Graduation

My Discipleship Training School is now over.


Last night was Graduation.

Before the ceremony

Flash Mob after the ceremony :) 

Officially a DTS graduate!

I never imagined this would be as good of an experience as it has been. I knew it would be awesome. I knew we would spend several months learning more about Jesus and several months overseas loving on beautiful children, and that would be awesome. But I didn't know it would be the most incredible experience of my life! DTS has been more than I could have ever imagined every moment of it! 

I also never imagined just how hard it would be when it ended. Spending 6 months with so many amazing Jesus loving, justice filled people and then having to part ways. 

Grace, Sam, Kenzie, Carly, Maya, Marlo, Katie, Courtney, Nicole

Me, Emily, Kayla, Corrie

Abi and I

Caleb, Corrie, Emily

Liis (my favorite Estonian!)

Jordan, Ranae, and I

Bailey and I

This morning I said goodbye to the most amazing friends ever... it was a really hard day, but thinking back on all God has done through this time makes me speechless  I don't even have the words for it yet! 

God thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this! I couldn't imagine being anywhere else the past 6 months! 

I will still be in Wisconsin for the next two weeks, processing what I've learned and what I've seen on outreach, attending a YWAM Fundraising Seminar, and visiting friends (the Stoiber family). Then on the 25th I will be traveling home to South Carolina!! I'm so excited to see everyone and begin to share everything that God has been teaching me and the experiences I've had the past 6 months! Please bare with me as I slowly begin to put my thoughts into words and write them here on my blog, put up pictures, put together slideshows, and make my newsletters for the past two months. I am thankful I have this week to start that process, and I can continue when I get home. 

Thank you friends and family for standing with me, encouraging me, sending donations and praying for me during this time. I love you all and thank God for you, because without you all I would not have been able to do this!

Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the day!!! Today is our last day of outreach preparation and we load up the bus first thing in the morning (5 am) for the Chicago airport! I can't believe it's finally here! 

Please keep us in your prayers! A couple of people have been sick. A lot of people still need most of their finances. And packing and getting ready for 2 months overseas can be pretty stressful, so just pray for peace for us. Thanks! 

Financial Update: as of right now I still need $1,044 by tomorrow!  

If you'd like to make a tax deductible donation you can do so here: 

http://www.ywammadison.org/donate/

(Please put my name in after clicking on "I want to direct my donation to" after you have submitted the amount). If you don't see that just message me the amount you sent so I can let them know it's for me. 

Thanks so much! 

Intercession Northern Thailand/Cambodia Outreach

The Northern Thailand/Cambodia team is 6 students and 2 staff members. 

To Bangkok, Thailand: 

• To work with the MST Project which is working toward ending the demand of sex slavery. 
• To work with the A-Mane English Center teaches English with a Christian focus through using the bible. 
• To work at The Shelter which brings in children from off the street to go through drug therapy. 
• To work with the Ruth Center is taking care of elderly people who were on the streets. 

To Cambodia: 

• To work with women and children at risk

To Pattaya, Thailand: 

• To work with slum ministries
• To put on a kids club

*Pictures from Google Images

Days Until Outreach...

(Google Images)

Finish The Task Conference, October 28th- November 2nd (Cincinnati, Ohio)

"Where is the safest place for you to be in the world? Right where God wants you." 


Stats on the unreached people of today:
3 million people are without the scriptures
2 billion people are unreached by the Gospel
There are 6,912 languages in the world
Only 455 have the complete bible in their language

From: http://www.finishthetaskconference.com/

The Great Commission is not an option to be considered, it's a command to be followed!


"Whatever you do make disciples..."
Ask yourself this in everything you do. Are you making disciples?


5 Reasons We Should Go to the Unreached:

1. Motivation: The love of God should be enough motivation for us. 
2. The Lordship of Jesus: It's not "The Great Suggestion".
3. The lostness of the lost.
4. We are in the last days. 
5. Do you really believe in eternal life for the saved? Why aren't we going out and making sure no one goes to Hell? 

"The unreached people are like a burning house and we have the living water of Jesus Christ to put out the fire, but every time we don't go and use the excuse of: 'I'm not called there', they suffer."

From: http://www.finishthetaskconference.com/

You won't be any earthly good until you get heavenly minded. 

A disciple doesn't sit around and complain about how expensive it is to go. He just goes!

