A Smile for the Kingdom

I was walking on 16th street downtown Denver tonight, camera in hand,  with the 16 Day student ready to capture some shots of them doing different ministry outreaches around the city when I hear this voice behind me “hey man could you take my picture for me?” I thought to myself that this is probably a drunk guy messing with me but instead it was this veteran who wanted to share his story. Little did we know how big this moment would turn into for both Jeff and I. Jeff is a Veteran who has served in Afghanistan for 4 terms and watched friends die, had to things which still gives him nightmares and brings tears to his eyes, got shot in the leg, and has to deal with everything war does to a man on top of that. He deals with PTSD and  being Bipolar, having Dyslexia and on top of that he is managing a broken neck, that he got recently, and is trying to get to his mom in Florida that he hasn’t seen in 5-6 years. Despite all that he is going through he still has a smile on his face. Actually the first thing he told me after asking me to take his picture was this “hey whatever you do make sure to smile every day so that you can make someone else smile and help make this city a better place” he would tell everyone he could that same thing as they passed him on the street. He was super grateful that I would stop and listen to him and actually care about him. I was just doing what God has called us all to do, love people. He wanted me to share this though about him and many others on the streets. I don’t  know how accurate this statement is but the guy that was with him said about 80% of the homeless people here on the streets are veterans. apparently the system there doesn’t really do much if anything for our veterans and so many of them end up out on the streets with nothing. He wants to raise awareness of this that something might be done. He carries this american flag with him wherever he goes. his love for his country is inspiring and made me a little more proud of my country as well and gave me so much more insight and respect for our men and women that risk everything day and day out and to find out that they have to continue fighting for their lives once they get back state side it breaks my heart and that should never happen. We need to make sure our soldiers are taken care of as much once they get back and not only when they are overseas. Even if it simply you thanking them for their service. The first thing I did when I saw he was a veteran was to thank him for his service and he then went on to say that hardly anyone has ever told him that, that blow my mind. So even that small act can be a huge encouragement and blessing to them and it lets them know they are not forgotten. I promised i’d share that so there it is I know there is a lot of things being done for our service men and women in places but there is still a huge need that needs to be met. This is where the story gets really awesome. he told me that someone asked him why he is always smiling and he laughed and said “I don’t care how crazy I sound but I find my strength in God. I make it a priority to read a chapter a day from the bible and that is why I can smile each and every day!”  we began to talk about God and I felt led to pray over him and he got super excited when I asked if i could. I began and almost immediately began to cry my heart began to break for this man and everything he has gone through. I began to pray for emotional healing for all the things he has had to deal with in war I prayed over his body for physical healing that his neck would be healed and these disorders he has would be healed as well he soon was crying as well and as I was closing up he began praying over me and speaking truth and life into me as he prayed. I felt so honored that this man would pray for me. I will never forget that moment as long as I live. we continued to talk about life, God, and random things he then pulled me a side and told me something he has only told one other guy, He said while back he came to this moment where he fell on his knees and told God that he has always been a warrior but today I am going to be a warrior for God and that Satan has nothing on us now. So that is why he smiles all the time and why he believes he is there on the streets. I encouraged him to share that more freely and to live into that calling as a soldier/warrior for God more fully. before we parted ways he grabbed my arm as they do in the movie “Gladiator”  and said this his how true brothers greet and then I went on to say a quote from the movie that goes a long with the embrace “strength and honor” which he really thought was cool and thanked me for that. I then said a blessing over him and we parted way. Later this evening I observed him engaging with people and asking them what he asked me to do, “just smile so that you will cause someone else to smile so that we can make this a better place!”

Never had I seen such a vivid and clear example of God and His love then tonight with Jeff. I learned so much from him about what it looks like to love people, be bold in the faith, and live a devoted life to God. A moment that I felt like I might get to minister to this man turned into not only that but this many ministering and blessing me in a huge way. Remember guys just smile and see what happens.

thanks for reading you have been prayed for!

PS: sorry for the bad rambling, grammar, and spelling of this blog post its late but had to get it up before I head out in the morning with the 16 days students up into the mountains for a few days.

