I sit here. Friday night at 11:22pm. It has been three months and my computer is still EST time - 11:22am. I keep forgetting to change it, but I will leave it for now. RealPlayer just finished updating my music database, and “Etenity” by Caleb and Sol Rexius is playing on my computer. I love the sweet aroma of freedom in Christ!

Last Sunday eight of us journeyed to go peddle boating – the normal six of us that go to the village plus two girls. It definitely is not your normal peddle boat place – a small but nice bamboo shack that sells frog on the side of the road with four peddle boats that is about a 20 minute walk away. Best of all it was only $1 per person for one hour. Some of the Thais were incredibly excited, because they had never gone before, which in turn made it really exciting for me. Getting in a short water fight and splashing each other surprised some of them, never mind my climbing from one boat to another, or gently peddling one boat into the back of another!! Too funny. There are more photos down below.

In terms of DTS and all..God has started to move in even more incredible ways in my life than before. He is really revealing a lot of the gifting He has given me. Praise God for His Spirit of Truth!

And lastly…I am temporarily checking out with the hope of posting every now and then over the next eight weeks. Early next Saturday morning we leave for the village and while we hope to get internet once a week, it is not guaranteed we will go to a nearby town every week. However, if you search iDTS Chiang Mai Doi Inthanon ’09 or search it on Facebook you will find our Facebook page. One of the head leaders has internet on his phone so he will update it every few days. So...MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Please keep us in your prayers, and I look forward to sharing more of this experience with you!

Here are a few photos to keep you busy in the mean time...

Friday night campfire.
I think we need to work on someone's stirring...this was after they started back peddling to get out of the tree. We all sat on and laughed!
Three of the five girls on my outreach team to Doi Inthanon. Ms. Malaysia, Ms. Thailand and Ms. USA.
Some of the crew relaxing around the fire.

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." - Romans 12:8.

God gave me a vision this week. Okay, God gave me a few visions this week, but one in particular really pertains to the week. I was walking down a long dark hallway, but there was a very bright beautiful light at the end that cast a little light towards me, and allowed me to see six-eight doors lining the hallway. Each door looked different, and I immediately recognized that each door represented a “wrong” I have done against someone that I have yet to make “right” with that person.

This week we discussed “clear conscience” in terms of being “right” with God and man, and how having a clear conscience allows us to be truly free and to grow deeper in our intimacy with God!

What is a clear conscience? It is knowing our thoughts, words and actions do not offend God or man. It is knowing that when we have offended God or man, due to sin, that we have confessed our wrongs, sought forgiveness and offered necessary restitution to man while accepting Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross pays the restitution we owe to God. It is clearing out the closet of things we tried to keep in the dark closet, and bringing them out into the light so that we can give them up to God and allow healing to take place. Having a clear conscience is recognizing life is not just “Akuna Mata” like in Lion King, but that we need to face the past in order to let go of it and truly make it the past.

A clear conscience is having what our speaker this week referred to as having a “Popeye Moment.” It is saying, “Enough is enough. I can not do this on my own anymore. God help me to forgive those who have hurt and me, and help me to say "I am sorry" to those I have hurt.” Unfortunately, we can not just eat some spinach and turn into muscle man, but we can turn to God and accept the strength and authority we receive when we trust in Him.

Having a clear conscience is knowing we have done all we can do to make things right and be at peace with people, but recognizing it does not depend on someone actually forgiving us. God is freedom and He wants to take your heavy burden.

In terms of going back to the vision. As I walked down the hallway towards the light of Christ I opened the doors and faced each person I had offended. While I do not know if every person came out of their room I had this sense that people accepted my apology and also followed me towards the light, as in not only did it change out relationship, but it changed them in their heart, and their hearts were turned towards God. I can only pray that as I go through and contact people - most of whom I have not talked to for years - that this incredible vision will become reality!

God bless.

Imagine mistakes being forgiven and the chains that tie you to past mistakes and hurts being broken. Imagine a God who breaks down, rebuilds, restores and once again trusts. Stop dreaming. He is standing there before you with His arms open, and He wants to be in a relationship with you.

This week was on relationships, and God really gave me a new heart. We talked about breaking ties and the consistent strand of hurts from past relationships, loosing ourselves from the chains that come with past sin and wrong doings, rebuilding trust among each other, being guided into God given marriages, etc. I thank God for this past week!