John 15:1-5

How does a branch have fruit? The vine. 

If you want to be fruitful don't worry about the fruit just focus on the vine (Jesus) and fruit will automatically grow. 

If we give 100% of our lives to God when we are saved, why do we not let God into everything we do? 

We need to live with God at the center of everything we do. 

The Tale of Four Cities: 

             Jerusalem           

Revelation 21:1-5

Acts 1:1-8, 2:1-5

Zachariah 9:10

Great Commission: 

Go make disciples

Go proclaim the Gospel

Go clarify the content

Go like Jesus did

Go everywhere

           Antioch                

1. Growing Church (Acts 11:19-21)

2. Grounded Church (God didn't say go make decisions, He said go make disciples.)

3. Giving Church

4. Glowing Church

5. Going Church (Acts 13:2) 

2/3 of God's name is GO!

       Thessalonica        

Acts 17:1-4

Paul's Evangelism style: 

1. Reasoning (dialogue)

2. Explaining

3. Proving (giving evidence)

4. Proclaiming

5. Persuading

6. Joining

            Berea             

Acts 17

Paul's heart for the unreached:

1. What he saw

2. What he felt

3. What he did

4. What he said

"He that is wise wins souls."

Passion:

Passion leads to action. 

In every missionary biography you will find people with great passion. 

How to get it? 

-From God

-Get around people who are passionate

Things that keep us from having passion: 

-Too much awareness of sin and shame 

(The best way to get rid of that is to look to God for healing)

From: http://www.finishthetaskconference.com/

5 Things that really help in missions:

1. Allow the worlds of knowing God and making Him known come together. (All the time, even at home). 

2. Ask God for His heart.

3. Always be sharing your faith (even when you are not on the "mission field"). 

4. Continue to ask God to increase your faith. 

5. Have fun! (The Good News needs to really be good news! Let joy be a reality in your heart as you go).

YWAM Tomorrow!!

This weekend has been so great! I am so blessed to be staying with an amazing family and I am so thankful I have had this time to transition into my life in Wisconsin!

Today was filled with Fall activities. We went to a Fall Festival/Farmers Market this morning, then we carved pumpkins, then we played outside in the gorgeous weather (it's actually a bit warm for Wisconsin), then we had a party for Megan's birthday with a bonfire and hot apple cider, to end the day!

I've been checking FB and email for updates on classmates who are coming in from all over the world to attend DTS. Some got to the training center today and the rest (including me) will arrive tomorrow!

It is still unreal to me that I am doing this! I have to keep reminding myself this is not just a short visit to Wisconsin, this is a 6 month adventure. I'm not going back home in a couple days, like I did last time I visited here. I'm actually living here! Wow!

It's been on my mind all day (well, especially today), but I still can't believe it, tomorrow is the day that I start DTS! I've waited 9 months for this event to happen and tomorrow it will actually begin. I am nervous, and excited, but very hopeful that God is going to do amazing things! Although, I don't really know a lot of details about the school, our schedule, or what it will be like, I feel like that is OK. After all this is missionary training, so I suppose it's better for us not to know all the small details, because in reality we really never know what's going to happen, but we trust God anyway. We will follow Him anywhere He wants us to go, so who cares if we don't know everything or even everyone. We know without a doubt He will use this time to bring us closer to Him and to show us how to work together to bring justice to the precious children around the world.

So I am so excited for this new journey to start!

I'm Here!!

No more words needed! 

Plus I am super tired, so I'm gonna get some sleep! 

From In the Air!

I wrote this on the airplane, then I tried posting this, but the wifi wasn't working. 

"I am currently at 33,000 ft on my way to Milwaukee! 

My flights have been pretty uneventful so far (which is very good)! 

I was able to get breakfast at BWI and read for a few minutes before I got on my last plane.

Be looking for pictures of William and I sometime this weekend! 

Its been over a year since I saw him, 

so I'm sure he's grown a lot and will be as cute as ever! :)"

Amazing sunset to start out my  adventure!

On my way!

1 more flight to go!

1 More Day!

I leave tomorrow!!! 

I still can't believe it! 

So I haven't been posting very much lately because I've been trying to enjoy my week off work (which I really have been!), get my packing done, and spending time with family!

I leave really early in the morning so this is my last day to get everything done!

