Muffins to be made

We practiced from 10:30am-5pm... so I brought some sustenance!!

Kim and Matthew

From left to right:
Josh Hester (Electric guitarist)
Kim Beight (Diva and vocalist)
Matthew Deters (Acoustic guitarist)
Matthew Sztyk (Bassist)
David Zuidema (Drummer)

Click here for a rough video of practice.... remember... its practice ;)

and here for a little of our comic relief

The CD is OUT!!

We just got the new School of Worship cd today!!!  If you would like one sent to you for free then please make a comment on this page with your address or shoot me an email with you physical address... You won't be disappointed... so act FAST!!

On my way

Brittney, Myself, and Jeremy shooting guns on the farm

      For the next 7 months I will traveling all around the world doing everything from milking cows and leading worship to being a groomsman in a buddies wedding.

      I just got back from the Thanksgiving weekend in Missouri on a farm owned by my friend Jeremy's dad.  I had quite a few "first" while there.  Rode horses bareback, herded cows, milked cows, saw over 40 barn cats, shot clay birds, drank sassafras tea, and watched The Notebook.  It was such a great time, and I felt so blessed to be able to be a part of the Turpin family while there.  Despite being sick and throwing up on Saturday night, I was able to lead worship for their small local country church.  I was so blessed to be able to serve them in that way and just allow the Holy Spirit minister to them as I sang over the congregation.

       My next travels take me to Pennsylvania next weekend to be a groomsman in Jeremy's wedding (the above couple).

        From Dec. 19-26 I will be at home in Dothan, AL for Christmas with my family!!  I can't wait to be there with my friends and fam.  My sister is due to have her first kid on January 30th, so i'm excited to see her fat belly :)  

        December 28-February 10th takes me to Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida on a Mobile team trip to bring  an awakening to the youth and church of America with the Spirit of God!!  

         Lots of things are happening in February and March, but the big exciting thing is that I'll be moving to Skien, Norway to join the YWAM base there from March 21st to June 26th, to work with their mobile team, worship department, teaching mini School's of Worship, and recording an album.  The best part is that I will be doing all this ministry my lovely girlfriend Erika!  She's also on staff at this base and has been a huge part of planning the whole trip.  There will be more details to come!

         

The life of a checklist

     Currently, I am going through a season of life that I have never been in before.  Never have a had so many opportunities of leadership and responsibility on my plate at once.  I am honored 

-to be running the worship department here at YWAM Denver; 

-to be discipling 2 young men in worship and their walks with the Lord; 

-to be coaching and teaching a cell band within the School of worship; 

-to be planning a 7 week outreach across the states to revolutionize the local church; 

-to be assisting in worship every Monday, Wednesday, Friday here at the base;

-to be leading worship at my local church every Wednesday night;

-to be in a relationship with an absolutely incredible woman of God;

and to simply be a friend and counselor to so many precious people.

     In the midst of this business and responsibility I find that I am hearing the Holy Spirit in a clear new way.  He is teaching, counseling, and preparing me to be a teacher myself.  As a result of this, time is something that I now see as SOOOO valuable, probably more than EVER.  I have feel that more and more, the time that I have with people must be used to speak His heart to them and bring life to their souls.  God has called me here, YWAM Denver, and I want to shake it for Him.  An awakening of His church is coming........

Bethel.... A place of abiding

My trip to California wasn't only to see Erika, but also to go to a conference called "Open Heavens" at Bethel Church. It was 2 days of INTENSE teaching and just dwelling in the presence of the Holy Spirit. God revealed so much to me for my future in ministry as well as just right now.

For the past 9 months or so I have been experiencing a pain in my left knee that shoots up my leg, which disables me from sitting indian style or cross my leg (my favorite way to sit). The first night of the conference God healed my knee!! No PAIN!!! Thursday night I went up in front of 1,000 people to give my testimony and I ended up being asked to pray for healing over everyone there with knee problems, as well Carol Arnot (one of the conference speakers.) !!!

Here are a few pics of the trip. :)

The stage at the conference. During worship they had 4 people doing prophetic painting! It was sweet! My favorite was a married couple that painted together.

Just playing a little guitar around the pool at a friends apt.

no explanation needed ;)

We met these 4 Alaskan youths the first night.
They were so fun and just loved Erika and I.
Erika's travel partner, Ragnhild, is on the right still receiving from the Lord ;)

So.... there's this girl.... ;)

Meet Erika HydeenMy girlfriend :)

We're in the wilderness in Northern California.... Whiskeytown to be exact.

The Sundial Bridge in Redding, California

Erika is a worship leader for the YWAM base in Skien, Norway and is here in the states for a little bit. We are here in Redding, California to get some face time and go to a conference at Bethel Church. Its been an amazing time so far and we are both so excited about what God has for us while we are here.

The Mobile Team

Top Row: Elizabeth, Matthew, David, and Josh

Bottom Row: Me, Josh, Kim, Sarah, and Grant

These are the guys that are going with me on a trip around the Midwest and Southern states to bring the ministry of YWAM Denver to the local church.
Our desire is to bring a new awareness of justice issues, true worship, and the need for missions through times of prayer, worship, and multimedia presentations. At each stop along the way we will be invading churches with a love for their youth and bringing in a fresh perspective of who they are in Christ. We want to start a fresh awakening of the spirit of God within them and do it through simply spending time with them, praying, worshiping, and teaching them about how God sees them. He wants to stir up the young people in this nation and we want to be a catalyst for that stirring.

Practice makes perf...... well it helps

Drumming it up!

Here is just a little look into a typical afternoon of practicing.
These guys are transforming their acoustic worship songs into full band worship music!!


Elizabeth rockin' the keys

Can someone tune please???

Heather and Jonathan (working on Heather's latest)

A day for breathing a bit deeper

A sweet organic and fair trade coffee shop in Boulder!

This weekend has been nothing short of perfect from weather, to food, to most importantly the fellowship!! Andy and I have been able to just soak and relax. It has been such a blessing and needed break from the business of this quarter. I leave for a trip to California in two days and this is a great way to get focused, relax, and ready to make the most of it. Andy is an amazing man of God and we been able to share so much of our hearts with each other as well as just speak truth into one another's lives.

A trip to Denver would not be complete without a visit to the legendary
RED ROCKS Amphitheater!!

The band... in the flesh... sort of

Here we are!!!

The Band!

From Left to Right: Elizabeth, Heather, Jonathan, and Daniel

Yay for friends!

This is my friend Andy... He's coming to visit for the weekend :)  

I'm excited!

God is so faithful to bring us fellowship.

School of Worship starts again

       We're in the 3rd week of the fall School of Worship and I am loving every minute!  Everyday I get together with 4 students (Elizabeth, Jonathan, Daniel, and Heather) who have been formed into a band.  Our times consist of prayer for one another, introducing new songs that the students have written, and taking those worship songs from a simple acoustic song to full band.  Myself being the band leader, I am there to simply coach, encourage, criticize, guide, and disciple them into the worship leaders they are.  

      Being a part of this school is probably the most life giving thing that I get to do!  When I was a band leader for my first School of Worship this past Spring I felt as though it was the fruition of the past 6 years of training (a bachelors in music, and two YWAM schools).  It allows me to incorporate my passion for music, with my calling to be a discipler, teacher, and worship leader.  

      Hopefully later today I'll be able to post a few pics of the band/ school.  

Just getting started!

   Here you will find an easy way to keep up with the day to day happenings of my life and what God is doing in and through me at Youth With A Mission Denver!  This way you can check at your own leisure and be as informed as you would like.  Thanks for being a part of my life and investing in what God is doing in my community.