was meant to be. i pictured God smiling down on these african children of his, and it brought me to tears. i can't wait for 8am tomorrow morning!

well, the computer room is about to close, so i have to say farewell for now. but i will keep the updates coming as often as possible...
-love from africa-

team.

2009-05-13T13:12:00.001-07:00

i've posted pictures of everyone who's going to africa with me.

click here to see our team blog.

enjoy.

2009-05-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

i finally got my "faith week" video posted! it's a little documentary detailing the adventures we experienced during week 7 of our dts. we left the base with two others, carrying only a small backpack and a sleeping bag. no money, no food, no transportation, nothing! only a prayer on our lips and a good hitch-hiking sign :)

faith weeeek.

blog.

2009-05-12T05:17:00.000-07:00

here's a link to the blog i will be keeping for our entire team:

http://teamafricaaw80.blogspot.com/

this page will probably be quite similar to what i post here, but with more of an emphasis on every day activities and stories, rather than my own personal experiences. we will also be posting bios and pictures of everyone on the team, so it might be worth checking out! go team africa.

blessing.

2009-05-12T02:39:00.001-07:00

last night staff answered the question we've all been asking lately: can we afford to send everyone on outreach?

with only 5 days to go until every team has vacated the oxford base, it's crunch time. we spent the day going in and out of the accounting office, giving and receiving gifts, attempting to clear up any outstanding fees.

as of yesterday afternoon, there were still several students whose travel status was uncertain. everyone in this school has put forth huge effort in order to see our fellow classmates able to go on outreach. so much time, money and prayer has gone into our preparation here, and the thought of leaving a teammate behind has been haunting us.

last night will and jeremy announced that NO ONE will be left behind because of money. i can eat again! not all of the funds have come in--we are still praying for further provision--but there was such a influx of giving in the past few days that we've been able to stretch the money far enough to buy everyone a plane ticket! praise God.

thanks for keeping up with me, even though i'm so far away! your prayers are being heard.

5 days and counting...world, here we come.

donations.

2009-05-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

hi friends. exciting news! if you want to help our school financially, or donate to any of my friends, you can do it online with a credit card! this is news to me, but i wanted to get the word out. if you feel led to donate to my ywam dts, click HERE.

also important: if you've already donated by check, please let our accountant know. (email registrar@ywamoxford.org) just for logistical purposes, the school needs to know how much to expect in the next couple of weeks in order to plan outreach trips. today is pretty much the final cut...leaders are letting individual students know final decisions on their trip status TODAY. please pray that all the necessary funds come in so that no one is left behind.

goings.

2009-05-09T21:46:00.000-07:00

168 hours.

10,080 minutes.

604,800 seconds.

the approximate time left before we disperse.

next monday emrie and katy tramp to southeast asia. beau heads toward the middle east. lindsey and phil set out for afric-asia. kristi busts a move to south america. dan and kenny head off to far east asia...and i leave for africa.

this is a strange time. change is on the horizon. i'm excited, nervous, sad, expectant, and HUNGRY. some of us have been fasting while we wait and pray for financial provision. i ate my last meal on wednesday. with a week to go, our school is still looking for about $30,000. please continue to pray for us. pray that we will see the hand of God working in our time of need. pray that our outreach preparation will be constructive and fruitful. pray for safety in travel. pray that God will prepare the way for our teams in these remote places. and pray that God will bless the lives of those who are supporting us.

in one week i'm heading off to africa for almost three months! my team consists of 10 people, including myself. 7 girls and three guys. 4 americans, 3 canadians, 1 brit, 1 american/korean, and 1 koriwi (short for korean-kiwi). here's a little break down of where we're going, and what we'll be doing:

south africa- we arrive in johannesburg next week, and will be working with a relief organization called Refilwe. (http://www.refilwe.org/) we will be sleeping in tents (!) and mainly helping with manual labor on the base.

kenya- after flying into nairobi, we're heading to the ywam base nearby to work and stay. our goal is to relieve the full-time staff of their duties for awhile, and hopefully visit some schools in the area to hang with and minister to the kids!

uganda- this is going to be intense. we are taking a bus from nairobi to kampala. an african bus. for 20 hours. on dirt or non-existent roads. yikes. and THEN, we'll be heading by boat out to an island on lake victoria. we'll be staying (probably in mud huts) near an orphanage, and going on day-trips to surrounding islands to visit remote tribes. we'll be hosting revivals and tent-meetings where we will be expected to preach and lead worship! word on the street is that we'll be eating whole, boiled fish during most of our time there. prayers please.

morocco- from uganda we're flying through cairo to casablanca. we'll be staying with more full-time missionaries, assisting them in ministry. morocco is a closed nation where Christian missionaries are not welcome. those seeking to serve God's kingdom by sharing the gospel have to enter the country with alternate job descriptions and cover businesses. the goal is to blend in and avoid deportation by the moroccan government. the culture in morocco is very similar to that of the middle east, so the girls in our group will be wearing traditional head wraps and tunics! it should be an interesting transition from uganda to morocco, and then on to...