Here is a snapshot of my packing:

This is only 3/4 done. I have to actually get everything that is in the containers into the suitcases, and as you can see the big suitcase is already slammed full (I may not be able to close it!). So that will be my day! Oh and the final goodbyes and actually trying to get some sleep tonight, (which may not happen considering my whole life is changing and I won't be able to turn off my brain!).

Please keep me in your prayers as I travel. Anytime we do something for the Kingdom the devil won't approve, so pray for protection, comfort, and peace in this decision to follow Him to YWAM. And if you can also keep my classmates and teachers in your prayers, they are coming from all over the world for this training course. Some have already left or are leaving for Wisconsin in the coming days!
Thanks!

Hopefully I will get a chance to post tomorrow while I'm traveling, but if not, see you on the other side (Wisconsin!).

4 Days!

I leave in 4 days!! 

Last minute preparations are getting done.

Dentist appointment.

Hang out time with family and friends.

Packing, packing and more packing.

It's finally starting to sink in that I am leaving... for a long time!

Even though it is scary, I am so very excited for what is to come! 

Most of all I am so excited to see how my relationship with God will be impacted in such an incredible way as I seek Him and serve Him at YWAM! I can't even imagine! 

Thank you Jesus for this opportunity!

Send me!

Please sign up for my newsletter, if you haven't already!

(Look to the right side, and you will see "sign up for newsletters".)

Also, check back (and become a member) here for updates and pictures on my YWAM Adventures that will begin in 4 days!

YWAM Tuition Paid For!!

Thank God! My YWAM tuition is now paid for!! 

I'm so very thankful for all my amazing supporters and an amazing job! 

Now all I have left to raise is my outreach fees ($4,000) by December! 

Be looking for more fundraisers and newsletter updates! 


Wisconsin in 14 days!!!!!!!!

Counting Down...

So, it's just 21 days until I move to Wisconsin!!! Seriously? 

I just put in my 2 week notice today at work! I have to admit I was a little sad!

Even though work can be work some days, I really enjoyed my job, and I had the privilege of working with some incredible people! I am really going to miss all the staff, children and families at the child care center! I will not forget what an amazing 6 months it has been! Thank you God for giving me this job! 

But... I am excited as well! In just 3 weeks I get to travel up north and spend some time with William and his family...

Then go meet the awesome staff and students at YWAM Madison! I can't even imagine all that God is going to do there! But, of course, it's that how He works? :) 

Mural hanging at the training center!

My new home! The Training Center/ Madison, WI.

(Tonight we some of the students that will be attending this year's YWAM training school and I will be "meeting" each other on video chat! I'm excited to get to know them better before we actually meet!) 

Update on Funds: 

I now have $2,960 out of $3350!!

Thank you so much to all who donated, participated in my fundraisers, or bought something from me!

I couldn't have done this without you! 

$490 left to go, for the training course!

(Then I need to raise about $4,000 for our overseas outreach, which is due in December!)

2 Month Countdown!!

I Just bought my plane ticket to 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin! 

In exactly two months from today I will be sitting in an airplane bound for Wisconsin! 

I will be leaving my whole life behind to follow God's leading, 

there is nothing more exciting (and hard)! 

Over North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland (to change planes)...

 then West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and finally landing in Milwaukee! 

All in only 5 short hours! 

(Yes...flying still amazes me!)

I am so thankful that I get to spend the weekend with this precious boy...

William

And his incredible family...

before they take me to Madison

 to begin my YWAM Training! 

Thank you Bridget (and family) for your willingness to open your home to me and bring me to Madison! You are such a blessing to me!

So, It's official now, no turning back! 

YWAM, Madison here I come!

And no matter how scary, or uncertain that may make me feel, I know it's what I'm supposed to do!

I know it is going to be the most amazing experience in my life (so far)! I cannot wait to "Know God and make Him Known"! 

And the people from all over the world I will have the privilege to serve with and learn with are going to be such an amazing blessing to me! We are going to have some incredible stories of how God brought us together, how He provided for each and every one of us, and How faithful He has been to us! I just know it! 

62 days till take off!!

And in case you are wondering, yes, I do still have a lot of money to raise before then! Check my sidebar for the amount needed. 

If you would like to give, please message me or go through paypal by pressing the "donate" button at the top of this blog.

Thank you!!