YWAM: week 2

The second week of YWAM is now completed! We had our regular schedule this week. It’s starting to feel a lot more like school now, we have geography tests every Wednesday, and teachings every morning. Then, in the afternoon, we have responsibilities around the building (cleaning, dishes, ect.). My favorite part is quiet time and then worship in the mornings!

This week’s teaching theme was “The Father Heart of God”. We learned about God’s heart and who He is. Because if we don’t know who God is, then we don’t know who we are, and we give a distorted image of God.

Here is a video they played for us one day:

In Christ,
Emily

YWAM: week 1

I’m here at YWAM! This week has been a lot of getting to know the schedule, each other and the purpose of YWAM. It’s a lot of adjusting to new things and learning more about God. Lifelong relationships are being built, walls are coming down, and chains are being broken! It’s amazing to have our schedule built around God 24-7. I was surprised how close I’ve gotten to my fellow YWAMers in just this short time! The classes have been amazing, and we’re reading some really great books. The food has been really good and everyone is super nice! I can feel God all around. This coming week we’ll be getting more into a regular schedule. I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone better, growing closer to God and becoming everything He wants me to be! Thank you for patiently waiting for my updates, we don’t have Internet at the base for the moment. Within a couple weeks the Internet should be up and I can keep in contact with you better :)

 

In Christ,

Emily

Youth With A Mission

For those of you who don't know starting September 16th I will be a part of YWAM (Youth With A Mission)! I'm doing to Children At Risk program. Basically it's a 6 month mission program. The first 3 months are spent going through seminars and getting to know each other. Then for 2 months I will be overseas spending time with Children with aids or have been orphaned and loving on them, and showing them that God cares for them. You can check out the YWAM Facebook page here. From there you can go to their website if you want to know more.

I am fully funded, THANK YOU GOD!!! And thank you to everyone who has donated. Your prayers and encouragement are greatly appreciated!

I'd also like to add a HUGE thank you to my mom! For supporting me and making sure I have everything I need before I leave. I honestly don't know what I'd do without her! LOVE YOU!! ♥♥

Stay tuned to my blog for updates while I am at YWAM. THANK YOU!!!!

I love you anyway.

Do you know what it's like to love someone?

They become your everything, your hopes and dreams. You become their biggest fan and their support system. Your world begins to revolve around them and what they do. They consume your time and your mind. They make you smile, laugh, cry, and feel things that you've never felt before.

But what if that person doesn't love you back?
They go on living like you don't exist. They don't care about you, your hopes or dreams. They don't want you around. They might even go and love someone or something else other than you. They may not knowingly treat you like this, but maybe they do know. Either way they don't feel the same way you feel about them.

Do you still love them?
If you truly loved them from the beginning, you'll still love them even after they practically threw your heart on the ground. That is true love. Loving someone when they don't love you back or when they don't deserve it.

I've experienced this before, and in the midst of my heartbreak I've thought, "This must be how God feels when someone He loves doesn't love Him back." He is passionate about us! Not just Christians, everyone! He wants us to experience His love and blessings, but most of all, eternal life! He needs us to go out and show people know how much He loves them! They are never too far away to come to Him, repent and ask forgiveness. We are it, there is no plan B!

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" -Matthew 28:19-20. It is not a suggestion, but a command! Some of us are senders and some of us go, but we all play a part!

John Piper says, “When it comes to world missions, there are only three kinds of Christians: zealous goers, zealous senders, and disobedient ones.” Which one are you?

God You reign!

I believe everything happens for a reason.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."

I believe God will work for the good of those who love Him, and makes all things work together for our good.
Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him."

Even if we don't think of it as good, we might think it's the worst thing that's ever happened to us, but God promises to always be there.
Deuteronomy 31:6 "for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5 "because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

I believe God reigns! In everything, good or bad!! ♥

Let go.

Sometimes no matter what you do or how hard you try, that thing you want or place you want to be just wont happen. I've tried to convince myself "In time." but I can see clearly now that God was saying "No."

I tried to think of every reason to keep holding on to hope, and God knew the only way He could get through to me during that time was in big ways. It was a silent war happening inside of me, my feelings were getting the best of me, it felt like my heart was at war with my mind. My mind knew what I needed, but my heart knew what I wanted.

When those big things happened (which seemed huge to me, but I know no one else knew about them), First I was angry, I couldn't understand why God would let me feel these feelings if they were only going to come crashing down. Then I cried for hours, on the floor in my room and before I fell asleep.

Over time I learned how to feel again, I could smile and laugh with friends and not have to fake it, I grew closer to God because I went to Him for comfort and He loved on me. I learned to turn to Him first and get His okay before my feelings ran away with something. And I believe that I'm now a stronger, smarter, and better person.

Here is a quote I heard once; "If you love somebody, set them free. And if they really love you, they'll come back." To me it says; if it's meant to be, it will happen. If not, it wont. So trust God! He will not let you down!

"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." Philippians 4:11

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

Sometimes you just have to let go, no matter how much it hurts.

Wait.

Ugh. Really God? Wait? Why can't you just tell me now? I've felt like that a lot! When I ask God about something I want to know it now, but I've learned that's not how He works! During the long time of waiting I wrote about in my last post, God spoke to me. He brought a picture of a prayer maze to my mind and spoke these words to my heart. "It's not about the answers, it's about the journey it takes to get there."

Think about it, in a prayer maze you don't just walk right to the middle, you follow the trail and pray along the way. That's how we grow with God, we follow Him and are in communication with Him, and the longer it takes you to get there the more things you can see and experience. Waiting has strengthened my faith more than I could have imagined! Waiting has made me trust God more and lean on Him for everything, and when He brought the answers, it's made me realize that God's plans are far greater than I what I could come up with, and that makes me want to follow Him so much more!

So if you are in a season of waiting or just waiting on some little things, take heart! Know that God will answer and He is always right beside you knowing the perfect time to reveal His plan to you.

Jeremiah 29:11-14; For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to 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.

Psalm 27: 14; Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Here is a song that I love, "Wait" by Fike (If you want to hear just the song skip to about 1:30)