Week of Adjustment

Here we are in Kona, Hawaii. These past 2 weeks have been quite the adjustment for Sarah and I. I am serving and running along side the Sports focused DTS, and Sarah is doing a leadership school. We have had to really adjust to doing two separate schools full time. We know this is what the Lord has for us these next 6 weeks and we want to get the fullness of what the Lord has for us. It took about a week or so to get adjusted but we have really found our groove. We are already seeing radical transformation in the students of the Sports DTS. They learned how to hear the voice of the Lord last week, and God really showed himself to them in a tangible way. People were recommitting their lives to God on Day 2!! People were crying out and worshipping freely all week. That is VERY rare in Week 1 of a DTS. You usually don't see that from the class as a whole until Week 4 or 5. Sarah is learning so much about leadership already. They have times of intense intercession, speaking, daily times of worship and prayer, serving in the offices on campus, and one on ones. They have a very busy schedule but they are all learning a TON!! So, all in all, God is so good and our time out here has been great. We are staying busy but we have really learned how to keep each other priority in the midst of the busyness of our day. Thank you all for your prayers and support in our time out here. We wouldn't be able to do any of this without your prayers!! Thank you!!!

Chris & Sarah

Off to Kona!

I just had one of the most memorable 2 1/2 weeks or my life traveling and ministering with my friend Dan Baumann. We had to privilege to speak in 4 different venues in Australia. We saw God move at every place!! People were encountering God and we got to be apart of it!! Now, I am here at the San Francisco airport waiting for my flight to Kona. There, I will meet with all of my Awaken family and fiance! It is going to be such a sweet time of fellowship and relationship building. I will also be staffing (part time) at Sports focused DTS. I will be helping out with 1 on 1's and where ever else I am needed. I have a huge heart to see the sports world revived back to Jesus so this is an amazing opportunity to get under the leaders of this school. They just have a heart to empower and teach me everything that they know about bringing Jesus to the sports world. I don't know exactly what the school is going to look like, but I know that I will be having the time of my life. This is an amazing season with some of my best friends!!! And don't forget the wedding in July!! Thank you all for your prayers and support. I couldn't do this without all of you. God bless!!!!

Hello From Australia!

Hey guys!! I have officially been in the land down under for a week now!! It has been amazing to get to learn the culture and to see what God is doing in this nation. We arrived here last week and were picked up by two Korean guys from the church we were speaking in. We had about 4 days with them and it was amazing!! The whole church was hungry for God and we had the chance to minister to them 3 nights in a row. People were encountering the living God, and it was very encouraging. We got to build really good relationships with the leaders and members of the church. They encouraged and blessed us for 4 straight days. It ended up being such a blessing to Dan and I. We were blown away from the hunger in this Korean church. We spoke to over 300 young people on our last Sunday afternoon. They all wanted more of God and that gave room for Him to move. So Dan and I had the privilege to serve and bless this church before heading to YWAM Wollongong, Australia. They live a little different pace than the church in Sydney. This base in a small beach town with an amazing family atmosphere. We have been speaking all week here to the DTS (discipleship training school). They are hungry for God and we have been able to love on them and share everything that we have learned in our walks with God. They seemed to be encouraged by our testimonies. We had a ministry night last night and God showed up in a big way. His presence poured out onto us for about 2 hours. Dan and I just went around praying for the students and the leaders. They all felt refreshed by the Holy Spirit, and hopefully they will be able to walk into their outreach next week blessed by us. I pray that they encounter the living God in their daily walks with Him. Today is our last day here in Wollongong, and from here, we will be flying north to Brisbane. We will be speaking in a church on Sunday. After Sunday, we will be going to speak at another DTS in the Sunshine Coast of Australia. It has been quite the honor to travel with Dan Baumann and learn from his lifestyle and walk with God.

Australia Bound!!

Hello everyone!! Sorry it's been a while but I have been all over the place this year. I spent the first 3 weeks in Kansas City, then up to Iowa City for a few days, then Chicago, then Michigan, and now I am back in Chicago with my girlfriend Sarah Wenz. We are having a blast learning about relationship and what it looks like with community. I will be heading home to South Carolina tomorrow to spend time with the family and to get Sarah introduced to my wonderful family!! It's an exciting time for both of us! I will also be meeting with pastors in the area to see what Christian community looks like in SC. I am also heading out to Australia March 13th - 28th with a good friend Dan Baumann. We will be speaking in two different churches and two different DTS's. It is quite the honor to run and serve the kingdom of God with Dan. He is a mentor in my life and I am excited to see what God wants to do there. I am also trying to raise around $3000 until then so I can have everything paid off before Kona. I will be flying from Australia to Kona. Sarah will meet me there the 1st of April and we will be there for 2 months. Thank you all for your prayers and financial blessing!! I love y'all and I pray blessings on you and your families!!!!!!! I would love prayer for: Wisdom and guidance in my relationship with Sarah, financial provision, protection over our relationship, and grace/wisdom on how to bring in a relationship with Sarah into Awaken. I love you all and thank you!!!!!

