Our Baby Blog.

Many of you are wondering how the pregnancy is coming along, and how our little one is doing.
Well, I've created a blog just for information about our baby as he/she grows & how the pregnancy is going. I would recommend girls only, the reason being, I don't think guys would find most of the information interesting.

Here is the link:

http://jamiandbabybump.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Impact.

I just read this, and it truly blessed my heart. I have been in awe lately of how God has used what the enemy intended for evil and made things incredibly good. Please read the news below;

Denver, Colorado -- Snow was falling and the temperature was bitter at midnight on Tuesday, December 9 here, similar to conditions the night of shootings exactly one year ago on the YWAM Denver campus which left two young people dead and two injured. But there the similarities end. This year, hope instead of sorrow prevailed at a celebration service in remembrance of Tiffany Johnson and Philip Crouse, held at the exact time and place of the shootings.

“Today we are celebrating a birthday,” said YWAM Denver Director Peter Warren. “It is Philip and Tiffany’s first birthday in heaven with Jesus.”

A palpable joy permeated the gathering, which was attended by YWAM Denver staff, students, families of the victims and members of the Arvada Police Department. Police officers began the evening at 10 p.m, on Monday by running 3 ½ miles in cadence through the snow to the YWAM Denver training center, their way of “grieving and paying our respects to the lost,” according to Arvada Police Chief John Wick. He also said that their participation in the evening program “was about coming to a resolution about what happened.” The march was followed by a reception and a time of worship and prayer.

All involved have walked through a process of healing and forgiveness since the shootings last year. Priceless lessons have been learned. Michelle Connor, YWAM Denver hospitality director, said that staff members have grown closer and rely more on each other as a result of the shootings.

YWAM staff and students weren’t the only ones affected by the shootings, however. Susan Medina, Arvada Police Department media director, said she was surprised how deeply police officers were impacted by YWAM’s response to the shootings, and that police offers have grown closer as a result.

“I saw such an overwhelming abundance of forgiveness, even just hours after the shooting,” Medina said. “I was at Columbine and Platte Canyon when those shootings happened, but this is very different. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Those at the celebration service extended forgiveness to gunman Matthew Murray, who took his own life at a megachurch in Colorado Springs last December after killing two more people. Participants also prayed for the families of Murray and Tiffany Johnson, who were also present at the service. As friends and family shared stories about the impact that Tiffany and Philip had on their lives, it became clear that the two had left a powerful legacy, one that has challenged thousands of people around the world.

The night ended with a candlelight service held outdoors, each person in attendance passing the flame on to the next, symbolizing the enduring legacy of the victims.

“We could (dwell on) the lost potential of their lives, but now we see how God has worked through this for good,” said Warren. “We look back and see that it was all God. Only He could give us this peace we have now—a peace that surpasses all understanding.”

Legacy.

The candlelight service
We remember & rejoice, they are with Jesus.
A friend gave Ted this picture & frame. Blessed him a lot.
A year ago this past monday evening, our two dear friends Tiffany Johnson & Philip Crouse lost their lives here on earth & went to be with our Saviour.

This week was filled with ache, good memouries, tears, celebration of their year with Jesus, & silence.

Monday evening the base held a memorial candlelight service. Ted and I had still not decided if we were going to go or stay home. It was a difficult decision. It is hard to find balance because for us both our minds began to relive rather than remember.

 We didn't want to relive the horror of finding out our two friends, and Ted's long time friend had passed away. We didn't want to relive that night, and days to come, of being strong for others, when all we wanted to do was break down. 

We did want to remember who they were in our lives, what they meant to us, what they taught us, and how they inspired us. We did want to remember who they were & celebrate their lives now with God.

We decided it would be a time for healing so we went. Ted spoke about Phil's life, a memoury they shared while living in Alaska, and then spoke of what Phil's life has inspired him to do this past year.

God has taught Ted & I what it means to truly love and to truly serve people.

We will always remember the legacy our dear friends left behind & pray in the years to come we will live this legacy of love and serving.

(Above photos of candlelight service taken by Matthew Sztyk.)

Yet Another Delayed Blog.

oh golly, 

I don't really know where to begin for it's been a while! Almost a month! I have recently updated our baby blog frequently, and neglected our main site. I'm so sorry for the delay!

I actually don't feel well at all right now, so I will make this update as short as possible.

Ted:

Still running maintenance. My Love is so busy lately that although we may work just a walk away from each other, we rarely spend time together! It's actually kind of sad, but some quarters are like this. I'm so proud of him and how he has run things, despite it's many (& daily) challenges! Most evenings he is out helping a friend fix up a house, so we aren't together as much as we typically are. 