ISRAEL- where we'll be having a HUGE reunion with everyone from our dts! we'll be touring the holy land for a few weeks and then graduating on the mount of olives on august 13th...YES.

so there's a short synopsis of our upcoming adventure...i'm setting up a blog for our africa team that will chronicle our daily experiences. i'll share that link soon. thanks again for your support and prayers! <3

funds.

2009-05-09T00:10:00.000-07:00

dear friends and family,
as most of you know, i’m nearing the end of the lecture phase of discipleship training school with YWAM here in new zealand. this has been an absolutely inspiring and life-changing experience, and i am so thankful for such an amazing network of supporters. i love that each of you is a part of this journey, and your notes of encouragement have been so awesome to receive! i hope you’ve had the chance to keep up with my adventures and hear about what i’ve been learning through my blog and facebook. sorry my communications have been less frequent lately, but things have been non-stop craziness here trying to prepare for outreach!
during the past 10 weeks, we’ve developed really strong relationships within our school. team dynamics are so great, and it’s obvious that keeping our 6 outreach teams together is really important. i’m blessed to have all of my finances paid for this mission, but several students are still waiting on God’s provision before we leave. we need every individual talent and personality that each member brings to our teams, so we’re banding together to make sure no one is left behind.
my dear friend beau davidson is one of these students in need. should his financial support come through, he’ll turn 27 in turkey, ministering to the muslim population in a variety of ways. he left his life, career, and friends in nashville to come share the love and provision of Jesus with the world. i asked him to write a few words about his experience so far, as well as explain his situation:
  "I'm now in week 10 of training at YWAM's base in Oxford, New Zealand. Lecture phase has been an AMAZING time of both confirming my identity in Christ and receiving a commission to share His love with the world. We've had 9 great guest lecturers, as well as one 'Faith Week,' where we set out in teams of 3 with nothing but $20 and a mission to not just live and hitchhike through the South Island, but to seize opportunities to bless people along the way.
My team of 9 is scheduled to depart for our tour of outreach to India, Turkey, Yemen, Egypt, and Israel, provided the necessary support comes through. I’ve sold everything I own, marketed my cause to my community, and even organized rock shows in Nashville to benefit this mission, but I’m still short $3,500. I’m facing the reality that God may have other plans for me if these funds don’t come in. However, after fervently seeking His will, I believe I am to make every effort to finish this school.  The Lord brought me around the world for a reason, and I believe He’ll provide the means to continue."

-Beau Micah Davidson

beau’s just one of a dozen students in this situation. it would be awesome if you could spend just a moment in prayer and consider whether you are willing to invest in the kingdom of God through our mission. although I personally have all of my funds, we are a family here.  i cannot very well continue my journey knowing that my friends beau, kristi, and emrie won’t be using their training as God intended. my team leader, trevor, and his fiancée kelly are also looking for a large sum of money (around $7,000) in order to be able to lead my team to africa. each of us has given up our own plans and interests in order to serve Christ’s kingdom during this time. God can and WILL use every person and resource offered to him. even if the gift you can afford seems small, please consider contributing to our school’s outreach. also, if you know anyone who might be interested in supporting world missions in this way, feel free to pass this information along! every bit counts, and time is of the essence. we leave for outreach in 2 weeks! without support, these lovely people won't be getting on the plane...

OH, and check this sweet little video we made about getting involved in God's vision for the world!

http://www.vimeo.com/4491242

thanks again for your love and interest in my adventure!

i miss you all.

-jaclyn

donations to beau can be made here (with a credit card!):

http://perceptionfunding.org/Perceptionfunding/Clients/Entries/2009/1/25_Beau_Davidson-_YWAM.html

checks to the general gift fund for our school can be made out to YWAM Oxford, and sent to:
YWAM Oxford
P.O. Box 47
Oxford, North Canterbury
New Zealand 7447

beau’s blog - http://tohuvabeauwho.blogspot.com
emrie’s blog - http://emrie.wordpress.com/

overload.