Also, 2 WEEKS UNTIL OUTREACH! I am so excited!! Please be praying for my brothers and sisters that came in faith and still owe some of their school/outreach fees - that the necessary money be provided and that they can go on outreach. Some of the World's best missionaries are in my midst and I pray they receive the last phase of the training that has helped us all in incredible ways!

We have found out our small outreach teams and team locations for our 6-week Thailand outreach. So here is the news...

In three weeks some kind of accommodation near the peak of Doi Inthanon. (2,500m/7500ft above sea level) will be "home" for our team of 10. We will work with Hmong refugees in that region, which happens to be the tallest mountain in Thailand and also part of the Himalayan region. I can not describe how excited I am, but for now I will say "I am pumped." When I heard one of the teams was going to Doi Inthanon I really hoped it would be mine - we will be working alongside a missionary who came and taught the "Firm Foundation" lecture week. Many of my closest friends are on the other team, but I am not concerned, because I know God placed me on this team for a reason and I love the location. Praise God!

Nothing much else is new. Lecture continues to be great and I am enjoying. A few bouts of homesickness every now and then, but I love Skype Subscriptions that allow my family to call unlimited and also adorable little clips of my nephew which my sister sends.

Love you all.

China. The “mysterious” country I was referring to in past posts.

The 11 days we spent in-country passed quickly, almost too quickly. Except for a few days, we were awake by 6:30am, filled our days with different work, and went to bed at 11pm. We worked with local “Ms” to share with university students; teach English to people that come to “English corner” at night in apartments that Ms live in; teach fun actions songs and English, and play with children at different schools; perform dances at a few different places; do prayer walks throughout the city, etc. In short, we mostly witnessed and further developed the relationships Ms already have or built new relationships and passed them on to the Ms. China is a different country – it is Communist – and you need to be careful. At no time did we deny our faith, but “are you a Christian group” was answered with “I am Christian, but you need to ask the others about their faith.”

At one university, a few of us found ourselves talking to a young woman who is a Communist Party member. Before being told she is a Party member I suspected it. Nice for me she saved the extremely inquisitive questions, which come from being dissatisfied with being told we are on cultural exchange from Thailand, for my friend who speaks Mandarin. I “somehow” had the right words for the few inquisitive questions she asked me. She also saved the “nice” warning about Christians sharing “The News” for my friend. However, the vast majority of the students we spoke with during our time in China – most go to English corner – are very curious about faith and feel the emptiness that exists in their hearts from living in a country whose government is against faith of any kind, especially Christianity. It was exciting to see the curiosity and the work being done in people’s hearts!

We also spent time at a school for poor and orphaned children. Crowded classrooms alongside other factors caused for the need to yell rather than sing, but it was a lot of fun, too! On our last day at the school we performed our dances, they performed for us, and then they tied red bandanas around our necks as a symbol of “initiation” into the Communist party –that is what we were told. None the less it was a good cover up for us!

My favorite school was a group of 3rd-6th graders we taught on Saturday – they were great and really got into our program! It was also awesome, because their English teacher took us out for noodles at the original noodle stall in the city from forever ago!

Overall, I was blessed and hopefully a blessing, but I am joyful to be back in Thailand. The trip was good, but for the first time it was difficult to find passion in my heart. When I entered India and Thailand my heart for the people came with me, but in China I had to ask and seek. It went beyond cold weather, being sick for a few days, the exhaustion of going continuously, and the inability to openly share my faith. However, my heart caught up with my mind on Day 5 when I was on a morning run. Something clicked and my heart broke for China.

I will continue to pray for China, but I praise God I was made for Thailand.

I have a renewed desire to continue learning the language, reaching out to the people, ignoring the itchiness from mosquito bites, and embracing the climate.

This week flew by - we studied world view and it was a great reminder that the way we share the Gospel in the US is sometimes similar but often very different from how to share it effectively in Asia! It was also a week filled with preparing for our two week journey that we leave for tomorrow - seems that the ministry opportunities will be found amidst teaching English and volunteering at an orphanage! However, the biggest change has been the weather. Along with November 2nd came colder temperatures, taking our my fleece jacket and hoping to find a hat soon. Do you know the temperature? The other day I felt so cold, but when we looked it was 63 degrees! What?! I guess that's what happens after living in a warm place! However, by the grace of God we still have warmer days when the sun is shining - like today!

Also, I have posted links to "new photos" on the right side - I kept forgetting to do it, but now they are there!

There is not much else to talk about, except I have now reposted the Karen Village video with subtitles - it is definitely worth watching now! As a quick reminder it is about how six of us that took the journey two weeks ago to the waterfall and then hitchhiked/hiked up to visit a couple more villages. Please enjoy!

