Praise be to God!

Guess what! Today we had the team sending out, and right before we took up an offering for those who didn't have all the money they needed to go. Now, I only need about 700 USD more! That is pretty cool I think. I am thankful at least...

It is extremely close now. I leave on Monday morning at 6 am from Skien now. We have to be a little earlier than previously planned. That is so soon. I am still not completely realizing that it is so close. I can't wait though. It will be soo good.

Today we had a team day where we took our team out on a bit of a hike. It was such a gorgeous day. Not a cloud in the sky, and it as so good to breathe fresh air. There was a layer of snow on the ground still, and the lake we hiked to was frozen over. We walked across it until we found a place on the shore that looked nice to make a fire. We found an unbeatable spot. It was such a good time of fellowship and fun. The weather was absolutely perfect for such a trip. Thank You, Jesus! Well, I should start finishing my last few tasks before I leave on outreach, so I will leave you with this. Be blessed beyond imagination!
-Jordan K. Ernst

Clock keeps ticking...

It is Tuesday. Tomorrow is our last day of actual teaching, and after that the students have off for the weekend..... My team leaves on Monday at noon from the base, and flies out at 7:30 in the evening. Please keep us in your prayers this week. Also, my financial situation is still the same, and I need about 1,500 USD. Be blessed!

Still hasn't hit me....

It is now Monday. We have begun our last week before we leave for our separate countries, and I still haven't really come to realize what is happening... =) In exactly one week, I will be on my way to Ecuador. First, I have a 25 hour layover in New York, where I will be staying with my cousin for one night, then we are off to Quito, Ecuador. I guess I won't really realize what is happening until I get there... I can't believe it is here already... I almost feel as if I just got to Norway. I know it probably feels like longer for you, since you have missed me so much =), but it doesn't feel like so long since I left the States... And now I will fly through the States and see my cousin! I'm sorry, but that is the last thing I expected to be doing in a week... I am really looking forward to this next week and the next, but I am still a little anxious... I am still needing to figure out the financial side of this trip, so that plays a role, but I am still doing rather well considering. God is good, and I am not worrying.

I have just come back from an encouraging week with my team and I feel ready to leave for outreach with them. I think it is a really good team that is able to work well together. There is the chance of a few spats every now and then, but I am prepared to handle it. It is mostly with one person, but I am not worrying. I will be strict. But pray for me none the less.

I guess I will be able to update this while I am down there as well, but it is possible that it won't be as often. There will be one period of about two weeks where I am in the jungle, so I probably won't have access to a computer there... =) I will do the best I can! god bless!

Ja, HALLO!!! Hva for NÅ?!

So far, it has been a really good team week. We have been at two meetings with very very positive responses. We were in a youth club last night at a local Prayerhouse church, and today in a Christian gathering in a highschool. Both went really really well. Today, I spoke about the different masks people wear, and how Christians often where the most. We often have a different mask for every person we are around. It had such a good response from the students. I think we may have gained at least one student for next year's DTS. But that isn't for sure.... just hopeful... =) God is really helping me with my motivation and joy about the coming outreach to Ecuador. I am really looking forward to it, and not worrying at all. That is such a blessing. God is so good!

Man oh man....so soon....

I am now in Randaberg! It is a small place north of Stavanger on the west coast. It was a bit of a long day on the road again. I drove straight the whole time in a Mercedes mini-bus. The trip was about 7 hours long. I'm glad to be at our destination now..... This is our last team week in Norway! After this week, we just have one more week in Skien and then we are off to Ecuador! I am really looking forward to it! God is going to do awesome things! I can't believe that outreach is here already. In one way, it feels like I just got here. It is psycho crazy weird.... It's been good though. I have learned a lot. I have really seen growth in my own life....That is so cool. It is so cool when you can see it in yourself. Sometimes it is so hard to see change in your own life. I have seen that I have grown in many different areas. Including the practical sides of things as well. i.e. driving in snow, working on cars, getting out of crisis' when you are the leader in another country....and so on.... =) God is good all the time! That is so true. My spirits are high. Praise God for that!
-Jordan K. Ernst

What to say....

Well, I am still in the progress of fixing the rest of outreach. I am waiting for a response from Ecuador on the budget. There was a big problem with the budget that I am now having to fix, so that is a bit time consuming. I need to call Ecuador as soon as they e-mail me now. Waiting is the worst when you need to get things done.... Other than that, I am doing well in my heart. Feeling healthy and ready for outreach! I hope I can get everything in order before I leave! Pray for that!

