Simply Wrecked for the Ordinary

The July DTS has been going for 2 weeks now! Gotta love being in YWAM, every 5 months there's a whole new group of young believers that come to Australia seeking out God and being rocked by their discoveries. Can't say that it's not hard sometimes. As staff, a little part of you wants to protect yourself, because you know that you'll grow to love these people and get close, only to have to say goodbye possibly forever 5 months later. Is it worth it though? Yes. This is my job (although unpaid :) ), I get to walk alongside people my age and push them towards God. I get to spend hours in prayer with them every week, be the one to hug them when they are working through trials from their lives, and serve next to them in unreached places of the world. All the while, God is changing me and growing me through challenges that I have had to face in my own life. And all the while, I'm being more and more ruined for the ordinary.

I've realized recently something so simple. God has shown me that no matter where I am, what I'm doing, or who I'm with, HE is exaclty the same. He has the same thoughts about me, the same plan for my life and others, the same voice, and the same character no matter the circumstance or environment. It's me that changes, it's me that becomes apathetic, it's me that grows distant from God and then blames Him for not speaking clearly, and it's me that gets my identity from others and doesn't listen to the truth about who I am.

God has been teaching me to trust in Him in the villages of Uganda, where demon manifestation is a normal occurance, and in my quiet bedroom in Australia on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

He is good, true, and faithful, and He is waiting for us.

The July 2012 DTS students!

God: The Miracle Worker

I'm about to say something that may be controversial. Ok, are you ready?

God is alive. His Holy Spirit lives and breaths within us. He has angels that are fighting an unseen battle all around us. He has imparted spiritual gifts to each of his followers, that when obedient and faithful, can bring about tremendous fruit. He tells His believers to pray, and that when we pray, things will happen.


This past Tuesday was like any other day at the Boardstore and Kai Coffee bar. People were milling around the shop, and Sean Naus (Kai's owner) was hanging out with Seth (his good friend and current barista). He had his whole family there- wife, year old son, and month old daughter. For the past 10 days Sean had been fasting, and had just ended it, not really satisfied with the lack of revelation that he got.

...Meanwhile, my good friend Pete had gotten off work early, and was planning on meeting Seth at Kai Coffee to catch up. He got held up doing other things and wasn't able to make it...

As Sean, his family, and Seth stood inside the coffee bar, the next turn of events happened in a split second.

The Boardstore and Kai Coffee are part of one unit situated on the corner of a busy road. As the group was talking, Sean looked up and watched in horror as a silver suv was coming directly at the front of the coffee bar. There was another car waiting to pull out onto the road, and the silver suv hit the back of the car, causing it to change its course and make it go slightly to the left of the coffee bar.

In a matter of seconds, Sean grabbed his son Elijah, as his wife Emily turned with her daughter cradled in her arms just as a huge board crashed almost right into her. Seth was only inches away from the car is it came into the building. Everyone, even the driver, came out of the accident with minor cuts and bruises. Out of the family, only Elijah had a cut on his ear.

Apparently the driver was just coming out of cancer treatment, and had blacked out when she was driving.

My friends looked death in the face on Tuesday, and yet are walking, talking, and laughing only days later. To say that this is pure luck would be a tremendously sad and blind understatement. Every little thing, from Sean fasting, Pete getting held up after work, the car hitting the other car as it came towards the shop, were all part of God's plan.

Myself and my friends here believe that God completely works all things together for the good of those who love Him. I have a feeling that through all the media and talk that has come out of this accident, glory will be given to Him and His message will go forth.

Amazing escape : click this link to watch the security video of when the accident happened

My God is a God of miracles. He is alive-and He loves us.

Discipleship Training School- Round 4 does the charm.

If you've been following my blog, I want to say sorry that the posts have been sporadic and the least bit consistent. Sometimes I get caught up in the things going on here and don't even know where to start to explain. I guess I have to start somewhere...

Almost a month ago now, the February Discipleship Training School began. This will be the 4th DTS that I have staffed. I cannot believe how fast time flies when you staff these 5 month schools! The last one, I not only staffed, but co-led with my friend Whitney. Our responsibilities were a bit different and more intense because we planned the school and our main duty was to look out for the staff as they discipled the students. I can't stress enough how God uses the weak things of this world. I definitely am one of 'the weak.'

Now that this new DTS is in full swing, I'm back to being staff. This has been the hardest DTS to get into. I had to ask God the first couple of weeks to help me to not become a DTS 'machine' and become numb to the process. I know what a DTS looks like. I know when the students will break down. I know what struggles they are facing and what answers to give them in that time of struggle...I guess I was feeling like I was really close to becoming fake. I recently took an all girl team to Thailand for 2 months, and since then, God has really been showing me some stuff that has helped me during this new school.

As leaders, we asked the girls the last day in Thailand to sum up in 1 sentence their outreach experience. To get an idea of what God really showed me, here's mine: "God didn't explode onto center stage to get our approval, but spoke so many times in His ever present still, small voice about our own journeys and how to pour Him out on everyone we met." I think I'm just really learning what it means to 'abide' in God. My outreach co-leader said something really challenging during team time with the girls as we shared about rights that we wanted to surrender to God. She said that she was laying down her right to ever feel God again. That one sentence challenged me big time. Somehow now, I'm at a place where I love just sitting outside in God's presence, and have this crazy peace that yea, whether I feel God's spirit stirring inside of me or not, I know He is true and He will always be here.

So there's a little look into my life these past couple of months... Fun fact for ya, I've been asked by the base leaders to lead the July school, and have decided to go ahead with that. That means I won't be leading an outreach team on this current DTS because I'll be staying back in Australia to plan for July. I'm actually super stoked to just be living in Australia while the teams are away and get out of the YWAM bubble for a bit (no offence to any YWAMers reading this).

Also, (as a little side note) I have some friends that are connected with the YWAM base here that created a clothing company a couple years ago called Moselle. All the clothes are made by survivors of human trafficking, and Moselle helps create sustainable employment for them. They asked me to help by being a model in their photoshoots for their advertisements. It was such a sweet opportunity to be a part of something so impacting in the nations (and it was fun!). I would love for you to check out their web site: moselleclothing.com and maybe even partner with them!

I knew watching America's Next Top Model reruns would come in handy someday! ;)

Just hangin out with one of my students, Rakel, and our elephant friend in Thailand.

Anywho, keep praying for me, and I'd love to be updated about your life!

 And please please please check out my last team's video of our trip to Thailand! Thanks!