Beautiful Peace.

Ted and I are now back to work at the Arvada base. It has been an interesting time transitioning.

 Transitions with many colours of emotion, time, and energy. The good, the Best, and the Ugly:

• being newlyweds and immediately working on school staff.
• living up at Eagle rock since September until december.
• each having a small group.
•  losing dear friends and immediately leaving for outreach.
• experiencing the beautiful culture and people of Thailand.
• eating, sleeping, and traveling with 27 people.
• traveling back to the states.
• moving back into our lovely, quiet apartment.
• saying goodbye to our small group students.
• taking a tiny vacation mostly consisting of sleeping, cafes, friends, and family.
• coming back to work at the base.

*Note: most of the transitions above have honestly been challenging but very growing for us. God always works things out for good, it is true! 

Ted and I had a little date at lunch time, and it has been amazing to see how God is continually working in each of us. It has been challenging, in fact, the past four months have been some of the most character challenging months for us both. 

One very difficult thing, which we came back to in Denver, was feeling like it was "odd" in Denver. The first week we arrived at YWAM we were surprised to find people at the base really living life like the shooting never happened. We honestly made some assumptions, wondering why it seemed like everyone was "hush" about even taking of how they were doing. 

After talking to an elder, realized that many of the staff have already went through the grieving and have really moved on,  and others have been struggling and are being counseled.

For Ted and I, it is still fresh to us. On outreach, we really just moved into our outreach mode as leaders. I'm not sure if that was a good or a bad thing, I kind of feel like it was a mixture of both at times. Now that we are back, the first two weeks were a bit rough around the edges. We were on what seemed like a roller coaster with our emotions. 

I can gladly say that now, Ted and I are doing well. We are still working through a lot in our hearts and minds right now, dealing with the shooting and the reality that Phil and Tiff are no longer with us. The reality has really hit us hard, being back at the base for good now. 

We are determined to talk when things in our minds and hearts and emotions come up. To cry and to laugh when we need to. We are determined to really seek after what God calls us to, in loving everyone and not judging their hearts. We are determined to really move forward in our callings, and in our dream of heading overseas. 

We both really feel the peace of Christ and how faithful God is in loving us, even when we are unfaithful. Isn't God amazing in His pursuit and continuous love for us? Oh golly.

I guess, since you have read this, then you probably know how to pray for us. If you would like to pray for us, and for everything we are working through, and if you get a word for us, please let us know!

Thank You so much for welcoming Ted and I back, and being so loving and faithful in your encouragement to us both! It honestly means a lot to us both, and we can feel your prayers.

We love you!

Jami Joann

I Adore These Moments.

Sisterhood. I can't even describe through my simple words how much I love these two; my beautiful sisters. This weekend Ted and I had the chance to travel to Cheyenne to visit our family! We had a wonderful time with my family! Tomorrow we head back down to Denver, and on Monday we head back into working full time at YWAM Denver. I'll update with what we will be doing as soon as I know! Love. Jami.

Abie and her contagious smile.

Chelsea, with her many talents.

A Time to Rest.

Here we sit, enjoying hot tea and chai, inside this toasty warm little coffee shop called Billy D's. Ted and I have spent many hours here this week, reading, talking about future plans, surfing the web, occasionally we've run into YWAMers (everywhere we go, we usually do!). It has been a relaxing week, totally opposite of the past week! We've finally caught up on our sleep which is a blessing.

We've had our ups and downs this week, adjusting back into our normal living here in Denver. It has been difficult at times.

Here are a few of our fun little adjustments: 

• Snow, slick roads, winter coats, mittens.
• Our messy apartment. (Two pack rats + Marriage = a lot of piles.) :)
  
• Greasy food. Getting sick after eating the greasy food...
• People. Lets just say in Thailand, you were always, always, greeted with a smile.
• Coughs, sniffles, tons of tissues.
• Toilet paper in every bathroom here!
• Starbucks everywhere you drive. (You know those old cartoons with a little angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other, well I'm certain starbucks is the little red guy on my shoulder.) Though you'd be proud to know...Ted and I have both dropped soda and coffee since before outreach!
• No translators. 
• Just being the two of us, not the 27. We miss our team so much though!
• Not having rice at every meal. Believe it or not, we miss Thai food so much, in fact we are going out for Thai today!
• Driving not walking, stop lights, speed limits that are followed.
• From flip flops to winter boots.
• Noise.

