Update

Alright so I'm not sure what to update you all on, so I guess I'll update you on our classes, because we haven't done a ton out of the classroom this week.
Last week we had the amazing speaker Jeff Pratt, speaking on the "Father Heart of God"and non-the-less it was a very emotional week, and freeing week. We addressed all the blocks in our hearts that build up walls between us and God, and then we sat and reflected why those were there, what lies we were being spoken, and what names that had been claimed over us that weren't of God. Then the next day we all came together for a time of confession and healing prayer, and that began the journey to a week of freedom, worship, and rejoicing in who God has called us to be. God really showed me that he not only longs to be my friend, my father, my mother, but also my lover and husband. I have always known that, but never truly knew it deep inside of me until last week when I had this picture of a bride and a groom at their reception. The bride was sitting down on a chair wearing a dirty, grubby, ripped up dress, and the groom (aka Jesus) was standing in a pure white tux in front of me with arms stretched out to me. Then I heard the words, "I choose you, even in your grubbiness I choose you!" And as I grabbed his hand the chains around my ankles fell off as we danced away and my dress turned pure white as well. I was reminded of this during worship on Monday and I felt like God said are you just going to stand at our reception dance, or are you going to jump in and dance (worship) with me?
Then today we had a time of reflection in the afternoon and the topic that came up was what excesses are you using to not follow 100% after God? I felt like mine were lies from the enemy saying "How could you be set free of those chains?"  And then our leaders felt like we needed to do something to take a stand to show physically that we were done with that junk with those excesses in our lives, so we did a trust fall. (This is when you get up on a chair on our stage, and then people stand in front of the stage and you fall backward into their arms, trusting they will catch you.) So we all got up and out loud declared what we were laying down and what we were picking up instead, and I don't know if I've ever heard such a sound of freedom and joy flood a room at once! Walls were destroyed these past weeks, burdens were lifted, and our yokes have become easy in Christ.

Kingdom Outreach (downtown Denver)

1/12/2011 Kingdom Outreach

Beth, Casey, Branden, Kate, Kylie

As we got off the bus to do street ministry the Lord led Branden over to a homeless man walking across the street. This man was pretty short, scruffy beard, smoking a cigarette, and everything he said was brought back to music. So as the guys were talking to him I felt like the Lord told me to sing him a song worthy of God, but I just kinda pushed it off. So we went and bought this guy, Bob, a meal at mcdonalds and got him a warm cup of coffee. He was so nice and welcoming till we got him food, then he was angry at Christian people and thought we were judging him and that he knows the “games” we play. We told him we weren’t playing games, and that we just wanted to bless him in what ever way he would let us. Back up a little bit, as we were walking into Mcdonalds a man was standing outside opening the door for us to try and earn tips to get a meal. This guy on the other hand was well rounded and such a light of God in his eyes. So we invited him in as well to get a meal. His name was Ricky, then as we sat down a lady named Michelle came running over to our table and asked if we were here to pray so she sat down and joined us and we prayed for her. When we got done praying one of the guys in our group had an image of a bird flying, and another girl had a picture of a rainbow and i believe a bird also with the verse about running and not growing weary and flying on eagles wings in Isaiah. Later that night I was laying in bed and then Lord reminded me of my quite time a few days earlier and how I felt led to pray on behalf of a lady named Michelle for renewal and that God would send someone to pick up his wounded soldier. DANG RIGHT?!?  

Okay so back to Mcdonalds the man named Ricky was a sold man of God, and of amazing character. One day a lady dropped a few $20 bills on the ground and instead of not telling her and getting them for himself he stopped her and picked up her money and gave it back, as he was telling us that story a still small voice told me to go get him that $20 so I got up but the ATM was broken, so I sat back down. We started praying for healing in his stomach, because he had been having some serious problems with it, and was in and out of the hospital, so half of our team kept praying for him and I started talking to the first guy Bob again with one of the other girls on our team. He was still so bitter towards Christians, so we just kept trying to press in and love him. And the whole time I kept feeling like I needed to sing, so... I told my friend girl we are supposed to sing, she looked at me like NO YOU CAN SING THATS CRAZY! So we started singing a song we have been singing a lot here on base that goes, “I called you answered you came to my rescue and I want to be where you are... My life, be lifted high, and our world, be lifted high, and our love, be lifted high” and that was all I sang and I felt like the moment I allowed God to sing through me a wall was broken down, he started to open up. 

