Amazing Love!

Hello All,

God has shown up in the past week more than I ever could have imagined. I know that all of you were praying for me that I had made the right decision in what God had told me in my decision to go home rather than go on outreach. We had Lordship week this past week, and it hit me like an 18 wheeler that I was not living as Jesus is my Lord over every aspect of my life. The conviction I felt was unbelievable. The revelation that my Lord and Saviour died on the cross for me, and I can't even give him 6 months out of my life to know Him more and serve Him and let his name be known to people who have never even heard the name of Jesus before. I called my parents, and told them that I could not come home. I am now staying here, and on January 3rd will be going to Thailand for two weeks, Myanmar for 4 weeks, and back here in Western Australia for another 4 weeks. It is the most amazing thing knowing that you are living under Gods will. God spoke so loudly that He wants me to walk through this door, and that He is going to have some huge doors put in front of me that he will want me to walk through in the future, it all starts with me completing this one. God is so amazing in His faithfulness to our prayers, we must be obedient to everything that He speaks! I cannot begin to express the power of prayer is truly. He is the God of perfect timing and that is the truth. He told me that I just had to let go of the rope that is the people I hold so tightly back home. I have to let go of them and grab a hold of His rope, and put 100% of my trust in Him knowing that He will take care of me, and push me into more amazing things than my deepest imagination could have ever come up with! We are talking about the Creator of the Universe talking to me here! How amazing is that!? I will not move forward in life unless I know that I am living under His will furthering the Kingdom however He wants me to. I love you all so much. Please begin to pray for safety and softened hearts of all those we come across on our time in the field. Please spread the word to your friends and churches. We really want to see breakthrough in these places, the light of God needs to be seen by this unreached part of the world! I love you. More to come! Let Go of the Rope, put all of your trust in Him He is so good!

Hello Everyone. We just finished studying on Submission and Authority being taught by Steve O'hearn, the national director for YWAM here in Australia. It was a great week with a lot of important things covered. We went camping this weekend and I experienced more flies in the outback of Australia than I thought lived on the face of the earth. The weather is really heating up here, just doesn't feel like Christmas! I have received a great peace about my decision to not go on outreach. I'm very very excited to be back in Denver. Thank you all for your words of encouragement and supportive attitudes. This week we have Spiritual Warfare. Please keep me in your prayers for continual direction. I have 2 more weeks here then it's back to the States for me! I love you all and can't wait to see you all!

New Direction

Hello!

We just finished our week on Evangelism taught my Cliff Weiner. This week was a huge week for me with which direction the Lord wants to take my life. Numerous things have come into the decision that I have made, but most of all through many days of prayer and seeking the Lord to truly hear His voice, I feel that He is calling me serve in a different way away from YWAM in my outreach. I have come to a real peace about this decision. I know that in all thing God works it for the good of His kingdom. I will be returning to Denver after the completion of my 12 weeks of lectures. In just the past 8 weeks I have experienced God in a completely new transformational way. I have entered into His presence and heard His voice speak to me on which direction He wants my life to go. Thank you so much for all of your prayers of direction in this amazing time of growth. If you have any questions for me please e-mail me at samharper20@hotmail.com. I love you all, and am so thankful for all of you. Please continue to pray as I do the same. Blessings. 

Hey from Perth after the completion of week 7!

We just finished Relationships week with Mark Parker. It was a good week with a roller coaster worth of emotions. I know that so many of you are praying for me, and have told others to be praying for me as well; I cannot say how much I appreciate all these prayers. Everyday I am seeking to be in the presence of God. We had a great day of application on friday that included communion and being anointed by oil from the Holy Spirit. Every time I have entered into God's presence since being here He has been telling me something very exciting about my future. God has placed on my heart getting involved with some type of youth ministry, giving me the challenge of speaking to every high school in all of Colorado. I just wanted to share that with all of you, and ask that God continues to give me direction about my future. It's all very exciting, but I still need to find all my security from God alone knowing that He is at my side with every decision that I make. Some things with outreach have been changed, and a real sense of unease has risen in me. Please pray for direction on which way I should go with the subject of outreach. I will keep you all posted with what decision I make. Thank you all for your prayers and your love. I love you all.

