Moving Forward

Life seems to be accelerating its speed at high rates. Everything is moving faster and more responsibility seems to be coming every second...I love it. It has been pretty hard the last few weeks but I believe it's God stretching me. This is a season of preparation and strengthening for seasons to come. My faith is growing and pushing forward. God is giving me a joy through every tough situation and really showing His faithfulness in every move. I'm also really learning how to wait on Him in every decision I make. He needs to be the source of everything I do and He has to take everything else out before He can be that source, it's quite the painful process at times. I just mean that He is taking the time to get rid of the selfish part of me, that part that wants to do things my way instead of His way.

We went to a conference in Pachuca 2 weeks ago. It was so great to see other parts of Mexico, it's so beautiful here. I love the hills covered in houses. So amazing. The conference itself was so good. We got to connect with the bases of YWAM Mexico and really see unity come into play. As a whole YWAM Mexico has a heart to plant a base in Mexico City so we went there for a ministry day. I really fell in love with the city. I expected it to be completely crowded and feel really unsafe but I didn't for one second, in fact I would love to go back. I truly hope I can get more opportunities to go back and be a part of what God is doing there. Especially with the human trafficking there, it's really huge and there are a lot of kidnappings that happen...it's exactly where my heart is at. I'm realizing God has made me a fighter. For so long I've seen myself as a wimpy girl but wow, God has made me to fight for injustices and that is exactly what I plan on doing...now, I just need to wait on God to hear how He wants me to do that. How awesome though.

Hopefully I can put some pictures on here in the next month or so.

Love you all,

Tasha

Prayer Requests:

• Wisdom in everything (work, life, relationships)
• Plans for the future
• Finances are a little short right now
• WISE School (it's in less than 2 months!!!)
• Health (I've been better than I was but I'm still fighting to stay healthy pretty often)

Some Reflections

"Jesus dwelled among his followers 'as one who serves' "
-Denny Gunderson (The Leadership Paradox)

God has challenged me to be a leader as Jesus is. He was a man of humility and power. He has a Spirit of authority and wisdom. He has a heart of compassion and justice. None of these things are who I am. None of these things are possible to obtain in my character by myself. God has been showing me that I am not a leader of His character unless I am relying solely on Him. So often in today's society we believe independence is key to becoming a great leader and person of influence...but what about dependence on God? We get so caught up on being who we want to be and how we're going to get there that we forget who we need to look like. The only way to act as Christ is to rely on Him. If we would spend more time dwelling in God and hearing His voice we would be the leaders and followers He has called us to be.

Something God has been bringing to my attention more and more is that He loves to romance me and loves to be romanced in return. The way I see God love me is through the ocean and the cool breezes that cut into the hot sticky days, the sweet scent of jasmine on our long walks, the encouraging words He speaks through His Word and people. He loves to romance. But the work in my heart is to ask how He wants to be romanced. His answers really blow me away sometimes. He loves to sit in silence and just be together, He loves to create so we enjoy His creation, He loves color so I paint a picture for Him, I work to make His temple pure and holy and healthy. The things I love to do are the things He loves too. It only makes sense because He made me. My challenge to you is to ask God how He wants to be loved by you...maybe through sewing, or scrap booking, or taking pictures, or building something (He was a carpenter ya know), or writing, or laughing, or maybe just sitting together. Whatever it is, ask Him what your part of your relationship looks like.

Love you all,

Tasha

Financial Update!

Hey guys I just wanted to let you all know that I have my account set up with YWAM Denver!
This has been such a long process and I apologize for that. If you are looking to support me you can send a check to:

YWAM Denver
Accounting
12750 W 63rd Ave
Arvada, CO 80004

Just write my name in the demo section of the check or send a little note along. If you would like it to be tax deductible they will have papers for you to fill out.

You can also call and pay using a credit card. They're number is (303) 424-1144.

Any questions feel free to email me or them. Their email address is accounting@ywamdenver.org

I will update about my life and the base very soon!

Thanks for everything.

Love you all.

One Month!