About that time I look over to Ricky (christian homeless man) and he pulls out this yellow ticket for begging for change on the corner. At that moment I asked him Ricky how much is that for? He said I think its $30 but he couldn’t find the price, so I told him that when I just left I went to go get you money. So I gave my friend my debit card and told them to go get the money for that ticket. As we were walking back to the buses that night my friend stopped me and said dude I felt like I was supposed to give him $10 so his $10 and my $20 paid for his $30 ticket!!! The Lord will provide!

So back to Bob, after everyone else left we just kept trying to find away into his heart to pray for him and finally as we were about ready to leave we asked him one more time, Bod can we pray for you? This time he said I suppose, and so we began to pray for him and healing over his legs and mind, and as we did this old bitter hateful man, began to cry, and reached over to put his hand on top of the girls hand that was praying, and he began shifting in his seat like something inside of him was changing. After we got done praying he looked up and this man was TOTALLY different, he now wanted a hug and love from us, not just a meal and cigarettes. THE LORD IS AT WORK IN LIVES! He just wants to love people, and He wants us to be apart of that love. Thank you Jesus!

Here I am

So I've arrived, and my first week is done it was a very long week of getting to know everyone and getting through our bonding sessions. Tomorrow classes start officially and our subject this week is the fear of the Lord. I'm so ready to get the teaching coming and to begin being wrecked to pieces and restored. A few nights ago a group of us girls went out for the night and then decided we all had a passion to go do some ministry, so we drove around praying till we felt like we should stop. When we stopped we got out and played hacky sack with 3 high school guys. None of them were Christians, so we were well God how do we share with them your truths we were at a stand still. So as we are just talking about life our hacky sack gets stuck in the rafters, and the guys didn't want to get it out, so we decided this could be our chance to help and then share. So we lifted each other up, and got the hacky down. Then we were able to just open up and share about the real love of Jesus and how he loves and provides for us no matter what. After we got done sharing we prayed for them and their families. Before we prayed they were so against us, and after you could tell a door in them had opened, a seed had been planted, a light had been turned on. The oldest kid was really curious about what Christianity is all about, and we found out they live us around the corner from us. God is good!

Colorado Here I am!

Alright Friends, quick update, So I'm here I'm in Colorado with my parents till Monday and then they will jump on a train and come home, and I'll begin my training in Denver. The last few days have been very refreshing, and reminding of who God really is. We are up in the mountains (I kinda feel like a monk right now, or I guess a nun, being away from the city on a mountain top) just relaxing and skiing in the beauty of God's creation. As we pulled in Wednesday night I was reminded of how BIG GOD IS! and how small we are! As we drove in I looked up at the stars, and the huge mountain standing beside me, and my breath was taken back a bit. DANG! If I feel this small against this mountain, then GOD IS HUGE! Considering he holds the world in the palm of his hand and its just like a drop in a bucket. Wow reality check huh? And looking at the mountain all I could think of was, its huge AND how BEAUTIFUL it was. If God spent that much time to make the mountains, the sun set, the (whatever you find beautiful) how much more time did he spend on us, living humans made in HIS IMAGE! DUDE GUYS WAKE UP THIS JESUS IS IN LOVE WITH YOU, AND IS WAITING WITH OPEN ARMS FOR YOU TO RUN TO HIM! Its so simple just ask him to live in you, and to be in charge of your life, and to take way all the crap from your past. Then the adventure begins, is the adventure easy... haha... NO!
BUT is it worth it YES!!!!!


I pray that this will hit home to those of you who need to hear it, and that you will share it with those people in your life who need a reminder of how BIG GOD TRULY IS, and how much he LOVES us NO MATTER WHAT! Don't fill up that desire inside of you with CRAP from this world that are instant ANYMORE! Guys go to the one who says drink from me and you will NEVER thirst AGAIN!

Love you all!

Here we go ready or not!

Wow... so I sit here at my computer and look at the countdown that says 5 days 7 hours and 9 minutes till I leave, and the thought of leaving still flies over my head like the wind blowing through the trees. Am I excited? Yes! Do I have any doubt this is where I'm supposed to be? NOPE not at all! I know the Lord has called me to Ywam and made it so clear in the past few months. The Lord is opening some new doors that I'm very excited about, and shutting some old doors that I thought would never be shut. It's all new and exciting, its like watching a movie... WHAT'S NEXT!?! Even though I have no clue where I will be in the next days, weeks, months, and years, I do know that no matter what I try to plan, God's plans are going to go way, WAY beyond what I can dream. His bar and standards are higher than my eyes can see, higher than my dreams can fly. He is the almighty creator and wants to create a new work in each one of us. So I will try and keep you all updated on my life in these next few months, but if you ever want to know more please feel free to email me vanwyk20@gmail.com or facebook me. Thanks for all your support and prayers!

