Whatever

Hey hey hey! Brian Onken walked us through Mark this week. His class was basically just reading through Mark. However the way he guided us through was much like a tour guide in an art museum. Before really looking at Mark this past week, I would kinda read it as one of the Gospels that didn't have as much stuff in it as the others. My view on it now is much different. When we read Mark's Gospel we see that he is more concerned with showing the love, compassion, patience, and the time that Jesus was willing to take with the people he was around. My favorite section of classes this week was when we went over the chapters where Jesus feeds the 5000. Then after the disciples don't get the lessons that he teaches there and shortly after he repeats them and finally the light bulb comes on for them. The mission statement for the book we were given was "His words matter". That really sums up what Mark is about Jesus words matter. So when he is speaking pay close attention or you will miss the small things like the disciples did. But thankfully when we don't get it he will be patient and repeat the lesson till we do.

For workday I was yet again delivering a trailer full of firewood. It is something the lodge has been blessed with so much wood it is great to be able to bless the community with it so people can stay warm.

Our wonderful cook Jenelle

I was on p.m. crew this weekend for the group we had in. That meant I was in the kitchen for a lot of the weekend. I did however do a bit of sanding on some lumber for a bunk bed that is being made for one of the rooms. But most of the time like I said was I was in the kitchen working the dish pit, setting out food and also prep!












Still mach to do on the projects I have to turn in this coming weekend but it is coming together nicely.

Something that will be PRETTY STINKIN AWESOME!!!! is that we will be working the Dare 2 Share event this coming weekend in Denver. It should be a real good time. maybe we even get some backstage access because we know Zane? Hey you never know.

As we were in class this week something I thought of was, I wondered how many times while the disciples were walking with Jesus, did he just sit back and kinda face palm and think to himself how can you not get it? This thought came to mind because of how the disciples often are so close to the answer but then totally miss it and try to be used in a way they think best. Even though it is not how the Lord wanted them to be used. But he always was patient and loving in how he taught. I am glad he is still that way with me. But maybe, just maybe we should pay a bit more close attention because, his words matter. That way we don't miss it.

These words fit so well for me I think

I made a list, wrote down from A to Z
All the ways I thought that you could best use me
Told all my strengths and my abilities
I formed a plan it seemed to make good sense
I laid it out for You so sure You'd be convinced
I made my case, presented my defense
But then I read the letter that you sent me
It said that all you really want me from me is just

Whatever, whatever You say
Whatever, I will obey
Whatever, Lord, have Your way
'Cause You are my God, whatever

So strike a match, set fire to the list
Of all my good intentions, all my preconceived ideas
I want to do your will no matter what it is
Give me faith to follow where You lead me
Oh, Lord, give me the courage and the strength


Whatever, whatever You say
Whatever, I will obey
Whatever, Lord, have Your way
'Cause You are my God, whatever

I am not my own
I am Yours and Yours alone
You have bought me with your blood
Lord, to You and You alone do I belong
And so whatever



Till Next Time
Love Jared

All About Love

A bit of a strange week this week. We had a patchwork of classes because a lecturer had to cancel. We watched a few sermons by Major Thomas the founder of Torchbearers, we also had a few other guest speakers. Doug Toller the senior pastor of Winter park Christian was kind enough to come out and teach for a block of classes. He was my favorite of the guest speakers this week.
He taught on compromise and how it is the blending of two different viewpoints. It's very true that we often compromise what we say we believe. I could not help but think of how many Christians were going to just this when they go to see 50 shades of grey this weekend. This is just one way we compromise, we say that we would never do something like what is portrayed in the film yet we will go and support it? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Even if we don't go to see, or support something like this I would argue that it is just as much a compromise to not speak out against it and let a brother or sister compromise. I don't mean for this to become a rant about this film (because we all know we have had enough of it) but these were just thoughts that came to mind. So I would challenge you to think about the next time you have a chance to speak truth to a brother or sister about something they are going do or watch, and you don't, because you do not want to offend them or because you have to be politically correct, so you don't say anything, have you compromised in what you say you believe?

