..Meanwhile, in San Francisco

Hello, all you people, wonderful and great.  I hope as you read this your day is bright.  It's been an electric season at YWAM San Francisco, and my time here in the new year has been edifying and progressive.  Recently, I've been really encouraged to get to some projects that were on my heart when I first started staffing at YWAMSF.

One of my desires as part of our ministry here is to see people able to work together better, bare one another in each other's burdens, and to see YWAMSF have an even more whole realization of our work together in the city of San Francisco.  Here at YWAMSF, there're a lot of different ministries going on at the same time.  It can be easy to lose track of each other in the flow of our own streams.  That's why I'm glad I've been able to focus more on getting a top-down look at YWAMSF's activities throughout the year.  As I look at all the stuff we're doing, and all ahead of us, I'm really excited about what's to come.  So, for those who are behind me in all I'm doing, here's a little look into what all we're doing.

Not The Same Old Usual

Luke 18:18-23 ESV:
"..And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'" And he said, "All these I have kept from my youth." When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich."
All my life I've heard this story, but every time I get new revelation from it.  This time I'm reminded of what we can perceive as 'obvious' sins versus true rightstanding with God.
In the past, it was easy for me, as the man in the story, to justify myself by the things I wasn't doing to demonstrate rightstanding with God.  I wasn't stealing, always tithed, wasn't angry, etc.  But here, Jesus peeps away a layer of our life, and shows us that it's not about the things we do, but our position towards God. 
Sure, the man looked like he had everything going, but Jesus sees him coming and, in seeing that he's all about representation, makes a point even to say that no one is good but God.  Jesus sees his heart, and wants to be sure that it's not about what you do or say about God.  Instead, when faced with the man's percieved righteousness, he gives him a task much harder than the standard he holds himself up to.  Not to say none can see God, but to show that we can't receive wholeness from our own hands, only as a gift when we have a Love for the Creator that is willing to push all odds. 
Later in the chapter, Jesus' disciples mention that it must be impossible for anyone to be in rightstanding.  He responds, "What is impossble for man, God makes possible."
Even though we are flawed, incapable of being in the right place fully, God wants us to know, it's not about our goodness or perfection.  It's about our pursuance, it's about Him, not us.  He makes a way for mankind to be whole, not by their vain perceptions of what is right and wrong, but even defying law, in His grace, that man can be reconciled by His Love to fullness.
I think that's a beautiful thing.

Christ in the Mundane

Tea is an everyday fixture in my office routine.

It's been a year+ now of trying to figure out what it means to be the Communications Director of YWAM San Francisco.  Going into this year, it's crazy to think of all the ways I've grown in my current phase of life.  When at home, I was hanging out with my friend Josh one day.  Him and his fiance made the comment that I was so much more helpful than I used to be.  It was such an odd thing to think of.  As I've been with myself this whole time, it's easy to not see these kinds of changes.  But when someone points it out, it's such an endless blessing.

January Prayer Requests

It's that time for me to share my monthly prayer requests!  This is something I wanted to start doing in the new year as a way to help people know more about what I'm doing, going through, battling, and triumphing over.  I'm going to start doing this the first Monday of every month, so keep an eye out for them if you'd like to pray for me!  Thank you so much for who you are!  Also, if you'd like to receive my prayer card to put up somewhere, please email me at Jon.T.Owen@gmail.com and I can mail one to you!

Last Year; Reflections, Thoughts, Processes.

Man!  It's been a year, that's for sure.  It seems as if I'm finally starting to coagulate it into something tangible.  It's been a blur at times, and full of clarity others.  That's how it is though, isn't it?


This past year has been a year of learning, a year of processing, a year of growth.  As a missionary, this has been my first full year with YWAM.  As a human, and Christ follower, this has been the toughest most stretching year of my life.  I feel like Christ had been showing me glimpses into every nook and cranny of life every second of every day.  I grew to appreciate life in a million more ways than before.  I learned how others may live, how vastly different we may live, what struggles human beings may have in their lives, and both appreciate and steel myself for their realization.  If I was ever sheltered before, my eyes have been opened a little bit more.  This has been a year of appreciating others, a year of appreciating God, and a year of appreciating life.

Ruminating on Communicating

YWAM San Francisco for our Thursday Food Pantry. Members of the community line up to receive food from warm smiles and loving hands 

Since my job here at YWAM San Francisco, as I see it, is to communicate missions, I figured I'd ruminate a bit on my vision form my path in the missions field.  Fluidity is an aspect best noticed in YWAM, as it seems everyone's titles are self-given in the fields they'd otherwise be known for in a more 'professional' sense.  With corporations, each person has a role, and aims to complete that role, and is satisfied when they do.  Here, It's far more about the mission.  As a base, we all have common goals, and work together to make sure they're accomplished, which often means people taking on tasks that they wouldn't normally in a corporate setting (harken: "This isn't what I signed up for!", is null and void).  As that stands, it's one of my goals as one of my roles to be able to take the work load people end up doing because it needs to get done, and take it myself when it falls into the camp of "Communications".  That often can end up being boring stuff like data entry, but can be exciting, like setting up systems to make sure we have good correspondence with people once they've left.

I Had No Hope

Here at YWAM San Francisco, there's a wonderful lady by the name of Janet Long who is one of our staffers working in many different titles.  She comprises part of our ministry backbone, involved with Hospitality, managing our Food Pantry, and co-leading our intercession times on Thursdays.  Another act of ministry that Jan exercises, is the very basic necessity of going out on the streets, and ministering to people.  Called by her times of 'Street Walking', Jan intentionally seeks to be an influence of hope, and spread the Gospel of Christ in a sometimes dark neighborhood.  This is one of her stories.