Jami:

Lately... copingwith morning, afternoon, & the occasional evening sickness (like tonight). I too have been busy but in a entirely different way (um, he's WAY busier, as you will see). I spend A LOT of time in the evenings doing research, reading & taking notes in my baby journal on everything about pregnancy. It's been incredibly fun & exciting. Work wise - I am still working in the kitchen office which is simple, and the web department which I LOVE! In fact there is a huge possibility that I will be the "go to" person for web next quarter; updating the site with school dates, news, new schools, photos, staff bios, etc. I still of a lot of learning to do & memorization because the main web guy will be out of the country next quarter... oh boy. I pray the rumor of being spacey while pregnant is ONLY a rumor for me!

Prayer requests: 

• Please pray for Ted to not get burnt out & to keep seeking God in how to lead.
  
• Please pray for our baby as he/she grows!
  
• For me with my sickness, and my times with God to grow!
• For Ted & I to cherish the times we have together & find more time too.

Thank You for loving, praying, & supporting us in where God has called us in this season!

Love,

Jami 

Exciting News!

We are going to have a baby!

Our due date is July 9, 2009!

We are SO excited!!

Behold & Adore.

"Behold and adore,

The King of Kings,

The Lord of Lords."

During worship this morning You really spoke to our hearts, my heart.

How often I sing of how broken, lonely, hurting, and fallen I am and not of who You truly are, and who I am in You.

This morning as we sung words of praise and adoration, 

of who You truly are; the King of Kings, the God of mercy, Lord of Lords, 

I became so aware of Your presence. 

Today was truly complete. 

Each day is completely complete as we become more and more aware of who You are, and who we are in You. 

I remember what you have done for me. 

How can I ever forget to adore who You are?

You are worthy of our adoration & praise!

King of glory, God of mercy!

Healer, Friend, Father, Saviour, and Lover!

Oh, how differently we would live, sing, write, dance, speak, walk, love, listen...

If we would just remember who You are, and who we are in You!

If we would adore you with our everything.

yay.

I slept an entire night last night!

11 - 5:30

Sleepless Nights.

The past week & two nights I've been unable to sleep well. In fact a few of those nights, I slept 2 or 3 hours max. 

I lie awake with a body aching for sleep. I am a verbal processor and maybe two of the nights I understood why I was awake. My mind racing with so many coloured thoughts that one could not sleep.

When I did finally sleep I had very vivid dreams. One vivid nightmare, which was actually the beginning of my sleepless nights. 

Either I wake really drained, and last minute (which I dislike so much). Or I have been awake since early morning and I am dragging.

God's strength is what I'm still leaning on, but I could use your prayers. 

Thank You!

Jami Joann

Salam Aleykum.

Tonight was probably my favourite night of this week, and not just because it's Friday evening. Although the fact that the weekend is here after a busy week is wonderful news!

 Lately it has really been on our hearts to do something outside of the YWAM community & to do something that will help keep our future visions awakened and well. Thankfully, God provided a way for both! It is the best way ever, nothing like we expected!

A man working at our YWAM base here in Arvada was speaking with Ted about how he worked assisting the government with new refugee families from all over the world who are brought to the Denver area to live.  

As many of you know, Ted live in Afghanistan for 6 months, among the people and the culture and has such a heart to head back someday. Ted was thrilled to tell me about this opportunity to help a family, possibly an Afghan family. We immediately called and soon we met with a man who was excited to tell us there was an Afghan family in need of services and lessons on our culture and language! An AFGHAN family!

This evening we met with our "adopted" Afghan family for the first time, and it was so wonderful. We were both so nervous to meet them, especially me because I have heard about the culture but never experienced it! Oh golly, did we experience it tonight!! Hours of conversations & amazing homemade Afghan food!

We immediately "hit it off" with the family. The family is a mother with 6 children; 3 boys, 3 girls. And probably the most stunningly beautiful girls I have ever seen! Their ages range from 10 - 20. We ended up only meeting the 3 daughters & the mother tonight. Although I did briefly catch a young boy peeking his cute little head around the corner!

So, what will we be doing with them?

Honestly, whatever they need. Nothing financially unless God leads but they aren't expecting anything like that. We will be helping them reapply for food stamps, help with anything they need fixed in their home, teaching them how to drive before the drivers test, basic american culture, language, etc. You get the idea. The mother is the only one who barely speaks any english. The children, especially the oldest, speak it well but can improve. 

