Continually.

"Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face {continually}." 

1 Chronicles 16:11

Continually. For some reason the word continually pops for me in this verse. It could have been written "seek the Lord and His strength, seek his face" but to me the continually that is added says so much. I am by no means a theologian but when I read this I can't help but think read it and think "Continually! Seek his face DESPITE, AMONG, AMIDST; continually." Seek His face through thick and thin.

I do not want to "sugar coat" this blog, I just want to be real. With that said, we are struggling, we are tired, we are weary. I don't know if it's an attack or what this is but we are really having a difficult time. We are trusting God with our future and stepping out into the unknown but it's scary (leaving YWAM Denver) We are also young and just now learning how to live as a family, what is important and what is not. Anyways, combined, it's a lot and we would truly love your prayers. We need your prayers!


Romans 8:24-31 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Lately, it has been one thing right after another and we are trusting Him in all thing regardless of how it can be so hard sometimes. We don't believe God causes these situations but we believe that He can turn ugly ones into something truly beautiful. He's redemptive like that. :) We are trying to keep positive and make the best of what we have. Perseverance and believe the truth can be so difficult, especially when the times get tough, but we've choosing to do both of these because we've seen the affects of giving up and believing we are alone, we aren't good enough, there must be something wrong with us, etc.

When situations arise, persevere and believe the truth.
When we are hurting and feel alone, persevere and believe the truth.
When we don't understand, persevere and believe truth.
Even if/when some things around us come tumbling down, persevere and believe the truth.

One reason I am writing a blog is to ask for your prayers. On our way home from our Christmas in Ft. Collins, our car broke down.The past few months Ted has put a lot of time and energy and money into our car so this is really, really hard. Please pray that it is not our transmission because if that is the case it will be totaled and we really need our car!

"When life hands you lemons, you make lemon pie."


I need to go but I will write another update soon but here is a sneak peek. We are about to begin another quarter tomorrow actually. Students begin to come in this week. This will be our last quarter and if it's anything like the fall quarter, it's going to be a difficult one. Since we are short on staff, sometimes we get overworked. Meaning, Ted does. This is why I am the one who always writes and lets you know what is going on, not to mention, I LOVE doing this! If you could remember to pray for Ted and strength to get through this next quarter!I wanted to leave on a light note, saying, we are doing great as a family of 3. Chase is quite the amazing little man and brings so much joy into our home. He's truly a blessing and we are so thankful for his bright little spirit. Hope you can all meet him one day!


We are so thankful for you and your loving support!

Legacy.

Two years ago today. Ted and I cannot believe it's already been two years. This is one anniversary that is not anticipated with excitement.  Today we (YWAM Denver community)  honoured their legacy by passing out roses with this little note attached. Ted and I joined a group of staff and headed to the Arvada Police Department to thank them for everything they did for us two years ago. It was actually very, very good for us both.

One thing we have battled each time this date rolls around, is fighting the good memouries with the awful ones. Allowing the fear, the memories, the flashbacks become our main focus of our "December 9th". This year I truly felt in my heart a peace.

{One which surpasses all understanding}

I feel like I have finally laid down the "whys" and that I can remember as they were. I will dwell on the good memories throughout the year and choose to deal with things as they come up throughout the year.

In the moment it is a lot easier to shut down, but in the long run it's detrimental to our ability to move forward. And we remember too, it's not by our strength. We are not alone. He is with us. He surrounds us.

We will never forget this day, but most importantly we will never forget the legacy Phil and Tiffany left behind for it is one that is {unforgettable}!

{We remember.} 

And we are challenged;

"What legacy will we leave behind?"

To dream again.

The word is finally out and about.

If you haven't already heard (or read here) we are leaving YWAM Denver in March, spending one week with my family in Colorado, driving to Alaska and working there for 9 months to make enough money for Ted to do the SOP (School of Photography) in Kona, Hawaii January 2011!

We already have a job lined up for Ted, housing for our little family and Ted's application completed and turned in for the school. We are just awaiting acceptance. Please pray Ted is accepted!

Once Ted and I felt we were to move forward in our dreams, he said to me,

"This is the first time in a while, that I feel like I am able to dream again."

This was bittersweet for me to hear. I am so proud of him persevering through hard times, pressing in and giving his 110% to help fulfill someone else's vision, but now it is his time to pursue what he dreams of.

My heart aches sometimes as I think of my husband and the visionary he is, yet for so long unable to pursue his dreams for our future. I've seen him discouraged many times, and he still is able to keep his head up and still dream. Here we are again at this point where the discouragement comes, but we are pushing forward. We are doing this!

We are moving forward in our dreams for the first time as a couple and now as a family.

It is scary,

walking into the unknown,

leaving loved ones (here)

and everything that we are comfortable with

yet we are more excited than we have been in a while!

