Jake's Trip to New Zealand

Thanks!

2009-12-13T19:47:00.001-08:00

Hey everybody!

I just wanted to say thank you so much to all of you who have and are continuing to support me. Whether your support has been through money or prayers, I have been so blessed this past 8 months being apart of YWAM in New Zealand. After I completed my DTS, I decided to come back to the base in Matamata to staff the following school. Over the last 3 months, God has done so much transformation in our lives. Because of this DTS experience and God’s power and presence in my life, I have been growing in so many areas of life (especially leadership and servanthood). I wouldn’t have been able to do all this without you. So thanks heaps!

Let me recap the last 3 months for you:

At the start of my staffing experience, I felt a little inadequate to be a leader. One, most of the students were older than me; and two, I wasn’t able to make it to staff training two weeks before. But God has shown me what it means to be a TRUE example of a leader. To be humble and to be a servant. Other than growing in these areas, I’m just stoked to have been apart of this ministry. Basically my role as one of the staff is to love and encourage guys who are seeking after God’s heart. We’ve also had the opportunity to use our musical gifts for God’s kingdom in the communities around us by playing anywhere from coffee shops/bars to small town skate parks.

5 month recap of my YWAM experience!

2009-07-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone out there!

I'm really sorry I haven't done a good job at keeping up on my blogging. I am currently back in the United States and have completed my DTS. Thanks for all of your prayers and financial support! You don't know how much I am blessed by it.

Anyways, allow me to recap the last five months for you all!

God has done so so so much healing in my life over the dts in New Zealand. I have many cool stories about God's grace and power, but they wouldn't do him justice for all that He has done in my own life. He's taught me how to trust and hold on when it seems like I have no idea what to next after YWAM. He's continually teaching and showing me what it means to surrender all that I am to Him. There's so much freedom in absolute surrender.

The biggest prayer on my heart before I left for New Zealand was this..

"God I just want to know your heart, and show your amazing love to this broken world around me. Surround me with people who simply love you and want to proclaim Jesus' love to others."

God has gone beyond what I prayed for 5 months ago. I have made 20 or so amazing friends and had the privilage to be apart of there spiritual growth and understanding of Jesus Christ. More importantly, God has used each one of them to bless me beyond what I could write on a blog site. I am so thankful that God has so much to teach us through the prayers we pray. God not only answers sincere prayers, but shapes us to look more like His Son through them. Its so crazy. I serve an awesome God.

Besides what God has done in my life, DTS has been a blast, full of fun times and memories. I've been to (in my opinion) the most beautiful country in the world! From spear fishing in Fiji to skydiving in New Zealand, its been an amazing experience. I've also been able to lead worship and have had a lot of song writing projects that have grown me as a musician and leader.

So as for me and the future, I am really praying about going back to New Zealand to staff a DTS in September. I would love your prayer support if I do go back to New Zealand. Thanks for all that you have done for me over the last 5 months. Your prayers, encouragement, and financial support have blessed me so much.

Sincerely Jake Ithy!

Pictures

2009-04-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

Pictures

2009-04-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

Jumping Out of Airplanes

2009-04-08T20:24:00.000-07:00

Skydiving! So fun! This last weekend me and four other friends decided to jump out of a plane 15,000 feet in the air. It was an intense experience. Eating subway 20 min before was probably a bad choice.. I got a little sick after the fall. But it was still freaking amazing! Anyways, we all then drove up north and camped at a hostel in a town called Caramandle (spelling could be incorrect). The next day we drove to Cathedral Cove, an amazingly beautiful beach where they shot a few scenes in the movie Narnia, Prince Caspian. It was seriously the most beautiful place I have ever been. It was a bundle of fun. Swimming, laughing, splashing, tanning (burning). Good stuff.

Fish and Chips

2009-03-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day at the beach about an 40 minutes from the base in Matamata. I tried to surf but the waves kind of sucked. I now realize how much i dislike salt water. I think New Zealand oceans are especially salty.

Anyways, then we all walked to the main strip in town and ate lunch. Me and my mate kristen ate at a fish and chips place. It was quite filling and i enjoyed it thoroughly! Its funny too because most all of the NZ people have a certain look to them. I can't describe it, but they do fo sho.

Other than the fun at the beach, God is moving and touching hearts in awesome ways. Everyone hear is totally honest and open about themselves and where they're at with Jesus. Open hearts really allow God's spirit to move and minister. So yeah im really excited for all God's gunna to in this time of my life.
No certain expectations.. just expectations.

It's exciting!
Bye.

I'm in the Shire!

2009-02-21T18:02:00.001-08:00

Hello everybody! I arrived at the Auckland airport on Saturday at 5:30 a.m. On the plane as I settled in, I watched "Little Miss Sunshine (good movie), which took up a couple hours. The plane flight actually wasn't too long. I slept for most of it. In the airport I met up with the YWAM group and we all loaded our stuff into a big trailer and van. The drive from Auckland to Matamata was roughly two hours long. It was good though. We played random car games that made time go by much quicker.

Now it's 3:13 on a beautiful sunday afternoon! I'm just chillen in the base's dining room typing up this blog. It's so freaking gorgeous up here! Out my bedroom window I can see distant rolling farm lands and an awesome mountain range. The top of the range is layered in thick fog! It literally looks like something off "Lord of the Rings!" I would take a picture and show you, but it costs alot more money to upload pictures. I'll try to put a good amount in my blog though. Anyways, keep me in your prayers everyone. Peace and God bless!