WOW! Can't believe how quickly those two months went! Simply put they were some of the hardest yet best two months of my life! Thankyou all SO much as tit means so much to know that you are all standing with me and covering me in prayer.
SO.... Over the past 2 months we saw:
- God move in and change each and every one of team HDR
- over 85 people come to Christ
- over 20 people healed/set free physically and/or spiritually
- over 10 people baptized
PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!!!!!
It truly was amazing to see God work through each and every one of us and use 20 simple young people to further his kingdom
Thankyou all again SOOO much for your support and prayer, could not be doing what I am doing without you!
(Enjoy our outreach video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ywSVsENPEw&feature=youtu.be
Tuesday, 18 February 2014
Monday, 3 February 2014
My deep thought for today
Today marked our last day of ministry here in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. As I looked back and though about the past 2 months I felt God asking me what I learned, after thinking for a moment I responded with "Well God, what did you want me to learn"..........The following is the outcome of his response
SO......What is it that God wanted me to learn over these past two months in Haiti and the Dominican Republic? I mean, yes, I know that God sent us here as a team to bring Hope, Discipleship, and Restoration to these two countries. and I know that as a leader I was here to walk along the students and help them reach personal/team goals and grow into Men/Women of God. But what is it that God had for me here and how did he want me to grow/learn??
Could it be that he wanted me to come to the realization that despite my age I can be the leader that he tells me I am? Could it be that he wanted me to learn that his plan is better then mine? Could it be that he wanted to remind me that he is always in control? Could it be that he wanted me to learn that walking out in obedience is the best example of walking out effective ministry? YES.....I fully believe that these are all things he wanted me to learn, but I also believe that the number one thing that he wanted me to learn was to simply trust in him.......
Simple enough right? Yes.....But.......I can promise you that it gets a whole lot harder to trust in him when all the pre-planned ministry that was set up falls through in the first week of outreach; or when Co-leaders and students are extremely sick and you have to make the decision to leave Haiti (despite being where God has so clearly called you too) to head back to the DR early for everyone's safety and heath.... Oh yes, trust me, it is one thing to tell God that you trust in him, but it is a whole lot harder to still trust in him when everything is falling apart..
This being said, over the past 2 months I have had so many chances to trust him in the good and the bad. To trust him when everything is going great and when everything is falling apart. To trust that what we are doing here will have a lasting effect. To trust him that my mess ups won't effect what the students receive from outreach. To trust him with possible future plans. To trust him with finances. To trust him with problems back him. Or simply put, to trust him with everything within every situation despite the outcome
Was it easy?????
NO
Was it worth it?????
MORE THEN WORDS CAN SAY!!!
SO......What is it that God wanted me to learn over these past two months in Haiti and the Dominican Republic? I mean, yes, I know that God sent us here as a team to bring Hope, Discipleship, and Restoration to these two countries. and I know that as a leader I was here to walk along the students and help them reach personal/team goals and grow into Men/Women of God. But what is it that God had for me here and how did he want me to grow/learn??
Could it be that he wanted me to come to the realization that despite my age I can be the leader that he tells me I am? Could it be that he wanted me to learn that his plan is better then mine? Could it be that he wanted to remind me that he is always in control? Could it be that he wanted me to learn that walking out in obedience is the best example of walking out effective ministry? YES.....I fully believe that these are all things he wanted me to learn, but I also believe that the number one thing that he wanted me to learn was to simply trust in him.......
Simple enough right? Yes.....But.......I can promise you that it gets a whole lot harder to trust in him when all the pre-planned ministry that was set up falls through in the first week of outreach; or when Co-leaders and students are extremely sick and you have to make the decision to leave Haiti (despite being where God has so clearly called you too) to head back to the DR early for everyone's safety and heath.... Oh yes, trust me, it is one thing to tell God that you trust in him, but it is a whole lot harder to still trust in him when everything is falling apart..
This being said, over the past 2 months I have had so many chances to trust him in the good and the bad. To trust him when everything is going great and when everything is falling apart. To trust that what we are doing here will have a lasting effect. To trust him that my mess ups won't effect what the students receive from outreach. To trust him with possible future plans. To trust him with finances. To trust him with problems back him. Or simply put, to trust him with everything within every situation despite the outcome
Was it easy?????
NO
Was it worth it?????
MORE THEN WORDS CAN SAY!!!