On the ride home tonight we talked about all of the possibilities for them and "we could take them to do this" and "they should learn this". Needless to say we are so excited for this God given opportunity! 

We will also be doing fun things with them too hopefully. Things like taking them into the mountains, possibly Eagle Rock, or taking them sledding, or taking them downtown to see sites, things they've never done in their year and 1/2 here. 

Please pray for this relationship to deepen & that God will pour out through us! They are Muslim and we both really feel led to be Christ, but we will not bring anything religious up unless they do. We know and trust Christ's pursuit for his children and pray He shines through us! Please pray for us! 

Love much, 

Ted & Jami 

Captured Awe.

The children we basically lived with from Isaan, Thailand (Northeast Thailand, near Cambodian border).

Chopsticks.

(01:: I am so sorry for the delayed blog of almost a month!)

Here is my attempt to fill you in on the latest in the Davis life.

Along with each new season & quarter change comes a change in our lifestyle as well. We've learned quickly to be flexible and now we anticipate this change with open hearts & minds!

02:: t h a i l a n d
As many of you know, we recently returned from our second outreach to Thailand. This past trip was incredibly redemptive as well as challenging. It truly grew Ted and I into the leaders God is calling us to be. Obviously there is always room for growth and I am by no means saying we've got this all together. I believe with each different situation, team or person, new challenges arise causing us to trust God further and either deepen our leadership or we learn a valuble lesson from trusting our own strength falling and getting back up. That was last season; our wonderful summer abroad.

03:: b a s e
Our fall season is completely different and full of new changes and challenges. Neither of us are working a school, but instead serving the base. Let me take a moment to say, this is actually ten times more challenging (for us) than leading a team of rambuncious indepedent youth to a foriegn country. We are missionaries technically, but sometimes when serving the base through little things which may seem meaningless can be difficult. God's really changed our perspective and shown Ted and I both what it means to serve where He has called us... and to do so whole heartedly. God really shook up our "plans" of leaving staff and traveling with a buddy, to staying on staff and joining the Timothy Team here until March of 2010. This was a huge and difficult descision which ultimetly led to God telling us clearly we need to serve here until then. And all the while, grow in our leadership and live our life as abundantely as Christ's gives.

04:: D a i l y
Ted
This quarter Ted is the maintenance director. He is really enjoying leading and changing the department for the better, and really putting God in the center of everything instead of just making it mundane every day jobs. I've am super proud of him. God is really doing a lot in him in leadership. It's been amazing to watch this process! Pray for grace, energy, strength, & a more detailed perspective for him as he serves there.
Jami
As for me, I am working as kitchen assistant which uses the tiniest part of my brain and the web department with uses every bit of my brain and energy. The kitchen job is super chill and I spend most of my time in the web department, working along side with two others to help create a new website for the base. I love the graphics and creative side to this job a ton! It's the coding side which is very challenging. I spent 2 1/2 hours one afternoon working on a project, proudly hitting enter and immediately realizing everything was wrong. I will never again make that mistake and for that I am thankful, but it was dissapointing. Pray for my mind & that I'll press in with my everything!

Thank you lovely friends for reading my ridiculously long winded blog!
x Jami

The first thing that popped into my mind when naming this blog was Chopsticks.
Chopsticks is a name for my randomosity in every aspect of my life. I have a chopsticks playlist, a chopsticks memoury box, a chopsticks email folder, a chopsticks picture folder, a chopsticks mix cd ... don't really know how this came about but it did and it sticks.

Hence the name of this blog.

Such Great Heights.

Here we are back in the "lower 48" as Alaskan's would say. It was interesting flying over the Rockies after seeing such massive snow tipped mountains in Alaksa. I'm not saying the Rockies aren't beautiful for I know they are, but once you have seen such great beauty it's hard not to compare.

The biggest shock to me was how flat our land is here. I guess I've always thought it was pretty hilly and mountainous, but really it's not at all. Here you have to drive a few hours to reach such great heights, in Alaska they are in your backyard. I love Colorado, please don't get me wrong, I just really love the beauty of Alaska too.

One thing I really enjoy about being home is the sun! We only had 2 maybe three sun moments in Alaska (I saw moments because there wasn't a full day of sun)!

Hope you enjoyed the photos of Alaska, and I may post more later! 

Travels by Foot, Train, and Sea.

 Watch the photo below first...glacier calving!

I was SO excited to get this on camera !

