summer is here!

Summer is here and we are hitting the ground running. The winter quarter has come home from DTS and graduated. We had a great friend in the school. She was a girl we met at Bethel Church in Redding California two years ago before Will and I were even together. We will miss her as she is up in Homer, AK again. We love you Karen Joy!

Will and I have a child!!! I guess we kind of have to explain ourselves. There is a girl we work with at the base named Jae Van Winkle. She is a great girl and we have so much fun with her. Even though she is 40 she takes us as her parents. She is also on our T-mobile family plan. It seems impossible to have her at my age and Will and I just being married for 2 months. Anyway, it is a funny joke that we try to live out. She got me a mother's day gift and we helped her move some stuff to her apartment. That's Will, jammed up into the steering wheel with Jae's stuff in the back of the car. What a great dad!!!

We are really proud of our daughter....we hardly raised her and now she is full time in YWAM and we actually work in the same office. What a delight. We will get some family photos up soon. Jae thinks that she is much more like her 'dad' Will because they both procrastinate. And we have been trying to figure out how she is like me. Perhaps the fact that we both like to try to be funny while giving public announcements.....can be our mother-daughter connection. It's a rude awakening to have a child----at least one I never knew until 2 months ago. It makes me wonder how strange it would be to adopt someone who was older than you. I suppose that does not happen. That would be very odd. We enjoy it though.

I climbed up to the top of one of the flat top mountains near Golden with Julie on Thursday. It was a great hike. Super easy, which is good. The altitude is enough to make you feel 100 pounds overweight by itself. On the way down from the top I was scaling some rocks, balancing myself and so I went to lean back on a rock and under my hand was a SNAKE! I hate snakes so much. I screamed. Julie tried to hurry, she is laughing, and I am in panic mode. I didn't care if it was poisonous at all. It was a slithering snake and that is all we needed to get us moving quickly down the path. I found out later that it was a non-venemous candy cane corn snake. People have them as pets. I don't know who would be so gross to do that. Imagine if I had not looked back to see where I was placing my hand. I would have actually touched it. YUCK!!!!!!

I'm hearing some strange summer birds in the tree. I've gotta go and check it out.

my new life in Denver

SUSHI SURF BOARD!

Family day!!! Kip, Erica, Anna Kate, Will and I went garage sale shopping this morning. We used $3.50 on two scarves, a pair of earrings, and two small green tea light votives. We finished our day together at Hapa in Cherry Creek Denver area for sushi. I used to hate this stuff, but now I really like it. That was the biggest change since knowing Will. I like to get a California and Philidelphia roll. Not much raw stuff....and I eat it with a sweet soy sauce. mmmm!
Today we got a new table for free from some friend's of ours, John & Michelle Connor. It's solid oak, spray painted black. We can do what we want with it later, perhaps sanding it down or something. But I think it looks nice with the brown chairs. The new painting on the wall was a gift from Matt Kunnari (artist friend from Dordt College). It is called Church Juice and we just love the concept and his very painterly technique. Thanks friends! You make our lives beautiful!

ON THE JOB!

This is a picture of Will and I on our last night in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! Vacation is OVER!!!!
Back from the honeymoon....and we are getting into the swing of things here at YWAM Denver!

Here's an update for you: (Will wrote this, I just stole all of the text, and put myself in the 'writers' position....I had to confess! Ok Ok Ok Ok, I have been lacking inspiration to do it myself. Next time....)

WILL & ERIKA UPDATE!
We hope and pray that this update finds you all deeply enjoying life and the goodness of our Father as we are seeking to do the same here in Denver, CO. Since being married, I have joined staff here at Youth With A Mission Denver and have begun training to take over the Creative Ministries Dept. at the base. I am the assistant to the in charge of equipping and teaching each of the teams that then go on outreach to many nations and touch hundreds of lives. It’s a joy to be involved in training students to know how to express the love of Christ and then communicate that across cultures, languages, and religions.

Will, is continuing to run the Worship Department here and is now the new director
of our School of Worship. This three month course is designed to equip young worship leaders
with the musical and spiritual skills and confidence to go out and lead people into the presence of God. We’re excited to be a part of such an amazing opportunity!

God has also blessed us with many connections here in Denver to be leading worship all over the city. Just recently we were able to help plan a twenty four hour prayer and worship time for the National Day of Prayer and play for 7 of the 24 hours. The entire event was viewed online throughout the day by over 20,000 people and more than 100 came to know the Lord! Later on this summer we will also be able to lead worship at a large Christian music festival called, Heaven Fest, an event that over 15,000 people came to last year.

Now that you know what is going on...you know how to pray for us. Please keep it up!
Love you all,

erika's heart and will's words