As of today I've been in Mazatlan for one month.  I can't believe it's been this long already.  With staff retreat and a big project I've been working on, time has just been flying by.  

Staff retreat was great! I really got to know everyone better and had lots of time to just sit and listen to what God has for me here.  A couple from Tocoma, WA came down to talk to us about God's original design.  God has made us all with special gifts and plans that we usually don't see because we've been so deceived our whole lives.  If we walked out in the gifts God has planted inside of us our lives would be so different.  Our walk with God would be so much deeper.  Our view of who we are is so off track of who God really has made us.  We have the ability to stand in God's authority and power but so often we don't even see the faith God is offering us.  Just a tid bit of what I'm learning right now.

As of a week ago I got an official position on the base here!  I'm working on the media team.  What a blessing. I have a passion to work with video editing and photography and that's exactly what I'm doing.  I have a lot to learn yet but that's part of the fun.  I just got done editing a video on the Base Values we have here.  They'll be showing this video to the schools that come in here during the introduction to the base.  There will be plenty of other projects I'll be working on in the near future as well.  Pray that I learn everything I need to know easily and that I can get a computer soon, I need a Mac for the work that I'm doing.

Prayer Requests:

• Health- I've been sick and had quite a few health issues come up since I've been here
• Mac and programs I need for work and communication
• WISE School- We're in process of getting everything ready but there is a lot coming against us. (pray for the outreach as well)
• I have 2 unspoken prayer request for those back home.  I can't share them due to them not being my own situations but God knows what they need better than I could explain anyway.

Thank you.  

Lots of love and Prayers

PRAISES!

Well just 2 days ago I didn't have near enough money to go down to Mexico and God asked me to plan it anyway. Today I have just enough to pay for my required staff fees. I know that God will keep providing for whatever else I need. I'm so blessed and so undeserving but He doesn't see that and His love surpasses that.
Obedience is what shows God our love for Him and that is what I've been growing in. I want to show God as much love as I possibly can. Though it's a struggle at times because I'm in my flesh it's all worth it. I want to praise God in, through, and for every aspect of my life.

Thank you again for all the prayers. What a blessing to experience God's love through the body of Christ.

Love and Blessings,

Tasha

Leap of Faith

So many times we find ourselves on a cliff, the rest of the mountain is disappearing and the only thing to do is jump. We know full well that when we take a leap, jumping not by sight but by faith, that we will be caught. The hands of our Savior are there just waiting for us to take that leap. Many times we fear even the thought of getting close to the edge. I am on that mountain right now, using my foot to carefully test the edge and preparing to jump. In just 4 days I will be leaping right into the air. I'm about to go to another country, needing a certain amount of money each month and not having any of it. To many that sounds foolish...even to my own carnal mind. But! God has called me to step out and take this leap of faith. How amazing to be able to freely live my life knowing that God is going to provide no matter what...that's His character! As much as I've wanted to doubt time and time again I just know that He has called me to Mexico and to be there at this exact time. He has called me to be obedient in the small things and now to be obedient in a rather large thing. So here I go leaping in a less than hestitant manner (I'm so excited!). We were asked in a service last Sunday, "what has God called you to do that's radical for Him?" I know the answer and I'm excited to follow after my "radical" King, Jesus.


Keep me in your prayers and those called to support me. I know that God is going to keep providing and this is going to be an amazing, faith building experience.

In love and blessings,

Tasha

Raffle!

To raise some support money my dad donated a new scooter to be raffled off! I'm definitely excited to see God provide through this. It's going to last from Thursday through Saturday. I think it could bring in some good money. I'm praying so at least.

The last few weeks have been crazy and busy and very different than usual. A few of my friends from YWAM Denver have come out to Ohio to visit. It's been so good to see them all. It was especially good to see my friend Aaron. While he was here we decided to start a relationship and see where it goes. God's grace is definitely going to be needed in this one because we will end up being in opposite sides of the world. Life seems to be moving along smoothly at the moment and it's a nice change. I know that once I'm down in Mexico life is going to be very hectic and very tiring, in the best way possible. I'm excited to see what God can do in my life when every day is physically set aside to serve Him and Him alone. I really hope this sets the pace for the rest of my life. I just want to live solely for my King.