Ted was here for most of the boat ride, he was so sick. I woke him to see the glacier.

 beautiful 

this area was called God's view or something

The rainy summer made beautiful waterfalls.

The first views of this massive glacier

Those are mountains surrounding this glacier. Which means, yes, this glacier is HUGE!

I was in awe of icebergs. I've never seen anything like that before.

The blue hues are scattered back when light deeply penetrates frozen glaciers... i thought that was a really cool fact!

Ted's parents bought us an 8 hour cruise!

Kenai Star, the boat we took out.

taking photos was extremely wet and cold, but worth it.

Rainy view from our table, that's why I was outside for most. (oh and there is supposed to be an eagle on the top of this rock, but you can't even tell.)

Ted and his dad. The lakes are aqua from the glaciers. 

yikes...

Ted and I took a 4 hour train ride through the alaskan mountains!

This is one of my favourites. Check out the mountain reflection behind.

This is what you wear to a spontaneous hike. I was freezing.

Everything is blurred except the tunnel, i like it.

Side view of the train.

Pickin' blueberries... very very sour.

Look at the vibrant colours - from our hike.

Takin' some video for the fam. (YAY!)

Ted's a smarty.

This ain't no smokey the bear...

Salmon spawning... Ted was excited to show me the size of the fish here

Otter Lake on Fort Rich army post (where ted lived for 6 years)

The beginning of our hiking trip, we spotted moose!

They were so close, Anisa (Ted's mom) and I were frightened.

Ted's dad Ted (see how close we are!)

One Step Beyond.

Please pray for Ted and I as we are dealing with a few situations where we need to rely on God's peace and put in His armor.

God has really been emphasizing peace in Ted and I lately. In areas where we usually would react or shrink back, He is calling us to push forward and pursue peace.

Alaska is the perfect place to pursue peace. It's beautiful, stunning really. And where we are located is extremely peaceful.

I know God is on control, and He will take what the enemy has planned for evil and make it good, but the part where I need to trust Him and wait...well it's a little easier said than done. Remember the unconditional trust lesson... yeah still working on this. 

Also, while we are up here Ted is getting his dental work taken care of. He is in need of a root canal and can get it cheaper up here, so we are waiting for an open appointment. The past three mornings we've been up around 6 am to drive to the dentist and wait for an open appointment, this will continue next week until we hopefully get an appointment! '

Pray this opens up so he can get everything taken care of!

Thanks for your prayers! We love you guys!

Jami (& Ted whose snoozing on the couch)

photo above: a street sign here in AK

Moose Siting!

I get excited about little things in life, as you can see.

My first moose siting, here in Alaska. (We think we saw one in the mountains in wyoming last year too.)

I was on the phone talking with friends I know (and soon will see!!), and I had told her that I haven't seen a moose yet. I then turned around on the road I was standing on, out front of Ted's house, and there stood a female moose!! I pretty much freaked out, well I did.

It was a great exciting moment. Hopefully next I'll be writing about a bear, well... one not so close to me.

Pursuit of Peace.

Day 2:

Ted and I went for a long drive through the lovely mountains here. I am not kidding when I say we are surrounded by beauty. It is absolutely breathtaking. 

We decided as we drove, to make it a time to worship God, so we did just that. It was incredibly peaceful which I needed today. We are calling this Alaskan vacation our pursuit for peace.

love, 

Jami

Our Alaska Travels

(Photos of our flight out of cloudy Denver. The clouds looked like an ocean of cotton balls. Ted and I were in awe. The best part of flying it the beauty above!)

Day One: 

We awoke early this morning to head out and travel the road to see Alaska! Because our flight was late last night, I wasn't able to see the beauty of Alaska until this morning. The view from Ted's front window of the home he grew up in is absolutely phenomenal. A huge mountain covered in the many shades of fall. The we walk to the backdoor and I find that they actually live in a valley! They are surrounded by beauty! After checking out the yard, Ted wanted to take me for a drive in his old firebird. It's a really old, very nice beautiful red firebird, it's just too bad that we can't bring it home to Denver. It would just be a terribly long, expensive drive!! 

We then took off on the road, and began our day travels. And let me tell you, Ted is in his element! He has been pointing out places he used to hang out, the place he was baptized, the places he worked, his first church, places he went to school, etc. Although most of the time, I was unable to actually see the places, due to the enormous and countless trees everywhere! There are so many! We then drove to a river to see salmon, and let me tell you they were huge!  Ted told me that those weren't even the largest, the king salmon I guess are huge! 

