Well, it's week 11 of the school; we have this week of classes and next week and we'll be finished. It's unreal how quickly the quarter has gone by, I don't want to believe it's almost over because I want to keep going. Fortunately I think God wants me to keep going here, and as has been the plan all along, to do the WISE school (Worship Intercession Spiritual warfare and Evangelism) starting June 24. But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, I want to talk about these past few weeks of the school.
After the last time I posted we went through a week of teaching on modern versus traditional worship. It was a good week and the teacher gave us some cool perspective on different ways of "doing church," if you'll excuse the expression, but I think the greatest thing I learned from her teaching was to not confine myself in how I can learn and experience things. Several times during the week she had us do some visual or hands-on activities, like painting or walking through a "labyrinth," in order to allow us to reflect on some of the things that we had heard in the teaching. My first reaction was always, "I don't reflect or learn this way," but I chose humility and tried it and because I was vulnerable God showed me some interesting things. As I was walking through the labyrinth, which was just a pattern mowed into the grass, God spoke to me about the Christian walk: sometimes we'll pass the same point three or four times in our life and it's easy to get down on ourselves and think, "Ah! here I am again at square one," but actually we've progressed a lot and He's just helping us dig deeper into the issue so as to remove it from the very tips of the roots; the most mature river is one that meanders a lot. That river also supports the most life. He taught me several other things besides that, about following, about perspective of other people's walk, about humility, etc. it was really awesome, as I'd never even given myself a chance to learn that way. Sometimes we just need to interact with God in a different way than we're used to, we ought to ask Him what He wants to do more often and not assume we know.
Also during that week the DTSers who had gone out on outreach came back. These were people that were around when I had come back from my outreach. It was great to see what they were like after they had experienced some of the same things that I had gone through, and to see how dramatically they had grown after a couple months of laying down their lives fully to the Lord. The stories they came back with were incredible and encouraging and I can't wait to do schools with some of them in the future. God is really doing some crazy things in and through this generation in the nations of the world, and I'm stoked to be a part of it.
After that week we had recording prep, where we practiced our songs all day every day for four days. Needless to say, my voice stretched a ton, and I was very sick of my song before we go to recording, but it was all worth it. All of our bands (we have three in our school) did impressively well during the recording week. The musicians were on tempo and nailed there parts with only a few takes. It was a cool experience being in a real recording studio and listening to a song get pieced together from the ground up, I'm excited to hear the end result of all of our songs. There are some incredible singer/songwriters in our school.
As always I have requests for prayers, and I thank you all for keeping me in your prayers. Again and again I'll keep saying this: I know that your prayers have been and will continue to be very effective, and they're very valuable to me. God has been banging on this brick wall with a sledge hammer and the cracks are showing and a lot of progress is being made in my relationship with Him and I know that your prayers have contributed a lot to the softening of my heart in the different areas of my life. Please continue to pray that I'd be humble, broken and contrite before the Lord, that I'd finish off this quarter strong and wouldn't take a moment for granted, that I'd have a generous heart towards all other people, whether with my physical or spiritual belongings, and that I'd seek Him all day, every day. Also please pray for peace, and, as I mentioned last time, I'm still in need of finances to pay off this school. More than prayers for support, however, because I know that God can give me all the money and more in a heartbeat, please pray that I wouldn't let myself be anxious about the situation, but that I'd embrace it and trust God every step and I'd walk in thankfulness for the trial, because He has already done much in me and will continue to.
God bless you all, and thanks again for your prayers and support. I'll be updating you all again probably after I graduate from the school.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
SOW: Week 8 (Already)
Well I'm finally back with another update. It's been a bit over a month, and I've been meaning to write in here every other week but unfortunately I was without internet until late last week; my apologies for not keeping you all up to date, but thank you for being interested and praying in the meantime.
The last few weeks have been fantastic. I've been tested and challenged a lot on a bunch of different subjects and areas; I'll recount what I can, there's quite a bit that's happened, though, so I'll be try to be concise.
Since the last time I updated we've had a teachings on songwriting, the tabernacles of David and Moses' and various teachings on worship in general (go figure). The lady who taught us songwriting, Karla Adolphe, is an absolutely phenomenal teacher, and an even better artist, which is saying a lot, and she made songwriting a very attainable thing for me, who has never done any songwriting at all. By the end of the week I was feeling very comfortable with songwriting and I've even helped a couple DTS students write a song using a lot of the practical points that Karla had given us; consequently, the songs turned out great. Anyways, I'd encourage anyone and everyone with taste to check out Karla's music, she has an album up for free on her site (karlaadolphe.ca).