Life Update

From the streets of Pella, to the streets of Kampala, ONLY God knows where these feet will go next. I've been in a season of stepping back and observing those around me that are leading, and finding things that I would change to better reach our generation. It's been very interesting to see how much we revolve around time and how much we don't revolve around the Spirit. When in reality if we kick the Spirit out the door and don't move in his time then we have kicked our church out the door as well.
    You ask why? Well it says that our words will mean nothing to people when we teach if the Spirit doesn't translate it for them. "okay well the Spirit can translate, but what does that have to do with time?" Well if you are more concerned about the amount of time each member of the service takes up, instead of seeing how the Spirit wants to meet us, we MISS THE SPIRIT! And if we don't invite the Spirit to speak then frankly our words mean NOTHING, and it's only time until our church will mean nothing as well.
     Not yet convinced, well try this look. When are students the most ready to fight the fight, when are they 100% surrendered to God? When they have been at a retreat, conference, or mission trip that was focused on seeing the Spirit move. So if we take the movement of the Spirit out of our youth groups, then they to will also die.

That's a clip of what I have been wrestling with, in a world where we much please everyone and not step on peoples toes, well Jesus stepped on toes so I think its okay if we tell it how it is too.

Parylized from a stroke 6 months earlier, after much prayer, she slowly began to move again!

South Africa Slums

Lion Park

VBS Kids in the Slums of South Africa

Photo Shoot!

Itani

South Africa

Over 75,000 people living in a 3 mile radius

South Africa Slums

My "Twin" Robby and I with Zimbabwe Refugees

My Yellow Eagle Zambian Camp Home Group

Relay Race

All the Zambian Camp Hope Children 

Africa

7/25/2010

You know you’ve been in Africa to long when you…

1. Have open convos about your body functions with both girls and guys in public
2. When you see a bug in your drink and you still drink it
3. When you look for a stick to get the rest of the peanut butter out of its jar
4. When you touch the bottom of your shoe, then pick up your apple and eat it
5. When you look into your coffee cup and see stuff floating and still drink it
6. When you find yourself journaling about being here to long!!!

South Africa

7/13/2010

God you are my ROCK, my REFUGE, my STRONG FORTRESS, you are my LEADER, you set me FREE, I COMMIT myself to you, you’re my REDEEMER, God I will TRUST in you all my days, because your LOVE goes beyond all pain, hurts, fears, doubts, lies, lust and borders. You are MERCIFUL, you are my STRENGTH!

7/25/2010

I know I’m forgiven for all I’ve done, but why do I keep going back to my past. Thoughts about… God I rebelled against this or I shouldn’t have done that? But the Lord says NO IT IS FINISHED! It’s time to flip our minds, hearts and addictions inside out we ARE forgiven we can live FREE! When you ask for forgiveness Jesus FORGIVES and FORGETS! So stop holding on to your sing and accusing others, because if the God of the universe can forget about it, I think you can too!

South Africa- Spoken Word

Spoken Word

This is just a fun piece of work, my friends wanted to see if I could really “rap”.

It is finished

John 19:30

It is finished

I’m not talken about a race

To the rugged strip of tape

I’m talken about your faith

And the pain that it will take

To become a warrior of the Lord

Never doubting what’s at stake

Many people have come and gone

But God, your love it still remains

Everybody askin what it means

To become a servant of a King

In laying down my pride

To help bring new life to the blind

And by sitting on my knees to worship the king of all kings

Through love, worship, prayer, and service

Were taken back the broken betrayed and deserted

Faith without actions

Has no meaning

Faith full of action

Keeps your heart beating

Love is the act

Of holy sacrifice

Worship is the beat

Of laying down your life

Prayer is the cry

Of the broken hearted child

Whose life’s about to end

If we don’t step up to run the extra mile

And service isn’t giving to any earthly matter

Instead service is the act of laying down your life to take that extra step to help heal that broken cry

For it’s not by us God

But by your power

To reach the broken hearted

To the point of being a martyr

So God I give you my life

Let it be all that you please

To reach the world

Through serving from my knees.

South Africa

6/19/2010

Just as each sunrise brings a different picture, so should each of our lives. Each way we serve should paint a new picture of God’s love. Just as the sun rises it sets and brings the blessings of that day. You won’t know your blessings in advance but you know it will be different every night, but you also know it will be a beautiful picture. (Kind of confusing but super good once you understand it, ask if you want an explanation)

Revelations

In all honesty I feel like I just got back from Africa, the memories are still as impacting today, if not more, as they were almost a year ago when they were happening. I still find myself praying for the little girls who were being abused by their parents, and wondering if they are okay, if they are still alive, and if God truly cares for them and if he does why isn't he doing anything. Then I find myself pausing and remember HE IS DOING SOMETHING, I was a little part of the big picture in saving those children. Maybe my team were the only people who ever loved them or showed our love, and in that case I pray we did the best we could to show the love of God though our imperfections. I also pray that it wasn't just some Americans speaking to them, I pray it was the voice of God speaking to the cries of their hearts. 