I'll just wrap it up to say, we are already enjoying our time here. More pictures to come!

Walking My Talk.

( Okay, so I know I literally just wrote the blog below. I didn't want it to go on and on, so bare with me on this one! )

Another attack we feel is in my health, yet again.
On the return of our Febraury outreach, I got very ill with first stomach sickness and then bronchitis for almost three months. My asthma was terrible inflared and painful.

This time around, I have strange infections. The night we returned to Denver I stepped on a carpet tack strip and three of the tacks peirced my skin, one becoming terribly infected. That was almost a month ago, and here I am on antibiotics, a gimp, and with my cheap attempt of a bandage on my heel.

Then to top things off, before I began my antibiotics my wedding ring finger became infected from my allergies to my wedding band. (Yup, im allergic to my forever to be worn band!) This immediately flared up into a nasty pus- infection just as my foot.

I am now on antibiotics, and learning A LOT. I'm learning a lot about infections, and facts and myths on how to clean them...but that is not what I am talking about.

I am learning a ton about how much God wants me to walk the talk. I can write a novel on wanting and longing to trust God unconditionally, but truly...walking this out when times like these come, it another novel in and of itself.

I'm learning with everything coming our way, God is saying

"Hey trust me despite how great, bad, or ugly this situation may be. I'm trusting you to trust in Me."

We by no means have this nailed down. But we're loving the lesson. Seriously, this has been one of the most eye opening times for me.

Walking my talk.

Unconditional Trust.

It comes as less of a shock each time. With each attempted blow, we only turn farther in to our Saviours arms. Learning to trust Him unconditionally, with the occasional step outside of our refuge, thinking "we can do this on our own strength". (Think again, silly ones.)

I wrote the blog below, as Ted and I are both being challenged to trust God unconditionally.
Honestly, since being back we have been hit with the most outrageous situations, ones which we think cannot possibly get any worse and yet they do.

Are current home sweet home, is in the basement of a YWAMer (& 2 other staff above). It is such a blessing to live with a kind of "family" (consisting of four boys & me), and especially ones who are in the same boat as us. It is encouraging.

Before outreach we let our apartment know (verbally) that we were leaving the country, that our place was cleaned out, that we were turning in our "30 days notice" in and we would turn our keys in on the day our lease was up (Aug. 10). We actually spoke with them twice before outreach, and it turns out, due to our ignorance of a written notice, it doesn't matter how many times we tell them verbally that we are turning in our 30 days notice...they need it on paper. It was not their obligation to share this with us.

Needless to say we are paying for it now. We are currently still paying two rents totally out to $1,500 for rents. And can I just say, God has been incredibly good to us. He has blessed us this month with more support than we normally get.

Why am I writing? Surprisingly not for the reason you may be thinking but instead for your PRAYERS. We need them right now, hardcore.

Ted and I have spent a lot of time in prayer, because we know that we are being attacked. In one of the things the apartment manager said, really struck us and we immediately felt the enemy in this all. They knew we are missionaries, and told us to "just go and ask your church for more money". Can't you feel the enemy in this?!

But we are not of those who shrink back.
There were times when sitting with the managers when our flesh wanted to raise our voice, fight for this, I won't deny that, but we walked away knowing God will settle this however He so chooses.

Thanks for listening to my babblin. I just needed to share.
Love you.
Jami Joann

Abundance.

"The thief does not come except to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." - John 10:10

We've just returned from a wonderful, victorious (& redemptive from the previous) outreach so honestly I expect nothing less from the enemy. His schemes and attempts to get us down, to believe lies, we will not accept. 

I am writing for prayer because we really need it right now. I've really believed a lot of lies about who I am, the enemy telling me I am like I used to be. It makes me feel as though I am depressed.

I am not and I want to move forward, not take a huge step back, not even a little one. 

I have really been doing great in walking in who I am in Christ! So this has been discouraging. 

Please pray for Ted and I. Ted's also struggling too. Please pray for us!

The enemy has been defeated.

Christ came so we may live abundantly, to the full. 

SBF Teaching.

Just a quick little blog-note asking for prayer for my hubby! He is teaching in the School of Biblical Foundations (here at YWAM Denver) tomorrow. He will be teaching on the non-pauline Epistles, and on the history, authors, and more. 

He is super excited! I'm not sure if any of you have ever heard him speak, but He is very gifted in this area! Please pray for him tomorrow when you think of this!

(Thursday August 28 -5:30 pm edit: HE DID GREAT!! He says "It went smoothly, and was very chill.")