2009-05-06T22:51:00.000-07:00

the past few weeks have been a blur of wonder, discovery, elation, fear and trembling, joy, growth, laughter, exaltation and revelation.

after returning from faith week, we tumbled right into "Holy Spirit week," which brought to light so many issues i wrestle with. it was the first time anyone had openly and honestly taken time to examine the third person of the Trinity with me. i came to realize that i reject a mystical God, because that kind of God doesn't fit into my tiny realm of experience. i had to lay down a lot of myself and simply strive to rediscover who the Lord is. i am blessed to have friends here who were willing to walk with me and encourage me to look to God's face, and nowhere else. it became a time of softening. i felt God calling me into his presence, and for the first time i truly yearned to meet him there.

that weekend we went into christchurch, and stayed until saturday for the invisible children RESCUE that was taking place there and simultaneously around the world!

about one thousand people squatted in the town square. we gathered to raise awareness, support, and to pray for the abducted and abused children of africa who are forced into war. a group of us from ywam camped out as well...right under a super-powered, painfully bright street lamp that burned the entire night. i suppose we can now better empathize with the kids in uganda who pile into bus stations for safety every evening. it sucked.

this adventurous, sleep-deficient weekend led right into one of the most intense, enlightening, and hilariously awesome weeks of teaching i have ever experienced. mark parker in the HOUSE. mark is a kiwi guy of 50 who loves the Lord, lives by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and has more passion than any teacher i've ever had the pleasure of learning under. he rocked our world, (rather, God rocked us through him) and i'm pretty sure none of us will ever forget the things revealed to us last week.

there was waaaayyy to much communicated for me to summarize it all, but one of the most poignant illustrations made was that of justification vs. kingdom living. mark is passionate about moving christians from simply being saved into the life that God offers us as a result of Christ's sacrifice. being redeemed and heaven-bound is NOT the end-all. there is so much more! Jesus wants us to start experiencing the kingdom now. right here. on earth. in order to move from the cross to the kingdom, we must allow the Spirit to fill our entire self. body, soul and spirit. this will undoubtedly transform the way we function in this life. no longer will we be able to live in the past, or only looking to the future, but we will have joy for today. we will long to bless our neighbors in the same radical way we have been blessed. God didn't save us to become "Christians," but so that we might finally become fully HUMAN, and start living the way we were intended to from the beginning of creation! i could go on and on, but i won't. if you want more, do a ywam dts. seriously.

oh, one more glimpse into glory: we spent all day friday in worship...i mean ALL day. 9 hours. that probably sounds superfluous and possibly boring to some of you. but it wasn't. it was the most crushing, liberating, overwhelming, exhausting, and beautiful time i have ever spent in a church. we approached the day as an ancient jew would have approached the tabernacle. we started with thanksgiving and praise. moved onto the fellowship offering, laying our idols before the cross. then on to the sin offering. (confessing sins in front the Most High God? no big . doing that in front of 50 of your friends? not easy.) worship and anointing brought us fully into the gracious presence of our Father, and then we WORSHIPPED the way we were meant to. after that day-long preparation, we entered into the inner sanctuary by celebrating communion. in other words, a banquet laid out on the floor of the church. so awesome.

anyways, i'm late for outreach prep, which constitutes another whole blog post. i love you all, and miss you like crazy. i hope this long, over-due entry has brought you back into my world. i try. but we're so busy here i average about 5 hours of sleep a night. insanity.

signing out from the ends of the earth...

-jacs

proof.

2009-04-19T00:17:00.000-07:00

yes, i actually hitch-hiked all over the south island of new zealand.

no time for stories yet...but here are the pics from faith week.

facebook album.

home.

2009-04-18T22:49:00.000-07:00

after a long week of hitching and hiking, i'm finally BACK at ywam's base in oxford! we're safe and sound...and tired! i have so many stories and pictures and video clips, but no energy to share at the moment. i will update my page soon though!

miss and love you all.

-jacs

FAITH.

2009-04-10T14:39:00.000-07:00

hey guys...so i have like 2 seconds to make this post, but i wanted to let you all know what i'm up to for the next week.

FAITH WEEK.

in about 20 minutes, i will be piling into a van with one day pack, two partners, $20 and a map in order to wander new zealand's south island for a week. we have no money, no resources, know no one in the country...we will be relying on God's provision for an entire week! our mode of transportation: hitch-hiking. where will we sleep? we don't know. what will we eat? we have no idea. what will we get out of this?

a greater sense of God's faithfulness and love for us.

and an awesome, no-frills tour of one of the most beautiful countries on God's green earth.

and a chance to meet, hang out with, and bless the people of this land!

you can be praying for me during this week...food, shelter, community, and safety.

i have to go, but check out this verse to better understand the mindset behind our adventure:
-------------------------------

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'

luke 10:1-9.

fixed.

