After undergoing some jam packed weeks of training and orientation, I am feeling more and more established on staff here in Kona. Our Summer DTS staff team continues to grow (we have 17 members so far), but it continues to feel like a long lost family I forgot existed. We are still busy preparing for the school, incoming students, and working out team roles (sometimes I can sneak in some basketball too), but I am realizing that this is probably going tobe the most restful week before the students arrive. These are some amazing staff friends I am getting to know with Kurt (from Canada) in the middle and Chris (from Cali) on the left.

Also...outreach location is coming soon! (Looks like a nation I didn't expect either!)

Thanks so much everyone for being a blessing in my life. love and miss y'all from Bradenton, Gainesville, and around the world.

"Let God love you, love God, and let others watch"

Here at the University of the Nations, it seems there is always something to do or a meeting to attend. In the midst of all the doing, I have found rest and assurance in what God truly wants from us. In the words of a leader here on campus, "fall in love with Jesus, let Jesus love you, and let others watch." Perhaps your like me, and you find yourself so busy doing, that you forget that God truly just wants to give His love. As I learn to rest in His love, I find joy and strength in each day. With that, may you feel and receive God's love every day, and watch the Lord use you to change the world around you.

First Weeks on Base

Hey everyone, my first weeks on base here in Kona have been amazing. There has been quite a variety of things to do and people to meet, but it has been a blessing to get settled out here.

After a busy first week of getting housing, setting up finances and orientation as a staff member among other things, I decided to take it easy and hike the second highest mountain in Hawaii my first weekend here! Though altitude sickness, cold temperatures

and being slightly out of shape tried to slow me down, here is one reward of the beautiful view at 13500 feet.

As a staff member of the Summer DTS, we have been busy contacting students, preparing for outreach locations, and coming together as a team. Jesus really brought our

team together quickly on our staff retreat as we spent time in worship, sharing testimonies, praying for each other and playing washers (kind of like cornhole). Each of us feel that the Lord has some big plans for our school of potentially 70 to 80 students! There will be much more to come on this.

Blessings

Welcome to Kona

Hey everyone, I am going to write on this blog pretty regularly as well as send out pretty regular video updates. A fellow staff friend came up with the name, not bad if you ask me. I have only been here a week, but the whole campus is really fired up about what the Lord is doing. It is an amazing atmosphere to experience, and I hope that you all can come visit me at some point!

Ok, thats all for now.