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!