Traveling.

So it's been awhile since I've updated, all the days have begun to blur together. We went to Portland, Oregon, and then further down Oregon. And now we are in Oakdale, California. We have been really enjoying ourselves. We visited a Wildlife Safari/Zoo type place. We saw many types of cute animals. :)

Our drive today was quite exhausting, and we were very thankful to get to Josh's home in Cali. I have been sick for a few days, so that's been quite frustrating. But God has been good, and I'm getting over the sickness at a pretty good speed. My right ear is plugged right now, probably from the different climate. But I'm sure it'll return to normal soon.

We have two more services, and then we head home. We are unsure of how it will work, but we are hoping our van will be ready. We really miss our suitcases and the things we left behind in Idaho.

Whoops.

We figured our van would be fixed by today or tomorrow, but now we have found that they have to look for van parts, and that it won't be ready until next Wednesday. We are borrowing a church's van, which is a real blessing, and because of it we have been able to get from Idaho to Oregon. But, we left most of our belongings behind in Idaho, and we only packed for 2-3 days. However, now that we won't have our van until next week, we are stuck with only 2-3 outfits, and no bathing suits. Whoops.

Oh well, the real mission's trip begins now. I have only a few dollars left, and so I won't be able to get a bathing suit before we go to california. But, there is a chance we won't be able to go to the beach. But it's all good, it's really helping us to bond well with one another. I love my team and I love how unified everyone has been. Everyone has been loving and patient through all that we have gone through. It's a great testimony :) Love you guys!!

On the Road Again?

All day today we were unsure of what would happen with our van. In the end, we have discovered that the van is not fixed, and will not be ready for 7am tomorrow. We had many thoughts of how we would get to Portland. Our main idea was to rent a van and head down to Oregon. But we realized that it is to hard to do, especially on such short notice.

But God provided for us. The church we are staying at right now is lending us their van, so that we can get to Oregon. It is a much smaller van so we have to pack all our necessities into a small backpack each. Then we're driving to Portland. When our van is fixed and ready to go, a woman from Boise is going to drive it to Portland, and do a great van swap. She is so sweet for being willing to do that. This church has been very kind to all of us. They have provided us with houses to stay at, and food for all of our meals since we arrived. It's very sweet of them :)

Despite van troubles, we still had a good day. Me, Josh and Sam got hair cuts at a beauty school. The haircuts only cost $4 each, but the lady who drove us ended up paying for all of our haircuts. So sweet :) The other half of the team went to the mall. We also played a game called Bang. In the afternoon Sam and I handed out flyers at a local park.

This evening we did a service at the Treasure Valley Church. It went really well :) The audience was very responsive, and laughed lots and were very interactive. Afterwards I had the privilege of singing the song for the ministry time. It seemed to go well. I enjoyed being able to sing and use that as my prayer over the people. Then we transitioned into prayer time, and I got to pray with a sweet group of youth girls. It's so amazing to be able to speak truth and life into people's lives. :) But yes, the evening went very well. Now Lana and I are back at our homestay's house. We have to be up in 6 hours so we probably should go sleep.

Van Trouble.

We left Idaho Falls today, and ate a nice breakfast at Shari's. I wasn't very hungry so I didn't end up eating my entire meal. We headed out on the road, anticipating a 4-5 hour drive, therefore arriving in Boise by about 3:00. But, this was not the case today. At about 1:30, after a few pee and gas stops, we were on cruise control on the big highway. Suddenly the van began to slowly decrease in speed and it was as if we were in neutral. We pulled over to the side of the road, and it just stopped running. We tried to restart the van, but that did not happen. The van would not turn over.

Josh called the next church that we were staying at to let them know about our situation. They referred us to a towing and transmission company (as we suspected that we were having Transmission problems), and we called the company. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. The time seemed to fly by, and we kept occupied. We played games, recorded videos, read my seventeen magazine, took pictures, created pee shelters for the girls who really had to go, layed in the grass, played music, and basically just chilled. The only person who stopped was a police officer, wondering if we were okay.

At about 6:00, 4.5 hours after our van died, the tow truck arrived. They loaded up our dear Willie, and put him on a big flat bed truck. We took pictures of the team by the van, as it was on the tow-truck. Two of our team members, and the tow-truck driver, piled into the tow-truck cab. Then the remaining 8 of us went into a tiny mini-van with another tow-truck driver. We were packed in that little van (be aware that we documented our day very well with pictures. Be on the look-out for pictures that I'm tagged in on facebook... those will be up in the next few days to week).

