Wild at heart: Life is good at YWAM

7/13/13

This morning I got up, got ready, and packed. Today a few schools (not all) are going to eagle rock till Thursday!

This means mountains, no phone service and hiking! The base here is really neat! It has a spectacular view of the mountains. Showers of rain poured over us shortly after arriving. It was a great way to start the weekend!

Rainy deck (^)

7/14/13

This morning I watched the service online from my home church trinity fellowship! Thank you lord for wifi and a modern church.

This afternoon from 1:30-5:45 I hiked eagle rock mountain. It was very tough but a great reward doing so at the time. Last night God told me i would be climbing a mountain, not knowing what that meant i agreed. Before a group left to go, my YWAM sister Gracie pulled me aside and told me she thought i needed to go and so i agreed. On the way up, the "flesh" in me kept piercing hurtful words to get me to turn around and go back, but God told me I wasn't done yet! As I kept going, Gracie then appeared at my side assuring me that I could go my pace and stop when I needed to. It was a blast. When we finally got to what I thought was "the top", I tested my trust and had two of our guy leaders (larse and Steph) help me climb a really tall rock! Once I was up, I realized I was clinging to Larse, Until I got direction to move otherwise.lol

When I got up the rock I felt really accomplished! Until I realized we weren't there just yet. So down I went, almost like repelling.

So we went a little farther and then stopped but a few of us decided to just go ahead and go down. On the way down God told me "Katie, sometimes it's going to be tough, sometimes you will go down hill and it will be fun. Other times your going to have to trust the people I surround you with. Sometimes you will have to get really close to me, so I can direct you with every little detail. Sometimes it's going to be just me and you and your going to have to trust me. Sometimes I am going to tell you to stop and enjoy the view. Other times I am going to go great lengths in showing you just how strong you really are. I love you and I am with you always." As He was telling me this I was cutting thru paths, going straight down a mountain. I was told that to dig my heals into the mountain and hold my arms out. God surprised me by saying "hey, what are you doing with your arms stretched out that way....my hands are here" before long I saw my hands find His and I was breezing down the mountain. Sometimes I found myself losing sight but God assured me by not ever letting me fall, that he was there with me. When I got to the base dinner was ready and so I ate, took my test for class, showered and crashed.lol

A few sites from where I was climbing (^)

Ally, Bethany and I at the top of the rock Larse and stephe helped us climb (^)

7/15/13

My first 2 tests are due this morning as well as my journal report. Worship was a little different. Though I know worship is not always music, this was even cooler. As The Lord directed each of us we got up, wrote the scripture reference on the whiteboard and then read aloud the scripture God lead us to. Reading it aloud 3 times slowly to let it sink in.

It was really great!:)

This week Mark Davies is speaking. Today was mostly let's get to know each other but I expect tomorrow to be deep. Class got out early so i ventured off to the prayer garden! It's so cute.

I stayed there for prolly almost two hours.

After dinner I cuddled up on the couch with one of my roommates by the fire. It was great. We just read our books and marveled on our lives.

Community living is different! I am learning to be more vulnerable as we go. I find myself trying to hide in my cave which is sometimes acceptable but not always. God usually helps me out by dragging me out by my feet!

The path to the prayer chapel (^)

The cutest little prayer chapel I have ever seen (^).

7/16/13

My quiet times are always the best part of the day! And from there they continue thru the day! Mark Davie spoke on relationships today! I thought it was a little fuddy duddy at first until he backed it up with scripture! Then it literally hit me, that truth was behind that with not just him but anyone. Speaking on best friends with the opposite sex and how dangerous it is to do that. Because it says something great about you that might attract the other when you only just want to be friends. Lets just say it won't last long. It's rare if it does. And if it does it more than likely won't end well.

I had clean up after lunch and dinner today, so my afternoon was free.

I walked up to the prayer garden. I sat down and God told me "Daughter

Of the feared beloved

You are like a butterfly dancing in a field of flowers." And sure enough, just before me was a bright yellow butterfly fluttering through the wild flowers that surround the garden.

It has been a blessing to work in the kitchen because I only have to do this two days this week! My body appreciates this, due to climbing a mountain I'm still very sore! I'm so glad I did it though. We all ended the day with a bonfire outside. I really do love this group! I can't brag enough about them.

7/17/13

Today is our last full day in Eagle Rock!

This morning we did class outside. Pretty interesting if you ask me.

I have been voice recording the lectures so I don't miss a thing and can focus more on listening and relating. My phone decided it was too hot though and turned off till it cooled down. Honestly I can't blame it! It got hot out there. So during break I moved to shade. Outreach prep today went a little like making paper dolls that the scraps turned into crowns. Plus we played two truth's and a lie as well as a few other games that were really fun to play as a family! I love each and everyone of these people. Their isn't one I love more or less, they are all equal! Snacks are always involved, which consisted of a little sugar free chocolate. This also rooted on the alti-toot's (to go along with altitude) for everyone (oh dear!😳). This is a little bit of community living in a nut shell for you. It does get deeper and much more personal as I go each day but, I'm totally fine with that.

