January, 2012

From Jamie 

 Well, as we enter our FIFTH year of Support Raising, God has renewed me with overwhelming joy as well as peace and faith in His provision. I don’t know why He has called us to raise support to be able to minister and make disciples of college students, but I know that ministers in the Bible did it and I have learned a lot and grown a lot through it. When we began, we were told: this ministry will not exist unless someone raises their support; these college students will not be reached. We were led to sign up! And as I picture the faces of the amazing students that God has honored us with the privilege of ministering to or lead to Christ, it is ALL worth it. God provided our first month 100% with the generous donation of two family friend’s gifts. Well, I can honestly say that while we have never met our year-end budget at 100%, we have always been well-fed, all of our medical needs have been addressed, we have clothes that fit, a warm house (haha, Arizona ;)) and so many extra blessings that God has lavished on us through our family, support team, strangers (a perfect hot tub), even non Christians. 


Although this has been a challenging road, one where a budget is virtually impossible because you can only guess and pray about your next paycheck, it has been the definition that we were taught of a missionary: out of our comfort zone! God is so mighty that He has met all of our needs, many wants and several totally needless joys. I am earnestly praying (and diligently working) that we will meet our 100% budgeted needs (so we can save for retirement and college funds!) and ask that you join with me in that prayer. We have wanted to give up on Support Raising (not collegiate ministry!) many, many times and God has so clearly shown us that He has us right where He Willed us to be. As I was entering in our “MSC Gifts” from NAMB, I was brought to tears by God’s provision and our amazing and generous Support Team members’ hearts. We think about you every day and we are truly, so, so thankful. The students at Arizona State University’s Downtown Campus have a pastor that they can talk to about Jesus and their walk or begin their walk because God lays it on the hearts of believers to give to this ministry and they are obedient. God uses that gift to encourage and bless us, while meeting our needs and the gift enables us to make disciples of college students. 


 It’s an amazing process, one we feel blessed (not always, if I’m totally honest!), to be a part of and a process that we have been on the other side of: the excitement of being a Ministry Partner and seeing God use us in a ministry that we could not otherwise be a part of, through our gifts. 


 It’s a blessing and an honor to be missionary dependent upon God and the obedience of His people and it is a blessing to be obedient to God and support missionaries when the Lord tells us to. Thank you for being a part of making disciples of college students and for BLESSING our lives as we are blessed to serve Almighty God. Please pray as often as you think of us, that we will be the people God wants us to be and we will serve and live with the hearts that He wants us to have.

Some of the college students at the Christian Challenge New Year's Party 

All the Powers kids were there and one of them was given Coke, so he experienced his first ball drop! Apparently the college kids were too loud ;) 

Powers Update (by Bryan this time :) 

Bryan only has two classes left to graduate with a MDiv. We started at a slow pace in 2005 and took two years off in the middle just as we dealt with losing Madison. Recently, it’s been a fast pace, but I’ve learned a lot. It has been a long hard road. This will be the last semester! We are so excited and ready to be done and not think about a Doctorate or Ph.D. at least for a while. Dallas lost his first tooth this Christmas and we lost it in the grass outside, but Dallas wrote a note to the tooth fairy and explained the situation so he could still get the money :). 

 We got to see Auntie Mary Audrey and Uncle Micheal Micheal (what Dallas has always called him) before they left for Australia for a year. He also got to see Uncle Sam and Natalia, and I think this is the first time he hasn’t confused the two uncles. 

 Support that doesn’t cost a penny… 

 AZ residents, if you have State tax liability, PLEASE consider donating it and getting credit for paying it.  http://www.acsto.org/ If donated by 4/15/12, it can count dollar for dollar against your owed state tax dollars and help us with Dallas’ Christian education (please use his name).

Great aunt and uncle! Sorry, no pics of Uncle Sam and Natalia because our camera broke.

Uncle Michael-Michael telling a bedtime story

Colton amazed at the sea lions and seals 

How God Used You; We could not do this ministry without our team: 

 - Great trips to Mexico! 

- Making disciples 

 Thank You for Your Prayers! Please pray… 

 - Bible study leaders 

- Orphans in Mexico 

 - Ryan and Kelsey 

- New church! 

- Healing with losing Madison Grace 

 - Handling two campuses 

- Us to train our boys up in a Godly way. 

 - Our support 

- Sanctuary Church 

 - More salvations 

 How can we pray for you?

December, 2011

Great Mission Trip 


 It’s been a couple of months between newsletters, and we’ve actually been down to see the kids in Mexico twice since then. It’s been such an amazing place to take students so that they can see how fortunate they are and how they can step out and truly serve those who need it most. 


 One of the kids has dealt with some major anger issues, for good reason, and started off being very hard to work with because he would fight with the kids and intentionally say mean things to us and the people with us to see if we would still love him. Over the course of a couple of years, he has progressed so much and was a joy to be around the last time we were there. 


 Sanctuary, the church we planted a few years ago and have since passed on to some other leadership, also came and plans to get involved this year in helping with the kids at the orphanage. It’s exciting to see other people getting involved in something that has been so close to us. 


 The real ministry though, happened around a campfire with the kids because we wanted to have a fun, special night with them. We roasted marshmallows, shot off fireworks and sang English and Spanish songs. It was amazing seeing these kids just have joy as we love them and spend time with them. It’s like going to see family every time we go now. 