Tuesday for our workday, me and some of the other students set to work on the tubing hill. With how warm it has been the safety berm had melted quite a bit and become more of a launch ramp. So for a few hours we were out shoveling and reshaping the berm to a nice smooth, non jump like curve as to safely guide the tubers on a merry ride down the hill. 

Friday night I was up at the Younglife gym watching and playing games with kids from 4th to 8th grade. Me and some other students were helping out with the Pregnancy Resource Center fundraiser banquet. It turns out a few years as an Awana game commander comes in handy. I joke after running around a gym for 3+hrs that I am getting old as I realize I can't go nonstop for that amount of time anymore.  

 

I was on program for this weekend. We had a group of Burmese kids from Aurora Co in. I led some games, music, and just hanging out with the kids. They had a wonderful time in the snow as they do not get to play in a lot of snow. So more or less we kinda played the weekend by ear so that they could experience something they don't often get to.Football with the boys in the snow quickly turned into lets just tackle each other into the snow and forget about the game.

Currently we are working on a project called (progress of redemption) it will be a 10 to 15 minute presentation of 10 or more scenes from the Bible as to explain what the story of the Bible is all about to someone who may not know. I am working with my buddy Chris. We are doing a slideshow, voiced over to tell the story. So along with writing this, I have been also very busy in writing the narration Script for our project 1226 words and counting. If you know me well, you would know that just a few months ago I would have lost my mind trying to write that much. Well I can honestly say I have kinda enjoyed it. I credit it to keeping this blog actually, and a good school teacher back home (TV SHOUT OUT "HI MOM") because I really do think this has  prepared me for it and the Lord used it to do that.
Not only do I have that, I also have to prepare a teaching from a book of my choice. I chose James, not really sure why but I have quoted a number of verses out of this book the past couple of weeks. I think I may talk out of chapter 1 or chapter 3 but I am not sure yet. So as I prepare and read and pray through my reading if you would pray for me as well I would greatly appreciate it.


I often times sit down and write these posts and often think I will go a cretin direction with them and I usually end up finishing in a way that I didn't see when I started. I was just thinking as many people will go out this Valentines day weekend and try to find love or they go and watch a so called "love" story there is a greater love story at hand. That is the LOVE story that Christ wrote for us in red ink when he freely gave up his life so that we may be reconciled by it.
John 15:9-11 ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

 Lets also take a look at what real LOVE looks like.

1st Corinthians 13

13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,^[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;^{[b] 6} it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

This will be the song seems to fit the theme of this post rather well.

 We've got CD sets and videos, radio and TV shows
Conferences, retreats and seminars
We've got books and magazines to read on everything from A to Z
And a web to surf from anywhere we are
But I hope with all this information buzzing through our brains
That we will not let our hearts forget the most important thing

Is love, love, love, love, love
It's all about love, love, love, love, love
Everything else comes down to this
Nothing any higher on the list than love
It's all about love

Now they're fighting in the middle east
And they're fighting down on Seventh Street
And there are fights in my own house on given days
It's like something's lurking deep inside
That can't seem to be satisfied
But life was not meant to be lived this way
'Cause it's true for every man and woman
Every boy and girl
That our only hope for living here together in this world

Is love, love, love, love, love
It's all about love, love, love, love, love
Everything else comes down to this
Nothing any higher on the list than love

This is the reason we were made
To know the love of our Creator
And to give the love He's given us away
Yeah, the Maker, and the Father, and the God of everything
He says to love, love, love
He says love, love, love
Love, love, love
'Cause after all, it's all about love

Gods says love, love, love, love, love, yea yea
It's all about love, love, love, love, love (love love love)
Everything else comes down to this
Nothing any higher on the list than love
'Cause after all, it's all about love

That's right, yeah (laugh)
Woo!
It's all about, yea yea
It's all about
All about love, love, love, love, love
It's all about love, love, love
Yea it's all about love love love
It's all about love love love (yea love)

After all don't you know?
That it really all comes down to love
After all don't you know that
Gonna tell you what it's all about, yeah
Yeah, it's all about love
Yeah, it's all about love, yeah
It's all about love,
Love, love, love