Monday, 9 December 2013
60 days, 20 crazy people, 2 countries, 1 purpose
In 2 days from now, myself along with two co-leaders and seventeen students will trade in -25 deg weather for 25+ deg weather as we head off to Haiti and the Dominican Republic for a two month outreach. For me I can't wait and all of this really hasn't sunk in. It's crazy how good God is as I would of never thought that I would ever be taking 17 students on an adventure with Jesus into other countries and I can not wait to see everything that he has in store for our whole team!
Prayers would be greatly appreciated as we head out and attempt to daily carry out what God is asking us to do.
I've included a video below that one of our students has put together for our team.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGqp7QGcOHs
Thankyou all so much for your prayers and I will try to continue to send out updates while we are gone!
Thursday, 14 November 2013
The Feeling that Freedom brings
I have learned over this past week that there are VERY few things more rewarding in life the being able to see 56 students that you have been disciplining and pouring everything you have into finally break free of all the lies of the past that they have held onto for FAR too long.
Yesterday we had a ministry time where as a whole DTS we gathered around a blazing fire and threw pieces of paper containing name and lies from the past that we are holding on to into the fire followed by proclaiming that we are free in front of the group. This was an amazing time for me for two different reasons:
1. My list was more the half the size that it was during my DTS, which was a reminder of how much God has brought me through but also a reminder that he is not finished with me and continually healing me and doing work within me.
2. I felt the amazing joy and pride that it gave me to be able to stand there and watch all the students become completely free from stuff that they had held onto for their whole life.
After this we went into a time where we as staff prayed for the students who felt called to a life of ministry and this had to be the highlight of my time here so far. The reason for this is that 7 months ago I laid all my rights down before God asking him to use me to minister to people in whatever way he saw fit and here I am 7 months later ministering to and praying for students who also want to follow God into ministry!
SOOOO COOL
Thankyou all for your continual prayer for me as this school continues and we are now just under a month for leaving for the Dominican Republic. Also, I am SO grateful for all of you who have helped me out financially over this past month as I now have the exact amount that I need for Outreach.
Yesterday we had a ministry time where as a whole DTS we gathered around a blazing fire and threw pieces of paper containing name and lies from the past that we are holding on to into the fire followed by proclaiming that we are free in front of the group. This was an amazing time for me for two different reasons:
1. My list was more the half the size that it was during my DTS, which was a reminder of how much God has brought me through but also a reminder that he is not finished with me and continually healing me and doing work within me.
2. I felt the amazing joy and pride that it gave me to be able to stand there and watch all the students become completely free from stuff that they had held onto for their whole life.
After this we went into a time where we as staff prayed for the students who felt called to a life of ministry and this had to be the highlight of my time here so far. The reason for this is that 7 months ago I laid all my rights down before God asking him to use me to minister to people in whatever way he saw fit and here I am 7 months later ministering to and praying for students who also want to follow God into ministry!
SOOOO COOL
Thankyou all for your continual prayer for me as this school continues and we are now just under a month for leaving for the Dominican Republic. Also, I am SO grateful for all of you who have helped me out financially over this past month as I now have the exact amount that I need for Outreach.
Monday, 30 September 2013
The start of another school!!!
The Fall DTS of 2013 is a week in and wow, what a fist week it has been!! Over the past week I have fallen in love with staffing and can not wait to see what God has in store for both me and all 55 of the students over the next 5 months. This first week has been amazing as it is so cool to see all the hard work we have done over the past month finally showing reward and coming into play as 55 students from all over the US and around the world come together for the next 5 months with the single goal of growing closer to God and learning more and God, themselves and his heart for them and the world.
Also, I will be Co-Leading a team of 16 students to Haiti and the Dominican Republic for a 2 month outreach over the months of December and January. I am beyond stoked for this and can not wait to see all that God has in store for our team and I can`t wait for him to show up and move through all the students in ways they never thought possible. I would love prayer that all the preparations go smoothly as we prepare over the next three months!
Well that is a brief update of what has been going on and what the next 5 months hold for me. Feel free to email me if you would like to hear more!
Also, I will be Co-Leading a team of 16 students to Haiti and the Dominican Republic for a 2 month outreach over the months of December and January. I am beyond stoked for this and can not wait to see all that God has in store for our team and I can`t wait for him to show up and move through all the students in ways they never thought possible. I would love prayer that all the preparations go smoothly as we prepare over the next three months!
Well that is a brief update of what has been going on and what the next 5 months hold for me. Feel free to email me if you would like to hear more!
Friday, 30 August 2013
The 'Reasons' are coming, The 'Reasons' are coming!!!!