Prayer Requests:

1. plane ticket
2. health
3. my relationship with friends and family as I'm getting ready to leave again.
4. monthly supporters

Thanks for reading my little update.

Love and Prayers,

Tasha

New Direction

Well here I am in Sugarcreek, OH again. Sitting with a friend talking about our YWAM base in Denver and working in missions is really getting me excited for my next step in life. God has opened doors ups for me to go to Mazatlan, Mexico! I would be going on staff with YWAM for at least a year. At this base they are starting a new WISE school (the school I just attended in Denver) and have asked that some of us would come out and help them get started! Until the last few months I had never had a passion for Mexico but now my heart is ready to do anything I can for this nation. My friends that are already on staff down there have really encouraged me and inspired me in my walk with Christ as well. I believe that not only will I be able to make a difference in the lives of students and people all over the world, God is going to be making a huge difference in my life. If you've known me growing up and now I'm sure you've been able to see the difference God has made in me already. I'm excited to see what adventures He has for me next and how I will be growing.

So with this new step I am writing my support letters, filling out my application, and once again spending my last few months with friends and family before I go. Saying good bye to my friends and family has to be the hardest part of all of this but every mission from God has sacrifices we have to make of ourselves. We can't hold on to everything we have in this world and try to serve at the same time. Some are blessed to be called to their home towns but I am not one of them. I am blessed to be called to all the world. To be ready to get up and go whenever God gives the word to whereever He leads. It's an exciting life that I believe I will be living for a long time yet.

Prayer Requests for Mazatlan:

• Finances (I need to raise $600 a month)
• Flight plans
• Guidance when leading the students while I'm on staff
• Clarity as to what my call is there

Prayer Requests for now:

• My focus on ministry here
• Being planted in church (I want a good church family base here)
• Work, I'm doing odds and ends that get me money but not enough to save for future and live off of.

With lots of Love and Prayers,

Tasha

God's Provision

So I've been experiencing God's provision in so many ways since I've been here. Today was an amazing example of God taking care of me. As of yesterday I owed $1,075 for the rest of my tuition, today I owe $385!!! We took an offering today for those of us with outstanding balances for school tuition and outreaches. All of us together, we owed around $19,000 and the offering brought in $14,000!!!!! It's amazing to see the body of Christ come together and let God provide through it. What a blessing. I've also seen my friends here come together and just individually hand me money throughout the whole school. Such a humbling experience that really shows God's heart.

Other news is that my friend, Sarah, from dts is getting married and asked me to be in her wedding!!! I'm so excited. She's getting married May 28 around the Cinncinatti area.

More updates later...1 week of school left!

Love you.

Picture Update!

i have to apologize for not getting pictures on here until now. i tried to get a nice overview of what school's been like so far. these are people that have definitely made such a huge impact on my life since i've been out here.

jeanette and i the weekend before school starts!

SLEDDING!

lined up and ready to go.

tawanda and i

Emmy and Me

Chey and I

Hannah (my small group leader) and i ready to go sled!

Candice's thrift store snow suit from the 90's :-)

Heather Joy and I

coffee shop with the girls

they don't like my laundry detergent

Fun times in the truck

On our way to the movies!

We're Rockstars. :-)

love you all.

Mardi Gras

So we got back from New Orleans last night. It was definitely a good experience. We saw God work in such crazy amazing ways. Not only did we hear God's voice for people on the street we definitely learned alot about ourselves and the way we work. I'll try and update later on different stories and exciting testimonies...I'm just feeling a little sick right now. time for sleep.

lots of love.