Till Next Time
Love Jared

Land Of Opportunity

Free Cokes Are Always Cool

This week was a little more mellow. We had a shorter class list than usual because our sister school Ravencrest was here for a few days.
We went through Ecclesiastes with Dan, for our short group of classes. The overall point of Ecclesiastes is that "man was made to be centered around God." Fear God and keep his commands this is the duty of  man/woman. It is widely believed that Salomon is the author of Ecclesiastes. It would seem that he wrote this book at the end of his life, after he has strayed from God. It would appear by the way he writes this book that he is looking back on all of the the folly he has committed in his lifetime, and wants to warn his audience to not make the same mistakes. In the closing of the book basically says make wise decisions because it will be judged whether secret or not it will be found out. So I remember a line from Indiana Jones, "Choose wisely" that is exactly what Salomon is saying in this book about life.  

Tuesday I had the wonderful joy of turning over rooms for our guests for the weekend. 

I had the opportunity to lead at Fraser valley Baptist this evening. It was strange to lead a different congregation than my home church. I did enjoy it though. It felt good to lead again from the stage. It is crazy to think one day we will all be singing together in one group.    
 
 

  Ravencrest came in on Wednesday. They come over every year for their break. It's a sweet time to get to know some other Torchbearers students. We went out as a big group to ski and snowboard on Thursday. That night we had the yearly hockey grudge match. I was the Timberline coach, complete with hockey hair style. We won 12-1, that makes it 3 years in a row for Timberline. It was just a small Bible school pickup game but I felt like we had won the Stanley Cup!

We had a group of middleschoolers in this weekend, 43 of them! I was on mountain ministry this weekend though, so I didn't get that much interaction with them. However I did get to snowboard around, love on lifties, give them cookies, and invite them to Soup & Tune. We had such a good a good turnout on Saturday night. It is cool to see the relationships that are being made with constantly coming in contact with the same lifties. I can see seeds being planted and an impact made on the lives we encounter. This passage always comes to mind when we are in a group interacting with people at a outreach "34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." So many of the people who have come out to this little resort town or the mountains for that matter do so to try and fill a void and think life can't get any better than this. Yet after awhile they start to search for more, whether it be hitting the hill as many times as they can in a year, smoking more and more pot, drinking, or whatever it may be. I hope they see the difference in us and that we have found what we need and they realize they need it too. I see it is the little things that make a difference. Remember that while you are out during the week.

Another day is off and running
And I hear somebody pounding on my door
It's opportunity knocking
Says what I need is just a little bit more
Every time I turn around I'm finding
Another chance to climb a little higher up
But it's never what I thought once I get there
And I'm left wondering "How much is enough?"

I can live like a prisoner to all that could be
I'm living in the land of opportunity
But a heart pure and simple
Is a heart that stays free
Living in the land of opportunity
I'm living in the land of opportunity

This is a world full of options
It's like a never ending buffet line
While all that I'm really needing
Is living water and the bread of life
So as I'm walking through this life making choices
There is one thing I must never forget
This land of opportunity has one God
If I seek Him first He'll take care of the rest

Seek ye first the kingdom of God
Seek ye first the kingdom of God

Seek ye first the kingdom of God
So many choices, so much it could be
Seek ye first the kingdom of God
Living in the land of opportunity

Till Next Time
Love Jared

Do Everything

Another awesome week down! Sorry this week will be a little light on pictures. Our guest speaker this week was Dave Firth. He is originally from England but lives in New Zealand, about an hour from the Shire. His class for the week was on the Bibles authority and how to use it to disprove mainly evolution. If you have ever seen Louie Giglio do "how great is our God", Dave's class was basically a week long of that times 10. We were in the first 11 chapters of Genesis all week. We covered everything from creation, to Noah and all of his decedents. I found it to be vary valuable the information that was taught. Mainly because as young Christians and even some older have often times a very difficult time in defending the origins of our faith.
Here are a few points from the classes this week that I really liked

-The word Universe speaks to creation perfectly, because universe is a compound word. Uni=single and Verse=spoken sentence. So Universe essentially can be summed up with "In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth".

-If we follow the family tree from Noah back to Adam and also forward we can see by lifespan roughly how old the earth is. Give or take a few hundred years because we do not know an exact age of some of the decedents. However we do know what would have been the general age they would have lived to be. So with some educated guess work we get to around 6000 or so. Much easier to prove than 75billion.

