Eric and Jamie Staveness Ministering With The Navigators
To Know Christ and Make Him Known
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About Us
Raising support in Cherokee, IA to jump in faith onto the secular college campus for Christ to be visible.  The fast approaching moving date to State College, PA will be July 2007.  We wait in anticipation to see God move mightily.
 
 
Eric absolutely loved pastoring the youth at the Meriden Evangelical Free Church for 4 years, October 2002 to August 2006.  Many students accepted Jesus as their personal savior and others grew by leaps and bounds in their faith.  Though there were difficult times during the 4 years, we learned it was no mistake, the trials were God's crucible making us more like Him.  We both agree that no matter what the trials were the last few years, a resounding, "It Was Worth It!" comes from our hearts because of each student and the joy they brought to our lives.
 
In his heart a man plans his course but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9  This is true right now.  The calling of God to the secular college campus came 2 years ago and God planted it even long before that.  Our plan, keep that in mind our, is to train at Penn State for 2 years and move on to a campus where we can lead a Navigator ministry.
 
Staveness history
                                       Jamie
Going off to college was frightening...new place, new friends, new classes, new roommate!  Not unlike the other freshman my stomach turned as we drove up to my dorm.  My mom, dad, and I began unloading all of my stuff turning into 1,000 trips up and down those stairs.  I met my roommate which turned out to be not that pleasant.  Oh no I didn't click with my roommate will I have any friends?  Eric, my boyfriend for the first 6 months, lived 4 hours away.
 
Walking down the hall I noticed this girl looked familiar.  The previous summer my best friend and I experienced Hidden Acres camp, she was one of the camp counselors.  Finally, a familiar face.  She invited me to a bible study at some ladies house named Tracie Bremner.  Up for anything to meet people I agreed to go with her. I really enjoyed Tracie even though she had 15 years on me.  Encouragement and love flowed from her. 
 
We met at the union occasionally, my freshman and sophomore year of college.  The summer before my junior year everything changed.  I worked in Okoboji, IA for the summer and God started doing a work in my heart.  He impressed on my heart He wanted a deeper relationship with me.  I took a look at my life, boyfriends and friends consumed my life not God.  The difficult process began, breaking up with my boyfriend.  By mid-summer the loneliness set in.  One beautiful and starry night I walked on the road behind our house, praying. 
 
"God, I know what I'm feeling is nothing what Jesus felt when his disciples deserted him at the cross but I'm lonely."
 
He said, "Jamie, you may be lonely but you are not along." 
 
An encounter with the living God!  Wow!
 
I sat on our dock watching the sunset not to many nights later and said, "God, here am I send me."
 
I returned to school in the fall and the change that took place in my life that summer through reading God's word and praying and just hanging out with Him made old relationships hard to slip back into.  Bitter sweet describes that next semester.  One day Tracie and I sat in the parking lot of McDonalds as I lamented about my loneliness and Tracie with tears in her eyes said, "Jamie, if I was 15 years younger I'd hang out with you."
 
Sounds cheesy but I felt so loved.  That right there is why the excitement boils over in me to get to Penn State.  My desire to be a Tracie Bremener, to love girls and point them to Christ, on campus is uncontainable.  And to be a part of a girl stepping into eternity gives me goose bumps.
 
A year and a half after the McDonald's incident Tracie sat with me in the union talking about life and God.  She rummaged through her bag and put a large envelope on the table.  "I want you to consider Edge Corps."
 
OK, couldn't hurt but in the back of my mind I thought there is no way I'm going to get all this paperwork done by Tuesday, it's Friday for goodness sake.  Coming together perfectly I handed in my application, interviewed, and signed up for one of the best adventures of my life.  Getting ready for Edge Corps I remembered my prayer, "Here am I send me."
 
This was only part one.
 
I spent the next two years at Florida State with the Navigators loving girls and pointing them to Christ.
 
When the two years ended my passion did not.  During the two years full-time ministry wasn't my title I lead bible studies and discipled women.
 
Eric became the youth pastor at Meriden E-Free Church and full-time work at my dad's office and full time ministry filled my life.  As described above it filled joy in our hearts.
 
God is once again answering my prayer - here am I send me.
 
Next stop in the missionary journey - Penn State.
 
 
                                        Eric
As a high school "punk" my older brother asked me to bible study.  As most little brothers look up to their older brother I was no different. I barely hung out with him because of the divorce so I readily agreed.  Now what to wear...sweater and pants, that's safe for church, right?  Wrong, everyone wore jeans and t-shirts and there I stood in my "Sunday Clothes".  Amazement filled my mind though, as they all loved me regardless of the clothes I wore.  How is this possible?
 
Shortly after, I attended a YWAM conference with the group.  God pulled on my heart all night and then a woman came up to me and said, "I always pray that God show me who I am to talk to and you're it."
 
The tears began to flow freely.  Right there on the stop I accepted Jesus as my savior.  Back in school I turn from the "punk" to the "Jesus freak".  My best friend barely understood.
 
My senior year God guided me to a great adventure...Bible College in Sweden for 1 year.  They stuffed my brain with counseling and sharing the gospel.  I returned home to meet Jamie.  Dating for 6 months I began making compromises in my life.  At the time, I attended Madison Technical College studying graphic design.  My schooling didn't last long because my life began spinning out of control and I turned from my loving God. 
 
I look back and wish someone had pushed their way into my life to help me walk with Christ.  My passion burns to fulfill this need in guys lives in college...to point them to Christ and share with those who really could care less about God.  The pursuer, God, is doing his work despite what I see on the outside.
 
God ended up taking my world apart to bring me back to Him.  The brokenness overwhelmed me and brought me to my knees.
 
That God could use me, a broken man, to teach students about Him still amazes me. 
 
Over the last 4 years Jamie and I invited college students on summer break to our home to study God's word and yearly I get the privilege to speak at Buena Vista University's Fellowship of Christian Beavers conference at Hidden Acres.  These both started fanning the flame in my heart for college students.
 
Visiting friends in Ames I decided to go see one of the guys that graduated and in his freshman year of college.  Knock, Knock, Knock.  The door opens only slightly.  "Oh, hi" he says awkwardly and making perfectly sure that he was in the way so the view of his room was blocked.  It was obvious that his room did not honor Christ.  My heart was broken for him and my passion for college students grew even more.  I remember living that same life how I longed to invade students lives so they could be saved the pain of not following Jesus.
 
Jamie asked me, "What are you passionate about?"  Funny question, I never really thought about.  I replied rather quickly, "Creating - art, building, landscaping - and sharing Christ." 
 
Not long after the conversation with Jamie God whispered His calling in my ear for our lives.  Go to the college campus and preach the good news.  The excitement is overwhelming!  The point at which students decided for themselves if they chose Christ or not, I get to be a part of.  All the freedoms they being to enjoy and start figuring out who they are, I get to be a part of.  Saying yes to Christ and what he has in store for them, I get to be a part of.  Students falling to their knees in repentance and confession Jesus is Lord, I get to be a part of.
 
This is our call, join us in prayer and financial support!
 
I challenge you to think about what is God asking of you?  To share your faith, go on a missions trip, give sacrificially, trust Him for the first time in your life. 
 
Don't just exist...LIVE!