Walking Into a New Chapter

A NEW CHAPTER

(Walking by Faith)

I’ve been in Colorado now for about 25 days. I’ve finally been able to step back and breath to reflect on the past 4-5 months. It has been non stop with running, preparing, finishing strong, hanging with friends, fundraising along with all the normal day to day tasks. It’s has been overwhelming and emotionally draining but as well as life giving and energizing. I can’t believe that my college carrier is over and that I’m also back in Colorado working with Forge. It is good though. I was dreading graduating for so long not because I love classes, that’s the farthest thing from the truth, but just the community I had to give up and all the goodbyes I would have to say. I am people oriented and grow attached to people that I spend time with and I grew really close to a lot of people in my four years at School. The day came and the tears flowed my heart was breaking knowing that this would be the last day we all would be together at one place on this earth at least! How do you leave and say goodbye to people that have become family? I don’t think there is any easy way to do it but it is something everyone faces in one way or the other. Part of me wants to hold on to the past four years and live in those amazing moments but I know that God is taking me into a new Chapter of life. It would be easy to live in the past and never move on but God has’t called us to live in the past but He has called us to live in the moment that we are in right now! I’m not saying that i’ll forget the memories, friendships, and even hardships but I won’t relishing in them so much that I don’t see what God is doing in my now and where he is taking me! I will always cherish the times I had at SWU and the family that I gained but that time in  my life has come to a end and God has called me to a new time and place! I don’t know where that is or what I’ll be doing but I am ready to embrace the future no matter what comes at me. It is hard saying that and I’m even getting emotional as I type this. It scares me to let go of something so good and to leave my community and comfort zone but God hasn’t called us to a life of comfort! I’m ready to take the next steps into “adult” hood, ha even though I don’t feel like an adult by any means! I still feel like a little kid in a massive crazy so that isn’t very exciting nor do i look forward having to start paying loans and all kinds of bills but it is good for me I know! what I am excited about is taking the next steps into my ministry. I’m ready to move forward into just being that Relentless Warrior and Risk Taking Artist that God has called me into in a new and bigger way. I Can’t express in words the amount of anticipation I have to see where God takes me and next the people God will put in my life! Over the past few weeks while I have been here in Colorado God has been re-awakening my heart and rekindleing my passion for missions and the lost. There is something stirring in me, this desire to give everything for the sake of the gospel. While I was college that was my mission field to live a life that shined God to those around me to just be myself. God gave me  a burden for my campus for a season, and I still have that burden, but at the core of who I am there is a deeper burned a bigger passion and that is for the nations. God has called me to the mission field in some from or fashion and now I can begin to embark on this new chapter of my life which is what I’ll be doing for the rest of my life however short or long that will be! The trip to Africa I’m doing in August is just the start and glimpses of what my life will be like. You can read about that trip HERE and i’ll touch on it a little more below.  You could say im a little crazy and you’re probably right but honestly “crazy” should be the ordinary for the life a Christian! That is what I want, at least for my life, to make the “crazy” moments the norm in my life. So when I am not doing things for God that is when I and others notice and questions whats up. So in a nut shell I’m walking into this new chapter of life with basically no answers with fear of being adult but at the same time I’m walking through this new door with great anticipation of God just leading me into bigger and greater things!