One very difficult thing that Ted and I have both already struggled with is the temptation of comfort. Moments when we are completely lazy and possibly creating a pattern, which we do not want!

Every moment that our minds are tempted to stray away from the calling and desire that God has in our life, He always gently, sweetly, and sometimes with a touch of humor, reminds us of the very thing Ted and I long for the most; to be overseas sharing the love of Christ through building deep relationships with the people of each culture which He sends us. 

Ted and I have been to Barnes and Noble twice this weeks, researching and re-igniting our passions. We've gone up and down the travel section, searching through country after country. It's been really fun, and it's helped us to talk a lot more about our passions. We've shared the photos and our desires to travel, and we both stated many times..."Let's go here someday!". We pretty much want to travel the world, there is so much out there, so many people to meet and build relationship with, and so much to raise awareness for!

There is one thing that I have wanted to get into for a while now, and with much encouragement of my sweet husband I will finally share this. I think I have held back for so long now, due to fear of man honestly. Mostly because I know close to nothing about this very thing...photography. I really long to understand more about photography. As we were in Thailand I really explored raising awareness of what is going on in Thailand, the religion, the people, the culture. 

Anyhow, Ted and I decided to pursue his desire to video and my desire to photograph, each of these desires to be used to raise awareness about cultures and what is being hidden within each culture. Right now we have a cheap digital camera and a fairly nice video camera that for now, can be our tools. But we've decided to raise support for a really nice camera, so when we travel in 2009, we can begin raising awareness. It's amazing how the photos turn out with a really nice camera! A person who knows nothing about photography, can pick up a nice camera and shoot a beautiful photo. 

Anyways, we are still praying about sending me to night classes at the community college for photography, but then again there are also a lot of opportunities among our community at YWAM, of people who have had professional experience with photography and want to talk to me. The same for Ted and his desire to video. Please pray for guidance in this area!

Also, please pray for our future plans. We have a lot of heart, passion and desire, but we need to begin to put our feet to action! We will let you all know our plans, once we know for sure! One thing I do know...they ARE overseas, and they are exciting!

Thanks for reading this long, exhausting blog! :)

Love, Jami

Jami's Sweet Small Group.

Our bittersweet week of goodbyes. Ted and I had to say goodbye to our beloved smallgroups,which was hard. My first small group, and i LOVE these two so very much! So our last small group time we decided to head to a coffee shop, and do a small group photo shoot. We had such a blast, and I thought i would share this with you.

We brought out the best of each other this day.

Veronica.

Corrie.

Sawadii-kaw, traditional thai greeting.

In the past 5 months, it was a privelage to watch them grow in their identity and love.

Even in the moments of your greatest weakness, He is strong and uses you still. What a gracious, loving God we serve. I learned a lot in my time as a small group leader. A lot about what to do in the future, how to listen to God for guidance and how to really trust Him in using you, and showing you were to grow in small group leading. It was a humbling experience and I will never forget these two wonderful women of God. It was so difficult here and there, but i know I can now say...I can't wait to have another small group!

Jet Lag, Goodbyes, and Snow.

We are back in America, which honestly, in and of itself is a culture shock. After 28 hours of flying, with few hours of sleep in between, we arrived back here in Denver.

As I stood at the Church where our team was required to sleep until graduation the next week, I couldn't help but dream of what it would be like to sleep in our apartment for the first time in 5 months, and on our comfy bed with our comfy covers...instead of the cold church floor. If it weren't for the grace of God, I probably would have gone insane! For our apartment was literally three minutes away, but since we were technically still on our last week of outreach, the leaders were required to spend the night as well. Every evening in the church was spent with Ted and I trying to quiet the louder of the students, and early mornings we were awaken from our jet lag of 14 hours difference. Meaning, most of the Thailand team would wake around 4 am! Imagine the exhaustion amidst the students and staff there! God's grace is good though, and somehow we managed to survive. 

Culture shock in America...our first night back, the team was taken (for free) to Texas Road House for dinner. After leaving the airort we immediately drove to the restaurant for dinner. I personally knew it would not be a good idea for two reasons: one, we were all exhausted, and two: the food would literally go right through us!

For me, that is when i was struck again with culture shock. On Ted's outreach to Bolivia and his trip to Afghanistan and my outreach to Indonesia and Malaysia...we talked and realized that the culture shock for us, was when we arrived in america. Ironic huh?

