PA to AK 2014 pt.2

Back in October I made a post sharing verses in Proverbs. The basic gist in those verses showed how we can make as many plans as we want, but ultimately God has the final say. It is up to us to obey when He does share plans.

There are so many plans that I had for the youth group, and so many hopes for continuing to serve at the coffee house. These Proverbs and other verses that God has laid upon my heart have shown that when He has plans laid out for us, we should go to them... even when it is hard.

In all honesty, I am very comfy at where I am at... in some ways. There are some things that I wish I could change. But for the most part, life is comfy. But sometimes God doesn't call us to be comfy. The disciples weren't called into a plush life of 9 to 5. Though Paul did do tent making for awhile. When we read through the New Testament, we see the disciples and the early church going through a gritty time of growing, learning, discovering and following. There were many good times and triumphs. But many a time we see Paul having to leave an area he wished to be at, in order to go where God was leading. Many have asked for me to stay and to continue the work that I am doing. They point out the work God is doing and saying "isn't this God's work, why leave?" Sometimes I wonder too. Then I look back at the calling God has given me.

Back in 2012, Nadine Gillespie shared Habakkuk 2:3 with me. She had been praying about just like I had about the timing on when God would have me back in Alaska. Just like Habakkuk had to wait, I did too. Now it is time to return.

There was a humbling moment during my time of prayer in which some elders in the church asked about how the teens in the youth group would handle the news of my leaving. It was a drive home from youth group that I asked one teen how they felt about my leaving. Early he let out a very sad "this sucks" after sharing the news over our weekly drum lessons. Now after a few hours in order to process his thoughts, I wanted to know what was going through his head. To paraphrase he said, "how can I be disappointed when you are following God's plan." Very mature words from a 16-year-old. But there is so much truth in his words.

There is doubt in my calling to Alaska because of what I see God doing here in Pennsylvania. The gaps that will be left when I leave might be a little hard to fill. But as God continues to lead, and as the teens and fellow believers encourage me in my calling, it makes this hard move so much easier. Continue to pray that doors be open and that people are receptive to the message presented. Pray that needs be met as the departure day come closer. Also pray for the ministry and the work ahead. Thank God for His works and what plans He has ahead. Thank Him for His leading.

Thank you for your continual prayers and support,
Grace & Peace,
Daryl J. Howard

PA to AK 2014

It’s crazy to think that December is here already. Sadly, Thanksgiving seemed almost non-existent with the amount of Christmas shopping advertising going on. It’s easy to overlook such a great time of the year. Almost all of us are given time off from work to be with family and to reflect on what we are thankful for during Thanksgiving. Then there is celebrating the birth of our Savior on Christmas Eve and Day. In Northeastern PA, we add another special day. DEER SEASON. A special time for youth and adults to venture out into God’s creation and take part in a tradition of controlling the white tail deer population. The local school doesn’t even hold classes because they know students and teachers won’t show up for the first two days. For some, these special days are marked on the calendar months in advance. On my calendar, there is an event that has recently been marked up that is greatly anticipated by myself and many others.

In the last update I shared how God had been directing, as well as talked about some decisions that had to be made. During that time, I had to seek wisdom on my return to Alaska. Victory had asked if I would be interested in returning to work at the ministry for 18 months. Through devotions, prayer, conversations with elders in my church, supporters, and camp, I have decided to return back to Victory as soon as March. Yes... March 2014.

There has been a lot of things that have come together to allow this to happen. Victory is in great need of someone at the ministry to create promotional material for the camp and those going out raising support. Much of what I created for myself has been passed on to the camp. But working for Victory while living in PA has numerous limitations.

Support is only at 25%. But there is enough one time gifts received to cover most of the expenses for the 18 months. Support will continuing to be raised while in Alaska. Lord willing, we will be celebrating reaching 100% support at the end of 18 months.

There a lot of questions that people have been asking, and I will gladly answer them and post some here. For now, I just wanted to share this exciting news with you. This dialog will continue on throughout some upcoming posts. It is taking me some time to organize into words what has happen in the recent weeks. All I can say right now, is sometimes when we are comfy isn’t always where God wants us to be. More to come...

Grace & Peace,
Daryl J. Howard

Answers & Questions

God works in funny ways. Over the last month, I got challenged to read a chapter of Proverbs a day. It doesn't seem like much, but God has been revealing some amazing teachings within this book of wisdom. With 31 chapters in Proverbs and 31 days in the month of October, it lined up perfectly. In reality I should be on chapter 28, wrapping up my time in Proverbs. But reality has me in chapter 16. Over the course of the month, some days have changed up my routine and I found myself reading over another passage of scripture, and other days I simply didn't do it. I feel a little guilty and ashamed sharing this... but God had reasons for me to be where I am at today.

The month has had me going to God with some questions as to my ministry work with Victory and the support raising that I am supposed to be doing for Victory. Sadly, with all the shut doors and negative replies that came my way, support had come to a standstill. But that didn't stop God from convicted me as to how much time I had put into raising support, and my need to return to Victory. I went back to God asking how to approach closed doors that I could see partially open, as well reassuring me of the calling to Alaska. Those prayers were quickly answered. Now, I seek God's wisdom as to this new path.