Is it possible?

Well, as you know, I am soon and very soon leaving for the country of Ecuador. I will be there for two months, and working a bit with children, a little construction, and a lot of evangelizing. I will be leading a team of seven people including myself, and can't wait to get there. I really am praying that it is a successful time for my team and I. I want to grow with God more, and I also want to be able to start a process in some people there. I want to plant the seed. I don't have to see it grow in front of my own eyes, but I do want to know that I planted it in good soil. That is my goal; to plant the seed in good soil. You can pray for me that I will be able to do that. I fly out of Norway on the 29th of this month, and will arrive in Quito, Ecuador sometime on the 30th. I have a 25 hour layover in New York, where I will be staying with my cousin, Jennifer. I really look forward to that. Man, and after outreach I am only in Norway for some days until I fly back to the States. That is so crazy. Has the time already gone by? It feels like I just left. I guess that it is different from my perspective than yours though...

This week is just about over. Tonight, we will be on the streets evangelizing to the people going clubbing. We start prayer at 11 and will be heading out at 12. In Norway, the weekend is when everyone goes out and gets drunk and goes dancing... That is just how it is everywhere here. We try to use it as an opportunity to share with people. Or even to just have a conversation with a person. We just want to see people where they are at, and show them a bit a Jesus' heart. I must admit that it isn't always easy, but I know that I am not doing for my own benefit, but rather because Jesus wants me to. I want to glorify the Father in everything that I do, and I know one way of doing that is fulfilling the great commission.

Gud er så inn i hæljeroa god! Takk Jesus for at du er god. Takk for at du elsker meg. Hellig er ditt navn! Pris Herren!

Well, the week progresses

It has been a good week so far. I have gotten many practical things done around the base. It feels good to fix things. Really good. Today, I fixed the main door of the base. It was not closing al lthe way by itself for some reason, so I had to grind away some of the bottom of it, and also grind away a little on the steel lip on the floor. I'm not sure how good of a mental picture I just gave you, but I can't think of a better way to explain it... Just know that it works now. =) It was fun, but extremely cold, fixing it. It has been so cold these last days. I think it has been around -10 ºC. That is pretty cold....

I have been working a lot with outreach lately. I am desperately trying to work out all the details with the YWAM base in Equador. I have been going round and round with them trying to figure out the budget, and it has been so difficult. I would actually covet your prayers for it's successful completion. It can be quite the headache. I have never planned an outreach before, so this is a new challenge for me. Luckily, I am not the one actually planning the ministry. I am just okaying it.

Also, there is a new addition to this website! I have added a new picture page with pics from the beginning of this DTS year!! Check it out!

God is so faithful...

You know, it hasn't been at all easy living on only the support of others over these past 6 months... I am one of those people who doesn't like to ask for help financially. It has never really been natural for me. God has really been teaching me a lot about obedience and pride since I have been here. I shouldn't feel bad about asking for financial help, if what I am doing it for is purposed for expanding God's Kingdom. It also requires a ton of faith in God. Man... has that been tough... but God is so faithful. I already have almost half of what I need for outreach. Now, that may sound a little down to the wire, but I really believe God is still working. He already provided the first half. Why would it be so hard to believe for the next half?

As far as what I have been doing lately, I am leading a team week here in Skien. I, personally, have been doing mostly practical work around the base. This morning I was in the team gathering with worship and prayer and talking about the day's schedule. This afternoon I have been working around the base. Fixing this and that. I had to go buy a whole new locking mechanism for one of the fire escape doors because the old one broke. Plus, we had a fire inspection today, and they also said that it needed to be fixed asap. That is now working, and everything else I fixed is still working! Praise God! =) I also had to do a little car work, since I am the only staff here able to do such things. Jay, our car person, is some hours away doing a production that our base travels around doing. It has been a busy but effective day. I like these kinds of days. I feel better after them... So yeah, that is what's going on these days. In no time at all I will be heading off to Equador! I need your prayers for that! Don't forget to check out the rest of the site! i.e. pics and prayer subjects. There aren't any new pics at the moment, but they are coming soon! Until next time!
-Jordan K. Ernst