2009-04-06T13:21:00.001-07:00

hey guys...
it came to my attention that the links to my videos weren't working.
so here they are again:

ywam dts 2009!

drum circle in christchurch.

drums.

2009-04-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

on friday nights we head into christchurch to hang out with people we meet there. our goal is to be a light in the city, just by loving people and spending time with them. i am part of the "music team," which meets in the square for a few hours to play songs, beat drums, dance, and break down with locals, tourists, children, homeless, students and vagabonds of the city.

it is amazing.

a video is the only way to convey the crazy joy that takes place around 8pm every friday night in the town square of christchurch, nz.

DRUM CIRCLE. watch it. DO IT.

free.

2009-04-03T19:18:00.000-07:00

so many wonderful truths are being imparted to me through people here...i'd like to share one that has touched my heart recently:

freedom comes from following jesus.

this might seem like a simple truth, but i don't think i've ever let it penetrate my heart the way it has in the last few days.

--God's father-love gives us our worth, and frees us from past wounds and self-hatred.

--though we may not see it yet, God has a plan for our lives, and if we are open to hearing his voice, he will guide us...freeing us from anxiety and reliance on ourselves.

--in the same vein, God has promised to provide for us. trusting in his love for us as his children, we are freed from the burden of stuff.

lose your life, so you can find it.

i was discussing this concept with our school leader, will, last night...and then this morning, a new song came on my ipod that made me stop and listen.

the lyrics speak so much truth, and really convey the convictions of my heart.

check it out:

Zion & Babylon

by Josh Garrels

Oh great mammon of form and function
Careless consumerist consumption
Dangerous dysfunction
Described as expensive taste
I’m a people disgraced
By what I claim I need
And what I want to waste
I take no account for nothing
If it’s not mine
It’s a misappropriation of funds
Protect my ninety percent with my guns
Whose side am I on?
Well who’s winning?
My kingdom’s built with the blood of slaves
Orphans, widows, and homeless graves
I sold their souls just to build my private mansion
Some people say that my time is coming
Kingdom come is the justice running
Down, down, down on me
I’m a poor child, I’m a lost son
I refuse to give my love to anyone,
Fight for the truth,
Or help the weaker ones
Because I love my Babylon
I am a slave, I was never free
I betrayed you for blood money
Oh I bought the world, all is vanity
Oh my Lord I’m your enemy
Come to me, and find your life
Children sing, Zion’s in sight
I said don’t trade your name for a serial number
Priceless lives were born from under graves
Where I found you
Say, my name ain’t yours and yours is not mine
Mine is the Lord, and yours is my child
That’s how it’s always been
Time to make a change
Leave your home
Give to the poor all that you own
Lose your life, so that you could find it
First will be last when the true world comes
Livin’ like a humble fool to overcome
The upside-down wisdom
Of a dying world
Zion’s not built with hands
And in this place God will dwell with man
Sick be healed and cripples stand
Sing Allelu
My kingdom’s built with the blood of my son
Selfless sacrifice for everyone
Faith, hope, love, and harmony
I said let this world know me by your love
By your love
Oh my child, daughters and sons
I made you in love to overcome
Free as a bird, my flowers in the sun
On your way to Mount Zion
All you slaves, be set free
Come on out child and come on home to me
We will dance, we will rejoice
If you can hear me then follow my voice

family.

2009-04-02T03:40:00.000-07:00

lectures this week have been phenomenal. gordon rosewall, a kiwi pastor, has been communicating on "the father-heart of God." it has been such a real, practical, dig-down-deep conversation about who God is, who we are in him, and how that affects all of our relationships here on earth. a lot of talk has been happening about the love we received growing up, and how parents and families are so crucial to our well-being as adults. ultimately, God should be the one we look to for affirmation, affection, self-worth and comfort...but our concept of love is first shaped by the functionality of our families. our mothers and fathers are meant to be the earthly manifestation of God's mother and father heart for his children.

all of this discussion, the stories told by friends here, and the pain visible around me brought me to a realization: what a stark contrast there is between these broken homes and the experience i had growing up!

i have gained a new appreciation for the love and affection shown to me by my parents. God has blessed me tremendously with a wonderful, God-fearing mom, a generous, loving dad, and sisters that couldn't love me more! oh, and a brother now too! :) not to mention the awesome extended family i have...grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins that have all been such a big part of my life, and have always been there to offer an encouraging word, or a prayer when i needed it.

i am so thankful for my family. and i miss them.

west.