Kansas City!

Here we are in Kansas City for the beginning of the year! When all of us came back from Kona before Christmas, we all went home to see family for the holidays. Then, after the New Year, 12 of us headed to Kansas City to seek the Lord for 2012. We really want to build our relationships out here that we started last year on the road trip. We are living with a man named Adam Cox, and he has really imparted family and the Father's heart onto us while being here. So, we decided to get under him and what his ministry is doing for this month. They carry the family of God and what it is to look like on Earth the best of anyone. They have blessed us with staying in the same house as him!! He is really imparting wisdom and revelation on what family and community is to look like in this day and age. We really feel that we have the same DNA as them and we are excited to spend this next month pouring into each other's life, building family, pouring into Kansas City, and seeking God for what is to come in this next year and beyond. It is an absolute privilege to get under these guys and really learn from them. We hope to really carry more of the Father's heart in our hearts on this trip. We want to seek sonship and what that looks like on Earth as sons and daughters of God. It's one thing hearing that God is our Father by pastor's and the Bible, but it is a completely different that actually getting the revelation of Papa God and His passionate, jealous love for us as children in the Kingdom!!!!!! He loves us!!! I am really excited to see what God is wanting to impart to us as a family and I pray that we get clear direction for what is to come in 2012. Thank you for all of your prayers and finances!! God bless your family!!!

Fambodia Slideshow

Back to Kona!

This outreach has been more than anyone could ask for. We have been able to pour out our lives into Cambodia for 3 months. We have impacted lives by discipling, teaching, and praying for the youth of this nation. I just want to thank everyone for their prayers and support because your prayers have been answered. This team has turned into a family and we are all sad to depart from one another in a week. We have helped God leave an imprint of His love into this nation. There are so many good testimonies of our team building relationships and pouring into individuals lives. My co-leader and I have hoped to leave everyone on our team a heart for this nation and for international missions. Our prayer is that this trip marks their lives for changing the world. We have had so much favor and grace to the point of knowing that it isn't us who is keeping this team together as family. It was and is truly God that holds everything together. He has had His hand on our team since day one. He has special plans for everyone on this team and it was a privilege to be apart of it. Everyone played such unique roles by just being themselves. Everyone has very special callings on their lives and I thank God that I got to be apart of what He is doing with their character and relationship with Him. I want to that all of you again for getting behind me in prayer and support. God bless you all and I hope to be contacting most of you when I get back into the states. We arrive back into Kona the 13th of Dec. and I will fly home the 17th. I will be home for a few weeks before heading out on my next season. Thank you all!!!! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Half Way

Here we are at the half way point of outreach. We have one more month of ministry here in Cambodia. It has been an absolute blessing living life with 12 friends. We have truly built family and we are starting to see what God wants to do in this nation. Everyone is starting to build relationships with the local Khmer (Cambodian) people. They are able to share Jesus, pray with them, and disciple them. We are getting excited to see what God wants to do through us this last month. We prayed yesterday morning and we felt to go to the government office here in Battambang. We think that there might be a divine appointment waiting for us to be able to share Jesus with someone in the government. Prayer for this would be amazing!! The Lord is moving through us each and everyday, and we are loving every minute of it. This outreach has been nothing but joy, love, fruit, and family. We have had our ups and downs (just like any other team would), but it has been outweighed by the presence of our Creator in Heaven. I thank God for the people who are praying for us over here. I can't express the abundance of grace that is poured out over this team everyday. Thank you for your prayers and support!! Blessings!!!

Youth Center!

This first month has flown by!! We have seen God is so many different aspects of life. The people here are showing us that we don't need have the 'stuff' we have in America. It makes every single one of us appreciate what we have at home. Everyone is loving it here after getting used to the culture, language barrier, and food. Once we get past that, we see God everywhere. And, that overrides all circumstance. We are starting our teaching tomorrow. Each person on our team has their own class teaching their own subject. Most of our students are non-believers so it is one of the best evangelism tools here in Cambodia. We get to build relationship with our class, spend time with them outside of the class, and share our testimonies and faith with them. We are praying for salvations, and we want to be able to disciple them to the point of being foundational. If we can pour into around 2 to 3 people these next 2 months, we can change this nation. We have 13 people, and if those 3 people do that same thing when we leave what we did with them, this thing can multiply big time!! And, this is what the YWAM base's strategy is to reach the lost, and in the past, it has worked! So we are glad to be apart of what God is doing here. Thank you for your prayers and support! God bless!!!

