Disciple Making in Arizona: July 2010

How God Used You;

We could not do this ministry without our team:

Read more about most in the sections below

- Awesome diverse summer ministry.

- Great training to prepare for next semester’s ministry.
-Passionate leadership ready to hit our campus next semester.

-Student leaders are being invested in and trained up.

-Investing in a local church.

Made possible by God’s mighty power and your prayers & giving: thank you!

Summer has been crazy!

It’s been going non-stop and we’ve had a lot of deadlines coming down on us. A week before the semester was over, I (Bryan) had the most intense seminary finals/online class work schedule he’s had to deal with yet. Then as soon as it was over, we had two guys move in with us (more below). Then I spent two weeks knocking out six credits of seminary and living in a dorm in California for the summer semester, which means I am halfway done with my enormous 72 credit masters degree.

We have been more involved with our church and I have had the opportunity to preach and have a great friendship with the pastor. In fact, both of our families have grown really close, it has been such a blessing. Jamie got to share Christ with so many kids as the Missions Teacher at VBS, which Dallas loved this year.

I got to officiate the wedding ceremony of one of the girls we had in our youth group, which we knew would come one day and was really fun. We also did quite a bit of premarital counseling with them which I think will help them as they go into their first year.

We also did a wedding in Colorado of one of the guys Bryan got to lead to Christ at Christian Challenge, ASU-Polytechnic. This was amazing because he saved himself for God to bring a Christian girl. Now we’re seeing a man become the spiritual leader of a marriage, which is such a huge blessing to us. We pray you are blessed by this too, because we could not do this ministry without you.

Bittersweet Kelsey

Our leadership is already jumping on the plan fall. This year we thought we may be losing Kelsey, but after one of her close friends died, God started working on her and she’s going to stay in Arizona. Keep praying for her in dealing with that. The great news is that she got into nursing school at ASU (which is very hard,) and God has taken something that is very painful and using it for good to motivate her even more to share Christ with the lost on the campus.

Roomies!

It’s been unique having a little of the college ministry 24/7 at our house with the two guys moving in. One guy who I’ve grown to really love and want to minister to, didn’t want to go back to the situation he had been living in, with good reason, so we offered, and our house has become his safe haven.

The second guy is Ernie, who went from being a casual guy I passed and talk to about Jeeps, to a guy who carries around the Bible I gave him and reads the notes that I wrote and talks to me about them, so I may give more of my own Bibles away.

We thought when he had some problems with forms at college, he may have to leave ASU, and I knew God had called me to disciple him, so I got to help him with those, got him a job, and offered him a place with us this summer so that I can continue working with him. He’s come so far this year, pray that this summer will be a time for him to continue to grow and for me to be a good Shepherd to those whom God has entrusted to me.

Powers Update

Granny Dee was back to help with the kids with Bryan at school in Mill Valley, CA. I (Jamie) am so blessed to have such an amazing mother-in-law. These kiddos would be so much harder without such loving, supportive grandparents on each side.

Dallas has continued to be a great big brother. He is very vigilant for “choking hazards” and will rush over and say, “No, Baby. Dang-er-ous.” The babies are crawling (army-style!), eating finger foods (cut up steamed fruits & veggies) and just getting more and more fun. “Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.”