We ended the day with s'mores by the fire outside, surrounded by mountains and just a big YWAM family gathering. I got the blessing of helping Jessa (YWAM staff) set up! She is awesome!:)

S'mores was yummy!

Honestly hadn't had that much sugar at once in a long time. I was pretty hysterical later. These are the moments I don't stop talking and I always find something to laugh at.

Melanie, Jessa and Logan getting ready for smore's (^)

Camp fire pics (^)

7/18/13

Last day in Eagle rock. This is bitter sweet for me. I love it here yet I want to go Back home (the base down the mountain). Got to hear mark one more time before he left.

It's like vacation here! I'm going to miss this place.

I wasn't too happy this morning due to the fact that we did bible study instead of quiet time! This will be a normal Thursday deal, so I think in order to be in a good mood on those days, I am going to get up earlier for quiet time!

My last clean up duty was fun, but the dishwasher decided to stop working....which we later found out it just needed to be filled. Then we went home! I unpacked, made a Walmart run and talked on the phone for an hour with my lovely parents.

I'm excited to say they will be coming for my birthday! Everybody here is excited to meet the famous Paisley.:)

I'm really excited for them to meet the family here at YWAM.

I know paisley will love it since they always have pb&j available at every meal on top of the normal meal they provide.

Last day at Eagle rock, rocking the stripes and a little sad/happy we are leaving (^)

7/19/13

Fridays are normally relaxing. I like it this way! Quiet time was very relaxing and so needed. I always take this time to take care of my heart by journaling everything but I guess I left a few things out. I payed that price during worship! I was a mess. Many of my prayers go out to the family and friends back home.

For intercession we all broke out in groups and walked around the neighborhood near base, praying for the family's living there or anything God brought to our attention. In my group, one of the girls toes hurt so I bent down touched her toe and prayed for it to be healed in Jesus name. When I finished praying she looked at me shocked and excitedly announced that her toe doesn't hurt anymore.

On a side note:

My constant prayer lately that really has brought change to everything I walk into whether its from a far or up close. I always thank God for that person first, then I ask that the devil not be aloud to come near this person and a blanket of healing/peace to be placed over this person. I have seen immediate change for several weeks praying this prayer. It's really neat.

A little while later, God told the 4 of us to pray over the playground and so we sat down and started to pray. When we got there, their were only a few kids, as we prayed, more kids came running onto the playground. As we sat there watching, we prayed over a little girl (from a distance) who we felt had been told lie's about her in her life. Praying against those lies and for help over the person expressing that to her. Later a little girl and a little boy began to fight over a play thing, which ended in her kicking the little boy in the face. As we watched, the little boy fell to the ground and started to cry, the little girl then stood up and looked down. She started to walk towards a teacher muttering "now, I'm in trouble." She went up to her teacher to tell her what she did. We all knew though that she didn't really tell her what had happened. The little girl went over to a tree near by and sat down. We watched for a moment and saw that she was talking and crying. Faith church is near by and so we thought this group was from there and it was. This little girl was talking to God. Mary, one of the girls in my group felt the calling to go and talk to her. So she asked a teacher who was happy to hear this and let her. She talked to this little girl who expressed that she loves Jesus and wants to be just like Him but can't figure out why she can't. When Mary had asked to pray over her, this little girl said "yes, I want you to pray that I won't be so mean". Breaks my heart! As I watched this from a distance, I wanted to cry!

This girl wasn't the only one changed today but all of us as well. I can't speak for the rest of the group but I definitely know I was changed watching.

I want to challenge you to pray for your community, families and anything God places on your heart! It really makes a difference.

7/20/13

Today I woke up at 5:40 to get ready for service Saturday! We left at 6:30 after packing our lunches. We arrived at Salvation Army in Estes Park where they had a music camp for kids. After we are breakfast, we were put to work. Tabea and I were placed at an entrance to keep people from going up the road to park, cause there wasn't any parking at that entrance. So we were directing traffics to the next entrance. We had fun walking around like we owned the entrance singing kid songs like "Jesus love me" and "Jesus loves the little children". I don't know why these songs came to mind but they did. Afterwards we pulled out dead tree's in area's that really needed it, due to the fire cautions, dead tree's can make this problem spread. It was fun! We also paired up and made beds. My mom did a great job raising me to be tidy! I am thankful for this in times like this because the guy I was paired with confessed he wasn't good at it, so I took the mom role in a way to help make things look good. Thanks mom!:)

When we got back to base I had half a book to read in order to get it done by Monday. I have a report due Monday as well.

That was also the time I got a lovely call from my amazing parents. I now have to choose between having them come up for my birthday or me and a few other coming down to Amarillo.

Decisions decisions! In between I got my hair cut! I needed it bad! I have been contemplating this thought for a week. It worked out to where a friend needed to go to target and there was a great clips next door to it and it was also in my price range.

I finished my book!:) Woot! Woot!