As a Youth With A Mission of Denver staff member, Stacey Miller's job has taken many forms -- including missionary and world traveler.

"When I finished college, I knew I wanted to do missionary work," Miller, 27, said.

The Michigan native first discovered Youth With A Mission, or YWAM, after graduating college. Miller came to the campus as a student in 2004 and completed the Discipleship Training School. The school includes 12 weeks of lectures and an eight-week outreach in an international setting. After the course, she returned to Michigan for a professional job to use her college degree.

"I knew I wanted to be involved in serving God, but I also had a degree from a good business school. I went home to work," said Miller. "I wasn't happy in my job. I had high earning potential, but I wanted to be back at YWAM and doing what God gave me the potential for."

Miller returned to the Arvada campus to join the YWAM staff in May 2005. Since that time she has taken on many different jobs and has completed several international outreaches in Brazil, India and eastern Europe.

"I was an assistant leader in Brazil and worked on the Amazon. I lived on a boat for 14 days and worked with street kids," said Miller.

These days, Miller is working in the personnel department at YWAM, the largest Christian missionary organization in the world, at 12750 W. 63rd Ave.

"I am coordinating schedules for the staff and students, making sure people have what they need, troubleshoot, grade homework and meet with students -- sort of like the office manager," she said.

One of the most life-changing and tragic days for Miller came on Dec. 9, when gunman Matthew Murray entered the dormitory building on the YWAM campus and shot four people. YWAM staff members Philip Crouse and Tiffany Johnson died, and the others survived. Miller was not on the campus during the incident, but met up with YWAM students soon after and visited the police station.

"I lost two friends," Miller said. "It was very sad and tragic, but I want to keep working where they left off. It's given me a new passion to continue to live for God."

Miller said she is a mentor to the students as a small group leader. "I mentor to a small group of girls," she said. "I've mentored 14 girls from five different countries."

The average age of a student at YWAM is 18 to 25 years old.

"It's cool to find out how some kids even get here," said Miller. "I've been here long enough to see what happens. I see how they grow in courage and confidence. I see God transform their lives and live with a purpose."

Miller said she can't imagine being anywhere else.

"It's hard sometimes and sometimes I feel like I'm crazy," said Miller. "There's nothing else I would rather be doing. It is so cool to see God work in the world."

To learn more about Youth With A Mission Denver, go to www.ywamdenver.org or call 303-424-1144.