We drove one hour to Boise, and then waited at the transmission/auto place for about half an hour. Then the pastor of the church we'll be doing a show at tomorrow came and picked us up in the church 15-passenger van. It's smaller then our regular van, and it didn't have the roof rack. But we packed that van full with all our suitcases, sleeping bags, backpacks, pillows, props and musical gear. We went to the church and at an amazing dinner, and then got dropped off at all our billet homes. Lana and I are at this elderly couples house, they are so sweet! We hope that our van is fixed sometime tomorrow, but we can't guarantee. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Over and out.

Goodbye Montana, Hello Idaho.

Last night was such a blast. We all stayed up really late (asides from Josh who had to get sleep so that he was awake enough to drive us), and watched movies and hung out. I watched Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs with Kramer and Dawn-Marie, and I love that movie. It's super cute. Afterwards I got on a laptop and skyped Nic for an hour and a half. It was so nice to be able to actually talk to him and hear about his life. :)

Today we cleaned up the beautiful house we were staying at, and then headed on the road to Idaho. I had left my purse at the last church we had been at, but thankfully the pastor was at the church so I was able to get it back. Today we arrived in Idaho early, so we went and saw Iron Man 2, and then bummed around for awhile. Now we are at a church, eating strawberries, hanging out together, watching veggietales, ad getting ready for tomorrow's drive. :)

Yellowstone & Wyoming

We visited Yellowstone National Park yesterday with the other tour team. Oh my word, I did not realize how massive it is! It borders 3 different states (Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming). It is gorgeous! I love it so much! We saw Old Faithful, and huge waterfalls, and geysers and lots of animals! Amazingly, we saw 4 bears in the park! Along with many bison and deer and longhorn animals. It was so beautiful :) It snowed at part of the park, and it was actually so pretty with all the snow and everything haha. Definitely cold though, I did not pack for this cold of weather.

Today we did a Sunday morning service in Cody, Wyoming. It was a really great service, and God was definitely moving in and through each member of our team. The past few days we have really focused on our team's unity. We have been praying specifically for each other, and just loving each other like God wants us to do. It is so great, and I love every person on my team. They are all so gifted and I love seeing them work in those giftings. :)

We had a great lunch at a place called Bubba's Barbeque. It had delicious food, and we definitely ate lots. Later in the evening we did a youth service, and had a blast with the 10-15 youth that were there. It was a great time of working together, and meeting new people.

AND, God totally blessed us with a rockin' place to stay tonight. Last night we stayed on the cold floor of a church basement (which we were grateful for). But today at church, a man came up to us and said he wanted to bless us. He and his wife own a vacation home on a big ranch, and they said we could stay their for the night. Oh my gosh, this house is HUGE! We are seriously spoiled. This house has 18 beds, 5 huge bedrooms, a massive projector screen tv with dvd and wii, a flat screen tv upstairs, a huge kitchen (probably as big as half of the upper floor of my house... if not bigger), 6 bathrooms, 5 showers, a jacuzzi tub, and a beautiful plot of land overlooking Wyoming mountains and ranches. We are SO spoiled!! It is so nice to just relax and enjoy each other's company. We have watched a few movies, played wii, played games, caught up on computer time, eaten food together, and really had a good team bonding time. We are so blessed and so thankful for this opportunity.

PS. if anyone wants an amazing vacation place to stay at, go to Bull Moose Retreat. It is the bomb!!! :)

Yellowstone, Montana

We are off to Yellowstone together :) 20 people, all together. I'm excited!

Billings, Montana

Our team, AND the cross-Canada team is currently in Billings, Montana. We left Missoula this morning, and arrived in Billings this afternoon. We met up with the cross-Canada team, and got to talk to them before tonight's service.

Tonight's service was a challenge at first. Having the two teams together was definitely a test of how united we truly are. The Northwest Tour did the skits, music, message and ministry time tonight, and the other team watched. Our team definitely had to lay aside pride and any thoughts of judgement in order to really dedicate and devote the service to God. All 20 of us prayed together before the service, and believe me, God definitely showed up. There was not a hint of pride or judgement between the teams, and it was just an amazing God time. We visibally touched people, and it was such a great service. I was impacted, the rest of my team was impacted, and so was the other team. I was so impressed with how everyone acted, and it was a very cool night. Afterwards I prayed for 4-5 people, and was able to impart God's truths into their lives.

And now, both teams of girls (10 girls in total) are crashing together at a couple's house. We are enjoying food, and each other's company. I'm really happy to see them and I'm thankful that we have the opportunity to be together. Tomorrow, both teams are heading to Yellowstone and spending the day together. I am very excited for tomorrow as well. :)

Team Day.

