Well it has been about two weeks now since the students of this last SBS (School of Biblical Studies) graduated and said goodbye. It has definitely been a change of pace for me but a needed one for sure. I realized once I had a bit more time, just how tired I was and I have had a bit of time to relax.
Right now I am staying in MT over the summer and working on the base doing a variety of things that the base needs help with. I have been working on grounds, helping plant and water things around our base to help it look nice over the summer for the summer programs and next week I will be helping with hospitality for a couple days and also I will teach on Tuesday in the DTS (Discipleship Training School). They have asked me to share an overview of the book of Philippians. I am excited though it is always a bit nerve-racking to teach, but what an amazing opportunity to speak to youth who are hungry for more understanding of God's word! If you think about it please pray for me and for the students this coming Tuesday! :) My parents will then be coming to visit for about 8 days and that will be so exciting. I can't wait to see them!!
Other exciting things are also in the works for me that will be coming up next year. I will again be staffing the upcoming SBS (School of Biblical Studies) 2011-2012, which again is the nine month Bible school. I will be continuing to teach and disciple the students that will come to study. We have a very full school this next Fall and will be accepting about 50 students. I am very excited about this upcoming year. Not only am I anticipating this to be another awesome year with the students coming to MT, but I will also be taking 5 weeks from the end of February-March to travel to Cambodia and Thailand to teach in SBS's overseas. It has been a couple years since I have been able to travel to another country and I cannot wait to get out again!! I will be going with my friend Erin and we will be going to encourage the SBS staff in those places and to help teach different books of the Bible to their students. We are also hoping to connect with some other ministry opportunities while we are there and will be finding out more about that as the trip gets closer. My biggest need with this right now is finances. Please pray that the Lord brings in the money that I need to make this trip happen!!
Also this coming August I will be living in a house here on the YWAM base, whereas I have been living in a dorm room up until now. I will share it with three other girls and we actually have quite a vision and purpose for this house. We have quite a large base here in MT and often times it is easy for new people or just people in general to fall through the cracks and feel like they do not have a place to hang out or a group of friends to be with. Our heart is to change that. We want to make sure that all feel welcome and have a place to connect with others in this community so that they can thrive in this place and in-turn thrive in the ministry and vision that the Lord has for them here. We will be opening up our house often to people and are excited to just be hospitable and see what the Lord does in our YWAM community through it. Unity within ministry is so important and the Lord has laid this on our hearts. I believe God is going to do some cool things and build some neat relationships through it. If you could pray for finances for me in this area that would be awesome too, as my costs will be increasing by about a $175 dollars starting in August. I am believing God to provide because he always does!!
I love you all! Thank you for continuing to partner with me in the things that the Lord is doing in my life. I couldn't be doing this without you!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Coming to a close...but not the end
Well, we are down to one more week with the SBS 2010-2011 now. The students will be graduated and gone by the end of next week. The last nine months seems like it has just flown by, though I have to admit I am ready for summer to come and to have a bit of a break before next year's SBS gets started up in September. Everyone has worked hard these last nine months and I think both students and staff are starting to feel it. God is good though and He has allowed each student to persevere and finish the school strong. I am so excited for these students to graduate and move into the next seasons of their lives. God has some cool things for each one of them and these guys are so stoked to walk into those things!
Out of 43 students we have 20 that are going to do the Titus Project, which is a school that basically does a School of Biblical Studies (SBS) outreach for three months. These students will be learning how to teach Bible Overview and bring Inductive Bible Study to nations all around the world. They will be going into different countries and teaching pastors and other School of Biblical Studies students how to better study the Word and also how to teach others. Basically they will all be going around the world, putting into practice all that they have learned through their own studying in the SBS this year! I am so excited that we have such a large number of students that have a heart for the nations! It is such a blessing to be staffing a school that is equipping missionaries all over the world to bring Biblical truth to those who either do not have a good understanding of God's word or are just hungry for more. There are so many places with people that desperately want to know the Lord and do what is right and these students will be able to go into those places and show them how to study the Word and from there everything else falls into place. Awesome. I am so proud of these guys.