2009-03-31T03:16:00.000-07:00

i posted more pictures! we drove over to the west coast of new zealand this past weekend. the scenery was BREATHTAKING. we stayed overnight in a hostel on the ocean, and visited a seal colony on the way home the next day. words cannot describe the beauty of this country. so pictures will have to do:

album #1...pancake rocks and blowholes.

album #2...punakaiki cut.

album #3...seals. and more.

africa.

2009-03-31T03:01:00.000-07:00

yes! i am headed to africa in may! the outreach teams were announced yesterday, and i will be traveling to uganda, kenya, south africa and morocco...wow. we now know where everyone else will be going too, and who is on our team.

emrie and katy are headed to southeast asia, my friend phil is going to southeast asia/africa, beau's going to the middle east, and kenny is off to far east asia! i don't really know any of the people on my team very well, but i think God is going to use this time to stretch me and bring me closer to him. and i get to visit brittany in cape town! :)

in other news, i finally got our school video to post online! we put together an overview of our dts in the form of a video...watch and forward the link on to anyone who might be interested!

lots of love, jaclyn

OUR VIDEO:

www.vimeo.com/3933196

overdrive.

2009-03-23T02:16:00.000-07:00

as i sit down to summarize what's been going on with me lately, i come to the realization that so much happens here every day that, quite frankly, it's impossible to relay all of my experiences, thoughts, feelings, ideas and dreams.

so i will settle with telling you about a few that come to mind during this dining room typing session...

last week the leaders announced the outreach options to the entire school. (which countries, leaders going on each trip, etc.) they are as follows:

-southeast asia: bali, taiwan, cambodia, thailand

-south america: chili, argentina, peru, brazil

-africa: south africa, kenya, uganda, morocco

-southeast asia/africa: indonesia, northern india, south africa, uganda

-middle east: india, turkey, yemen, egypt

-far east asia: taiwan, china, mongolia, philippines

uhhh...AMAZING, right? any one of the trips would be an untouchable experience, but we were asked to think and pray about our top 3 choices. from the beginning, i've felt called to africa. in the past few weeks i've felt a heaviness for the people of southeast asia and india. this was unexpected, but when i saw the split option offering a chance to serve in all of those areas, i was floored. i pretty much knew right away which three i would write on my piece of paper:

1. southeast asia/africa

2. africa

3. southeast asia

the leaders are planning and praying, so we should be finding out our teams by the beginning of next week. this is definitely something you can be praying for too! i am anxious/nervous about the outcome, but i am praying for God's sovereign will and his peace to wash over me. i know wherever he sends me will be life-changing!

on another note, tonight we watched some "invisible children" updates. invisible children is a group dedicated to the plight of child soldiers in uganda. (if you don't know what invisible children is, CHECK IT OUT. it is worth learning about, and will touch you in inexplicable ways...www.invisiblechildren.com) i have seen some of their other documentaries, and have followed the organization's work over the years, but for some reason it was different this time. the faces of those victimized children always grip me, but i think my current position in life allowed their story to affect me in new ways.

God has recently brought me to a new place. i am poised to go wherever he leads, at the drop of a hat. i felt hope tonight. hope that i can actually do something. that God can use me...that i WANT him to use me! i no longer have an agenda. my own "plan" for life has gone out the window. God has given me the freedom to serve him, and it is such an exhilarating place to be! i don't know exactly where Christ will take me, but i know that he has a purpose for me, and in this i am finding joy i never knew i could have.

genius.

2009-03-22T03:24:00.000-07:00

so i was perusing blogs posted by my fellow ywamers, and came across katy's post entitled "YWAM." she's been getting a lot of questions about what we're up to, what ywam is, what our schedule looks like, etc.

so she posted answers.

and they are brilliantly concise.

sooo i thought i'd steal her work for all of you to enjoy. in case you're wondering exactly what the heck i'm doing out here in new zealand, check out her post:

www.kwcrane.blogspot.com

enjoy! and thanks katy. love you :)

akaroa.

2009-03-22T03:01:00.001-07:00

more pictures! i haven't had time to blog this weekend, but here is a little look into our adventures...i will post an update as soon as i can! until then, enjoy this album!

answers.