As I went to prayer this morning, I came to God with a lot of questions and uncertainty as to what He has been revealing to me. It made me chuckle as I dug into my procrastination hindered reading plan of Proverbs. First verse:

We can make our own plans,

    but the Lord gives the right answer.
Proverbs 16:1 (NLT)*

I've read this passage not too long ago. The verse has been a frequent post as my Facebook status as well. Since God had been answering prayers, there had been a lot of questions, as well as me trying plan out some "stuff" to make this decision maybe a little more comfortable. So, I chuckled at this passage and moved on wondering what other "kernel" of knowledge God might present.

We can make our plans,
    but the Lord determines our steps.
Proverbs 16:9 (NLT)*

Once is saying something. Twice means "pay attention."  Obviously God is trying to say something here.
With some decisions I have to make in the coming weeks, I have been contacting those that have been supporting me, asking for prayer as I seek God's next steps for me. For those reading this, I ask that you intercede for me and pray that God reveal His plan that He so desperately wants to show me, as well as for me and that I follow through with my part. There are some exciting times ahead. God is doing amazing works through Victory and the staff there. I can't wait to share what next steps God has planned out for me. Pray. Thank You.

Grace & Peace,

Daryl J. Howard

*http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%2016&version=NLT

Time Has Gotten Away

Wow has time flown since the last update letter. There is some fun news that I will post, some latest news and pictures from my latest adventures that will be posted soon. I will be traveling a little the rest of this week, including meeting up with an old friend. Hope to share once I get back.

Grace & Peace,
Daryl

The HM Update 017

Well, it took long enough...
but here it is...
digitally at least.

After printing the letter, I came to the realization that the box of envelopes sitting on my shelf was actually empty. So, the physical letter will have to wait another day to be sent. But for all of you on the e-mail subscription or visiting here, you get it early.

What you will find in this edition:
- Summer at Victory Bible Camps & Li-Wa
- W.C.B.C Youth Group trip to Altoona, PA
- God's new outreach for me
- Prayers & Praises
& more

Take a look or download here: HM Update 017

Enjoy!

Grace & Peace,
Daryl J. Howard

HMUpdate 017 Coming Soon!

Scribbled on yellow legal tablets, madly typed on an iPad in a coffee shop, and waiting to be formatted and finalized. The delayed and finally completed HMUpdate 017 will be out soon. Just after I help my brother move. Thank you for your patience.

- Daryl

Youth Group, Espresso & Drums... OH MY!

Life has gotten kind of busy lately. Much of my time recently has either been spent at the coffee shop (working, not consuming), or working on my Grandparents place. I’ve been trying to get an update letter out sharing what has been going on. I had waited for information on how summer went at Victory, then I made myself too busy and distracted to get the letter finalized. But God has a way of reminding us that we need to slow down, regain our focus, and to listen to what He is trying to say to us.

When I was at Victory as an intern, I lent myself out to multiple areas around camp. It was there that I first learned to say “no” when it came to ministry work. It felt wrong. But being burned out mentally and spiritually actually hindered my ministry work and my relationship with God. That is the point at which I was (am) at. Over the last few weeks, I’ve had to inventory my life. In the end, some necessary changes had to be made, while others are still falling into place. 

The main reason that I am home, is to raise support to return back to Alaska. That sadly has been overshadowed by multiple ministries asking of my time and talents. As restructuring has happened, this has come to the foreground. 

ROCC came into the picture when I returned from Alaska in 2010. This ministry was a blessing to be a part of. But my focus has turned elsewhere. As Warren Center Baptist Church has started a youth group, my outreach has turned from a wide range of focus, to a more focused group of youth. As I have become more active in the youth group and extended my time at the coffee shop, I’ve had to step back from ROCC. It isn’t that I don’t care about the youth there, but for me to be dedicated to the teens in the youth group, I need to step back in other areas. This really became a reality when our youth group doubled in size this year. I’ll still be part of some main ROCC events to be there for the teens in the youth group and to reconnect with teens in ROCC. 

Another area that has taken up a lot of my time, has been my job at a local coffee house. God directed me here as a volunteer in the spring. It allowed me to share my skills in coffee/espresso making, as well as opened an avenue to share my passion with serving in Alaska. God has blessed me in that this is now a paid job that is helping cover costs with trying to raise support, as well as basic needs in life.

God has also thrown in a little surprise recently that came unexpectedly. I've always felt playing drums was my form of worshiping God. The dream of finishing up my drum set so it is playable has always been a dream in the back of my mind. Then, a teenager in the youth group brought up the idea of me teaching him lessons on percussion. At first I said no... But God prodded, poked, and flat out told me this was a priority. So, I dug out the shell of a set that sat in the attic of our garage since returning from Alaska in 2010... then dropped some savings on finishing it up. It has been an amazing time of relearning as well as teaching. 

Though God has been blessing me in various areas of my life, there is still a part of me yearning to be in Alaska. It pains me to see support go as slowly as it has. But God has said wait, it will happen... just not yet. It has been evident over the last year as to why God has been saying wait. This time has allowed me to reevaluate and redirect my life, share my talents that God has blessed me with, encourage and teach teens, and so much more. It has been a humbling experience. Can’t wait to see what is next.

Altoona Trip

Well, it's about time I posted about the Altoona mission/work trip. Meeting with the teens this weekend brought back many memories and laughs. Then it occurred to me that I never posted about the trip, or even posted at all over the last month. *Good grief* Obviously I can’t put everything that happened down here on the blog. But I’ll give you a brief overview, as well as share some pictures from the trip.