The rest of our students have a variety of other plans after they graduate. We have a few that will be coming back to help staff next year's School of Biblical Studies. Some will be staffing the Discipleship Training School (DTS). Some plan on going back to school in order to study things that will help them in ministry or on the mission field. Some are starting up ministries of their own. And some are going back to their home nations to continue working with ministries that they have already been a part of, but they are going back with all the knowledge of God's word that they have learned these last nine months and a heart that is ready to see others walk in the freedom God has for them! All in all, every single one of the students is going to be pursuing some sort of ministry after they graduate and that is incredible!! These guys are just going for it with the Lord and THAT is exactly why I do what I do. I love to see the heart of God awakened in people and to see them running after the things the Lord has for them without looking back. I really believe that we are going to see some incredible things happen from these students' lives and as a result of their obedience.
Some of our students are going to be going home to some hard situations so please pray for them if you think of it. Also, they are not quite done yet because they still have one book, a final paper and a test until they are totally finished. If you think of it you can also pray that they all do well on these. I'm so proud of all of them! This SBS has been awesome and God has blessed all of us a ton.
That is all for now but I will be writing again soon to give some highlights of the year and also talk about my plans for the next year. God has been doing some cool things and I am excited about all that He has in-store for this next season as well. I look forward to sharing more details soon!!
Out of 43 students we have 20 that are going to do the Titus Project, which is a school that basically does a School of Biblical Studies (SBS) outreach for three months. These students will be learning how to teach Bible Overview and bring Inductive Bible Study to nations all around the world. They will be going into different countries and teaching pastors and other School of Biblical Studies students how to better study the Word and also how to teach others. Basically they will all be going around the world, putting into practice all that they have learned through their own studying in the SBS this year! I am so excited that we have such a large number of students that have a heart for the nations! It is such a blessing to be staffing a school that is equipping missionaries all over the world to bring Biblical truth to those who either do not have a good understanding of God's word or are just hungry for more. There are so many places with people that desperately want to know the Lord and do what is right and these students will be able to go into those places and show them how to study the Word and from there everything else falls into place. Awesome. I am so proud of these guys.
The rest of our students have a variety of other plans after they graduate. We have a few that will be coming back to help staff next year's School of Biblical Studies. Some will be staffing the Discipleship Training School (DTS). Some plan on going back to school in order to study things that will help them in ministry or on the mission field. Some are starting up ministries of their own. And some are going back to their home nations to continue working with ministries that they have already been a part of, but they are going back with all the knowledge of God's word that they have learned these last nine months and a heart that is ready to see others walk in the freedom God has for them! All in all, every single one of the students is going to be pursuing some sort of ministry after they graduate and that is incredible!! These guys are just going for it with the Lord and THAT is exactly why I do what I do. I love to see the heart of God awakened in people and to see them running after the things the Lord has for them without looking back. I really believe that we are going to see some incredible things happen from these students' lives and as a result of their obedience.
Some of our students are going to be going home to some hard situations so please pray for them if you think of it. Also, they are not quite done yet because they still have one book, a final paper and a test until they are totally finished. If you think of it you can also pray that they all do well on these. I'm so proud of all of them! This SBS has been awesome and God has blessed all of us a ton.
That is all for now but I will be writing again soon to give some highlights of the year and also talk about my plans for the next year. God has been doing some cool things and I am excited about all that He has in-store for this next season as well. I look forward to sharing more details soon!!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Challenges and Rewards
It has now been about six months since I have come on staff with the School of Biblical Studies here at YWAM Montana. It has been both difficult and exciting with a lot of work involved and yet a lot of fun as well. When I said yes to coming back to Montana to help staff the school I knew it would be challenging. I also knew that it was what the Lord had for me and I was going to grow and learn a ton while also being able to help teach and disciple others. Let me tell you, it has been amazing so far. Though my schedule has been probably busier than ever before in my life, the Lord continues to give me strength and I feel His leading on a daily basis. I don't think I have ever before been so aware of my desperate need for Him, which I hope and pray will never change. If there is one thing that I have seen more and more as I continue to study the Word of God and have relationship with the Lord, it is that God is so good to us even in the midst of the hardest and most difficult circumstances. I am so blessed to be able to serve and know the God of the Universe, the God of the Bible.