The teachings about the tabernacles were fantastic as well. I just love the intricacies of the bible. When Jesus said that all scripture is actually talking about Him He meant just that! I was blown away by the beautiful symbolism of the tabernacle of Moses and the way that every single detail was mapped out in great detail by God, because it was to prophesy about His coming Son. I haven't had much opportunity lately, but I'm excited to further explore the first five books of the Bible, especially Leviticus.
We had a week with David Power's who talked about prayer and worship. I loved the way He spoke about the Word of God. Not with legalism or religiosity but with a reverence and shocking intimacy that really challenged me in, well, everything really. Something I really started thinking deeply about and analyzing as a result is the way that I pray (aka talk to God). I've been asking myself a lot in the middle of praying and after praying, "Why do I talk to God that way?" Most of the time I talk to God quite different then I talk to people. Of course I don't mean on like a reverence level I talk differently, that's a given and a should. I mean different as in the vocabulary I use. How many times do I say, "I just ask/pray/declare" or say "Father" or "Lord" or "Jesus" etc. over and over as if He needs reminding of what His name is. And I believe that it's a result of how I view my relationship with Him. Does not our speech evolve and adapt as we get to know somebody (whether our knowledge of them is true or not. If we know God as an egomaniac sittin in the sky with His feet resting on the backs of angels and being fed grapes by a throng or cherubs (very descriptive, I know) we'll address Him accordingly. But He doesn't want to be known that way, He desires intimacy and friendship with us, and longs to converse with us on that level, just as He did with Moses'. But I digress.
Also as a result of that week I've begun to write out the five books of the Bible, and maybe the rest too, just as the Kings of Israel were supposed to do. I'm not terribly far in yet, I take an hour a day to do that and my goal is not to get through it but to fall in love with it just as David did, but I've been learning a ton and noticing a bunch of stuff that I just skimmed over before. I've actually taken time to find out the meaning of the names of people listed and what I've learned in that alone is really remarkable. God really doesn't say anything in the Word without a purpose.
God has been moving greatly in my life these past few weeks, and I can hardly believe that it's already week 8, though in a sense the start of the school feels like a really long time ago. A couple weeks ago at the church I've been going to here in Denver, Renovation Church, God gave a word to me through Bryan Schwartz and his wife, it was a really simple one-word... word. They both just said, "Nations," almost simultaneously, and before I knew what was happening I dropped to the floor like a rock. I felt such incredible clarity and confirmation in that moment: I knew, without any doubt, that that word was truly from God and that what was always in my heart was placed there by God, and I'm stoked to go on that adventure with God. I realize now, where it was just a theory before, that God has me here at YWAM right now to train me, disciple me, if you will, for what He wants to do with me next, and I'm stoked for that. It helps me a lot to look at this time as a training, or practice. It brings it to the level of seriousness that it should be at for me.
Please continue to be praying for me; I feel all your prayers, they've been very effective and appreciated. Pray for continued humbling, for grace, for wisdom, for discipline, and for an open heart and mind to learn all that God wants to teach to me. Also I'm in need quite a bit of support for the schools I'm to do this year and my trip to Uganda next year (God willing, of course) so please pray that doors would open up like only God can open them and people would offer to support me and the vision that God's given me. Already He's provided for me in awesome ways, and I'm really thankful for the people in my life that so selflessly have given to me, and I'm even more stoked to see the ways God blesses their socks off.
Thanks again all who read this for your investment in my life, and everyone else who still care. I love you all and pray for you constantly with a whole lot joy and gratitude to God. Blessings!
-Jonny
The last few weeks have been fantastic. I've been tested and challenged a lot on a bunch of different subjects and areas; I'll recount what I can, there's quite a bit that's happened, though, so I'll be try to be concise.
Since the last time I updated we've had a teachings on songwriting, the tabernacles of David and Moses' and various teachings on worship in general (go figure). The lady who taught us songwriting, Karla Adolphe, is an absolutely phenomenal teacher, and an even better artist, which is saying a lot, and she made songwriting a very attainable thing for me, who has never done any songwriting at all. By the end of the week I was feeling very comfortable with songwriting and I've even helped a couple DTS students write a song using a lot of the practical points that Karla had given us; consequently, the songs turned out great. Anyways, I'd encourage anyone and everyone with taste to check out Karla's music, she has an album up for free on her site (karlaadolphe.ca).