On July 28th, the Warren Center Baptist Church prayed over and commissioned the youth group before they were to head out to south-western Pennsylvania. 10 teens and 3 adults packed all their bags onto a small yellow bus for a week long service project that would involve serving people, sharing the love of Christ, fun, fellowship, and learning what God was trying to teach us.

Praying over the team

The leadership for the youth group had decided to do this mission trip with a group called Team Effort. The ministry sets up camp locations around North America that give teens and leaders an opportunity to reach out to hurting communities situated around each area. With this being our first trip, we kept it simple and went to Team Efforts’ Blue Knob, PA location.

Our group of 13 was part of a larger group of 128 that would be divided out into different work sites. Out of all of the groups, ours had one of the shortest travel times, as some groups traveled from Vermont, New York, and even Florida. With a group this size, we were housed at the Blue Knob Resort. (Side note, when I think resort, I think Alyeska in Alaska) To all of our surprise the small back hill PA resort showed it’s age, and why we were going to be working in the areas surrounding the resort.

The  Black Bear Inn (used as dining hall)

Housing for the groups

Each day was laid out fairly the same. The morning had us eating breakfast and packing lunches, then heading off to our work sites. Usually we would do start with stretches and a devotional, then dive into our projects. After a short lunch break, we would try to finish the days work that we had started before stopping for the day. Dinner was either at a host church, back at the resort, or on our own. If we were back at the resort, there was usually some time for the teens to relax and/or swim. The night was capped off with a high energy chapel service, as well as some time to hangout before lights out.

Devotions before a work day

Pre-dinner breather after a busy day

Chapel time

During the week, the WCBC Youth Group and the Florida group were sent to “Shamrock Estates.” This was a trailer park that needed not just work done, but also a lot of love showered upon the residents that lived there. Our projects for the week consisted of building porches, roofing, building a playground, constructing picnic tables, finishing a playhouse, as well as various other projects. With this being the last week that Team Effort had for the summer, we were tasked to finish all the summer’s projects.

Shamrock Estates work group

Most of our group worked on two different style projects. Pastor Larry led a group that finished porches, as well as did roofing and various projects. I was put in charge of finishing a playhouse that had been started by another group. Other leaders supervised other building projects that were going on.

Porch building and roofing

Playhouse work crew

Painting

Playground

Fixing and painting lawn furniture

The teens were hard workers, and were not afraid to learn how to use the different tools that were needed on each site.

Teaching Derrick to use a circular saw

Andrea learning to use a drill

The group that was under my supervision was a mixture of teens from both groups. It was amazing to see how the teens would step up and take care of different needs that they saw, as well as came up with ideas to improve the project further than it was planned to go. While the guys kept busy constructing the playhouse, the girls did an amazing job decorating the inside and outside. But it wasn’t just construction work that was being done throughout the week.

Team getting the inside of the playhouse painted

While working on the playhouse, we were told the story of the little girl that would be receiving the playhouse. Her grandmother and mother shared how her father left the family, leaving the girl feeling like it was her fault. The playhouse was build after it was learned that the father had promised for years to build a playhouse for the girl and her sister. The teens got a first hand experience on how the love of Christ can be shared in tasks such as building a playhouse. Sadly, we didn't get to see her reaction to the playhouse, as she was away at camp for the week.

The playhouse finished

Playing with the local kids

All the projects were wrapped up by Thursday, and all of the tools were inventoried and put into storage.

Inventory!

Thursday afternoon and Friday were used as free times. While all the other groups went off to water parks and recreational places, our group kept it simple and entertained ourselves. We spent a lot of time swimming and playing cards. The highlight for many of the teens came when a few of the girls came into the room where we were playing cards screaming that there was a bear outside on the dumpster.

The bear went over the mountain to get a loud of garbage

The week wrapped up with us packing up and traveling home (Pastor Larry driving while the rest of us dozed on and off).

Typical scene on the bus... napping.

God blessed us leaders with an amazing group of teens. They acted like brothers and sisters, and bonded well throughout the trip. So many laughs were had. But in all seriousness, God worked in everyone’s hearts. On Thursday night, we had a wrap up chapel that challenged everyone on were they stand in their walk with Christ. The theme throughout the week had been “Foundation.” Taken from Luke 6:46-49, the parable of the wise and foolish man was broken down and presented each night to the teens (and adults). But Thursday night had us all outside holding a fistful of sand. Each of us were told that the sand represents the things in our lives that we build our foundations on, instead of Christ. All of us were to talk with God and see if there was something that were had put ahead of Him, and if we were ready, to give it up. Whenever anyone was ready, they could put the sand into a giant bucket sitting in front of a cross, and pull out a rock that was at the bottom (symbolizing putting our foundation on Christ). One by one the teens went forward to give up their fistful of sand. It was during the Sunday service that the teens shared what they had learned on the trip and what God had shown them. Pastor Larry, Annette, and I got to hear what God taught each teen and how each of them had applied the lessons from the week.

Thank you all for your prayers during the trip. God was gracious in protecting us and blessing us during the trip. Continue to pray for the teens as another year of school and youth group has started up. Many of the teens have been challenged over the last year. And it is also a joy to see them all asking when the next mission trip is going to happen.

Grace & Peace,

Daryl J. Howard

I'm not trimming my beard... just trimming the window.