-The ark is an awesome representation of salvation. Noah had to enter into something to be protected from the wrath of God. In the same way we need to enter into Christ to be protected from judgement of the sin we have committed.    

On Tuesday for workday I was delivering firewood. So I spent the afternoon loading, unloading, then stacking piles of wood. Keeping people warm in the community. As I have said before I enjoy the work days here and being able not only to help the lodge out but also the people around the lodge as well.

We had a guest group in this weekend. It was a high school group of about 20. I was on the lodge crew for the a.m. shifts. However I helped out both days with the p.m. crew. Basically our job was to keep the lodge clean, stocked, prep food, and do dishes after meals. So on Friday night I helped on kitchen crew. Saturday I was up before 7 and in the kitchen at 7:15. We prepared breakfast and served the guests. Then we had clean up. Following breakfast we cleaned, stocked, and readied the lodge for lunch as the group was out at the mountain. We had an hour or so break then we were back in the kitchen to prepare lunch. We finished cleanup and a.m. crew was off. I however volunteered to help the p.m. crew again. So after a short break for me, I was down helping split and stack wood. After about 2 hours or so we were done. I then again was in the kitchen helping with dinner prep and cleanup. I was very tired after the day was done but I was more than happy to work the extra time. I enjoyed working behind the scenes this weekend.

As I sit and type out this week's entry I am working out in my mind a short devotion for Colossians that is due the end of the week. Having to do a small project like this would have seemed impossible to me at the beginning of the year. Now as I have learned much this year it does not phase me at all.

As I worked behind the scenes this weekend, it really came to mind of how much goes on that we do not see in our day to day lives. So these simple words came to mind.

While I may not know you
I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes, does it matter at all?
Well let me remind you, it all matters just as long
As you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you,
Cause he made you
To do

Every little thing that you do
To bring a smile to His face
Tell the story of grace
With every move that you make
And every thing you do

1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God

No matter how small a job you think it is it matters, so do your best all the time.


Till Next Time
Love Jared

Heaven In The Real World

So another week down and more still to come!

For the week we had our director, Dan Thomas teaching us out of Colossians. The theme of our class was "Christ in you the hope of glory". I enjoy it very much when Dan teaches and the style he uses to present what he has to teach.


A few things that caught my attention in class were.
Colossi was pretty much a melting pot of cultures.
They were known for their cold, cold mountain water streams.
Epaphras brought the Gospel to Colossi.

In the letter Paul writes to Colossi we so that they are commended for their faith. However Paul goes on to explain they do not have to do anything more than believe to be saved. As Colossi was a melting pot of cultures other religious practice's were finding their way into the church. We can see in these verses some of the things that were being mixed into the church. In 2:8 we see the idea that you need to keep learning and growing in knowledge to get closer to God. In 2:16 we see how the old testament law was still trying to be imposed on new believers, which some were gentiles. So they really didn't care about the law. Last but not least we see in 2:18 how it was being said you needed to have visions and dreams and contact with angels to be closer to God.
As Paul would tell them plainly, "no you don't you have Christ in you and that's all you need".
Christ in you= All that Christ is, is available to you.
You in Christ= All that Christ did is credited to you.


 On Tuesday for workday the group I was in was tasked with, shoveling and breaking ice of a roof. Fun stuff haha. It wasn't to bad I enjoy getting
out and working around the lodge and helping out.








Friday and Saturday we did our LOVE A LIFTIE outreach both days
followed by Soup and Tune on Saturday night. What we do for Love a Liftie is, we go out and hand out goodie bags with snacks and stuff to the lifties and just letting them know we appreciate them. We also invite them to Soup and
 

Tune, which happens each week and that's where anyone can come and wax their board for free, get some dinner, and just hangout and have a good time. You may think "hmm well that really doesn't seem like they are talking a lot about Jesus or church and stuff like that"? Well you would be wright. We take a bit of a different approach on this opportunity that we have. They will know us by our love. That's how we treat this outreach and use it for our way into peoples lives to build a relationship and go from there.