Week Done/ Prophecy

Hello Everyone!

Sorry that it has been a couple weeks since my last posting. It has been real busy here physically, emotionally, and especially spiritually. We just finished a week of teaching from a pastor from New Zealand named Jono Turner. The teaching was on the Father Heart of God, a subject that I knew many surface things about but once we really dove deep into it God began to reveal more and more of his heart and his feelings towards me! The last day of class we had an application of everything we had learned from the week with prayer and testimony. Jono has the gift of prophecy and God lead him to pray over me and he gave me the words that I will have a great power with my mouth and the words that I speak. "My tongue will be able to speak words of silver" he said, I was truly amazed at this experience and could feel the Holy Spirit moving in me. It was a real good week with the weather being even more beautiful. It is around the mid 70's here everyday it seems so very comfortable learning weather! I was responsible of 10 people to clean an entire dorm that students were living in due to the staff being on a week long retreat. I felt very comfortable in my responsibilities and the week went by with no glitches whatsoever. The indoor soccer team I am on won our third straight game in a row (I am still looking for my first goal, I just know it's right around the corner!). This coming week we are discussing Relationships which should be a fun topic. I feel like I am a very relational person who has some very significant relationships in my life so this one should be fun. I hope you are all doing great and enjoying the luxuries of home. I don't think the Australians really have my sense of humor, but I'm not letting that stop my joke telling! I will be leaving for Myanmar for 5 weeks starting December 27th. Please keep that in your prayers. I love ya'll. More to come soon!

Outreach Location

Hey everyone,

It was another great week here in Perth. This weekend the Red Bull Air Race was held so that provided some good entertainment under the sun! This past week the class being taught was Intercession and Worship. Truly finding out how to show how worthy God is (and that is of our entire lives every aspect of our lives) and how to really dive deep into prayer and really feel the presence of God! It was an intense week of ups and downs but God is faithful and is always home! On Friday it was announced that my school of 15 people will split up into two teams come December 27th for outreach. Team 1 will be going to Thailand for 2 weeks and then to Myanmar (Burma) for 4 weeks, then come back to Australia for 4 more weeks of outreach on the north coast of Australia. Team 2 will head straight to Myanmar for 5 weeks and will come back to Perth for 2 weeks, and will meet back up with the other team for the 4 weeks back here in Australia. I have not found out which team I have been put on but I know that God will put me where He needs me. Please keep the countries of Thailand, Myanmar, and Australia in your prayers. I will keep you all posted with which team I end up being on. This week we are learning about the Fear of the Lord. I'm looking forward to this week and all that God has in store for it. I watched Ironman this weekend, great movie recommend it to everyone! I love you all, THE POWER OF PRAYER IS MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU THINK, no matter what it is God just wants you to say it out loud to Him. Please continue to keep me in your prayers for strength and perseverance. I got to see my grandparents in Virginia and my grandma in Nashville this week via webcam, it was the best gift I could think of. They are the greatest grandparents I could have ever wished for! I love you all! Here are some pictures of the Air Race, and the first picture is just my favorite picture in the world that I just wanted to share with all of you!

It's the way you love me

When I'm feeling down and low I must call on the Lord to be my strength and let His joy be my strength. The power of prayer is phenomenal. I am amazed by the compassion that my loved ones have shown me since being here. Please continue to send mail! I can't begin to tell you how much I like receiving mail here, it's like Christmas morning every single time I open up a letter (I've received 3 thus far and each time it's been like Christmas morning with how it makes my heart feel). I am making this post asking that you pray for my strength. Kenna, my ever so compassionate girlfriend back in Denver, challenged me with James 1. I was feeling very low, and she challenged me to read James 1 and fully take it to heart. I want all of you to read James 1, and you will grasp somewhat of what I am going through and how I am feeling. I know that this is a trial that is getting me out of my comfort zone certainly, but I know that with perseverance comes joy and fruit from the labor and pain. I know that good fruit will come! Matthew 19:29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters of father or mother or children r fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life."

 God has a plan for why I am here, and I have submitted to Him letting Him guide me as an instrument for Him. I will not give up on my hope because the God we serve is a faithful, compassionate God. I love you all and your prayers are more powerful than you believe!