We've always known that YWAM Denver was not going to be long term for us, but that doesn't mean this isn't hard. We are very sad to be leaving our family here. We have both grown so much since the time when we first stepped foot in their doors years ago; Ted at 19 and me at 18. Here we are 3-4 years later, with a much greater understanding of who we are in Christ and what He has called us to. (...and now with a family :))

This was a launch pad for our dreams and we are ever so grateful for this place and the people who have invested in us, loved and supported us. It's such a wonderful community and we have been so blessed to be apart of it!

But it is time for us to move on.

We've spent too much time not pursuing our dreams. Mostly because of me, for I am afraid, even now. Only this time I am obeying Him. So, here we go, about to embark on this journey of the unknown, allowing God to lead as we follow. I am so very thankful He is the one leading us and we are not alone.

We are {not} alone.

This past year has been very hard for us. We need to know people believe in us and most of the time we feel like we're without a solid support base (of belief in us). Lately, we've been so thankful for those who have stuck by our side and have encouraged us. We've seen that there are many of you out there that love us and want to see the best for us. We've been so encouraged by you. Thank you!

Are you pursuing the dreams, the calling that He has called you to?

I am asking you, because for far too long, I have held my family back from moving forward.

Out of fear of man and fear itself.

I believe everyone is called to something bigger than themselves and each calling is different than the next. Some may be similar but with each person created in the image of God, yet with their own unique personality, I can't help but think that God has something specific for each individual. Not a general dream, but an exact one for YOU. Pursue that with your whole heart.

Thank you Loved Ones!

Love you all! Be blessed!

The Davis Family

Big Change Ahead.

Our big news;

We are pursuing our heart to raise awareness and capture beauty through photography by first pursuing the School of Photography in Hawaii, January 2011.

As many of you may know, our plans for starting a photography school here in Denver fell through.
So what is next?

Our tentative plans;

We will leave staff here at YWAM Denver after our commitment is up in March. We will take time to say goodbye to friends and my family and then drive, yes drive, to Alaska. We will begin working right away. Ted will take on a full time job, as well as both of us working at his parent's lodge in Seward.

I am hoping to find a job as a barista with flexible hours and/or selling things on Ebay.
And of course, first and foremost, be Chase's momma!

Since, the school will cost us $5,000 for Ted to do the school, we will save money for the SOP (School of Photography) from April until December.

Please pray for us as this is a huge change, but one we truly feel like God is leading us in.
We are going for a dream. We believe we can do this.

October Update.

Happy Fall! I hope you are enjoying this beautiful season!

That is, if you have autumn where you are. :)

I hope this update finds you all doing really well and trusting Him in all things!

The Latest updates!

YWAM Denver:

We began our fall quarter welcoming 100+ students to the base. They are currently running two DTS programs; a Musicians DTS and a Young People's DTS. (My 19-year-old sister is attending the YPDTS and is doing wonderfully!) They are also running a School of Worship, A Phase 2 leadership school, a Video Impact school and a School of Social Justice! Needless to say, the YWAM Denver base is quite packed and busy!

Photo School Proposal:

Two days after Chase was born we found out the 8 week school Ted had applied for in Amsterdam cancelled due to lack of housing, which was a huge disappointment but I believe this tops it off; the school proposal we put in fell through. We are very disappointed but we are moving forward. In the beginning we couldn't help but begin to wonder if this was where we were meant to do this photography school when we shared with everyone and had very little support in it. We still believe God spoke to us and photography is in our future! Please pray for grace, strength and for us to continue to trust that we hear the voice of God and follow where He leads.

On Monday or Tuesday I will write again with more information on our next big step.

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Our Family of three.

Ted:

Ted is a Phase 2 small group leader, as well as leading worship at the base and at our church here, working the graphics department, doing an online college class for photography, doing yard work for money and being a new daddy. He is very, very busy right now and is doing okay. The thing that is uplifting him and keeping him going is his time with God in the mornings and spending time with Chase! Please pray for strength for him!

Jami:

I am running the childcare department, which isn't much but it helps me feel involved. I love it because it still keeps me up to date and in community. I am also being a mommy, doing crafty things at home, learning to cook, journaling and photographing every milestone, blogging, finding great deals one everyday needs and letting other mom's and YWAMers know of them. I am really trying to put my time to good use while at home and I am truly enjoying it more and more! And I absolutely adore being Chase's mommy. He is precious and such a good lil boy.

Together:

We are enjoying being a family of 3. It has been quite a transition but one we wouldn't change for the world! Also, we are praying about the new changes to come in the future. I will update on Monday or Tuesday about the specifics for everything is almost final now.

Chase Journey:

Such a joy and a gift from God! Growing, showing more and more personality, being precious. If you don't already know, I love documenting every milestone and his funny expressions, etc. If you'd like to see photos you can go to jamiandbabybump.blogspot.com for more about him as he grows. His newest "milestone", although early, is teething. The pain has begun, poor buddy!