Week 3

Hey guys!! We have made it 3 weeks now in Cambodia. We arrived in the capital city of Phnom Pehn and drove down to where we are now, Battambang. The first two weeks were spent in an orphanage in a village about an hour away from the city. We were teaching the children and young adults English and having bible studies. These kids will be the future of changing this nation. The conditions were challenging for some because we went from our comforts of Hawaii to bucket showers and simple meals within 5 days. It was great though! Everyone got a heart for these children and we really saw God bring growth and character to our team. These children helped us to keep perspective on what it means to really need God. And what it really means to be joyful. We arrived back at the YWAM base in Battambang last weekend. We will be here for the remainder of our time here in Cambodia. We will all be teaching non-believers English, guitar, drama, art, Korean, and music. Each person has their own class of about 10-25 students. And through teaching, we can build relationship with our students and eventually teach them about God and what we believe. Our goal is to pour our time into 2-4 students and go deep with them in seeing salvation, discipleship, and encouragement. We want to be able to leave Cambodia and know that we made an impact on a few people that can have a sustained relationship with God without us. And, hopefully, some can get into missions!! This team is a huge blessing to Kristi (my co-leader) and I beyond our expectations. We are humbled at how these people walk out their walk with God on a daily basis. Thank you guys for all your support and prayers. I will be trying to update as much as I can. Thank You!!!!

We Arrive!!

We are here in Cambodia safe and sound!! Our team landed last night around 10:30pm. We arrived here in Phnom Phen, and we will be leaving tomorrow morning (saturday) for Battambang. We will be in Battambang for the majority of the time, but the first two weeks we will be spending in a village. The village is located in the south western part of the nation. There is an orphanage there that we went to last year, and we had a blast! Everyone has made it healthy and we are all very excited to see what God has for us in this wonderful nation of Cambodia! We will be working with women that have been rescued from sex trafficking to playing with little kids in the streets. Everyday will look different and I can't wait to see what will happen. We are submitted to God's heart because we know that is the only way to go. We will soon know what it is really like when Jesus says, "Blessed is the poor in Spirit". We will be waking up everyday and telling God, "We need you today, Help us Father". Our Father in heaven loves to provide for His children :)

ps - Thank You for all the support in prayer and finance. I wouldn't be able to do it without y'all!!!

He is Faithful!!

I recieved all of my outreach money this week!!! The Lord provided every penny needed to go to Cambodia. We now leave the 20th of this month. Less than two weeks!!! I am so excited for what the Lord has for us as a team. Thank you all for your prayers!!

Outreach Around the Corner

As outreach is coming around the corner, I am in need of $1,300 dollars by the end of this week. I know that the Lord will provide, but I am asking for everyone to pray to see if they can get behind me in any way. This school has been amazing, and the Lord has big plans for us as Cambodia. If anyone wants to get behind in this, just click the Paypal icon on the page. Thank y'all for your support and prayers. Blessings!!

Speechless!!

Our week this week has been life changing for so many! We had an amazing speaker, Adam Cox, and he brought the Family of God and sonship in a way that is indescribable. You have to see for yourself!!



www.AwakenDTS.com

Go to the bottom of the AWAKEN site and click on Adam Cox's lectures. It will change your life!! Why don't we already know this stuff as Christians!!

God's Goodness

God is so good to us. He watches out for us. He rejoices when you rejoice, He cries when you cry. God is an emotional God. He isn't this stale old man on a throne in heaven waiting to strike people down on Judgement Day!! God has so much for us if we just run after Him with all our life!! We have to give up ownership of everything we have because without Him, we have NOTHING! We can't take our next breath without Him. We are immersed in His grace and hardly recognize it throughout our life. He has big plans for people, but we want to take everything and put it on our own shoulders. It doesn't work that way. We weren't created to live life on our own. We were created to walk with God. We were created to walk with God in perfect friendship. We were created to share what we know about our Father in heaven to people who don't know Him. God loves us so much. He cares for us in every moment of every day. He dances and sings over His children!!! Anyways, last week of our school was another ground breaking week. We had to chance of sharing the love of Christ out in the streets of Kona, HI with a well known evangelist, Danny Lehman. Our students are getting their lives changed and so are we! My co-leader and I planned a trip across the island with our team on Friday and we had a blast! We are growing so close as a family and I can't wait to see how God uses us in Cambodia!

Week 5!!

Here is a crazy video that my friend made when I shaved my beard!