WOW! It seems like just yesterday that I was arriving home from my DTS and yet, the whole summer has come and gone and here I am again back in Montana ready for another Adventure with Jesus. For those of you who don't know I have come back on staff at YWAM Lakeside Mt and will be staffing the Fall DTS. I am beyond stoked for this school and can't wait to see what God has in store not only for the students but also for me!
I heard a story the other day about a christian camp that a friend worked at where just before the campers arrived the leader of the camp would run around the camp and proclaim to all the staff "The Reasons are coming, the Reasons are coming" Her motive behind this was to remind all the staff that these kids were the reasons for everything they were about sacrifice, devote and do while the campers were at camp. When I heard this story it make me so excited for this Fall DTS because this same concept applies to the DTS students. They are the reason.......
Thankyou SOOOO much to all of you who have either agreed to support me or who gave me work over the summer, you have no idea how much it means to me and honestly, I would not be here if it wasn't for you, so THANKYOU
I would love prayer over the next 3 weeks as we continue to prepare for our upcoming DTS, we have alot of decisions to make and things to get done, but it will all be worth it...........
......... The reasons are coming!!!!
I heard a story the other day about a christian camp that a friend worked at where just before the campers arrived the leader of the camp would run around the camp and proclaim to all the staff "The Reasons are coming, the Reasons are coming" Her motive behind this was to remind all the staff that these kids were the reasons for everything they were about sacrifice, devote and do while the campers were at camp. When I heard this story it make me so excited for this Fall DTS because this same concept applies to the DTS students. They are the reason.......
Thankyou SOOOO much to all of you who have either agreed to support me or who gave me work over the summer, you have no idea how much it means to me and honestly, I would not be here if it wasn't for you, so THANKYOU
I would love prayer over the next 3 weeks as we continue to prepare for our upcoming DTS, we have alot of decisions to make and things to get done, but it will all be worth it...........
......... The reasons are coming!!!!
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| Montana Bound!!!! |
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| Blacktail Mt Lakeside MT |
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| It feels good to be back! |
Friday, 31 May 2013
DTS is done
Hey Everyone!
I wanted my last update to be more personal so I decided to do a Video Blog. Please click on the link and enjoy!
Also, below is a response from one of my supporters and some photos from the last few weeks of DTS.
What one of my sponsors had to say (Thankyou Mrs Vinna!!!):
Hi Josiah,
I have just looked through your blogs and it sounds like you are having some epic growth in your life, as well as helping others do the same. Good for you! What exciting things you've done in the past months! I have also looked into the organization - YWAM - which does some impressive ministry activities. I will give you a commitment of support for one year at $1000, and at the end of that year I would like to reassess that after you give a summary of how exactly you were helpful to making the world a better place through your ministry. Will that work for you? I would also be happy to post this commitment on your blog and encourage others to join me, if you would like me to do that.
I feel you should be rewarded for you work and commitment to ministering to the world, while many of your peers commit themselves to...themselves! This is the Me Me Me Generation, I read the other day. So I believe encouragement to youth to get onto other far-reaching efforts is due instead of sitting around complaining about them. This is not just about helping you Josiah, though, it is about helping the network of people you are helping in poor, poor areas of the world. I am grateful to be able to help through you.
PICTURES!!!!!!!
I wanted my last update to be more personal so I decided to do a Video Blog. Please click on the link and enjoy!
Also, below is a response from one of my supporters and some photos from the last few weeks of DTS.
What one of my sponsors had to say (Thankyou Mrs Vinna!!!):
Hi Josiah,
I have just looked through your blogs and it sounds like you are having some epic growth in your life, as well as helping others do the same. Good for you! What exciting things you've done in the past months! I have also looked into the organization - YWAM - which does some impressive ministry activities. I will give you a commitment of support for one year at $1000, and at the end of that year I would like to reassess that after you give a summary of how exactly you were helpful to making the world a better place through your ministry. Will that work for you? I would also be happy to post this commitment on your blog and encourage others to join me, if you would like me to do that.
I feel you should be rewarded for you work and commitment to ministering to the world, while many of your peers commit themselves to...themselves! This is the Me Me Me Generation, I read the other day. So I believe encouragement to youth to get onto other far-reaching efforts is due instead of sitting around complaining about them. This is not just about helping you Josiah, though, it is about helping the network of people you are helping in poor, poor areas of the world. I am grateful to be able to help through you.
PICTURES!!!!!!!
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| Me and the boys from the Hope House |
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| Drumming with a boy at one of our Open Airs |
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| Jesus Statue |
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| Overlooking Rio |
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| Winter DTS 2013 |
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