I have taught three books so far (Philippians, James and 3rd John) and will be teaching at least two more from the Old Testament before the school ends in June. It has been fun stepping into this different role of teaching, but challenging as well. I have gotten a lot of really good training and critiquing as I have gone through so far and it has been very helpful. I have also learned a ton, not just about teaching and how to do that effectively, but how to really allow the Lord to speak through me and He is showing me more about being sensitive to what He wants me to share rather than me just being a talking head, haha. My prayer is that I wouldn't be up there just blabbing but that God would really speak through me so that my words are full of His truth and that they show His heart to the students. I think the most rewarding thing is to see when the students really grasp on to what something in Scripture means and I get to see this light bulb click on and see the excitement they have about what they just realized to be true of God's character. I am seeing 43 students from 9 different nations gain a deeper love for the Lord, a desire to know His Word and make it known, and become more excited than ever to share the love of God with those around them and in the world. These students are going places and that gets me pumped! I strongly believe that we have students that are going to be willing to go to the ends of the earth to share God's Word with the world.
So far I have loved building relationships with people here and just being able to witness what the Lord is doing in all of our lives. Since the school has begun we have seen both physical and emotional healing, a deepening in faith of students, and people have even received callings from the Lord on there lives. I believe that what the Lord is doing here is not just for us but for the entire body of believers and it is exciting. I know that as we learn to love each other here and learn truth and speak it out with each other, it will set a foundation for the rest of our lives to be doing that with others, no matter where we go. I love that you all are apart of what God is doing here because you don't have to be apart of YWAM to be apart of the Kingdom of God and I pray that the fruit that is happening here would be an encouragement to you in whatever place or ministry you find yourself in at present.
God is so good and so worthy to be praised. His love reaches even the darkest of places and illuminates the darkest of situations. I am praying that no matter what situation you find yourself in today, you may know that truth that the Lord sees you and He cares about what is on your heart. You matter to Him more than you will ever really be able to comprehend, and that is true no matter who you are. May you be blessed.
I have taught three books so far (Philippians, James and 3rd John) and will be teaching at least two more from the Old Testament before the school ends in June. It has been fun stepping into this different role of teaching, but challenging as well. I have gotten a lot of really good training and critiquing as I have gone through so far and it has been very helpful. I have also learned a ton, not just about teaching and how to do that effectively, but how to really allow the Lord to speak through me and He is showing me more about being sensitive to what He wants me to share rather than me just being a talking head, haha. My prayer is that I wouldn't be up there just blabbing but that God would really speak through me so that my words are full of His truth and that they show His heart to the students. I think the most rewarding thing is to see when the students really grasp on to what something in Scripture means and I get to see this light bulb click on and see the excitement they have about what they just realized to be true of God's character. I am seeing 43 students from 9 different nations gain a deeper love for the Lord, a desire to know His Word and make it known, and become more excited than ever to share the love of God with those around them and in the world. These students are going places and that gets me pumped! I strongly believe that we have students that are going to be willing to go to the ends of the earth to share God's Word with the world.
So far I have loved building relationships with people here and just being able to witness what the Lord is doing in all of our lives. Since the school has begun we have seen both physical and emotional healing, a deepening in faith of students, and people have even received callings from the Lord on there lives. I believe that what the Lord is doing here is not just for us but for the entire body of believers and it is exciting. I know that as we learn to love each other here and learn truth and speak it out with each other, it will set a foundation for the rest of our lives to be doing that with others, no matter where we go. I love that you all are apart of what God is doing here because you don't have to be apart of YWAM to be apart of the Kingdom of God and I pray that the fruit that is happening here would be an encouragement to you in whatever place or ministry you find yourself in at present.
God is so good and so worthy to be praised. His love reaches even the darkest of places and illuminates the darkest of situations. I am praying that no matter what situation you find yourself in today, you may know that truth that the Lord sees you and He cares about what is on your heart. You matter to Him more than you will ever really be able to comprehend, and that is true no matter who you are. May you be blessed.
Monday, August 9, 2010
So Far...So Awesome!