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Prayer Requests:

• Since the school of photography fell through, we've felt discouraged. We always try and pursue the dreams and vision God lays on our hearts and I feel like they always seem to come crashing down. We are excited to move forward, but we will need a lot of strength and trust in Him.
• Balance in our time as a family and in ministry.
• As we plan for the next BIG step as a family.
• We need support. I am not talking just about financially even though we've lost a lot of support since March, but what we really, really need is people who believe in us, encourage us, challenge us, love us and want to see the best for us. Thank you if you already do so! We appreciate you and we need you more than you could ever know. Thank you!

To be honest, we are on the verge of becoming weary and need your prayers. We love being a family of three and we are finding a lot of joy in spending time together when we can, but we need more than that. We are ready and willing to do what God is calling us to. Getting there has been hard but we desire to follow Him, trust Him and know that His face is shining upon us even when things we think are His path seem to fade away. Please pray for us!

Thank You very much for taking the time to read this!

Be Blessed!!

Ted, Jami & Chase Davis

Jami Has A New Job!

Being Chase's momma... well, and you are now looking at the new Childcare director for YWAM Denver. You may be thinking, "And you are excited about this?". Yes I am!

Why? Because I have always had such a heart and a love for children and now I will be able to plan little fun times for the kids at the base and organize crafty fun things for them to do while at the base! Also, this is such a great way for me to ease back into working while being a first time mom. I will also be working in the communications department on the web as well. I don't know my schedule yet, but I am planning to start working 3 mornings or afternoons a week and then working my way into full days or a half a day each day.

I am excited to get back into the community and being around people. It's so funny I am saying that as an introverted person... but I really am excited!

Being a mom means my days are now so unpredictable, which I love and dislike at the same time (referring to the unpredictability and not motherhood)! This is the biggest responsibility that I have ever had. I was told this before Chase came, but I had no idea the extreme! You don't realize how selfish you can be until you have a baby! I might have to sacrifice working everyday and being apart of the community all of the time, but I have such a beautiful son! He is worth every little and big sacrifice!

I am now rambling.

What about that great man in my life? He is a husband, a father and he is also working as a Phase 2 small group leader and as Project manager and in the graphics department! He is excited and thankful for the upcoming changes!

I will update sometime in October about the school we proposed about. We honestly don't know anything more, but we are hoping to find out some things soon!

A Davis Family Update (Finally).

I think this will be brief because I am writing as Chase is beginning to wake up. Tomorrow is a busy day and that is why I must try and update now. And, it's been a while! I'm sorry!

First, I wanted to share with you about what is going on in our ministry here in Denver and where God is leading us.

As we've shared in the 'Stepping into the unknown Part 1 and 2' (I sent an email a while ago, but you can also read about it on our blog) , we have proposed a school of photography here at YWAM Denver.

How is this coming along? Slowly but surely. It has been excepted as a school but it is looking like the first school running will be more of a communication school with the focus of photography and journalism instead of just a journalism and photography school (more details later).

How exciting huh? Yesterday we had a meeting to talk about the school and how to fit our vision with the corecurriculum to be a communication school, which is what we want. Kind of confusing and brief, but I wanted to update. It is exciting! Please keep praying for us as we begin to put the pieces together.

Also, pray for us in what we should name the school. 6 of us our brainstorming the layout, the name, the values and focuses, teachers, etc. We want to have the desire God has for this school! Please pray that we keep that as our main goal and in our hearts and our minds first!

Ted had found an amazing opportunity to do a school of photography in Amsterdam this October but that ended up falling through. It turns out they didn't have enough housing. We found this out two days after we had Chase and now that we've had the time to think about it, we are totally bummed out but we know that God must have another plan for Ted to get the training that he needs!

Will you join us in praying for a way to get trained?

How are we doing as a family of three? Awesome! We love this little man so much already! It's unbelievable how much love you can have for a little being! Wow! God is so good! He is healthy and beautiful.

(For all of you in the area) We are planning on making a trip up to GSBC soon! In September in fact. Ted leads worship every Sunday at our new church down here and we need to find a replacement for him for one Sunday and then up we come!

A personal prayer request from me (Jami)...

I am struggling to find time with God and time with my son and time with Ted. Time cleaning, eating right, etc. It's a lot! I am mostly asking for prayer in my times with God. Being in YWAM is such a blessing but I am also surrounded by spiritual things 24/7. I am by no means saying this isn't a blessing, for it truly is! I am just struggling now that I am at home most of the time and NOT surrounded by that. I am kind of learning all over again, how to find God in everyday living and the everyday things I do. I kind of feel like I am on outreach overseas! I don't know if I make sense... but please will you pray for me?

Okay, I must run! Love you guys! Thank you for your loving support and prayers!

Jami