Hey Everyone!
It’s been awhile since my last update, so I thought I’d write and tell y’all what’s up (that’s a bit of the Texan accent I picked up from the last team!)
So far, we’ve had two weeks full of teenagers! The first week, there were three churches- Idaho, Wyoming, and California. We started the second week with lots of good memories of the last week- including crazy stunt-performing kids and people putting their faith into practice. I was stretched in HUGE ways… God really blessed us with an easy starter team, and I’m so thankful because not only did I get over my apprehensions about the summer, but I was able to deal with so many other things happening inside of me.
The second week started out a bit rough. My first impression of the team and it’s leaders scared me… I didn’t want to have to use the confrontation knowledge I gained over my DTS, but I gave it to God that first night. It was difficult, and the group wasn’t as “polished” as the first, but these kids and adults (from Arizona, Texas, and Oregon) came away changed and impacted. On the last night, we have a commitment service, where we give a challenge to the kids, and then just tell them to go pray on their own and turn on music. It’s mind-blowing how God uses that time!! When we first did it, I was thinking, “shouldn’t we be doing or saying something more?! These kids aren’t going to get anything out of this time…” But how wrong I was! God spoke powerfully to so many of them. He even used us leaders to speak into their lives through prayer and prophetic words. One girl came running up to me and Sam (fellow MA staff) saying, “Guys, you’ll never believe what God just said to me!!” Then she went on to tell how God was calling her into dance ministry and how God wanted to use her passion to glorify Him! I was beaming- so filled with thankfulness and in awe of the power of God. She was buzzing and couldn’t stand still she was so excited, so our conversation ended in me praying for her and then her running off to go dance :)
There were two girls who met there, from two of the different churches. During the commitment service, they came up to Sam and I crying and laughing at the same time. God had told them both individually at the same time that they would be doing missions together. They were overwhelmed with God and what he’d told them. Sam and I were completely ecstatic too, I really felt this wasn’t just a fluke thing, but could see that it was definitely God that was speaking to them!
So many stories come to mind of what God has accomplished in our first two weeks of Mission Adventures. I’ve learned and grown a lot. God’s really been affirming many things He did in me and taught me on DTS, and I’m becoming more aware of what I need to do and where I need more growth. Praise God for His great Grace!!!!
Over the past week, we’ve been on break from MA. I had the amazing opportunity to go to Minnesota with Kevin (MA leader), Kati (from Finland), and Richard (from Great Britain). For those that don’t know, I was born in Minnesota and lived there for about eight years… so I kept having flash backs there! :) It was a good rejuvenating time. Admittedly, I didn’t get too much sleep, but we spent many hours just relaxing and many more hours at a Christian retreat camp listening to teaching and worshipping. I had lots of fun and my relationships with the three who also went were strengthened.
So, in a few days the next batch of kids comes. Kati leaves to go home to Finland today. I already miss her… and one of our team has yet to rejoin us here in Vegas. But I am gearing up for the next crew with great expectation of what God will do!!
