I thought it was about time that I wrote a post about the next step in my journey with God. For those reading this that don’t know, last year I completed a discipleship training school at the YWAM base in Townsville (see link below for more info). This short course sparked a passion for missionary work and helped me learn more about my purpose in God and his plans for me. At the end of this course it became clear that God intended for me to continue with Youth With Mission and so at the beginning of April I will be moving to Newcastle to work with the YWAM base there. This is an unpaid role and is a commitment of two years, during this time I will be leading discipleship training schools and partaking in overseas missionary work in the nation of Papua New Guinea and i couldnt be more excited.
Anyone who knows me knows that I have a heart for the continent of Africa. During my time in Townsville it became clear that God has put a strong desire in me to see the nations of Somalia, Ethiopia and Madagascar transformed through his great power and grace. As I have been sharing my plans and vision for the future with those who know me I receive a similar response... Why not Africa? Why would you choose to spend two years in Newcastle, Australia; a mere two hours away from the town I currently live in, in a volunteer position participating in outreach in Papua New Guinea when you could instead spend those two years saving or studying and then continue your mission work in Africa? Well I mean it’s a logical thought... let me try my best to answer that question for you now. If you think of a seed in a rainforest, this seed eventually through nourishment and time turns into a seedling. A seedling is fragile and unable to withstand the trials of the elements. If subjected to strong winds it’s thin stem would snap, when heavy rains come it would drown and wilt under the pressure, if left unprotected from the suns harsh rays it would dry out and die. So a seedling in the rainforest is, for a large part reliant on the trees around it for protection and nourishment. As it grows it becomes stronger and taller and eventually reaches the canopy. Here it is strong enough to withstand the suns harsh rays, the heavy rains and strong winds without bending or breaking. here is where it will be the most successful in producing seeds and provide nourishment and protection to the seedlings below. In this point of time i am the seedling. I am the only young and the times ahead are for equipping, learning, growing and strengthening my relationship with God. To submit to YWAM Newcastle’s Vision is to submit to Gods plans on my life. I have an incredible opportunity to learn from amazing mentors and grow in leadership in an encouraging and spirit filled environment. All the while being equipped for the divine purpose for which I was structured and designed for by a passionate and real God. To follow Gods plan is usually not the most logical choice in our life. It requires trust, persistence and faith. I am asking all who read this to pray for me in this journey that I am on. I mentioned above I will not be receiving any pay for the next two years and so I will be reliant on donations and sponsorship from the church body. This is an exciting change but its also pretty scary. If you would like to become a financial sponsor for the next two years or would like to make a one time donation, the link below will take you to my donations page.
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I am going to try my very best to share a personal testimony with you all each week. These won't be very long but will be a simple encouragement and reminder of God’s goodness and faithfulness in my life and yours as well. So here goes…
This is a story of God’s simple providence. This is one of the many testimonies I have from my time in Townsville. For those of you who don't know I came to do my DTS at YWAM townsville having no support and a strong conviction not to fundraise or ask people for donations or support. Do not ask me how but all my school fees were paid off before the financial due date… The only problem I had was that; because I did not fundraise or raise supporters, I had absolutely no money for the extra things like food, clothes, outreach. Now my God is a God of abundance, he doesn't just want us to survive but he wants us to live. 6 months is a pretty long time and sometimes you need to treat yourself with something nice whether it be a chocolate bar or a pair of shoes. For me treats were out of the question, I remember thinking I have $5 to last me through my whole time in townsville. For anyone who has been to townsville, there is a pretty big population of homeless people. One night I was walking back to the Youth with a mission base and I was stopped by a homeless woman asking for money. I brushed her away and told her I had none; this was close to true because the only money I had was a $5 note. As I walked away with that note burning a hole in my pocket I clearly felt the conviction of the lord come upon me and the verse 2 corinthians 9:6 came to mind. I knew the lord was telling me to give the only money I had to this women. With resistance I turned around and found the women who had asked me for money, I awkwardly handed her the note that was in my pocket, accepted her gratitude and continued on. The next afternoon when I went up to my room I found on my bed a small envelope. The envelope contained nothing but eight $5 notes coming to a total of $40. The previous week i had filled up my journal and I desperately wanted to buy another one but didn't have enough money. The lord saw the desire of my heart and wanted to to provide but first of all he needed me to give everything I had to him. $5 doesn't seem like much but it was all the money I had, as a result it was hard to give it up. God’s desire for us is that we would constantly be giving all we have to him, because that's what Jesus did for us. God has a sense of humour because when I gave my last $5 for him the very next day I was blessed with eight more. God saw that I had done what he had asked and blessed me in abundance because of it. Have you heard of Youth with a mission? What about a Discipleship training school... no? Well neither had I until I decided to apply for one. That decision changed my life and has brought me to this moment in time. In a few short words I am going to try my best to communicate to you my experience with the discipleship training school but first a brief introduction to Youth with a mission. Youth with a mission (YWAM) is an international christian organisation that specialises in christian missions and education. YWAM operates in almost every country and there goal is simply to know God and make him known and that is exactly what they do. The Discipleship training school (DTS) is YWAM’s standard and most popular course that they offer internationally. It consists of a 3 month lecture phase and a 2 month outreach or missions phase.
5 months ago I found myself on a plane bound for Townsville, Qld. I was stepping away from that familiar place that I had come to love into a new season of mystery and enigma but I knew God was right by my side. I didn't fully understand what I was walking into or realise how much I would grow and change. DTS wrecked me in the best possible way... Being forced into an unknown and overall slightly uncomfortable situation I realised just how complacent I had become with my life. Revelation 3:15-17 speaks about the lukewarm believer; that is what I had become, My faith and my relationship with God had become stagnant. I was a lukewarm christian who desired to be on fire for God but was not sure how to achieve that. God saw my desires and shipped me off to Townsville. My time in Townsville was spiritually, emotionally and physically overwhelming to say the least. Because I was in a new environment where I was wholeheartedly seeking God in my life he began to speak, unrestrained. He had been speaking whilst I was at home but I didn't really know how to hear him. In my first months of DTS I learnt that God had a specific plan for my life. I learnt about His character, how he speaks in my life, my identity in him and I formed a real confidence in my relationship with him. I learned what it meant for me to be faithful as I saw God provide in all areas of my life. Throughout my 2 months in Papua New Guinea I began to understand God’s heart for the least, last and the lost. I came to the realisation that the great commission is not merely a recommendation but instead an obligation for Christians everywhere. I gained a godly desperation to reach those who do not know Christ and came to understand that God was calling me to full time missionary work in a third world country. As I write this I am home in Port Macquarie. Now that I am home I am spending some time reflecting on the last 5 months. I learnt things in DTS that I will undoubtedly take throughout my life. My season of growth however does not end with DTS but will continue. God is working in my life and preparing me for the future, now that I am home I have lots to think about and am busy preparing for my next adventure (i’ll share what exactly that is very soon). If you would like to know more about Youth with a mission Townsville or the Discipleship training schools offered follow the link I have placed below, You definitely won't regret it, I certainly didn't! |