Well Sunday I got to go to XGAMES ASPEN!!!!!!!!!!! It WAS SOOOO FREAKING AWESOME!!!!!!!! I had a great time with friends hangin out down there. Its always a plus too when the event is free. It was definitely something I would not get to see back home.However the great day would end soon after we left. Shortly after we got on the road we received a call that a the father of a friend of ours had passed away. It is always hard to deal with loss. But I take joy in knowing that the Lord sees the bigger picture, and he is close to the brokenhearted.

 This is one of my favorite Chapman songs ever.

I saw it again today in the face of a little child
Looking through the eyes of fear and uncertainty
It echoed in a cry for freedom across the street and across the miles
Cries from the heart to find the missing part

Where is the hope, where is the peace?
That will make this life complete
For every man, woman, boy, and girl
Looking for heaven in the real world

To stand in the pouring rain and believe the sun will shine again
To know that the grave is not the end
To feel the embrace of grace and cross the line where real life begins
And know in your heart you've found the missing part

There is a hope, there is a peace
That will make this life complete
For every man, woman, boy, and girl
Looking for heaven in the real world
Heaven in the real world

It happened one night with a tiny baby's birth
God heard creation crying and He sent heaven to earth

He is the hope, He is the peace
That will make this life complete
For every man, woman, boy and girl
Looking for heaven in the real world


Till Next Time
Love Jared

The Adventure Continues - I Do Believe

 Sorry for the delay, we had internet problems over the first weekend back and I wanted to get at least a full weeks activities in to report :)


I am now halfway done with my year at Timberline. All I can say is that I am so happy that I was willing to trust the Lord and step out on faith. It has been such an awesome experience and I would not trade it for the world. I am so happy to be back with friends that now feel like family and so very thankful for my time at home with family and friends over Christmas break. I am glad to say my arm is almost back to 100% still a bit stiff with some rotation but it improves day after day. For those who do not know, my arm was in a sling for a little over a week and even when I was able to bring it out my mobility and range of motion for my arm was very little. You may be asking "well how did you injure yourself"? Well I found out I'm able to go down MOUNTAINS in Colorado on my Longboard at about 20-25mph but not able to go about 10mph or so on what maybe could be considered a hill in Florida. So I fell and banged it up pretty good, thankfully no break, just a bit of road rash and a whole lot of swelling. Other than that I had a very good time back. I was so thankful to have thee opportunity to lead music for my home church my final Sunday home. It was a blessing to lead and sing with everyone.
I cannot express how grateful I am for the generous giving of my church family in supporting me for my last few months out here. It truly shows how God will take care of us when we have no idea to get by or when we cannot do it on our own.

Matthew 6

Do Not Worry

25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?

28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So returning to Timberline this week on Wednesday. I was able to be accompanied by my buddy Chris and he will be staying for a week hangin out and seeing what all goes on out here. I had the pleasure of teaching him how to board and watching him eat it quite a few times. He did manage to get it his second day out. He was able to make a few good runs. He also got the experience the late night shenanigans that go on. 

This past full week we had Wayne Weissman going over bible study methods with us. I enjoyed it thoroughly. On Thursday we had to prepare a 3min teaching from a few passages we went over the previous days. I did my minisermon on Luke 2:8-20. I wanted to point out things that we may read but not always really pay much attention to as it is the Christmas story and we focus on Jesus coming.
So my 5 points were-

1-When angels show up and or the glory of God shines, most of the time if not always the people who are in the presence of them or it are pretty freaked out and terrified.

2-This is one of the first times a savior is foretold to people since the Old Testament according to Luke.

3-A great multitude of angels appeared so this must be a big deal.

4-The shepherds not only believed but then went with haste to see what they had been told about.

5-Bethlahem means "house of bread" and Christ is the bread of life.

Thursday night we had a Sader meal and celebrated the Passover feast. We are doing it now since it is closer to the date rather then when we actually went over the feasts of Israel. Wayne headed it up, it was a very fun night.

We will have our first group in this week for the guest season. We spent most of Tuesday afternoon preparing the campus for the group. I was out with my team clearing, prepping, and preparing the ice rink. It is a Middle school group of at least 40, it is going to be nuts! I am very eager for the weekend to start with the group, as this is one of the big reasons that I wanted to come out here. The hands on aspect with youth is something I have been looking forward to.