2009-03-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

this past week has been one of answers.

not necessarily the kind of answers i was looking for, though. when you hear about someone "getting answers," it usually implies that they've been asking questions. i think i've been asking questions my entire life, without ever getting a direct reply...

maybe that's because i've looking for the wrong answers.

here's what i'm getting at:

since the beginning of this discipleship training school, i've been asking God to restore our relationship. i expected a lot of digging and churning and painful searching to commence. the thing is, i wanted it to start right away, because i was starting to feel a little "behind" when it came to spiritual experience. i had a lot of catching up to do. so i prayed that God would give me passion, let me feel his presence, help me to grow. my expectations went about as far as good worship and devotion time...God has infinitely more wisdom than i do. and quite a sense of humor too, i think.

last week, lectures pressed me further than i ever thought possible. i have been challenged to act on what i truly believe. this sounds like a simple concept, but when the challenge includes throwing away everything i deem valuable and becoming a humble servant for the rest of my time on earth, things start to get a little scary. and EXCITING at the same time! i could feel something big stirring inside me, despite the dry excuse for a soul i've been carrying around. but at this rate, it would take 3 schools to break and re-grow me! thankfully, God laughs at my tiny plans.

on sunday, a group of us went into the city for church. unbeknownst to us, the service was to include a guest speaker who had been given the gift of healing. skeptical? so was i. i'd seen this type of thing on tv...you know those horrible evangelism channels that make you ashamed to be a christian? yea. so needless to say, after the introduction, i wasn't really looking forward to the rest of the service. but as the man gave his own testimony, i sensed a real sincerity in him...and he was constantly in the Word, which is usually a good sign. and then he started calling people up to the front so he could pray for them. this in and of itself isn't strange. but the WAY he called people up was what caught my attention: he was walking to sections of the church and asking certain people to come forward, according to their symptoms of pain or disease.

and then he came to our section.

he described symptoms of back pain, including degeneration of several vertebrae in the lower back, muscle pain in the neck, years of discomfort with no hope of healing. and he pointed to our small section of the church. i knew right away he was talking about me. after some persuasion, i went to the front of the church. he touched my back where the pain originated and asked me if i believe that Christ can heal. of course i do...don't i? but here? now? me? as the preacher prayed over me, i told God that if this was of Him, i wanted to be healed.

i have slept the past three nights pain-free for the first time in over 6 years.

all of this is totally outside of my experience. it's foreign, weird, crazy, and a little scary. but through this God has taught me so much! who am i to limit His power? doesn't Christ love me? doesn't he want me to be whole? doesn't my pain cause him pain? doesn't he want to be glorified through us and the things he does in our lives?

i asked God to change me, to restore my spiritual life, to show me that he is real...and he gave me an answer. it might not have been what i was expecting or looking for, but he answered. he answered my prayer that he might be glorified.

if this freaks you out, don't worry. i'm totally freaked out too. God is good :)

the things we do.

2009-03-16T22:46:00.000-07:00

my dad requested that i post pictures of our every day life here in oxford...so here they are. i took a camera with me today to lecture. i got some images of teachers, students, tea time, walking to and from class...oh--and game night too!

check out our every day, NOT-so-normal life! photos

photos.

2009-03-16T12:37:00.001-07:00

for your viewing pleasure: click here.

a season of new growth...

2009-03-12T03:32:00.000-07:00

i have a lot on my heart right now, so i thought i'd share a little bit of it with you all...

i'm only two weeks into my dts, and already God has shown me so much! at first, i thought i was coming to oxford to learn more about God. this is true, but it's not the whole truth. i think God has also brought me here to learn more about myself, and what it means to be his daughter.

our speaker this week, georgina (AMAZING woman. ask for stories), shared many profound truths with us. among them was this: "you can't challenge others to do what you've never done yourself...evangelizing means telling others about the Jesus you know, the God that you've experienced." that really stuck with me. sharing the gospel isn't always about knowing all the answers, or being well-versed in theology. it simply means knowing christ personally and sharing your story with others, in love. i want to know Jesus more intimately so i can reflect his character through my life. easy to say, not so easy to do. i think the first step towards this kind of change goes back to learning more about myself; admitting my weaknesses and handing them over to God. he is already showing me the areas where i need healing and change. he is also showing me that i am his child, and he loves me beyond measure...

i look forward to knowing my God, and not just about him. many of the ywam leaders have prayed over our school, asking that it be a season of new growth. i pray that the Holy Spirit rains down in my life, making it impossible for my heart to stay dry.

one down...