Return from Altoona

Got back from Altoona today. With Pastor Larry driving and the rest of us dozing on and off, the Warren Center youth group and it's leaders returned from a week long service/mission trip in and around Altoona PA. It feels awkward sitting behind my computer (not having wireless or a computer does that to you). Now that I am back, it is time to dig through the pictures that were taken and put my thoughts/experience into words. I'll be posting here soon.

If you live near Warren Center PA, visit us next Sunday (August 11th) to hear the teens share what they experienced on the trip and how God worked.

Also, I hope to work on the next HM Update letter, and have it out soon!

Grace & Peace,
- Daryl

Mission Trip

There is that sense of anxiety that comes upon people when they realize that an important day is coming up, and it is less than a week away. There is the flurry to make time available to get what you need done, as well as prepare yourself mentally for the day. It seems that this isn't the place that I am at.

Next Sunday, July 28th, the youth from Warren Center Baptist Church will be headed out on a work team based missions trip. Pastor Larry Jennings, his wife Annette and I will be leading the group to Altoona PA. There, we will be attending TeamEfforts projects for the week. Most of the anxiety I get from a trip or heading off to Alaska has been replaced by joy as I see the anticipation and excitement the youth have shown. For some, this is their first mission trip. For others, it is a completely new experience.

While in Altoona, TeamEffort will be sending us out to various work projects. It can be anything from roof and painting, to building wheelchair ramps on residents homes. I'm not sure what to expect. But the unknown is an exciting factor when it comes to mission trips. You never know what God is going to present to us. This trip also throws another curveball at me. In the past, I have been the one youth member going on a trip. I have helped lead ROCC group retreats, but I think this is the first "mission" trip that I am a leader. There is a lot of responsibility behind it, and I go to God seeking His direction and wisdom on the trip ahead.

During the trip, I hope to capture the work the teens are doing. I'm bringing along some of my gear in hopes of getting a shot in here or there. We will see how it goes. Just like any other trip, I just have to play it by ear and see what happens. My goal in capturing the trip is to produce something that will be a lasting memory for the youth. It may be something that they don't view again till later down the road in life. But when they do view the end project, they can see a milepost in their spiritual walk.

Be praying for our group next week (July 28th - August 3rd). Pray for the work that we will be doing, as well as opportunities to share the love of God with those we come in contact with.

Grace & Peace,
Daryl J. Howard

A blip of info.

Not too much to report right now. Trying to get information on how summer camp is going at Victory.
Recently I have been working at The Community Cup Coffee & Tea House in Towanda, PA. It has been a fun experience, as I get to use and share my love for coffee/espresso. I have also been able to share my passion for serving in Alaska with those asking about my time and work in Alaska. Hope to have the next update out before the end of the month.

Upcoming Events:
- ROCC Monthly Outreaches: Every third Sunday ROCC meets to host an event for the local teens.
- Warren Center Baptist Church Youth Group Mission Trip: July 28th - August 3rd, a group of youth will be headed to Altoona PA to help with some outreach projects.

- Daryl

Summer 2013

On Wednesday June 12th, my Facebook notification feed exploded with comments and likes. This was due to Victory's Facebook page posting pictures of camp. I'm not mad at all that my Facebook notifications is inundated with likes and comments. What it showed, is that people outside Victory are watching and interested in the work that is being done this summer.

For 2013, Victory's summer camp started with a half week on Wednesday. This is my second summer away from camp. It is a weird feeling being here in PA and seeing camp go into full swing. Summer Camps have been a huge part of my life. If I wasn't there as a camper, I was working at a camp. For seven summers I served at Victory. That was a long enough time to see campers go from Frontier Camp (the youngest camp) to becoming counselors working beside me. It is truly an awe inspiring moment to see how the work you have done directly impact youth, and see the lasting impression you have made. While viewing the pictures, it surprised me to see so many new faces. But it was encouraging to see the many youth that came as campers in the past now working as counselors.


If you are on Facebook, why not go on over to the Victory Bible Camps & Conference Center page and view the pictures that are being posted. As you view the pictures, pray for the many youth that are attending the camps this summer, as well as the staff that are presenting the message of Christ.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Victory-Bible-Camp-and-Conference-Center/229073983790426

Grace & Peace,
- Daryl J. Howard

New Looks

While producing this last newsletter, a few problems were encountered. The first being that of ink. With the large color photo header and other various colored photos that appear in different newsletters, ink seems to be running out much faster. Over the course of doing The HM Update, it has gone through it's phases. Ink doesn't seem to be getting any cheaper. So to save ink, there will be some changes to color.

The second problem is formatting. With a Mac, typically I use Pages to type and layout (amazing basic program from iLife). From there I print and export to PDF, which is then put online via Google Drive. In all of that, information seems to get distorted. With the resent requisition of Adobe CS6, this process will hopefully be streamlined.

My goal in changing up the print edition of the newsletter, is to experiment with design, layout, copy, etc. With doing PR for Victory, there will be many tasks. My goal is not to get stuck in a rut and reproduce the same thing over and over. I want to create something new and fresh, that solves problems that I am facing in producing the task. For example, the e-mail newsletter seemed to be missing something. It just didn't work for me. So, for those that get the e-mailed edition, they got to see a peek at an experiment with the new HTML formatted letter. This won't be how the print letter will look (as there is so much color to it). But for those staying with traditional post marked letters, I will be creating something special for you, to solve the problems I face, as well as freshen up the letter, and to stretch me abilities. Hope you will enjoy it in the future.