Pray for them though, because the older boys have been forced to leave by the Mexican government, one being "R" who had to leave his sister alone. This is something totally out of our hands, and with the constantly changing Mexican laws, there seems to be no reason behind what’s been going on. Please keep them in your prayers. 


 Please Pray for these Students 


I've also been doing some serious counseling downtown, which came right as I was taking a counseling class in that at Golden Gate Seminary. The training has helped so much as some issues from students that I’ve known for a couple years are just coming out. Pray especially for the students who are dealing with family issues, including abuse, because there has been too much of that going on this year.


Two of our long-time student leaders, Ryan and Kelsey , are expecting! We are super excited for them, and I’m getting to walk Ryan through more discipleship where I’m helping prepare him for being a dad. We’re blessed to be able to do pre-baby counseling because babies change so much in a relationship. I’m praying that he is going to be more prepared that I was and we’re taking steps to make sure that happens. 


 Powers Update (by Jamie) 

Support that doesn’t cost a penny… (For AZ only) Instead of paying State Tax to the State, you can donate (for a tax CREDIT) that money to be used for Christian education, specifically to benefit a missionary family. You can bless us tremendously by using some of your owed Arizona State income tax dollars to donate to ACSTO (Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization, Inc.) designated for Dallas Powers at (Please email me for school - jamiempowers@yahoo.com). You will receive a tax credit dollar for dollar against AZ State income tax. Pls. call me or check their website for Q's and A's: http://www.acsto.org/   My parents did this for years as well as friends and family and it is LEGIT. It is a dollar for dollar, you pay it to the State or you can donate it. If you have State tax liability, please consider donating it instead. You have until April 15, 2012 for it to count for 2011 taxes! Thank you for considering!


 God has led us to send our children to Christian school and where He leads, He provides. Thanks to donors for us to ACSTO, Dallas’ kindergarten was paid in full! This school year has been such a blessing for all of us.

   

 Thank You for Your Prayers! Please pray… 
- Bible study leaders 
- Orphans in Mexico 
- Ryan and Kelsey 
- New church! 
- Healing with losing Madison Grace 
- Handling two campuses 
- Us to train our boys up in a Godly way. 
- Our support 
- Sanctuary Church 
- More salvations

October, 2011

Great Retreat with a Diverse Group


I am always amazed at who will pay to go to a tiny city four hours away with people that they have known for a month, in a group whose purpose is to share Jesus. There are so many people opposed to what we do on campus, and that is understandable because our beliefs are in complete contradiction with the University's secular humanism.


But when they come with us, it's really exciting, because they start to realize that all Christians don't match up to their stereotypes and that we may be on to something. One quote from the weekend was from a girl who is wrestling with her sexual orientation. She said, "It's really cool how you guys believe everything in the Bible. I've never really thought of it that way before."


There are the students that we are reaching. She is part of the group and we're going to love her, but not be afraid to share with her.


For worship, we exhausted all of our contacts and Thursday night, the day before we were supposed to leave, we still had no one. The morning we left, God had provided a freshman who was willing to lead for us and it was awesome. We did some campfire worship and gave the students some time to spend one on One time with God, challenging them to surrender.


After the message, the girls met by themselves and each of them took something different that they needed to surrender. The guys connected as well and one freshman stood out as a leader. My nightmare of Ryan and Kelsey graduating is approaching, but as I'm seeing new leadership develop, it is really encouraging. 


Please pray for the students that God was working with on this retreat and for the new students that we are reaching this semester. 





New Bible Study!


We now have two quality Bible studies going at ASU Downtown. Thursday has been operating as a large group and we are starting to bring in guest speakers. The GCU students are coming as part of them and have been helping out. Because both universities have big nursing schools, it's been a natural fit.  


Maria has been doing an excellent job and has made it through James with the students. She has lead Bible studies before, but is now really getting the hang of it and sharing some good insight. We have some students coming to her study that couldn't make it to the other Bible study, like J who has been a great servant and who is planning to be a missionary. 


We've also had a hand in helping a girl start a Bible study who couldn't come to either of ours. We encouraged her to do it , then gave her some material to use and she is planning on coming to our Bible study leader training. 










Powers Update


Dallas still loves Kindergarten. He became a "Spark" in Awanas at our church and he loves that! I (Jamie) get to teach a few of the Council times and Dallas and I are very excited about that.


The "Little Boys" are also in Awanas. They are Puggles! The two year old class is sooooo cute! It's so much fun getting to hear more and more words and understanding from them. They are SO excited when they say a word and we understand. Dallas enjoys teaching them new words and is still the most amazing, kind, patient, loving and attentive big brother  that we could have asked for. He genuinely enjoys them and being around them.


We are venturing out more to museums, the zoo, libraries, parks, etc. The little guys aren't just wild 18 month olds running around! They know that they have to obey, they just want to see how soon and how often! SO they try to run off every once in a while, but for the most part, they're more portable(!), which is MORE FUN! But please pray for patience for Bryan and me as we are training up the TWO's! They are so precious...and so mischievous! 

At the zoo:

I was shocked when I went into the twins' room and saw this empty crib!

Then I looked over at the other crib and saw this:

Thank you for your prayers! 
Please pray:


-Maria, our new Bible study leader
-Ryan and Kelsey
-New church!
-Handling two campuses
-Kids in Mexico
-Healing with losing our Madison Grace
-Us to train our boys up in a Godly way
-Our financial support
-Sanctuary Church
-More salvations