Well I just finished my first week as staff here at the Lakeside, MT YWAM Base and it actually has exceeded my expectations so far. If there is one thing that I can say about this place and the leadership here it is that they really value doing things with excellence. This week it has just been neat to here from different people around the base who are in charge of different ministries and gifted in different areas and kind of get acquainted with all that the base does here. God has done some incredible things here with YWAM Lakeside and there are so many exciting things still to come in the near future.I just know that this is where the Lord wants me for this season of my life and I am so excited about the people that I am surrounded by and the wisdom that I will be able to glean just by learning from them and ministering alongside them.
We have started our staff training for the School of Biblical Studies and have our list of students to begin praying for them. For the next month I will be helping prepare for students to come and also preparing my teachings for this quarter. I will be teaching two books per quarter and my first two are Philippians and James. I am nervous and excited all at the same time!! It is going to be an amazing growing experience for me in so many ways but I know that God will be there to guide me and give me the wisdom I need if I continue to rely on Him.
It has been a big transition but I feel really good about this next season. I am expecting God to do some really incredible things not only in my life but in the lives of the students and the rest of the staff here as well. I am really excited and can't wait to see all that the Lord has in store for all of us during this next school.
Thank you for your prayers and support! Love you all!
We have started our staff training for the School of Biblical Studies and have our list of students to begin praying for them. For the next month I will be helping prepare for students to come and also preparing my teachings for this quarter. I will be teaching two books per quarter and my first two are Philippians and James. I am nervous and excited all at the same time!! It is going to be an amazing growing experience for me in so many ways but I know that God will be there to guide me and give me the wisdom I need if I continue to rely on Him.
It has been a big transition but I feel really good about this next season. I am expecting God to do some really incredible things not only in my life but in the lives of the students and the rest of the staff here as well. I am really excited and can't wait to see all that the Lord has in store for all of us during this next school.
Thank you for your prayers and support! Love you all!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
A Quick Transition
Well the end of my SBS (School of Biblical Studies) has now come and gone and it's on to the next step for me now. What is it? Well, I have actually been asked to come back to the YWAM base in Lakeside, MT and help staff the course I just completed. After a lot of prayer I feel that this is definitely God's next step for me and I'm extremely excited!! I not only will have the opportunity to be a part of this program for two more years, but will also have the chance to teach and disciple students as they complete this course themselves.
Right now I am home in CO until July 29th and then I will be back in MT training and preparing for the school to start up at the end of September. It has been really good to see my family and spend time with some friends while I have been home so far. I have been home for a couple weeks now and time seems to be quickly flying by. My break will soon be coming to an end and then it is back to a busy busy schedule with the SBS.
This blog is the way I will be communicating the majority of what is happening within my life and I'm excited about it because I think it will be an easy way to keep you all up-to-date with my adventures. If you haven't already checked out the other pages that I have on here you should take a look at the tabs up above that will give you more info on what I am up to and a bit more of my heart for this ministry. Thanks so much for taking time to check out my blog, I really appreciate you all so much and am continually blessed by each person God's placed in my life. My hope is that you will come away from these pages blessed by what God is doing and encouraged to pursue Him more as well. I love you all so much!
Here are some pics from the area of MT that I will be living in the next couple years. They were taken in Glacier National Park which is not too far from Lakeside where I'll be.
Right now I am home in CO until July 29th and then I will be back in MT training and preparing for the school to start up at the end of September. It has been really good to see my family and spend time with some friends while I have been home so far. I have been home for a couple weeks now and time seems to be quickly flying by. My break will soon be coming to an end and then it is back to a busy busy schedule with the SBS.
This blog is the way I will be communicating the majority of what is happening within my life and I'm excited about it because I think it will be an easy way to keep you all up-to-date with my adventures. If you haven't already checked out the other pages that I have on here you should take a look at the tabs up above that will give you more info on what I am up to and a bit more of my heart for this ministry. Thanks so much for taking time to check out my blog, I really appreciate you all so much and am continually blessed by each person God's placed in my life. My hope is that you will come away from these pages blessed by what God is doing and encouraged to pursue Him more as well. I love you all so much!
Here are some pics from the area of MT that I will be living in the next couple years. They were taken in Glacier National Park which is not too far from Lakeside where I'll be.
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