- Daryl

HM Update Edition 016

Greetings,

It's been too long since the last update was sent out. My deepest apologies to all of you for not keeping you in the loop as to what has been going on. Here is what you will find in this edition:

- State of Support
- Happenings since the last update
- The news from Victory
- Praises & Prayers
...and more

You can view and/or download  The HM Update Edition 016 right here.

Enjoy...

- Daryl J. Howard

Reflection

Summer camp at Victory is right around the corner. Directors are finishing up schedules and curriculum for the anticipated arrival of summer staff. It feels weird not being back in Alaska for another summer. Usually I am in training or taking a little leave with some staff for a celebratory birthday mountain-high-brownie-pie at Glacier View. It's the simple things I miss. The views. The people. The ministry. The work. etc. etc. etc.

As I sweat it out here in the northeastern Pennsylvania heat, I can't help but be anxious for the time that God has planned for me to make the drive north to Alaska. But as reminded by Brian Headdings and Joel Ruisch, God has me here for a reason. I need to ask myself, "what is God teaching me?" There needs to be a constant conversation with God through prayer over what He wants me to do, and what He wants me to learn. ... I've been here for a year and a half, and I have learned a lot. God has been gracious in correcting me while I'm home, and not out serving.

So, instead of trying to go under the radar, only to have friends hunt down my birthday and go out for some mountain-high-brownie-pie, I'm going to take this May 29th to enjoy a nice dinner of wild caught Alaskan salmon, reflect on what God is trying to teach me while I am here, and have a conversation with Him.

I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint.

Then the Lord said to me,

“Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed."

Habakkuk 2:1-3 (NLT)

Grace & Peace,

- Daryl J. Howard

The HM Update Mailing

Edition 016 of The HM Update is going through a final edit, and with it comes the sending of this newsletter to you. There are three ways you can receive this newsletter.

1. USPS MAIL
- I love supporting my Postmen friends. So I still send out a good old fashion newsletter with stamped envelope. And who doesn't like receiving a letter in the mail.

2. E-MAIL
- The modern way of receiving the next newsletter. Sent right to your inbox. No waiting. Read online or download to your personal computer. You can also print it if you want a physical copy to read or pass on. 

3. ONLINE
- Not interesting in being on the mailing/e-mailing lists? Welp, there is still one more option for you. Just keep visiting this blog and you will see a link posted with the newsletter post. Just like the e-mail, you can read online or download.

If you are interested in receiving The HM Update, feel free to e-mail me at hmupdate@gmail.com with contact info, and I'll make sure to get you on the list.
With the next newsletter, I'll be trying a new mailing service for the e-mailed newsletter. If you are on the e-mail list, you'll see. I'm pretty excited to try this out and to see if this is something I want to experiment more with in the future. 

Well, back to editing. 

- Daryl J. Howard

Mid-May Update

May is already half-way gone? No way!

There is so much that has gone on during the month of May. God has been doing amazing works over the last few weeks. I want to share a few with you now, but hold others off till the next update letter (which so happens to be in it's final draft stages before printing).

Just yesterday Victory Ministries Director (Brian Headdings) met with me just to see how support raising was going, to catch me up on what is going on with camp, and to share visions of Victory in the future. It was a greatly needed morale booster. Keep Brian in your prayers as he continues to travel and returns to Victory next week.

Also, continue to keep Victory in prayer. There is a second waterline issue that they are attending to. This issue is effected the conference side of camp. Pray for strength and wisdom for the maintenance staff as they are working very long hours trying to alleviate this issue. On a positive note, work teams are starting to come in for the summer. This will help with the work load that isn't getting done because of the waterline issue.

Over the last week and a half, I've started to volunteer with a new ministry/business. The Community Cup Coffee & Tea House in Towanda, PA just officially opened up last week, and already it is a hit. The mission for this coffee house is to create a safe place for teens to come to, as well as a place to build community and a place for groups to meet. A local church helped spearhead this mission with the help of other local churches when they saw the need in the area. With no real espresso cafes and niche tea houses in the area, this was a great opportunity to create a small business with an outreach to the community. With the coffee skills and knowledge I have, I was asked by some pastor friends to look into volunteering while the fledgling business gets started. There have been so many opportunities to reach out and to strike up conversations with anyone coming in for a refreshing drink or snack.

Well, this is just a little look into what has been going on. Like I said before, I plan on posting some more in my letter, as well as after the letter is sent out. Along side the projects I'll be posting, there will be some other surprises and general "get to know" posts. I'll explain more later. But until then...


Grace & Peace,
Daryl J. Howard

Reviving Archives

There are times that ideas for projects come into my head, but there is no real purpose or tangible need for the resulting outcome. For example, I was asked to come up with a sticker that Victory could hand out at the Alaska State Fair. Sounded simple enough.

During the process, there were many concepts drawn up and sketched out. But in the end, the project was scrapped due to the fair having issues with stickers being stuck everywhere by fair goers. Victory and other venders were urged not to give away stickers. So... the project was shelved, and the file was deleted during a hard drive swap.

...but some sketches still remained.

Since that project, my skills in photoshop have advanced... as well as skills in Googling any task that I don't know how to do. So with the discovery of one of these sketches, I decided to finally make one of the stickers a reality... well, digitally. So here is the end result.