The teachings about the tabernacles were fantastic as well. I just love the intricacies of the bible. When Jesus said that all scripture is actually talking about Him He meant just that! I was blown away by the beautiful symbolism of the tabernacle of Moses and the way that every single detail was mapped out in great detail by God, because it was to prophesy about His coming Son. I haven't had much opportunity lately, but I'm excited to further explore the first five books of the Bible, especially Leviticus.
We had a week with David Power's who talked about prayer and worship. I loved the way He spoke about the Word of God. Not with legalism or religiosity but with a reverence and shocking intimacy that really challenged me in, well, everything really. Something I really started thinking deeply about and analyzing as a result is the way that I pray (aka talk to God). I've been asking myself a lot in the middle of praying and after praying, "Why do I talk to God that way?" Most of the time I talk to God quite different then I talk to people. Of course I don't mean on like a reverence level I talk differently, that's a given and a should. I mean different as in the vocabulary I use. How many times do I say, "I just ask/pray/declare" or say "Father" or "Lord" or "Jesus" etc. over and over as if He needs reminding of what His name is. And I believe that it's a result of how I view my relationship with Him. Does not our speech evolve and adapt as we get to know somebody (whether our knowledge of them is true or not. If we know God as an egomaniac sittin in the sky with His feet resting on the backs of angels and being fed grapes by a throng or cherubs (very descriptive, I know) we'll address Him accordingly. But He doesn't want to be known that way, He desires intimacy and friendship with us, and longs to converse with us on that level, just as He did with Moses'. But I digress.
Also as a result of that week I've begun to write out the five books of the Bible, and maybe the rest too, just as the Kings of Israel were supposed to do. I'm not terribly far in yet, I take an hour a day to do that and my goal is not to get through it but to fall in love with it just as David did, but I've been learning a ton and noticing a bunch of stuff that I just skimmed over before. I've actually taken time to find out the meaning of the names of people listed and what I've learned in that alone is really remarkable. God really doesn't say anything in the Word without a purpose.
God has been moving greatly in my life these past few weeks, and I can hardly believe that it's already week 8, though in a sense the start of the school feels like a really long time ago. A couple weeks ago at the church I've been going to here in Denver, Renovation Church, God gave a word to me through Bryan Schwartz and his wife, it was a really simple one-word... word. They both just said, "Nations," almost simultaneously, and before I knew what was happening I dropped to the floor like a rock. I felt such incredible clarity and confirmation in that moment: I knew, without any doubt, that that word was truly from God and that what was always in my heart was placed there by God, and I'm stoked to go on that adventure with God. I realize now, where it was just a theory before, that God has me here at YWAM right now to train me, disciple me, if you will, for what He wants to do with me next, and I'm stoked for that. It helps me a lot to look at this time as a training, or practice. It brings it to the level of seriousness that it should be at for me.
Please continue to be praying for me; I feel all your prayers, they've been very effective and appreciated. Pray for continued humbling, for grace, for wisdom, for discipline, and for an open heart and mind to learn all that God wants to teach to me. Also I'm in need quite a bit of support for the schools I'm to do this year and my trip to Uganda next year (God willing, of course) so please pray that doors would open up like only God can open them and people would offer to support me and the vision that God's given me. Already He's provided for me in awesome ways, and I'm really thankful for the people in my life that so selflessly have given to me, and I'm even more stoked to see the ways God blesses their socks off.
Thanks again all who read this for your investment in my life, and everyone else who still care. I love you all and pray for you constantly with a whole lot joy and gratitude to God. Blessings!
-Jonny
Sunday, April 14, 2013
SoW: Harder Than I Thought
I find it quite funny that you can practically be best friends with a person in some contexts and not be able to stand them in others. It's a position I've found myself in quite often since I've been here, not least of all with my own self, in a sense. It's been a pretty difficult week in that respect; working with people in the proximity that I have been and in the contexts that I have been has really brought a lot more flaws to light that exist in my character than I thought were there. I mean, I know that I'm quite far from perfect, but I thought I was maybe a little closer to it than this... It's really such a humbling thing, which is incredibly difficult, though it's exactly what I asked God to do in me this season of my life. The contrast between this quarter at YWAM and what God is doing in my life is very different from what He did during my DTS. A lot of waiting, a lot of silence, a lot of listening, a lot of biting my tongue when I want to say things. Through it I can already feel God doing something in me, though I can't quite put my finger on, but really I don't need to.