2009-03-08T18:04:00.001-07:00

the first week of aw80 came to a close, and another monday is in full swing here at ywam base camp in oxford. my lack of posts on this blog is a direct result of our busy schedule, my trying to settle in, and the fact that there is always something fun to do during free time... :)

i'm finally getting used the routine around here. we wake up EARLY (about 6:45am), grab breakfast, and then i have breakfast clean-up from 7:30-8am. everyone has a personal work duty that is ours to perfect during the 11 weeks spent here in new zealand...and doing dishes happens to be mine!

after that we have about 30 minutes to be alone. this is time set aside in our schedule for us to dive into the bible, pray, or just rest. class starts a little before 9, and we are in lecture until lunch at 1. after lunch the schedule varies depending on the day. mondays we have work duties for a few hours. since we are living in community, we are responsible for keeping our home running. last week i worked in the garden...i'll find out what today's duty is in about 30 minutes! other days we have more lectures, free time, or outreach preparation. on fridays we go into christchurch for the day, which is lots of fun. it's such a great city!

as for my experiences last week: there is so much to tell! i'll try to be concise. lectures were great. we learned about intercessory prayer, hearing God's voice, worship, and more. i've gotten to know some amazing people already! emrie and i have been spending a lot of time with katy crane from mobile, alabama. she has such a kind heart, and an adventurous spirit that meshed with us from the moment we met her. there are many other friends i could write about, but for now check out these pictures of us having fun together!

this weekend started with friday in christchurch. we explored the city together, ate lunch, saw the sights and took lots of pictures. friday night a few of us ventured into town and hung out at a local pub. pool tables, tv, a juke box and diet coke WITH ICE...i have a feeling we will likely haunt this place a lot during the next 3 months.

saturday we split into groups and went different places around the canterbury province. emrie, myself, katy, kenny, and 3 leaders (kieren, jeremy and kim) decided to hit the beach...and it was a perfect day. we laid out, climbed rocks, got an american hotdog and throughly enjoyed the spectacular views around us. despite new zealand's extremely strong rays, all of us managed to walk away without sunburn! thank you spf.

the rest of the weekend was spent hanging out, bike riding, eating a good meal at a local restaurant, visiting the pub again, and catching a really amazing sunset over the hills. all in all, this week was the perfect introduction to my time here in oxford, and if this morning's lecture is any indication of what's to come, this week is going to be just as awesome.

what i see.

2009-03-01T02:18:00.000-08:00

click here for some more pictures of our explorations!

arrival.

2009-03-01T01:21:00.000-08:00

well, i've finally made it to the place i will spending the next three months of my life...oxford, nz. it is an out-of-the-way town about 45 minutes from christchurch. small, quaint, and situated at the base of the most beautiful foothills i've ever seen. i could get used to this view:)

emrie and i spent saturday morning with our wonderful friend james. we visited one of our other hosts and flatmates, j.b. at "le cafe" for lunch. then we hit up a fair in the middle of the city where we witnessed a live performance of traditional maori singers. SO great. em and i bought handmade bracelets and then dragged james to the art museum to explore and kill time while we waited for our ride from ywam to show up.

it was pouring rain as lindsey and julie anna (both ywam dts staff leaders) drove by. i jumped out of the car, waved them down and bam! we were on our way to the airport, and then to oxford. finally.

things have been pretty hectic since then...getting to know people, settling in, etc. i am staying in a room called "the ghetto." there are 13 girls in this room. and one bathroom. it's definitely quite an adjustment to make...! but everyone here has been great so far. there are people from all over: us, canada, the netherlands, fiji, ireland, germany, new zealand, australia...and one guy from biola! so weird. it's definitely a small world.

tomorrow the program really begins. we start with breakfast at 7:30am. good thing i love mornings... (if you didn't catch it, that was pure sarcasm.) then lecture starts at 8:50 and we're off! it's the beginning of an adventure i can't fully comprehend at the moment, and i can't WAIT to get started.

christchurch city. YES.

2009-02-26T15:32:00.001-08:00

check out my new facebook album of our first day in christchurch!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2063553&id=686000176&l=2728f

love.