The finished project.

For some reason, I wanted to go with the classic circular camp patch/sticker design. With a mountain design already done for the prayer cards made up when support raising started up, the rest was easy.

To add a little age to the vintage design, the picture was put through some software to give it the look of one of those old water activated adhesive stickers put on a window (the kind I hated putting on model cars & planes).

The vintage-worn-out look.

Hopefully these will be printed out, or redone to be used at Victory. The Alaska State Fair wouldn't like to see these put allover everything. But to see these stickers emblazoned on some youth or adult's belongings (i.e. bumpers, luggage/trunks, guitar cases, Nalgene bottles, etc.)... would be priceless.


- Daryl J. Howard

VICTORY PDF BOOK

One of the many displays converted to a page in the book

One of two booth-door posters

The contact page

Alright. Here is the newest edition of the Victory PDF Book. The file contains all of Victory's display boards from the Alaska State Fair last year. The quality of the file allows you to zoom in on the pictures and the text. My suggestion is to download and view on your own computer. For some reason, Google Drive doesn't like PDF files much. If you view it through Google Drive, the pictures and text do not display themselves properly. So, with that being said, here it is... enjoy!

Victory PDF Book 

(download here)

Second of the two booth-door posters used as a divider in the book

(RE)EDIT

Well, I've done it again. I've gone & re-re-redone the Victory display boards (I don't think there are enough "re"s in redone).

After sending a sample of the displays to a potential support, she hesitantly called me back with some grammatical errors. There was no offense taken. Due to my horrible grammer and improper use of the English language, it was very welcoming to have someone point our some errors, and is so willing to help me with the material being created for Victory.

Now with the errors fixed and the pages resized to their desired printable sizes, there will be a reissue of the Victory PDF booklet.

There have been some other projects that I have been desiring to do. Hopefully as the year goes on, I will post some of the other projects here. But there is also support raising for Victory. That comes first.

- Daryl

P.S.- A big thanks to Lynn Vestel for pointing out the grammatical errors.



"Yes Brian Wilberts, there were spelling errors"

March Recap

It's been some time since the last posting here. The events surrounding the month of March have made it go by in a blur. Events have also put me into a "funk" that has taken some time to get out of. My thoughts are still in some knots, so hopefully the writing here will be clear enough to understand.

The beginning of the March saw my Dad going to Nepal to observe the work of Trans World Radio, as well as my Mom going off to spend time with her mother. This left me alone at home, with plenty of quiet time to seek God and learning more about support raising. With some direction from some friends and a few sources, I picked up a copy of "People Raising" by William Dillion. When I started reading, there was so much that I wanted to share with you...
but events soon distracted me.

At 6:45pm on the 18th of March, Catherine Murray (my Grandma) went to be with her Savior. The days (even weeks) leading to that day distracted me from... well, everything. I can't recall much of this month. But I can recall that God gave me a peace about it. When my mom sent a text saying that Grandma might not make it, I was driven to my knees in prayer. It wasn't a time of pleading with God for a miracle. Instead, God gave a peace as I sought His will. The time that God had allowed me to spend with my Grandma was amazing, and if He so choose to allow more, that would have been a blessing. But there was a peace when telling God that if it was time, then may it be His will. It wasn't long after some time in prayer that an answer came.

Since that day, our family has spent time healing and trying to get back to our normal lives. I've started to get back into the groove of support raising. It's been a slow process. But I've spent a great amount of time compiling photos and archiving them digitally. It's been fun digging out old photos and talking with my Aunts and Uncle about who the people in the photos are, and recalling the memories held by these images. There are the moments where we stop and get teary-eyed, or laugh over something we have recalled.

Grandma and I headed down to Georgia

Grandma & Grandpa's wedding photo

50th Anniversary
(Typical Murray gathering)

Church Portrait

Over the years God blessed me with many memories shared with my Grandparents. God also blessed me with one last trip with my Grandmother. As our family shared stories and memories, I couldn't help but think of how blessed I am to have had Grandparents like Daniel and Catherine. I will miss them so much. 

Next time I will have more ministry news. And hopefully by then, allergy season won't be hurting me so bad.

- Daryl J. Howard

Coming Soon...

... new posts!

Sorry about the silence. Trying to put the events of this last month into words has shown itself harder than originally thought. But following the lead of one of Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues, “SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation,” I hope to keep a bit more silent till I have my thoughts in order, instead of trying to post meaninglessly. 

Until I gather my thoughts...
Grace & Peace,
- Daryl J. Howard

GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME. GOD IS GOOD!

A friendly reminder from The HM Update.

For the LORD is good.

His unfailing love continues forever, 
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

- Psalms 100:5 NLT

HM Update Edition 015

The newest update letter from The HM Update is out.
Hey did you read it yet?
If not, why not view it or download it here!

If you did, why not share what you thought by e-mailing me.

If you want to receive it in your e-mail or by letter, just e-mail or comment below.
ENJOY!
- Daryl J. Howard


P.S.- Know someone who might be interested in reading this... why not share it with friends on Facebook, Twitter, or through E-mail! Just click one of the buttons below.

Daydreaming

There is an issue that plagues me. It's daydreaming. My mind cannot stop doing it. It is a problem that a friend of mine and I had a conversation about just the other day. But here I am again, plagued by my issue.