This last week we had a teacher in, by the name of Mary Jean Powers, who taught on the biblical foundation for worship. She did a wonderful job and really incited a lot of passion in all our hearts to get into the Word more. The way she explained what it means that God's name and His word is lifted up above all other things brought a holy fear to the room and made me even more passionate about not elevating anything or anyone but the name(s) and Word of God. Our first of four songs is due at the end of this week and I'm really excited to connect with the worship in heaven and bring it to the earth with this song, by God's grace, and in the future with the other songs I'll write.
Thank you all for lifting me up in prayer and please continue to pray for me: for strength and health, for an open heart, mind, eyes and ears, for humility, and most importantly for passion and drive to pursue God every single day.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
SOW: Back in Denver
It has been quite some time since I've blogged last. I lost my passion for writing for a bit but God has brought it back to me and I'm happy to be able to continue to update you all with what is going on in my life.
The YWAM Denver School of Worship just began on this previous Monday and my first week here has been an absolute blast. Already God has pointed out several areas in my life, pride issues and insecurities and the like, that I had no idea were still so strongly immanent in my life. I know God is going to iron out a lot of creases in my character and I just want to stand, or kneel, before Him broken every day and let Him do everything He wants to do.
The dynamics of this quarter are quite different from my DTS, especially because there are far fewer people here than before, about 55 students total as opposed to 100+. The people I'm getting to know here are phenomenal human beings, as were those I went to school with in the Fall. The DTSers are coming into the program noticeably hungry for God and are going to get a ton out of this quarter, and already have out of this first week, which doesn't even have a ton of teaching, just bonding time. It's great hearing them talk about how crazy it is that they've only been here a week, that it feels like they've been there for months already. That's exactly how I felt at the end of week one, It blows my mind how quickly God moves when you really surrender your time and resources to pursue Him.
The director for my school, Will Strickland, is an incredible, passionate teacher and has a grasp on the point of worship like I've honestly never seen or heard of before anywhere else. In short he is of the belief that every aspect of worship has to do not just with your relationship with God but with people as well, 1 John 4 being his primary premise for that belief, or perhaps just the most straightforward. The beautiful thing is that God had just begun to reveal that truth to me, through 1 John 4, at the end of my outreach. So He has given me a teacher who is further down that path than me, who is just following Jesus in this, and I can follow him for that reason. Needless to say, again, I'm very excited for what God is going to do and teach me this quarter.
Please be praying for me in this new season of my life. God wants to do a lot in and through me this quarter and the enemy is going to fight with claws out to hold me back.
These are things that I would really appreciate prayer for:
That'd I'd be broken every day
For vision of where God is leading me, in this quarter, this year, and decade
That I'd be increasingly sensitive to God's voice
For good health
Inspiration
And much much humility
The YWAM Denver School of Worship just began on this previous Monday and my first week here has been an absolute blast. Already God has pointed out several areas in my life, pride issues and insecurities and the like, that I had no idea were still so strongly immanent in my life. I know God is going to iron out a lot of creases in my character and I just want to stand, or kneel, before Him broken every day and let Him do everything He wants to do.
The dynamics of this quarter are quite different from my DTS, especially because there are far fewer people here than before, about 55 students total as opposed to 100+. The people I'm getting to know here are phenomenal human beings, as were those I went to school with in the Fall. The DTSers are coming into the program noticeably hungry for God and are going to get a ton out of this quarter, and already have out of this first week, which doesn't even have a ton of teaching, just bonding time. It's great hearing them talk about how crazy it is that they've only been here a week, that it feels like they've been there for months already. That's exactly how I felt at the end of week one, It blows my mind how quickly God moves when you really surrender your time and resources to pursue Him.
The director for my school, Will Strickland, is an incredible, passionate teacher and has a grasp on the point of worship like I've honestly never seen or heard of before anywhere else. In short he is of the belief that every aspect of worship has to do not just with your relationship with God but with people as well, 1 John 4 being his primary premise for that belief, or perhaps just the most straightforward. The beautiful thing is that God had just begun to reveal that truth to me, through 1 John 4, at the end of my outreach. So He has given me a teacher who is further down that path than me, who is just following Jesus in this, and I can follow him for that reason. Needless to say, again, I'm very excited for what God is going to do and teach me this quarter.
Please be praying for me in this new season of my life. God wants to do a lot in and through me this quarter and the enemy is going to fight with claws out to hold me back.
These are things that I would really appreciate prayer for:
That'd I'd be broken every day
For vision of where God is leading me, in this quarter, this year, and decade
That I'd be increasingly sensitive to God's voice
For good health
Inspiration
And much much humility
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