The group arrived Friday night, I was on program team. Program team gets to basically be the face of Timberline while guest are here. We did everything from leading worship to handing out skates and sticks for the rink and running games. It was an awesome weekend! We found out this morning that a kid one of the program staff had been talking with, gave his life to the Lord. That makes the whole weekend worth it! 

As I sit and close this post out, I think of how I will transition what I have learned this year to helping possibly lead outreaches when home at Riverside. Something I think that happens to a lot of us with outreach is we either get scared of it or we say the old "well someone else will do it I don't have to". But guess what? THAT IS THE WRONG ATTITUDE TO HAVE!!
As I sit and think about how 40 Middleschoolers descended upon me and the other students this weekend, some of the students were a bit apprehensive and anxious for it, thinking they were not ready for the task at hand. But it just goes to show, when we think  we aren't ready God usually is.  

 Sitting in a traffic jam 11:52 p.m.
Just a few miles south of Cincinnati Ohio
I take my pen and start to write
The thoughts that fill my head tonight
Nothing terribly profound
Just these simple words
That keep my heart anchored down
That keep my restless heart anchored down

I do, I do, I do, I do believe
I know, I know, I know, I know it's true, yeah
I do, I do, I do, I do believe
Lord, I believe in You
I believe in You

Now these can be confusing times
The skeptics posing as the wise
It's hard to see the light
Through all the shadows of the doubt
But You keep saying all the while
It takes the vision of a child
Looking through the eyes of faith to see reality
So once again I will say
I believe You're the life
You're the truth, You're the way

I do, I do, I do, I do believe
I know, I know, I know, I know it's true, yeah
I do, I do, I do, I do believe
Lord, I believe in You
I believe in You

If this faith in You is blind
It's not to anything that's true
'Cause Your love opens up my eyes
To see that everything I need
Is found when I believe in You, yeah

I like these lyrics for this week because at least we had an impact on one kid and he now sings this chorus in his heart.

Till Next Time
Love Jared 

The Invitation

 

Times Square

The week in NYC was awesome, tiring, sometimes trying, but awesome! We left from Timberline Wednesday the 10th very very early, 6 a.m. that may not seem bad but when you are up till 1 it's early. Our flight out was a bit after 11. All went well, we made it to LaGuardia about 5:30ish. Then there was a miscommunication with who was and when they were supposed to pick us up. So we ended up waiting in the airport for around an hour and a half. Which was fine me and a few of my buddies took out our instruments and did a little praise and worship sesh right there on the floor in the LaGuardia baggage claim. Once we were picked up and arrived at NYSUM, we had dinner and right after that we went out for a few hours and checked out our surroundings.We got back in about 1:30 a.m. then we were up about 6:30 to make it to breakfast at 7. Due to a staff member just walking out on NYSUM the week before we showed up, our schedule was not quite done. So instead of our free day to explore the city being Tuesday before we left it ended up being that Thursday. 

Before we started our free day the Lord did provide us with a way to serve. There was a truckload of 3000 blankets that had to be unloaded in the morning. So again up at 7 for breakfast then unloading a Semi. Then we headed out on our free day I probably walked about a million miles but it was awesome.

Me And Cody

 I spent the whole day with a group of my friends (Luke, Cody, Naomi, Emily, and Dean). We went all day from 11 to 11. We walked Manhattan and Queens for most of the day. 

I was able to see pretty much all the major landmarks.


We stopped at the 9/11 memorial, which was the one thing I had to see if I couldn't see anything else. We hit up Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the Tree out in front of the Rock, Times Square and we took the Staten Island ferry out the night before and saw the skyline and Lady Liberty! We also just wandered a good little bit taking it all in. As it is quite, quite vast and amazing how much there is.

Friday morning our schedule was about worked out. Our large group was split into 3 smaller groups for the trip. My team was able to go to a food pantry over in the Bronx and sort, stack, and handout to those in need.The pantry we were helping was in the Bronx and was actually a Puerto Rican church body, as that area of the city has a very large Latino population. we started about 9 and went till about 2:30. Again after being up late and then up very early. We then headed back to NYSUM for a quick little break and dinner and then we were out again.