I'm trying to finish my next update letter for you. But for some odd reason, my mind can't stay in place (could be the caffeine from my coffee). Instead, my mind wanders to projects that I want to do, how to better improve my grammer that my mom constantly has to correct (bless her heart, she tries), maybe there is something I am forgetting to do... the list goes on. But the biggest issue is my work. Each time that I do something, I seek to make it bigger, more intricate, easier to work with, etc. Over the last year and a half that I have been trying to raise support, this mindset has become a big hinderance. Each time a door is shut or the reply is no, I seek to make everything I did up to that "no" better. As if there is something wrong with the material I've presented, how I said things, or even how I introduced myself. This isn't all bad. But instead of "going" like God has said, I keep trying to improve the wheel (can you make it any better?). Today, during a normal mind wandering bit, I decided to take this to God. And through our little talk (though it seemed like I was doing all the talking), God decided to reply through this: Taking the Initiative Against Daydreaming

I think it is funny that I have owned a copy of this devotional for years (I bought it at a library in Seward Alaska on a staff trip). But it seems that no matter how many times I read it, God has something for me to hear, when I need to hear it. This time, it was like a slap in the face. It's as if God is saying, "Stop kicking the tires, checking the pressures and making sure there is enough tread. Go. Get in the car and go where I have directed." Sometimes I'm not sure where He is directing. Alaska is where He wants me. How I get there is another story.

"Arise, let us go from here." - John 14:31 NKJV

Just thought I would put some thoughts down to share with you all. Give you a glimpse into the guy behind the blog.

- Daryl J. Howard

What Is Normal?

Yesterday I anxiously awaited the UPS man. Like clockwork, he usually pulls in at around 3:20-4pm. However, he came more than two hours early. There, in the box he made me sign for God's amazing tool and gift... my old Mac, repaired. After a little test run, everything looked and seemed to run fine. Spent part of yesterday doing some updates and test, and plan on doing some more today.

God has been gracious to me. During my time without this old Mac, God showed how much He has blessed me. Without this amazing piece of technology, support raising can be done... but it was hard. My work for camp became extremely difficult. Getting information out was like trying to tame the cowlicks in my hair. Streaming my favorite TV shows became next to impossible. It also gave me more time to focus on God and see what He was trying to teach me. Life, though tough in my eyes, became much simpler in many ways. Now that I am reconnected to my work and technology, there is a lot to be done in the coming days. Drafts for the next HM Update need to be typed, and other work needs to be taken care of. I can't say everything is back to normal. Because nothing seems normal anymore in life. God is always directing, teaching and showing. For me, it took God taking away my means of "everything" (so I thought) to give me a abrupt sense of redirection and gentle nudge to say, "Hey, everything is under control. I need to you to listen and spend more time with Me. Wait till you see what I have planned next for you."


- Daryl J. Howard

State of my Calling Address

In light of the President's State of the Union address on all forms of public media, I have decided to make a public address on the state of my calling to serve with Victory Bible Camps & Conference Center. In comparison to the annual speech by the President, I'll outline the present condition of the ministry work I am doing, what my agenda is and the priorities that I plan on setting for the future. 

Currently I am single, 27 and living with my parents. (This doesn't sound promising...)

In all seriousness, my current residence is with my parents in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Their living-room and my bedroom double as my office spaces for support raising and a satellite location for working on material for Victory. In my spare time, I've been helping with a local youth ministry named ROCC (Reaching Our Community for Christ), working with youth at Warren Center Baptist's youth group, and assisting local ministries with multimedia needs. With this extended time in Pennsylvania, God has blessed me with being able to spend time with family, reconnect with relatives I haven't seen in years, as well has help siblings move (which will happen again in the near future).

For the last 17 months, I have been raising support for Victory. Support sits at 19.6%, and will be taking another step up as I follow up with some contacts that have been made. Though the number may seem small, God has been gracious in connecting me with some dedicated individuals who are called in joining with the work Victory is doing in Alaska. Since starting to raise support, I have only returned to Victory once to assist with Victory's Alaska State Fair booth. Though the original goal was to be back to Victory by or near the end of the summer of 2012, support raising hasn't gone as fast or smoothly as Victory and I had hoped. 

At this time, all work and support raising is on hold as my late 2006 MacBook Pro is in the shop getting repaired. God blessed me with this amazing piece of technology for over six years, and I've been happy to be able to do all He has blessed me with through it. I am not looking to buy a whole new computer, as in buying a new PC would mean customizing it and buying all new video/photo editing software, and buying a new Mac is not within the budget. So fixing has been the only option at this time.

The computer breaking has been less of a technical problem and more of a spiritual battle. New connects were being made, letters were going out, and new material was being created during the time of the issue. I can say that during this time without my Mac, there has been more time to dig into the Word of God, focus on changes God wants me to make in my life, and come to the realization that I was a little addicted to my Mac. Work is much harder to do on an iPad, of which I am typing on right now, and my graphic work is next to impossible to do on the iPad. But I am thankful that I am still able to stay connected with supporters and Victory.

Whenever the Mac is returned, support raising will commence. My goal is to try to be back to Victory before the end of 2013. There is so much to be done, and the need for someone in public relations is at its greatest right now. Many families will be headed out to the raise support or visit supporters. And without anyone at Victory helping to create material for them to distribute, the task has fallen to me. This task has it's limits, and they are magnified by the lack of my Mac and personally not being at Victory.