Anyways, my life has been so crazy these past 5 weeks. Our school has lifted off and we are growing closer to the Lord. We had an amazing time with a bible teacher on Monday and Tuesday, and then Andy Byrd on Wednesday and Thursday of last week. We have all of the lectures recorded on www.awakendts.com. My life has been crazy busy but crazy fruitful. I have 3 guys that I am walking with and discipling on a one on one basis. They are getting blasted by Jesus each and everyday, and I get to be apart of their growth. They are getting to see how they are as sons of the Father in heaven, and heaven is starting to become a reality. They want to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth and it's a honor to be able to walk with them in it. We have about 6 weeks left in lecture and we are off the Cambodia. My team is absolutely AMAZING!!!! We are already starting to become like a family. Our heart is to have relationship based around the presence of the Lord and carry it into Cambodia to see hearts changed. And that's what we are going to do. My life is incredible and I can't thank God enough for where He has placed me and who He has placed me with. I get to live and grow with my best friends in Hawaii. Then I get to take teams all over the world!!!! I am blessed to be apart of what God is doing here in Kona. I thank y'all for supporting me with your prayers and finance. God bless y'all!!!

Week 1

There is such an acceleration in our school and it's blowing our minds!! Everyone is hungry for the Lord and we are getting after it. People are getting delivered, healed, and coming into the reality of their identity. They are already praying and ministering to one another without us (staff). That usually doesn't happen until week 5 or 6! God is doing something new and we are humbled to be apart of it. I just want to thank everyone for their prayers and support. I wouldn't be able to do this without y'all. I am humbled to the fact that you pray for me and believe in me. Thank you for believing in me. Next week, we will be listening to a man named Ivan Roman, and the subject is " How to hear the voice of the Lord". We just know that God is going to keep taking us deeper into His heart this week and we are in hope for more breakthrough. I can't begin to express the gratitude for what God is doing and what He is about to do!! Thank you Lord!! May we go from Glory to Glory each and every week. My prayer is that everyone who reads this gets a greater revelation of who they are as sons and daughters of the Most High King!!!!!

God is Doing It!!!

OUR STAFF ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

All of the prayers for this school are already being answered!! The 3rd day of school, God started to transform hearts. People are starting to come to the realization of who they are as sons and daughters in Christ!! The joy of the Lord is over this school in a way that is indescribable! All 88 students are in this school because they want God. You will usually have 10 or 12 students that don't really want to be here, but this year, God has captured every heart before they got out here! The Holy Spirit is healing people's hearts, and all of the students are responding to His love. And it is only the 3rd day!!! Tomorrow is our first day of class, and all of our staff are excited about speaking this whole week. I will be speaking on Tuesday about my testimony and what God has been doing in my life the past few months for 15 to 20 minutes. All of our staff will be doing this all week instead of us having a speaker. Usually, we have a speaker come in every week and speak on a certain topic. It is such a privilege to be able to speak in front of everybody. There is so much anticipation for this school this summer. God is going to changed lives and we, as staff, get to watch and be apart of all it! So, we will be having 3 months of lecture here in Kona, HI. Then, all 120 of us (88 students, 30 staff) will be going out into the nations for 3 months. It is going to be life changing, and God is going to do amazing things through us. Thank you for getting behind me in prayer and finances. Blessings!!

Nazerite

If you didn't know, since February 1, 2011 I have been in a season of consecration. I did this to separate myself even more from the simple pleasures of this world. I felt to do a 6 month Nazerite vow. Nazerites are first talked about in the bible in Numbers 6. And it was available to people to take up this consecration to go into the Holy of Holies. They wouldn't touch a hair on their head, wouldn't drink alcohol, and didn't eat anything off the vine (grapes etc.). So, since February I have been restraining from cutting any hair on my head, no sweets, no secular movies, no secular movies. It has been quite the journey! The Lord has truly honored it. I feel that it is a privilege to live a life of consecration. There is a special joy in my spirit in these seasons of fasting. So, this is why y'all see me with my hair really long and crazy looking...lol. I am not doing this to become righteous, but I am doing this because I am righteous. We can't earn God's love, but we can recognize it and move out of that place. We will never be able to do enough. We need to say to ourselves that Jesus and what He did on the cross is enough. We need to be in a place of rest in our hearts knowing that our Father in heaven loves us like sons and daughters. It's crazy how much all these things I am giving up are such a big part of my life. It has been a struggle in times with all this hair, or not being able to eat my favorite thing ever, SWEETS!!! But, He is worth it, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love Jesus and He has changed my life. The least I could do is give my whole life to Him.

2 weeks away!

Hey y'all!! These past few weeks have been amazing!! We spent 4 days last week on the other side of the island together as staff. We had a fee days of prayer, worship, and fellowship. It brought us together as a family and we are all on the same page. God is going to do something special in our school. And, it's going to have to start with us as leaders. It is happening, and we are all stoked to serve and walk along these students (could be up to 100 students!!!). Arrival day for our students is July 7th. I have a few requests from anyone who could help. I need $600 by next Friday. Then I am going to need $600 by July 12th. If y'all would like to get behind me on this, it would be huge for me and the Kingdom. You can also pray for this breakthrough in this year as well. Thanks for your time and prayers. Y'all are a HUGE part in my walk in supporting in the ways that you do. Thank you.