I just want to tell all who read this that this is my first blog post. This is more of an overview of the 12 weeks in Hawaii at YWAM. I have now learned the importance of blogging throughout the journey. More posts to come about the past 6 months of my life and about my future plans.
The past 6 months have transformed and changed my life into a passionate, running after God, ruined for ordinary life experience! I was apart of YWAM (Youth With A Mission) that is an international organization that is all dedicated in knowing God and making Him known throughout the world. Everyone who is apart of YWAM are all volunteers! From the founders to the students! There are many different types of schooling that can be completed at YWAM but everyone has to do a DTS (Discipleship Training School) first. A DTS starts with training all the students for 12 weeks about God and all of who He is and what He has called us all to. Then they send teams out into different nations of the world for 10 weeks to share about the love of Jesus and mercy ministries.
I was so hungry for God, I knew that there was so much more of God than what I was seeing.
Psalm 42:1-2
"As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God."
So I signed up for one DTS school in Kona Hawaii called Engage which focuses on living in the fullness of God, the fullness of what we are specifically made for, community and knowing what God's heart is for the nations! Not only did we have teachings from some amazing people we had 24 hour prayer burns where there would be constant prayer for 24 hours straight every other Saturday with the most incredible worship! We would have family nights with our school, ministry night every Monday where we would worship and pray over others, Intercession for the nations on Tuesday and revivalist training every Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
Visit the YWAM site- http://www.uofnkona.edu/
The first 12 weeks at YWAM were amazing! When knowing God's true nature and character, knowing that He is so in love with us is the foundation of everything else. He is for us and not against us, He is love and a jealous God over His children. In Exodus 34 when Moses was on Mount Sinai and The Lord passed by him, God said this about Himself,
"The LORD, The LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin."
That is God. It seems being a christian in this world especially in America our view of Him sometimes is the opposite of this. With that, God really refined me of all lies I had been believing and roots to be cut out of my heart. For lies not only about Him but about myself and from past hurts I had not yet healed from. I had allowed God to work in my heart, I had let go of control and broke my heart at His feet again and again to heal me even more!
Jeremiah 29:12-13
"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord,"
Each week we would have different speakers come and teach us on different subjects.
Week 1- Hearing God's voice
Week 2- God's nature and character
Week 3- The radical call and the cost
Week 4- corporate week with all the other schools
Week 5- Freedom
Weeks 6- Biblical worldview
Week 7- Honor
Week 8- Jesus the Word and Spiritual disciplines
Week 9- Revivalist Training
Week 10- Spiritual warfare and relationships and Entertainment and the influences they have
Week 11- Holy Spirit
Week 12-Cross culture training
It was such a blessing to have all of these people to come and teach us, they all helped to bring breakthrough in every person in our school.
God encountered me so many beautiful times, transformed and grew me, He satisfied every desire I had for Him, used me in exciting ways to bring freedom, breakthrough and understanding of Jesus in others. I discovered the gifts He has given me to grow and use them more and the specific desires He has placed upon my heart.
Not only did all this happen but the people I was surrounded by during the 6 months helped me SO much on my journey! They also had the same passion and desire for following Jesus, we help each other accountable for living a holier life for Him and to help grow more. I understand why people and the community you surround yourself around is so incredibly important to confess, process with and pray together.
Galatians 6:2
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
The knowledge I was filled with made me hungrier to know more! It made me desire so much more of Jesus and my heart overflows with passion and love for Him!
I now always want to live in the fullness of Christ, having the fear of The Lord, living always in the Kingdom of God, giving Him my all-my heart, my life, my time, circumstances, all my love and affection because He is so worthy! He is my all in all, my everything, all I need IS Him. I feel so in love with Jesus and continue to fall deeper as I discover Him more!
Thank you for all who supported me to go on this journey! All of you are such a blessing to me!
"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith... Who is seated at the right hand of the throne of God,"
Hebrews 12: 1-2
Ansley and I at the first gathering as a school
Awesome! So cool that you have a blog now, can't wait to hear of all that God does in your life :) He truly did use you in "exciting ways to bring freedom, breakthrough and understanding of Jesus in others". Me being one of them!
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