Victory has been going through a time of growth. The number of guest groups and the number of youth attending retreats have gone up. Even with the decline in camping within Alaska, God continues to bless Victory Bible Camps & Conference Center. God also has drawn many families and individuals to serve at Victory as well. Since the summer, Victory now has one full-time program director, as well as others filling in conference center roles. There are also many others joining in support raising in hopes of joining Victory in various other support roles. Thank God for what He is doing through Victory, and for allowing us to connect people of all ages to Him through the ministry of Christian camping and conference retreats.

I hope one day to be able to be at Victory and share this information with the many supporters and individuals that are connected with Victory. Much of this information isn't being heard, unless those on the staff at Victory are sharing it with their supporters. This is why the need of public relations staff at Victory is so important. 

Over the last year, I have been told by many to stay in the area and use my gifts in multimedia and presentation. I've also had people tell me I should stay to work with youth in the area. In all honesty, working with youth was my dream when I first entered college. It was the reason I started studying youth ministry at Philadelphia Biblical University (now Cairn University). But during my time studying in college and working in Alaska, God directed me to what He would have me do. I've tried to walk away when I got frustrated. But in the end, God kept drawing me back to serving Him at Victory. It may seem logical to just not worry about raising support and take up a job doing video/photography and working with youth. But this would mean walking off the path God directed me on. I've walked away before. But as I have said, God has kept leading me back. Victory is where He wants me. And until God directs me elsewhere, my goal in this coming year is to keep striving in getting to where God wants to use me. Temporarily, it is here. But serving God in Alaska is the ultimate goal.

I wish I could share more, but I don't want to take up anymore of your time. Thank you for taking time to read this. Continue to pray that doors be open, and that God soften the hearts in the resistance I am facing. Also, thank God for those individuals that have shown interest and have joined in supporting Victory. Pray that God continue to provide for them as they support Victory. Again. Thank you for ready. Have a good night (morning, day or evening... depending on when you read this). 

Grace & Peace,

Daryl J. Howard

P.S.- Sorry for any typos. I typed this up fairly quickly on an iPad. Kind of tricky.

Until Further Notice

After over six years of faithfully serving me, my MacBook Pro has finally called it quits (for specifics, go to the end). With it being down, a lot of what I do is put on hold. Support raising, designing material, video work, etc.... all on hold. Hopefully this won't last for long. 

With the Mac down, its given me more time for praying and reading Gods word. It will be interesting to see what God is teaching me through this. 

- Daryl J. Howard

SPECIFICS:

As for specifics, the graphics card on my Mac isn't working properly. Since this part failed, the whole logic board is in need of replacing. This is not a cheap fix, and with my Mac being six+ years old, the part is very hard to come by. Apple won't fix it due to its age, and a local private place said they won't either due to how much it would take to fix it (the price of a used Mac newer than mine). Still trying to figure out options.

Behind the Scenes of Legacy

Out of everything that God has allowed me to create during my time at Victory, there is one distinct project that stands out in my mind. This project still moves me as much as it did while in the creating process. The project was a video named Legacy.

Legacy: A Victory Bible Camp & Conference Center Staff Appreciation Movie from Daryl J Howard on Vimeo.

The other week, I tried to do a post involving the video. But since starting a draft of that post, then retyping it about five times before giving up, the video has been replaying in my head (I’ve also replayed it multiple times on my Mac and iPad). The process, thoughts and ideas that came together to put together such a mammoth project have been filling my thoughts for the last few weeks. So, just like many DVDs and every Blu-rays have thoughts and behind the scenes material and commentary by the directors... here is my commentary on Legacy. 

It hard to pinpoint where to start. Just like any project of mine, it doesn’t begin with one clear idea. Instead, it is a culmination of a ideas that some how come together into a coherent project. It may not seem clear in the beginning, but somewhere in the process, the pieces started to become one unified project. This was the same with Legacy.  Now, I don’t want to make this like a choose your own adventure. But just like my mind, this will not stay on a clear train of thought. Instead, think of it like a roller coaster of thoughts. Hopefully you can follow.

Caught your interest?
...check the rest after the jump.

Back for 2013

Well, I'm back from Georgia.

After trying to get work done while in Georgia, I decided to set it aside to spend time with family. It was a better choice, since I had a lot of catching up to do. The posts that I wanted to do are on hold and will be posted some time this month.

Since returning, I got a little under the weather. After a quick recovery from my bout with a bug, I have been busy trying to catch up on replying to contacts and supporters. There will be a new post tomorrow with some fun/helpful information. Also, I am trying to put a wrap on a post that I have been throwing around for over a month. Hope to have that posted soon as well.

2013 will be an interesting year. I have some lofty goals that I hope to see fulfilled during this year. Victory is eager to see me return... but in a full-time capacity. And I am eager to continue to serve Victory... but from Alaska. I'll write more on this later.

Check back again for more updates.

- Daryl J. Howard

Happy New Year

Well, I have been diligently trying to get some posts up, but they haven't been sitting easy with me. But this morning I thought I would pass on some great devotionals that I used to start off my year. Though I have read through them before, I still learn a lot from them and the scriptures that they point me to. Enjoy.

(When you go to the devotionals, make sure you select January 1st to read what I did)
"Experiencing God Day By Day" by Henry & Richard Blackaby
"My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers

Happy New Year.
Grace & Peace,
- Daryl J. Howard