From the moment we arrived until this day, I have had major stomach problems and have actually lost more weight coming back to Denver than I did in Thailand! It's honestly not healthy at all and really causing me to be even more exhausted. Ted has been really sick too. On Valentines day is when his hit, though this time, it's  not his stomach. He has a horrible cough, and sore throat, as well as jet lag. If you think of us, please pray for us.

Also, YWAM Denver only gives outreach leaders 3 days off after returning from outreach, and unless you have vacation days, then three is all you will get. Ted and I still aren't sleeping a whole night through and plus we are both sick, so please pray for God's strength! We hope to have Wednesday through Sunday next week off. If that happens, then there is a huge chance that we will be at church in one week to see you all!

One thing I do enjoy is going to local coffee shops and chai tea, especially amidst this cold (not tropical) weather! In fact that is where I am right now! 

Well I need to run, I will post our photos and a video from outreach that Ted and I created!

Love you all!

Jami

Goodbye Is Not Forever.

Suddenly it has hit me, and with quite a force.

It's hard for me to say goodbye. It helps to know this goodbye is not forever.

It's unreal that we leave this beautiful land tomorrow morning.

...and very hard.

Please pray !

Sandy Toes.

Our team has now entered our last week in Thailand, it's so unbelievable how the time has flown! And for Ted and I personally, so sad. Very bittersweet. We were talking last night, about how we could easily spend another 2-4 months here on outreach and even...with this team.

Our team has really been blessed with amazing unity. I mean, there were a few things here or there, but for the most part, it's been unique! They all get along so well, and with Ted and I too.

Well, you might be wondering..."sandy toes"? Well, for our debrief week, we are on the Island, Kho Samet for three-ish days of relaxation, and one last time to be together as a team.

Ted, myself, Justin and Hillary, have just finished with debriefing each student individually about outreach. We asked them how their experience here has been, good or bad. What would they change about outreach if they could, how we did as leaders, if this has helped with their understanding of missions, and what their future looked like.

It was encouraging to see the responses. Most of the students have really grown from who they once were in DTS and really stepped up in who they are in Christ, with a confidence.

For Ted and I, it was good for us to hear what they would have liked to see different, which their was a lot. Ted and I really want to come back with a team hopefully off of the summer school this years, and we have already made a list of the things we would do differently and that which we would keep the same.

This outreach has proven itself to be one of personal growth for the students, really challenging them to walk in their true identity in Christ, and not in the attitude of old. Our outreach was not your typical, chaotic full time schedule, but one which was more relaxed due to Justin's leading.

I think the hardest thing for the students, was the fact that many of them did not realize what a short term mission would be like. Many of them expected more...more fruit, more salvations, more minsitry ...etc. when in reality short term missions is more about planting seeds, and personal growth. I was encouraged to see most of the students really grow into totally different people. You can even see the change in some of the students faces, which may sounds weird but as we were debriefing, I would really notice it. It is like as new person!

I think as a leader, I can walk away from this outreach feeling completely content. After debriefing, I could at last have a sigh of relief, seeing what we saw in the students.
G R O W T H.

Yes, there will be things that Ted and I will do differently when we lead, but the truth is, when I saw the change in those students, I was completly content with everything that has brought each student to where they are now! It's incredible!

Well, I need to run. We fly out on thursday morning (Thai time) and arrive in Denver on Thursday evening MST. Please pray for safety in traveling.

Love, Jami Joann

Tears in Thailand.

Today we are leaving Chaing Rai, so far our favourite place that we have been to on this trip. It is very, very hard. Wow!

Chaing Rai for us, has been an incredible chance to come to understand the culture of Thailand. Casey Wright, our contact and friend of Ted's here,  has lived in Thailand for 3 years, so we've learned a lot from him! (Besides, he is married to a Thai women, so that helps). 

Ted and I have learned a lot about compassion, hospitality, loyalty, friendship, and love while being here. We have been challenged in many ways on this outreach: in leadership, in marriage, in communication, in our character, in our weakness, and in our strengths...basically it would not be an exaggeration to say we've been challenged in a little bit of everything!

As we headed out from our guest home, I couldn't help but cry. It's hard leaving such a beautiful place and friends. Oh golly.

Please pray for our team as we head out tonight for a 12ish hour bus ride. I'm not sure if we'll have internet our last week, so we shall see. If so, then I will update you with more photos, for i have a lot more to share!