As I prepare my heart, mind, and body (sleeping in a cold dirty tent on the floor isn't quite normal) to go back I find myself asking some questions... What does love look like? How do I show Christ's love in a way that will truly mean something to them? How do you explain to them how to keep the "fire" going? And that there WILL be hard seasons?

So I was kinda frustrated I woke up on Thursday and felt free to be me in Christ, then I woke up of Friday feeling like a ton was sitting on my head weighing me down. I was asking God how is this even possible? Then I saw this image of a fire burning, and then leaves sitting on top of it (they weren't burning just over top of it) Then a wind came and blew the leaves off and the fire shot up and burned even stronger, but when the wind stopped the leaves returned and the fire dwindled. In the same sense when we speak (wind) about the love, joy, and grace of Christ in the good times and even more in the bad times, we will remove the junk (fear, doubt, pressure, pain, worry) (leaves) in our lives, and the love of Christ (fire) will shine through. 

And in seeing that image and understanding that the Lord wants me to rejoice in good and bad times and that's how to show my love and dedication to him, and when I rejoice he will be near. (when you draw near to God he will draw near to you) So if your in a place of fear, confusion, chaos, pain, doubt, or ____(insert your problem here). Rejoice! And let the love of Christ overcome you and take way your _______(insert junk here).

Take heart!

Over the past few weeks, maybe even months, I have found myself at a place of being discouraged very fast and easy. Which for anyone who really knows me, knows I don't normally get discouraged very easy at all. So in this season of what seems like a roller coaster of emotions regarding faith, life, and relationships I find myself seeing the end of the tunnel... well maybe not the end but I have gotten a new breath of life.
In the past week I have heard these two lines several times from different sources randomly not trying to seek them out. I would be sitting on the couch watching tv, driving in my car listening to the radio, or reading this random book my grandma gave me to read, and every time a bell went off in my head and I didn't know why. The 2 quotes are: "Be faithful in the small things." and "If you can't stand up under discouragement then you probably shouldn't be in ministry"
So as I was sitting there reading the book, listening to the radio, and watching TV, the Lord was sending me "winds" of hope. The wind comes and goes, but certain winds leave a mark... Wind can move the sand covering your heart, it can uproot the trees we have planted thinking they were good, it opens our ears to the mighty powerful sound is makes, and it can make us shut our eyes because sometimes it hurts to look into the storm. But the good news is God won't let you down.
As your walking through this storm, or dry season of life the Lord is right beside us, using us when we ask to be used, and sending us "signs" to let us know he is right beside us and understands. So whether your like me and find yourself in a season of "fear","doubt", and discouragement in only doing the small things, or if your in a season of Joy, Peace, and are a water fountain of love. Remember to be faithful in the small things, and trust that HIS plans over rule all discouragement
Have a blessed week!

What's Next???

What's next? I've been hearing this question a lot lately for several reasons, one being I'm the one to always have a crazy vision for what I want to do next with my life, and two because that's the question every Junior and senior in high school gets.
As many of you know the past year or so I have been checking out several different types of schools, from missions to photojournalism, and in the past few months I have felt very overwhelmed and almost discouraged and not wanting to seek for schools anymore because when I felt like a a door was opened it would then slam in my face. Well this past weekend I decided to make one more stop and check out YWAM Denver (missions training school). The night before I was sitting in my hotel room praying, and asking God that if I was supposed to go here that he would show me in a way that I couldn't deny.
So Friday morning my parents and I woke up and headed over to the base to get a tour and join them for worship, and as we were worshiping an intense peace fell upon me, and for the first time in a long time it didn't matter who was beside me, what the songs were, or where I was... I was able to sit at the feet of Jesus and be filled and praise him for who he was. They started playing a song that I had heard only a few times, (one of those songs that you "know" the song and when you finally see the lyrics you feel dumb cause you were singing the totally wrong words) and as I was crying out with the rest of the school for the first time I read the words of the song and began to weep. (BETH DOESN'T NORMALLY CRY) The chorus went like this...

I have finally found where I belong, I have finally found where I belong in Your presence I have finally found where I belong, To be with You, to be with You

And as the school sang this song the tears built up in my eyes, and it was like God was saying "Beth stop looking... give me your frustrations...this... THIS IS WHERE YOU BELONG!"

