Lord of the Ring

Several months ago Jake and I had a prayer session at our friend Clarise's house and our good friends Matt and Nini were there.  While we were praying, Nini started praying over Jake.  As she was praying she felt that God wanted to make a covenant with Jake.  She looked at her rings and said that she wished she had a ring that would fit him because she wanted to give him a symbol of this covenant.  Matt piped in that he felt the same thing and proceeded to take his wedding ring off and give it to Jake as a symbolic gesture of God's covenant.  Jake wore the ring proudly and after we got married, he put it on a chain and wore it around his neck.  The ring meant a lot to Jake, because one of his closest friends sacrificed his wedding ring, which is no small sacrifice.  I always knew it was a ring that God would ask Jake to bless someone else with someday. That day came last week.


Last week the DTS subject was "The Character and Nature of God".  It was a week of learning to hear God's voice, understanding more of who God is and connecting with God in ways that the students hadn't thought of before.  It was a touching week for Jake as he was learning more of God's love for him.  The teacher kept repeating, "God loves you.  God loves you.  God loves you."  It's something that when you hear over and over again, you can't help but let it sink it and REALLY, REALLY believe.  


It was a powerfully touching week of Jake hearing God speak to him.  God talked to him about seeds and how everything has to start from seeds.  Things aren't just "there", but they are planted and take time to grow and require the right kind of work.  It's a week where he found himself singing loudly to God and God alone, not caring what other people thought or what he sounded like.  He was worshiping God as he never had before.  And hearing God like he never had before.  


It was a week that Jake heard God say it was time to let go of the ring.  God told Jake that he was to give the ring to the teacher (Scott) they had that week.  When he heard God say this he pulled the ring out of his shirt, looked at it and put it back realizing it wasn't going to be as hard as he thought because He was being obedient.  Later in the day he pulled their teacher aside and told him the story of the ring.  He then pulled it off and said, "God told me that I am supposed to give you this ring.  I don't know if it will fit, but here it is."  Scott put it on his finger (with a perfect fit), looked at Jake with tears formed in his eyes and responded that he hadn't been able to wear his wedding ring in 5 years because he had sprained his finger.  


You see, material possessions can have monetary value and sentimental value.  They can be hindrances in our walks or they can be symbols to us.  But the reality is that no matter how much value or what kind of value we attach to them they are still things. 


In the case of the wedding ring, it was a beautiful symbol of two people's love and commitment to each other.  It had incredible sentimental value to Matt and Nini.  I can't imagine giving up my wedding ring, but I pray that I would be able to if God asked me to as an expression of His love for someone else.  As hard as it may have been to part with that ring, they realized that it was a possession that would have great spiritual significance to Jake and they were being obedient to God in using that as a tool.  


That ring has now gone on to bless someone else in the same way.  Because while Scott was teaching the DTS students how much God loves them, God was teaching Scott about His love at the same time.  And the ring gets to carry on it's destiny, blessing people and reminding them of God's covenants.  


"Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will always be where your treasure is." Matthew 6:19-21

Our First Post

Welcome to our blog!  We will be using this to keep you up to date what we are doing as we are abroad.  


As you know, Jake left on Wednesday, June 27th to do his Discipleship Training School (DTS) with Youth With a Mission (YWAM).  He has been getting acclimated down there and getting settled in.  Within a couple hours of his arrival, he was doing the Jake thing...working on a car.  He will be doing that for a couple of hours every day during the week because as part of the school he has been assigned to assist with transportation maintenance.  :-)


There are a total of 8 students in his DTS class. There is a 40 year old Canadian man, a 38 year old Swiss woman, Jake, a 23 year old Mexican man, a 21 year old San Diegan man, 2 18 year old women from Colorado and an 18 year old woman from Los Angeles.  Quite a wide variety of ages for a school.


Their schedules are packed with worship, studying, working.  This weekend they are prepping for entertaining kids for Vacation Bible School.  Jake will be playing King Nebuchadnezzar and Lazarus in a couple of skits.  Yes, Jake acting.  What I wouldn't give to see that!  :)  


Next week the class will start their training with "Character and Nature of God".   There is sure to be a lot of growth and revelation for the students.  
Please keep us in your prayers.  It has been very hard on both of us being apart.  We have been able to Skype a few times, which has been incredibly helpful, but it is a challenge not knowing when he will be able to make the time to call.  


Thank you to all for your support!  We are so thankful for the love, the prayers, the encouragement and the financial contributions you have made to help make this possible for us.  We are so blessed.