Summer Update

So the students here are incredible! There are 22 students two of them are from overseas, Haiti and the Czech Republic. They are super teachable and wanting to be pushed, stretched, taught, and challenged. Granted some are being pushed and stretched farther then they want or thought they could go but it is in those moments where the real transformation begins. Within the first few days the students where forced to face their past or maybe their current  situation and begin walking through the process of forgiveness and then the following day they went into a time of open confession of personal sin in their lives and finding freedom from it. They have been in the classroom pretty much the whole first two weeks until they go overseas on Tuesday. They have been taught by numerous people on wide variety of topics from, their unique ministry, identity, apologetics, time alone with God, reintroduction to God, and so much more. they have also done extended times with God, experienced international worship, gone on hikes, met biker groups, and have done some spirit led ministry in town. It’s been a intense time of learning but they soon will be able to put these things into action as they go out tonight to downtown Denver to do ministry in whatever way God leads them, as they go overseas, and throughout the rest of the summer and even as they go home. They did though just get back from three days of a simulated missions trip where they had to face and overcome many obstacles to reach a tribe for the gospel. Some had to face their greatest fears, some had to walk into new boldness, some found out how prideful they are, some caught a vision or burden for some place or people group in the world, but they all had work as a team and were pushed out of their comfort zones to some extent. Through all this many of them found new life, a better understanding of God, themselves, and the mission field. Some big breakthroughs happened and they are beginning to walk into the identity God has given them more fully and freely! It is aways so exciting to watch this process and watch the students come alive and it’s only the beginning! Please keep them in you’re prayers as they soon will be headed overseas! pray that this will be another transformational time in their lives and that God’s agenda, not ours, will be done. Also pray that they will continue to walk into deeper areas with God and that they will continue to be redefined by God. That can be a messy and even painful process but through that beauty and life comes springing through! A really cool way to join us in prayer is joining the Forge Prayer Team with weekly updates, prayer request, and personal tips and encouragement for your personal prayer life. God is at work!!

ME

It was weird when I first got here it felt like I was in a dream trying to wrap my head around that I was actually here But the first few days the interns got to go on a small retreat up in the mountains and i began processing that I was back with Forge. God has been doing a work in my life already since being here. As I said above God is doing a work in me and rekindling my passion for missions but He is also just lavishing his love on me and reminding me who I am in his eye. It has been a sweet and life giving time so far. I just have this deep desire to be with God right now and I have a new hunger for the world and a desire to just learn. Im not saying it has been all easy and fun their has been a lot of long days in the office and early mornings, coffee is a most. There has been plenty of low moments from physical tiredness to spiritual attacks to just getting over pride and self. I have been leaning to live and work with a variety of personalities. But I really am blessed and doing very well and God is doing a work in my life. I’m learning a lot about working as a team, growing in my media skills behind the camera and in post-edit. This is the first summer that the interns have specific rolls and positions so being able to walk into that roll, compared to previous years where we did whatever and not a lot of direction, is really good! it is cool to see how we, the interns, are able to come in and bring life to the staff and students. There are times where we might not feel like we are making a difference or loving what we are doing, but it is just a joy and honor to be able to work along side and for such amazing people and ministry. As interns this year we are also getting some classroom time with some of the speakers and getting to be poured into and challenged by them as well as the staff here! When the students leave on Tuesday for Honduras, Mexico, and Haiti we will be soon prepping for 16 Days, a high school program, and Deep Camp. We, The Interns, will also be going on a three day camping trip where we will be spending extended time with God, WAAWG, and I am really excited to see what God does there in me!

Last thing is a quick update about my Africa trip in August, https://vimeo.com/128042475, So every day I get more excited about this trip and what God will do in and through me and the other going and those we will be interacting with over there. We don’t really have a game plan beside going and seeing what God does. The first half isn’t completely nailed down on what exactly we will be doing but excited to see how God moves there and begins to do a work in Branson’s heart as we seek to find connections and information about the place God laid on his heart, location is secret for safety reasons. We then will head to Tanzania to Ukerewe Island where my heart has been burdened for. Again there is no agenda or plan once we get there beside going and seeing what God does. I am and will be praying for a specific vision for this place. I don’t know why God is given me this burden for the albinos here but Im excited to see what it might become! Some really excited news about the trip is that Laura, one of the forge staff members will be joining us now on our trip to Africa, read her awesome story HERE, and there  is potential of another staff member joining us as well! When the students where doing their Missions trip simulations/training I got to meet up with Caleb Bislow and Branson to connect real quick about the trip. It was good and life giving to be with them and refocused and reenergized me for the trip. Please be in prayer for me that I continue to walk into boldness and obedience even now as I prepare my heart for the trip. Pray that I and the others will being getting a vision for the people we are going to. Pray that our team will unified and Kingdom focused. Pray that our funds will come in.  Pray that the people we will be interaction with will begin, even now, to sense God’s presence.

Thanks for all your Support and Prayers

You too are being prayed for as you read this blog!

God Bless,

Jon Stegenga

Relentless Warrior

ENJOY SOME PHOTOS BELOW RECAPPING THE PAST TWO WEEKS

2015 Experience Team