Today was a pretty chill day. We didn't have anywhere we needed to be, and we didn't have any shows. We slept in, had showers, ate breakfast and then headed to the laundry mat. We did some much needed laundry and then ate pizza together.

Next we went to Wal-Mart and played a game. Josh split us boys vs. girls. We were told to find 3 obscure things, one under $20, the other under $50, and the last under $100. The girl's totally won haha. We picked depends for men, a manual breast pump, and a giant rug. We were all laughing so hard, and we had a great time working together.

Afterwards we had devotions and then went to this lady's house. We ate an amazing meal there, then played the questions game (learning new things about each other). Afterwards we watched Avatar (I slept through most of it haha oops). Now we are back at Christian Assembly Foursquare, hanging out and spending time on computers and such. :) Good day!

Accident Prone?

The last few days were pretty sweet. We did a youth service at a youth group last night, and we did a church service tonight. Both went well. This morning we got up really early and drove to Montana. The Pastor bought us Starbucks and McDonalds, which unfortunately put us a bit behind. The drive was about 6-7 hours, and we had a fun time. Curt was really crazy, as per usual. He fell asleep on the seat beside me, and then we found out that he is a cuddler when he sleeps. He moved around so much, and he also farted a lot. We made fun of him hardcore when he woke up. :P Someone later clobbered him because he couldn't hold his "stinkies" in. We really are a mature bunch :P

It is here, at Missoula, Montana, that I finally realized how accident prone I truly am. My arms are COVERED in bruises from the drime and from random accidents that we have had. I fell out of the van two nights ago (don't ask me how haha), and got a big bruise from that. I also have bruises from the tug of war we do in our drime. I have also found myself walking into random objects.

Then today, I was doing our drime barefooted. And someone stepped really hard on my pinky toe with their shoed foot. It instantly turned purple, but I tried not to complain. Later I mentioned that it really hurt. Josh called me a sissy for complaining. He didn't believe that I actually hurt it :P I showed him, and he instantly stopped making fun of me. There is a bit of bone poking up so it's broken. haha oh well :P Josh said it will eventually heal, and that I just need to keep icing it. haha it's scary how accident prone I can be.

I need to go, someone else needs the computer. Talk to you all soon :)

Shows. Relaxation.

Yesterday we did three shows. The first was a little rough, but seemed to make a bit of an impact. The second one went pretty good, though we had a few moments of extreme laughter. Sam fell off the stage, a chair got angrily knocked over in the dinner scene, and the kids laughed at things that really aren't meant to be funny. It was good though and I had the privilege of praying with a few girls after the service. They were both dealing with some harsh things in their life, and it was amazing to be able to lift them up in prayer.

Also, my family came to the show :) It was really nice to see them. I was able to see my mom, dad, sister, brother and grandparents. Thanks to all of you for taking the drive down :)

The last show of yesterday was our best show so far. Worship was rocking and I definitely gave my all in worship. I danced, jumped, and praised my Saviour. I felt a little foolish doing it, but I still felt free to do so. The skits went really well, and so did the sermon after. The response time was also great, and I got to pray for more beautiful girls. :) God was definitely moving in the youth of that church (Living Waters Foursquare).

And and and, I got to see my boyfriend :) him and two of his friends drove down to see it. It was really good to see him, and to be reminded of how much I love him. I definitely miss him a lot more now, but I'm also excited for the rest of the trip. I'm definitely learning to rely more on God and less on those around me. It's a hard but good experience.

I miss you all! Let me know how you all are doing (jwarren@pacificlife.ca)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LANA!!!

Today is Lana's 20th birthday. Happy birthday girl!!!

We spent the night nearby Seattle last night, and this morning we went early to the Seattle Mariner's baseball game. The first 20,000 got free t-shirts, and we were among those 20,000. Honestly, the game was pretty boring. We made it fun by dancing, cheering loudly and swinging Lana's new monkey in the air (Nan E. Monk).

After leaving the game, we realized that Dawn-Marie was NOT with us. Josh and Sam searched all over for her, and after about 20-30 minutes, we found her. Phew.

I made the mistake of not eating a proper lunch, and got pretty dizzy. We got dinner at around 6 at Panda Express. Since eating, I still haven't felt very good. I'm fighting of nauseous as we speak. I'm hoping that it goes away soon.

Tomorrow we have between 2-4 shows, so that will be fun. We haven't had any since the first day.

Pictures. Eastside.

Jen, covering her face because she was laughing so hard. We laugh ALL the time.
Me and Lana in the van :)

Me and Jen :) 

Eastside Foursquare

We are now about half an hour away from Seattle staying at a church called Eastside Foursquare. We are having a blast :) This church is amazing, and it is also huge. 