For the next two weeks I will be in a different country and we will have no form of communication. Please keep your eyes opened for new stories and photos some time after November 22.

Here is a video I made about the two weeks I spent in New Zealand back in May. I figured it was better posting it late than never!

[My journal entry for this week.]

This week we had a scientist from Connecticut (YES CT!!) teach on Creationism/6 Day Creation, and the importance of knowledge and applying it. It was all a blessing, and it was definitely really interesting to hear things about how when we examine science within the context of submitting to God it actually “adds up.”

One quick example - Dinosaurs did exist. They were created by God and while the climate prior to Noah’s Ark was very accommodating to them it is very likely they would have died off quickly after because of the climate change, access to food, etc after the Flood. Also, while science can not explain dinosaur fossils near the top of mountains The Flood/Noah’s Ark gives a perfect reason – the water was above the mountain tops => dinosaurs drowned => the waters calmed and the bodies sank => lighter sediment settled on top causing the necessary pressure to make fossils.

One of the other MANY things we discussed was the idea of the Law of Thermodynamics, and how evolution actually denies this from happening because it is based on very basic amino acids becoming man, animal and plant. On the other hand, when examining the idea that God created man and then man fell and was cursed causing brokenness, then separated (Babel) by language and land, it demonstrates the Law of Thermodynamics.

In other news - the lecture phase of the 5 months is now half way done. We have two more weeks of class, then we will be in a country north of Thailand on outreach soon, and then have 4 weeks of class before going on outreach to villages in northern Thailand Dec 19 to mid-February. Also, in order to open some doors during outreach e are learning Thai dance which is really awesome, and we also learned a hip-hop dance that reflects Jesus loving all.

And lastly but not least importantly here is an important lesson I learned last week...riding in the bed of trucks is the main form of transportation but NEVER SIT ON A BAG OF STICKS!

I am now off to the city to wander around and spend some alone time away from the base - it is necessary every now and then when you spend 24/7 with the same people.

Love you all!

Happy Birthday to my brother Mike and to my Mommy (a few days early.)

Here is a video I made for my mommy...

DTS...

What a week! The topic of the class was “simple church,” and recognizing the counterfeit church versus the Ekklesia. It was one of the most freeing weeks – okay every week chains are being ripped off from the bondage of “Christiandom” as I like to call it.

What do I mean Ekklesia? This is the actual greek word, before the Europeans decided to call it “kurch” which means large building or pub in a village. An Ekklesia is a group of people called out and gathered together for an important reason – in this context to worship God. Did you know buildings for Christians did not even exist for the first 200 years after Christ died?

I may be shaking some sacred cows, but stick with me. For so long I confused the idea of being called to reach everyone with the Gospel and the concept of expanding a church. In the true Ekklesia, members of one Ekklesia go out, and once they meet people who desire to know Christ a couple of the original members start a new Ekklesia, and then the process repeats. It is NOT about starting mega churches that have “core groups” that try to imitate the Ekklesia. It is not about starting a small church. The Ekklesia is not even about one or two people leading everyone. There are elders and deacons who serve, but in the true Ekklesia everyone gathers together and shares songs, hymns, teachings and revelations that God has spoken in their hearts.

But, wait. People may be squirming in their seats like I did. “I agree with this, but where do I tithe?” The revelation? We are not bound by law and do not have to give 10%! Why? Because Jesus fulfilled the Law by calling us to give 100% to the poor, needy, traveling pastors, etc!!

In my heart I have known there was something wrong with my concept of the church, even since knowing it is about people and not a building, but I did not know what was wrong.

Imagine if churches sold the special lights, hi-tech gear, smoke machines and designer programs, and then put the money in the bank. Can you imagine how many missionaries could be sent out both locally and overseas to unreached people just using the monthly interest earned?!

In no way do I believe that everyone should stop going to church – after all there are many people sitting in the pews that do not know True Freedom nor have a relationship with Jesus. In no way am I saying everyone should quit giving at a church where they are being fed. However, I share this - since we live one hour from a church, and therefore it is an all day event for us to go in, a few of us choose to stay back at the YWAM base on Sunday. More than ever before I know genuine community and fellowship. We push and pull each other. We seek God together. We feed each other.

The true Ekklesia is built upon people hearing from God and feeding each other, not only being fed. This my friends, is the beginning of me seeking the meaning of the true Ekklesia.