So with that I am planning on applying to YWAM Denver, it's a very neat base with a lot of young passion for the Lord. www.ywamdenver.com In that please be praying that I would get accepted, and if the Lord has different plans that the door to YWAM would be closed.

45 Days!

The thought of leaving in 45 days is exciting yet a little scary at the same time. I have really been learning that I can do nothing on my own strength, and it's all out of God's. There is this book called No Compromise, its written by Keith Green's wife after he died, and I found this prayer that totally fits what I'm feeling going into these next few months of my life.

"Can't sleep. An angel wants to burn my lips with the coal. I must count the cost. Isaiah 6:7-8 Here am I. Send me! Prayer is the key. Make me a man of prayer! Put power in my words. Your word is powerful! Make your word my word, make your power my power. I want to be God's voice, full of love, mercy and fire! But I must be dead! I am ready for Death! Kill me, destroy me, burn me beyond recognition. I know now that you would never hurt or harm me. You only want me dead! Let it be done! I don't want greatness. I want you to be great! Lower me down, humble me. Teach me to humble myself, O Lord! I love you so much, but not as you love the Father. I want to love you that way!"

"O God, I was frightened, but now I'm feeling better. This is God's revival. His will, his burden, not mine. Lord, let me pray! Help me prepare a message in the furnace with you! Not by power, not by might, but by my Spirit! Amen!"

Praise God Report!

So the Lord is so faithful to provide! I sent out fundraising letters a month or so ago, and my prayer through the whole month of Dec. and most of Jan. was that God would provide $2000, I got an email the other day, saying someone was willing to give me $500 PRAISE THE LORD or how we like to say it (PTL) I have reached the amount I felt like I needed to have by the end of Jan. to truly know God had called me there. When you ask you will receive! Praise the LORD!!!
Mukama Yebazebwi! Amina!

How it all started...

I know some of you are thinking, "What is this girl thinking, spending her whole summer in Africa, graduating high school early to dedicate a whole year to the Lord, and nothing else really, she is crazy." I know I feel the same way about my future sometimes, but the Lord keeps bringing me back to this saying, "because someone has to love them".

Let me give you a little back ground to help those of you who don't know me super well, I grew up in a family where ministry and missions were a normal part of life. My mom traveled around singing, so our family was always involved in that, and we began going down to Mexico when I was in first grade to do Christmas gift distribution with the children there. I have also had the amazing opportunity to serve in Guatemala, Mexico, Uganda, and the United States. But through all these trips let me tell you one thing that keeps amazing me every time. It doesn't matter where you go there are ALWAYS people who need to be loved.

So through all the good events in the past, and even the ones that challenged my faith, I stand here today to say "I WILL GO, BECAUSE SOME1 HAS 2 LOVE THEM!" It only takes 1 person to show love to the lost, broken, and hopeless brothers and sisters of mine across the world. In my mission statement because some1 has 2 love them, it's not only my mission statement, but my plan of action. Here it goes it doesn't get anymore simple, #1 It only takes 1 person and #2 to show someone the TRUE LOVE of Jesus. In the Bible we are commanded to love Jesus, and love others.

So what's the next few months look like?

-In the next few months I will be preparing to spend 2 months in Africa, doing all types of ministry from orphan relief to street ministry at the World Cup. I will also be taking a world missions class called Perspectives, and continuing leading a middle school small group at my church.

What countries will you be in?

- This summer I will be living in South Africa for 1 month, then flying up to meet the second half of my team in Zambia for our second month.

What are your future plans?

-As of now the future plans for after high school are still a little up in the air, but I'm planning on graduating at semester next year (Dec 2010) and dedicating a full year solely to seeking God's face, as of now I'm looking at a few "leadership academies" (Desperation Leadership Academy in Colorado, Honor Academy in Texas, 24 7 in Alabama/Arkansas, and The Movement in L.A)

So there is a little update on what's going on in my life, and the amazing yet a little scary journey that God is bringing me on, I'm super excited to be able to be the hands and feet to the lovely African people again this summer, but at the same time I can't do it alone. Would you prayerfully consider supporting me through prayer and finances, it has been very clear that God has called me to go this summer, and I know he will call those forward who are to be the senders of the goers. Its a chain, and the goers can't go if the senders don't respond to the call, and the prayers are being called to intercede for the goers. Would you consider donating to the cause, "because someone has to love them". If you are wanting to donate, please shoot me an email at, because.some1.has.2.love.them@gmail.com, and I can get you all the information you will need.

Thank you for joining with me on this journey, and this will be the spot to find updates on what's next, through out this journey.