2009-02-25T21:53:00.001-08:00

so i don't have much time, but i wanted to quick post an update on the past week. so much happened!

lindsay's bachelorette party was a blast, as bachelorette parties usually are. we had a black and white theme, centered around the bride's favorite food: sweets! we had quite a few fun photo shoots, opened presents and went out in santa monica to sing karaoke. perfect.

the wedding was so great, lindsay looked

BEAUTIFUL (of course), and the wedding party consisted of some of the coolest people i know. i can't believe lindsay is no longer a hick! her and tyler are off in maui for the week, and i couldn't be happier for my best friend.

after the wedding, emrie flew into LA! we hung out in redondo on sunday night, and on monday we joined carly, matt and nick for an awesome bike ride down the strand to manhattan beach. at the pier we encountered a beyond-gorgeous sunset, and ran into kevin nealon! AND our friend vince!! too good. videos to come...

and now, i'm sitting on the floor in a flat in the very center of christchurch, new zealand. emrie is here, reading twilight (i got her hooked on the plane ride over thanks to the amazing selection of on-board entertainment) while we listen to an awesome mix of music turned up to the max by our gracious (and extremely knowledgeable) host and city-guide, james. we were pretty exhausted from the 15+ hours on a plane, but after an amazing lunch of gourmet pizza found just down the stairs and across the courtyard, james took us on an impromptu tour of his home town. we were out and about ALL afternoon. and james should write a travel book. or a history book. or become a politician. or all of the above. thank you to my friend andy for hooking it up with his awesome friends!

bottom line: this city is GORGEOUS. and so interesting. i took a ton of pictures, but will have to post most of them later... we're resting now, and probably going out for dinner before we explore some more! can't wait to share more of my experiences with you all. miss you, love you, and wouldn't be upset if you shot me an email... :)

hop, skip and a jump.

2009-02-18T15:29:00.000-08:00

hello from the city of angels! (more specifically, a kinkos in redondo beach.) i said goodbye to friends and family, left michigan, and began the first leg of my journey by hopping over to the west coast of the united states. i'm here to say hello, goodbye, and stand up in lindsay and tyler's wedding. talk about a blender of emotions! saying goodbye is never fun. but along with goodbye comes the anticipation of what's to come. in my case, a wedding and an around-the-world adventure...not to mention the spiritual growth opportunity of a lifetime! this week is kind of like a buffer period between normal life and the leap to ywam's aw80.

i love LA. i love my friends here even more. sean's family has put me up for the past two nights...and since sean, tyler and the rest of the boys are on their way down to mexico, i am currently in the driver's seat of the most amazing 1986 honda accord ever built. i feel a connection with sean's new vehicle, mostly because we're about the same age. awesome. the accord and i have spent the afternoon at the end of avenue c in redondo beach. i couldn't have asked for a better day to sit on a bench at the beach! i've missed the ocean. carly gets off work at 5, and then it's go-time. we have two days to prepare for a bridal luncheon, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner AND a wedding. since craziness is about to ensue, i probably won't have time to write again until next week. and then i will be skipping from LA to auckland, and jumping from auckland to christchurch--our final destination. wedding updates to come! but until then...love from the west coast. -jacs

revolutionary road.

2009-01-12T17:34:00.000-08:00

i thought i would ramble a little about the fact that ywam oxford's aw80 starts in exactly 7 weeks! i leave for LA 5 weeks from today...there i will have time to see friends, roam one of my favorite cities, and stand up in my best friend's wedding! my college roommate lindsay is getting married feb. 22, and i am SO excited and grateful that i get to be there for that life-changing day!
and then it's off to new zealand...
this is going to be revolutionary. a revolutionary road.
if you saw the movie you will know that the title is ironic, to say the least. kate and leo's characters feel they are missing out on the life they once dreamed of...one full of excitement, adventure, meaning and wonderment. they lived on a road called revolutionary, but they weren't LIVING a revolutionary road.
emrie and i have decided that this trip is another step in the life we want to make the most of. i think everyone hopes their earthly experience will be exciting and meaningful. christ promises us that kind of life..."i have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (john 10:10)
this life is short. why not go all out?
living for the kingdom.
revolutionary.

friends in cool places.

2009-01-10T20:38:00.000-08:00

it's official! my good friend emrie is in for the long-haul. check out her blog at:

http://emrie.wordpress.com/

YES.

a little taste of new zealand's south island...

2009-01-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

where i'm headed...

2008-12-31T19:25:00.000-08:00

the day before my 24th birthday, i will begin an adventure that will likely change me forever. at the end of february i am moving to youth with a mission's base in oxford, new zealand. march 1st i begin a mission-oriented study program in preparation for a 3-month outreach in one of 6 areas of the world.

3 months in new zealand, 3 more backpacking from one mission opportunity to the next, and then we head to israel! i will be fulfilling a life-long dream as i travel through the holy land, visiting biblical and historical sites i've only ever read about. the culmination of the trip is graduation from the discipleship training school, which will take place on the mount of olives. there, we will be commissioned (just like jesus' disciples!) to go out into the world, taking the good news with us wherever we go. march can't come fast enough!