Me, Caleb, Lissy

We headed to Rockefeller Center and we caroled under the tree for a few hours. That was an awesome experience. We then split into our groups again. My group went and set up a food truck in front of Penn Station where we gave out hot dogs, water, and hot coco. While doing that we went in groups down into the station with blankets, water, and toiletries, looking for the homeless.  We would assist however we could. We helped quite a few people that night. The one instance that stuck out to me most that night was with a man named Scotty. He had lost his job and started drinking,  he did claim to know Jesus, and did seem to know quite a good amount of Scripture. We talked for awhile, just asking about him and his story. So me and my group brought him some food, water, and blankets then we prayed over him. As we were heading out I was the last to leave from the area, as a couple of officer's came along and told him he had to go. He then became rather hostile towards the officers. So I stepped in talked him down from arguing and yelling at them and got him to move along. If we hadn't been there he probably would have been arrested that evening. I believe that God put us there that night for him and his good.

Saturday our entire group went out in the morning to a very large church that helps underprivileged kids and runs a school there also. We gave out presents, snag songs, made balloon animals, and did face painting. All to make a child's Christmas better.    
Later that night we were out again handing out blankets, water, and toiletries. We also went around caroling and I did a little bit of street preaching. I laid out the Gospel for people passing by.

Me, Cody, Luke, Naomi, Emily

Sunday I went to the Brooklyn tabernacle. Let me just say it was, loud and amazing! Good teaching and good music. After church me and a couple of buddies walked around Brooklyn for a little while and ate Pizza. We had the afternoon off for a bit more time to explore. Later in the day we went to Tom's diner which is the coffee shop that you see in Seinfeld. We had dinner there, I felt like I was in an episode of the show.
 

On Monday we went out to a soup kitchen and helped cook, serve food, stock and organize a pantry. I helped prepare food. Cutting, dicing, and stirring. Later that night we again went out for the blanket ministry. We stood outside of a shelter and gave out all we had to give. Food, water, blankets, toiletries. There were many opportunities for our whole group to share the Gospel, which we did.

Luke, Lyndee, Kassy, Me

For our final day of work on Tuesday we were at a recovery center. We had the privilege of leading worship, sharing testimonies, and giving a message. I had the joy of leading the worship team for the day. A few of my friends shared their stories and my buddy Evan shared a short Devo out of Job.


Because of our flight being extremely early the next morning we did not go out on the homeless ministry. We had a short time to go out and see or pickup anything that we wanted. I shot up to the Bronx real quick with some friends and saw Yankee stadium. then headed back.

We left for LaGuardia at 3:45 our flight was at 6:30. We made it back to Denver about 10:30 a.m. I did not leave to come home for another 14 hours as my flight was at 12:30 that night. I did not get home until 5:45 Thursday morning needless to say I was ready for a shower and a nap.

 I am so happy I have chosen to take this year out at Timberline. Without doing it I would have never had this great opportunity. I enjoyed it very much. The city, the people, and the food was awesome! I was so happy that I was able to be a part of a group that was there to love on people.

I am so glad I was able to go on this trip. From being able to be hands on and help people to seeing the city and having lots and lots of food, it was an awesome week. Not to mention the subway is pretty cool.

As I try and apply some song lyrics to each post I thought of how these really apply well with what happened for me and the entire group in NYC.

 
In the Palace in the land of mercy
The King looked out from His throne
He saw the sick and the homeless and hungry
He saw me lost and without hope
And moved with compassion
He sent out His only Son
With the invitation
to come

This is your invitation
Come just the way you are
Come find what your soul has been longing for
Come find your peace
Come join the feast
Come in
This is your invitation

So I stood outside the gates and trembled
In my rags of unworthiness
Afraid to even stand at a distance
In the presence of Holiness
But just as I turned to go
The gates swung open wide
And the King and His only Son
They invited me inside

As the week went on and every time me or one of my friends was able to help someone and share Christ with them, I now can see a parallel to salvation. We all before Jesus were homeless, some of us accepted the invitation others have rejected it. In the same way I saw this when we tried to help a few people during our time on the streets.

So I want to leave you with this question, are you spiritually homeless, do you know someone who is? If so accept the invitation or give it.
                                                                               

Till Next Time
Love Jared