It's the Final Countdown...

Just like that, lecture phase is over, and we are off on outreach! I learned so much more, developed much deeper friendships, and created a ton more memories than I ever imagined. I will miss the Denver base, our classes, my small group leader, and all my friends who are on different outreaches heaps and heaps... I am SO excited and ready for this trip though! Guatemala is the first stop, but until then, here are the best moments from my last weeks in Colorado:

The Color Run

I have always wanted to do a color run. Anyone who has been to a shindig at my house where I force people to cover themselves in $2 shop face paint, seen me roaming around at a music festival rocking some sweet hippy body art, or heard me squeal with delight every year when the Illuminate Paint Party rolls around will not doubt this desire. Somehow I managed to not only get to do a color run in a completely different state than where I call home, but I also managed to convince 16 other people to join me. It's called living the dream. But actually. 

It was such a fantastic day! We had two vans leave the YWAM base at 7am, and before you knew it we were frolicking, dancing, ghosting, and rolling our way through a 5K. The track twisted along a few closed streets in downtown Denver and was sprinkled with multiple color stops where volunteers drenched you in dyed corn starch.  At the end everyone got more color packets and had a giant dance party! A few of us even managed to get on stage and boogie like a bunch of lunatics in front of hundreds of people. Winning! The outrageousness was an amazing outlet after weeks of seriousness and sitting in a classroom. I am so thrilled that I got to check something off my bucket list with a group of guys and gals I love so much!

It was definitely a very blessed day. God is my only explanation for how all the organizing came together so perfectly. It is just another example of how He really does know our hearts. He even cares about the silly little things we are almost embarrassed to pray about. I love experiencing how God always show up to do life with me, even though my life consists of so much ridiculousness! 

Roomies! Before the madness.

I kept waiting for 'Eye of the Tiger' or 'Final Countdown' to come on so we could start our 80's victory montage. 

Action shot! Getting down and dirty in the purple. 

This is how you become an Avatar.

After all the training, sweat, and tears that made up our journey of dancing a whole 5K this was such a victorious moment.

Of course we managed to get on stage. 

View from the stage. Any sort of event where you can dance AND get covered in color is going to be A++ in my books.

YWAM Misfits after the colorful, spirited, razzle dazzle, misfitery. 

Roomies! Madness complete.

Getting Baptized

Last week I got baptized! Last week I made the most exciting, meaningful, and important vow of my whole life! We had just finished our week learning about the 'Person of Jesus' when it was announced that anyone who felt called to would have the opportunity to get baptized. I had been asking the Lord about this for a long time, so when I finally got the 'ok' from Him, and heard it was time, I was absolutely elated. It was a perfect end to a week completely dedicated to getting to know Jesus better and understand what He has done for all of us. It ensured that those of us who did get baptized really understood who we were handing our lives over to! I wrote this prayer for the day:

Lord Father, today I am filled with an overwhelming joy, truly, I am sure, how a bride feels the day of her wedding, but instead of making a vow dedicated to earthly life, it is for eternity. I have learned that You are Savior, Lord, Father, Brother, Creator, Bridegroom, and Best Friend. There is no one, nothing, more majestic and worthy than You, Lord. You are always greater, greater, greater! I love You more than my heart can contain, more than my soul can keep in, more than my strength can lift up, and more than my mind could ever comprehend. I gladly lay down all I have before You. My life is completely Yours. I would die for You. I totally surrender, entirely out of love. 

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus says: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." I am about to head out to the nations, I am called to baptize others, so it makes sense that I would first be baptized before this adventure starts! I feel so complete. I finally feel like all the pieces of the puzzle have come together and I am ready for outreach. I am ready for battle. I am ready for anything! 

Hands down, no question about it, stoke level is as high as it could possibly be, this was the best day EVER! I LOVE JESUS!

I was so excited I kept jumping around and forgot to stop smiling and hold my breath. A little swallowed water never hurt anybody though. 

Complete submergence, complete surrender.

Shiny, new, and free! So fresh and so clean, clean!

YWAM family members who got baptized and the leaders who have supported them along this DTS journey. 

How did we all feel about completely dedicating our lives to Jesus? A little something like this...

Giving Day

Last week the leader of our DTS showed us a video on counterfeit idols. Basically, if you can't give something up, then you don't own it, it owns you. We were asked to pray about two things: What is God calling me to give up? Who is He asking me to give to? At first I felt like this assignment didn't really apply to me because I had already prayed about and given away a large amount of money earlier on in the DTS. I generally enjoy being generous, I give stuff away all the time, and the only 'things' I actually 'own' that I would really feel brokenhearted about giving up are my ferrets. I prayed about it, and God didn't inform me of any YWAMers wanting new pets... As I was processing through this, the song 'Modern Day Sinners' by Brother's Comatose came to mind, in particular the line "every good deed you've done is drowning in your pride." Gah, the conviction! I automatically wanted to give something that would really stand out, but that isn't the point. So, this ended up being a lesson in pride for me.

After some time in prayer, the things I chose to give away were very simple, unexciting, and basic, but they meant something to me. I gave away two of my favorite hippy dresses and a skirt. I love pretty things and dressing-up. The whole flower child thing has definitely become a part of my identity. I also gave away the book which contains the excerpt I shared during my testimony in week one. It took me forever to read this book because it was how I processed through the hurt of my past. That book was like the training wheels for my journey in freedom with Christ. Giving it away was like taking the training wheels off. It may just be a book, but it symbolizes a lot.

On the actual giving day, we took turns calling people up, giving them an item, explaining what it meant, and then praying for the person we gave to. I had been so busy stressing about what I was giving that I never even considered the idea that people would give stuff to me. I got blessed big time. My small group leader gave me a pink scarf from her outreach in Africa and prayed encouragement over my hippy spirit. Another one of the leaders gave me her stunning favorite ring and shared that she saw it as a promise from God to me, as a symbol of purity. Then one of my fellow DTS students gave me the purity ring she received when she was sixteen from the two people she loves most. She also prayed over me that God sees me as pure and white as snow. This is something that I still find very hard to accept in my heart, it is a daily struggle to believe God on this point. These gifts were so meaningful and appreciated! I really needed the confirmation I received from what these women gave. I feel overwhelming love towards all three of them, and their loving hearts are so admirable! The generosity displayed during this giving time was truly humbling. It has inspired me to give from the depths of my heart more freely, not just from the depths of my wallet.

The rings I received. You can't tell, but the band has 'Matthew 5:8' and 'Purity' engraved into it. 

The scarf and two rings. I was straight up wrecked by the meaning behind these gifts. 

Our final days of lecture phase have been absolutely precious. But now, it is time to say goodbye to Denver for awhile... I hope to post once a week while overseas, but I can't make any promises as I really don't know how reliable internet is going to be or how much time I will have. Whenever it is though, I am looking so forward to sharing what the beautiful ATW team is up to, what treasures stand out in each country, and all the magnificent miracles we witness in the name of Jesus Christ! Glory to God for this amazing opportunity! May He bless each one of you, on each of your own journeys, too! Thank you for reading! 

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

Matthew 5:8