Word Fast

Today starts a word fast for me. God has been laying it on my heart to spend some time in silence. I want to learn to hear the voice of God more clearly and be able to know what He wants me to be doing. Today during our fast for finances I really felt like God told me it was time to start. I'm not sure how long I'll be doing this but I do know that God will tell me when to stop. So if anyone calls I won't be answering, I'll check my voicemail to make sure everything is ok but just know that I love you guys even though I might not answer your phone call. Please pray for me during this time. It's going to be a definite challenge and I'm ready to give up everything.

love you all.

He Provides, Once Again

This past week has been great. Our teaching on Identity in Christ was really eye opening and a really great way to start out the quarter. I really feel I got a better view of my identity in Christ.

What I really want to share with you is how God provided for the Warren family yesterday. The Warrens are the directers and founders of our base. Their daughter, Rachel, was leading a School Of Worship outreach in California when she fell off a horse and hit gravel...she fractured her skull and got hurt pretty badly. she is healing good and they are going to start driving her home on Monday (because she can't fly). They have about $3000 of hospital bills that their insurance can't cover so we had an offering for their family yesterday during worship. In our minds we wanted to raise about $10,000...it sounds crazy but we felt it's what God had for them. So from about 200 YWAMers we raised $12,000!!! God is so good. With everything that the family has been dealing with this will be such a blessing. They need a rest, a time for themselves with everything that has been happening. God is so good.

We also did a silent retreat yesterday in the mountains! It was a really good time. It's amazing the things God can teach through us just listening instead of talking. I think being silent is something I need to work on more.

Prayer Needs:

• REST...physically, spiritually, and mentally
• finances, i still need about $1300
• health, there's a really bad flu going around that some of the girls have gotten, please pray for all of us here on base because it's miserable and we don't want anyone else to have to go through it.

Thanks for all your prayers.

Love and God bless.

SO BLESSED

I have seen God work in amazing ways the last couple days. I've been so blessed and feel so unworthy of everything He has done for me. Yesterday morning I needed about $750 so I could stay past Friday...I thought it was impossible but, we serve a God that goes past the impossible. Through supporters and some school mates I have exactly half of my tuition (which is what I needed to stay past Friday!). I feel so unbelievably unworthy. But that's the business God is in right? Blessing all of us who are undeserving. The key is being able to accept it, which is one of the biggest lessons I've been learning. We have to accept the gifts God is giving us otherwise they just sit there unused and getting "dusty."

So thank you for all the prayers, they've been answered in abundance.

Love and Blessings,
Tasha

First Day Crazyness

So the first day is done. We're getting into our PJ's and into our beds. It's nice to be back in our rooms. We actually get to stay in one of the new, remodeled rooms. Both of my friends and I get to stay in the same room, it's so nice to be with both of them.

This week will be different than the rest of the school. We get to sleep in until 9 most of this week where we usually have to be at breakfast by 7:30. Most of our classes are about orientation and getting things ready for the rest of school. My schoolmates seem to be really great and I think it's going to be an intense time. Thanks for all the prayers today!

Love,
Tasha

Home Sweet Denver

Wednesday night I headed to Mansfield to a friends house to spend the night. We met the rest of the group and headed out for Denver around 7:30 A.M. As soon as we started out we knew it was going to be a long ride...with no heat. Yes, the car we were in had NO HEAT. haha It was a very cold first hour of the trip but after meeting up with friends in Columbus at Waffle house we took the car into the shop. We hung out, watching Anchorman, for a couple hours until we could finish the trip with some warmth. The rest of the way was a breeze. I ended up not driving any of the trip, which was probably good because I wasn't sure where to go. But we made it to Arvada by 7 Friday morning and got to sleep for a few more hours.

Since we've been here we've just done a lot of hanging out. It's been great to see everyone on staff and have some time to just enjoy the surroundings. I'm definitely ready for school to start on Monday. I'm excited to see what God has in store during this quarter cause I know it's going to be great. I already have some friends from home planning on visiting so I'm even more excited.

Prayer needs:

• finances
• relationships
• a new understanding of faith and my beliefs
• rest and restoration
• focus

thanks so much for the prayers and everything you've done for me so far! I've been so blessed by all of you.

Love and Blessings,

Tasha