Another Week Done

Hey Everyone,

One more week has past and a new one starts today. All is well here and I am finding more and more friendships each day it seems as well as seeing Gods face more and more clearly. It is started to get hotter and hotter here, and we also just fell back one hour (Fall back) so my body clock is continually being throw curveballs! We just finished repentance and forgiveness week. This held some challenges but overall was a real good week. This week we are learning about intercession and worship so that should be fun! With each day I appreciate sweet home Colorado more and more. I feel my calling is to do ministering in the business world amongst my peers (naturally after university). I love Colorado and cannot wait to be back taking full Rocky Mountain air breathes! Aussies are real nice people, but someone really needs to call them out on their cooking! It certainly is a melting pot of people around town though which is fun, each morning it is amazing to me to think I'm actually in Australia! Still no word on outreach location. My heart goes out to all of you! Please pray for me that my spirit will lead my mind rather than my mind leading my spirit! Thank you, I love you all!

Finally I was able to upload some pictures for you! Thank you so much for your patience! The pictures are of...the base buidling where all classes are held, the Indian Ocean, a look from my front door of downtown Perth, a Kangaroo with a joey, and me and Michel (from Switzerland) with a kangaroo!

Love you all!

Getting more into it

Hello Everyone!

I got a package from home today, and it was like Christmas morning. My heart was racing as I was ripping through the tape to get the box open! My mother packed home made cookies, pictures of home, and chilhuala sauce! Everyday I become more and more appreciative of my parents, the things that they have done for me simply blows my mind. Every single day that I'm working in the kitchen cleaning I think that I am growing closer to my mom. I enjoy cooking so much but it is the long cleaning session that really tests my servanthood. Everything is good here, getting extremely warm outside though. Thank God for AC! I am growing in the Word every single day, and am becoming more and more of the man God has called me to be. The Pacific directors of YWAM are doing a school here in Perth, and actually living in the house with me. I have had chances to talk to them about so many things, and I have found them to be a great encouragement in my maturing Christian walk. This week we are covering repentance and forgiveness. I'm learning to truly surrender everything to the Lord, and lean on Him for everything. I am so thankful for technology, and how internet is simply all over the place! I always felt like I could be away from my loved ones and not miss them to too much, but what was I THINKING!!! I miss my loved ones very much, but I know that this is a test of faithfulness that will make me grow more than I could imagine. I love all of you very much and am so appreciative of your prayers and support. I am yet to find out where we are doing outreach. As soon as I find out y'all will be the first to know!

Seeing God more clearly

Hey everyone,

We just finished a week lesson on the Character of God. God is love. That single sentence is the perfect way to characterize how truly perfect and lovely God is. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 it is made clear that God is love, and that we are to love others and Him in that exact way. That verse really sums up my week on the revelation that occurred in my heart from that verse. Everything is real good here. I am having to trust God more now than I ever have before, but I had one other revelation that we have nothing to be afraid of if we commit it to the Lord. In Luke 18 it talks about how we are often hindered from giving up our treasures out of fear for their safety. But wait. Everything committed to our God is safe. In fact, nothing is really safe that is not so committed. No child, no job, no romance, no friend, no future, no dream is safe unless we have given it completely to the Lord. I have put all my trust in the Lord and know that He is good. I have had some real good discussions with peers this week, and have found an enjoyment working in the kitchen preparing the dinner. I've always imagined myself as a great Dad who can cook for his wife and kids. Doing things like this really teach me patience and all the other things that the verses in 1 Corinthians are talking about. I'm truly learning how to give that supreme love, and I could not be happier about it. In times of trouble and in times of joy we shall always be thankful to the Lord! 

A Day in the life..

I thought I could tell you all what my average day looks like...

I wake up at 5 45 in the morning for exercise

From 7 to 8 I get ready for the day (Quite time, shower, breakfast)

From 8 to 8 30 we have family chores... cleaning the house

9 to 9 30 we have time just as a school together (worship most of the time)

9 30 to 10 is morning tea

10 to 12 30 is lecture

12 30 to 1 30 is lunch

1 30 to 3 30 is work duties (cleaning dishes for me!)

3 30 to 5 30 is free time!