Tonight we went out and did different service projects. I went with D-Hong and a guy named Josh, to help a lady move. Turns out, she isn't moving, so we just drove her to a store and listened to her talk. Then we went to Red Robins for dinner. It was a sweet day. Even more laughter. Everyday we say dumb things that make everyone laugh, and we just have so much fun together. I'm very excited to continue this tour! Stay Tuned! 

Our Team :)

This is our group. L-R Sam, Lana, Curt, Jen, D-Hong, Dawn-Marie, Kramer, Bethel, Josh and myself. :) 

Laughter.

So far, I believe that's the word that describes our tour: Laughter. We are always laughing. People are often saying something dumb that makes everyone laugh. No lies, I'm one of those ones saying something dumb. 

We had our first show tonight. It was so amazing. We had an hour to do our skits, drime, worship, message and response time. But we were able to do it in that time. Everybody on our team did amazingly, and we got a great response from the youth group we ministered to. I am so excited for the rest of our trip, it's going to be great.

Currently, we are staying in Stanwood, Washington, at the pastor's house. They are so hospitable and kind, and we're having a great time. Tomorrow looks to be a day off :) I love tour so far!! 

I'm Leaving (but not on a jet plane)

Well, we leave in just a few short hours. Goodbye Canada, Hello USA.

12 Hours.

The day has arrived.... sleep will soon come. We are leaving in 12 hours, and heading out on a 21 day, 5-6 US state trip. I'm getting excited, but also getting a little nervous. I know that God has something great in store for me, and the rest of my team.

Tonight 11 people from both teams went to Walmart and bought last minute necessities. We had a great time, laughing and enjoying each other's company. I'm really excited to get to know everyone better.

Sleep will come soon. We are up early for last minute prep, then lunch, then pack the vans and head out to our first tour. If anyone is interested in going to see one of our performance, my parents are driving down to Washington on Sunday to see one of the shows. I believe that three spots will be available. If they are not, it's only a couple hours away. I'd love for anyone interested to come see it. It's gonna be sweet.

Anyways, goodbye for now. From now on I'll have more limited amounts of internet time. I won't be able to update this blog as often as I have this week. Goodbye!!!

For You.

Last night I said goodbye to one man who has changed my life significantly over the past few years. Yes, it's only three weeks. But we haven't been apart for that long in almost 2 years. When saying goodbye, I realized what an impact he's made in my life, and all that he's been with me through. Needless to say, my goodbye was one of tears and sadness. Though, I also know that God has me going on this tour for a reason. And that seperation from my family, friends and boyfriend will result in greater growth and self-discovery on my part.

Nic, I love you so very much. Yes, we have had our struggles and our low points. But we have ploughed through those and become stronger because of it. You are such a powerful part of my life, and I thank God everyday for you. I'm going to miss you alot while I'm away. You mean so much to me, and words cannot express all that I could say about you. LOVE YOU! Love, your girlfriend, Jodi.

2 Days To Go.

We have been continuing to countdown the days till we leave. All day today we practiced and got prepared for our tour. We spent 3 hours on skits, 2 hours on drimes, and another 2.5 hours on worship music. Needless to say, we're all a little tired.

I'm also feeling a little homesick.... even though I only left home yesterday, the reality is hitting me that I may never return to that same house again (my family is moving soon). I'm going to be fine, I just need to get used to how tour will be. :)

Dinner time, will update later :)

3 Days.

I leave in precisely 3 days...... definitely a crazy thought. I'm currently on dorms, my bags are packed, my school work is done, and we start intensive tour practices tomorrow morning at 9am. It's going to be sweet. I'm excited for what God is starting to do and will continue to do in and through me on this tour.

A huge thank you to family and those in my church. Your support has been incredible and I'm so thankful for you all. Without you, I wouldn't be able to go on this tour. Thank you for making it possible.

I won't be bringing my laptop on tour. I'll have access to other people's laptops from time to time, but it won't be as frequent as I would like. I will post updates on this blog as often as I can.

Thanks again, feel free to shoot me an email if you want to ask me questions or anything :) (jwarren@pacificlife.ca)

Preparation.

Tour is in 12 days. I am excited, and I continue to get more excited everyday. It's going to be a fun adventure, and I know that I'm going to learn new things about myself, about other people, about God, and about parts of the United States.

We are making preparations for tour: practicing skits, drimes, and worship sets. It is all coming together very nicely. On Monday they will be filming my part in the videos. We are all looking forward to the day we leave, and to our first show.

Stay tuned for more information about the trip. During the journey I will try to make blog entries as often as possible.