5 30 is dinner

Around 7 30 we go out and do something such as evangelism or hear a speaker somewhere, or play in our soccer league!

I love you all, Praise God for his unfailing love

Thankful

Hello all!

I am so thankful for all of you, and for truly our amazing most powerful humbling God. The idea that He is a servant and King just blows my mind. Though I am over thousands of miles away from the people closest to my heart we are together in unity through the Holy Spirit. Things here in Perth have gotten better (besides the food) with my roommates growing closer as well as my knowledge of God's love growing deeper. I have so much reading material, but am loving every page of it at this point. I am currently reading, "Is that Really You, God?" by Loren Cunningham. He is the founder of YWAM and the story is of his determination and love for hearing the voice of God. I find it humorous on how some sentences go like..."I came back home after a year in Angola." And here I am on this DTS for a few months, and he summed up an entire year in Angola just in one sentence! God is so faithful and so amazing. Please pray that I am a light to those who do not know His love. I do constantly long to be close to those I love, but I am so thankful for technology that I can still hear their voices. One still has the ability to make my knees weak every time I talk to her. I love you all so much, and your prayers are priceless. I pray for all of you that you will always see His face even when you face trials of many kinds. Know that the testing of your faith develops great maturity in Him! God is good all the time. All the time God is good!

One Week In

It has has been one week here in Perth becoming truly a part of the YWAM family. Everyone is truly great here, as in between conversations we are all talking to God. So much praying, so much faithfulness, so much greatness! I'm meeting people and laughing with people from all over the world. My roommates are from California, Indonesia, and Holland. I am finding comfort everyday as I pray for His love to overcome me in every which way. My days start early with morning workouts, then morning worship for about an hour. Then I have class for 2 and a half hours followed by lunch then work duty. My work duty in the afternoon is working in the kitchen cleaning dishes. I thought I was finished with that industry but looks like God has taken me right back into it! I miss home very very much, but I know there is a bigger reason for why I am here making me into a better Christian and Man for when I get home. I don't think I've ever craved my mothers enchiladas more. If you are coming to Australia for the food then I'd say cancel your trip! My love for my mom, dad, ben, and kenna grow by the day. In Him we are stronger. I hope you are all doing wonderfully hearing His voice and feeling the love that only He can give! Here are some pictures of the base!

Hello from AustaliA

HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!

I am here in Perth, Australia feeling comforted by the minute. Everyone that I am coming in contact with I am seeing how truly hand selected they are from God to be in my life. He is so faithful when we call out to Him. The base is great and the friends are better, the food is worse... but no problem any food is appreciated! I will definitely appreciate my mothers good home cooking when I get back, oh do I miss it! I have been praying all about love lately, ready John 4 and 1 corinthians 13. God is so faithful and truly so great, He loves to give us gifts and show himself to us through things like that. I also read Psalms 27, I love this chapter in Psalms so much because it holds so much truth. It talks about just "Whom then shall I fear?" through God, the God that we love, and that loves us with true agape love, there is nothing that we have to be afraid of. I am waking up everyday and trying to tell myself that. 

if you want to physically send me anything my address is

sam harper

PO Box 8501 Perth Business Centre

Western Australia, 6849

Australia

Please do send me stuff, I sleep on the letters given to me by my father and Kenna Rae. Their words bring my comfort and thoughts of love from home, oh how I love them!

Thank you so much for your prayers! How Great is our God! Let us all sing to Him!

In Auckland

I am here in Auckland after a long 12 and a half hour flight! Everything went smoothly, and now I am going to go downtown to see what that is all like. I am feeling better though, leaving Denver was extremely hard for me. Saying goodbye to the people that I love brought some of the most tears I can remember. That said, I know that the Lord is good and has the best in mind for me. Please pray for my comfort and safe travels as I am one flight away from being in Perth.

Thanks!

I love you all

Remember that in all things acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight!

Getting Ready

It is 48 hours before my departure for the long trip to Perth. I am getting very excited and everything is rockin' and rollin'. I honestly could not be happier with where I am at in life going into such an adventure. God has blessed my life so significantly I can not even begin to explain to hold truth of how powerful and loving he his. This will be the first of many post to come over the next 5 and a half months. I love you all.
All for His glory,
Sam