Dear Friends and Family,
We’re back in Grand Rapids! Here’s the latest news:
Last month we moved back to Grand Rapids temporarily. This came quickly and unexpectedly, as we were expecting our time in Michigan to be a holiday visit and then return to Australia to serve with YWAM for 2018. Through praying about it for the last few months and through confirmation, we felt led to leave YWAM Sunshine Coast.
We had to make a quick decision because while we were on outreach in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia, our two year student visa had expired, meaning that we had to decide which visa to apply for before we returned to Australia. In two weeks, we graduated the school, said goodbyes, sold our car, got rid of stuff, and packed up everything to move back.
Although we are honored that YWAM Sunshine Coast gave us the option of more leadership opportunities, we felt God saying it was time to leave. We would’ve loved being on their leadership team, continuing to grow their media department, and to continue leading the Surf Skate Snow DTS that we pioneered last year, but over lots of prayer, we felt God pulling us back to the States for the time being. Our confirmation for leaving was that one of our staff eagerly said yes to leading our school next year. We were overjoyed because we didn’t want to feel like we were quitting on all the recent applications we had for our school in 2018. He will do a great job and we are thankful the school will live on.
While working with YWAM for the past two and a half years, we felt like there were a few things God placed on our heart and we want to make steps towards those dreams. We also wanted to live more self-sustainably. Although God provided every need for the last two and a half years, and our faith grew substantially, it was very difficult at times. There was a time we didn’t have rent money and found it mysteriously under our door when we came home. An incredible faith story, but difficult to live like that day by day. We want to learn how to do missions a bit more sustainably.
We’re back in Grand Rapids! Here’s the latest news:
Last month we moved back to Grand Rapids temporarily. This came quickly and unexpectedly, as we were expecting our time in Michigan to be a holiday visit and then return to Australia to serve with YWAM for 2018. Through praying about it for the last few months and through confirmation, we felt led to leave YWAM Sunshine Coast.
We had to make a quick decision because while we were on outreach in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia, our two year student visa had expired, meaning that we had to decide which visa to apply for before we returned to Australia. In two weeks, we graduated the school, said goodbyes, sold our car, got rid of stuff, and packed up everything to move back.
Although we are honored that YWAM Sunshine Coast gave us the option of more leadership opportunities, we felt God saying it was time to leave. We would’ve loved being on their leadership team, continuing to grow their media department, and to continue leading the Surf Skate Snow DTS that we pioneered last year, but over lots of prayer, we felt God pulling us back to the States for the time being. Our confirmation for leaving was that one of our staff eagerly said yes to leading our school next year. We were overjoyed because we didn’t want to feel like we were quitting on all the recent applications we had for our school in 2018. He will do a great job and we are thankful the school will live on.
While working with YWAM for the past two and a half years, we felt like there were a few things God placed on our heart and we want to make steps towards those dreams. We also wanted to live more self-sustainably. Although God provided every need for the last two and a half years, and our faith grew substantially, it was very difficult at times. There was a time we didn’t have rent money and found it mysteriously under our door when we came home. An incredible faith story, but difficult to live like that day by day. We want to learn how to do missions a bit more sustainably.
Thank you for giving towards our work these last couple years with Youth With A Mission. You've impacted many lives. Here is just a few pictures from the last couple years of what you've invested in. Down this memory lane, you will see people getting set free, hearing the gospel, people baptized for the first time, those re-commitmiting their lives to Christ or getting saved for the first time, people getting healed from illnesses and pain, us loving on kids that don't have parents, extreme poverty, mentoring students, lecture phase learning, outreaches in multiple countries....
Your seed has multiplied and we are believing for a "ripple effect" from our ministry.
Your seed has multiplied and we are believing for a "ripple effect" from our ministry.
India | 2015-2016
Chile | Brazil | 2016
New Zealand | papua New Guinea | Indonesia | 2017
dts lecture phases | 2015-2017
It was very difficult to leave Australia because of all the great friendships and relationships we had formed in the past 2.5 years. We grew so close to many people that had the same passion and desire as us from all over the world. We became a very close family with them. We are heartbroken to leave many of our dear friends, but it is also bittersweet, being that we are now closer to our family here.
The past 2.5 years have changed both of our lives dramatically, as we’ve grown so much in leadership and in awareness of the presence of God all over the world. We are so appreciative of all the places we got to travel to and all the people we got to spend time with and get to know. We know that whatever we do in the future, it is deeply embedded in our hearts to keep doing more for God all over the world. It is a dream of ours to keep doing missions and to keep partnering with God all over the world, just might look different.
As for Barcelona, Spain, it is still very much on our hearts and we know there’s something there for us, just not sure of what it will look like yet.
For now, we’ve just been adjusting back to American culture and to Grand Rapids and just trying to find our place here again. We still don’t have the future figured out and we are taking one step at a time, but we are just trying to be obedient with how we feel God leading us. We don’t have all the answers and we feel a bit jumbled as we are transitioning, but we know it feels right for now. For now, we are here and we are leaning on God for more answers.
We want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to every single one of you who has followed our blog the past few years and supported us along the way. We may sound like broken records, but our work could honestly in no way have been sustained if it wasn't for your support!!
At the moment, we are trying to find jobs here in Grand Rapids. If you would like to continue to support us while we try to settle in Michigan for the time being, we greatly appreciate it, but once we find jobs, we won’t need the support. We will let you know as soon as we find jobs, but hopefully by the end of January. Our YWAM Tyler Texas support account (here: ywamtyler.org/funddonation?uid=fc7aa13a-5cfd-4623-b56f-2bd219cba68d) will shut down in June, so all donations made through that account will no longer be valid after that time.
If you have any questions or would like to connect while we're in Michigan for a few months, please contact us!
The past 2.5 years have changed both of our lives dramatically, as we’ve grown so much in leadership and in awareness of the presence of God all over the world. We are so appreciative of all the places we got to travel to and all the people we got to spend time with and get to know. We know that whatever we do in the future, it is deeply embedded in our hearts to keep doing more for God all over the world. It is a dream of ours to keep doing missions and to keep partnering with God all over the world, just might look different.
As for Barcelona, Spain, it is still very much on our hearts and we know there’s something there for us, just not sure of what it will look like yet.
For now, we’ve just been adjusting back to American culture and to Grand Rapids and just trying to find our place here again. We still don’t have the future figured out and we are taking one step at a time, but we are just trying to be obedient with how we feel God leading us. We don’t have all the answers and we feel a bit jumbled as we are transitioning, but we know it feels right for now. For now, we are here and we are leaning on God for more answers.
We want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to every single one of you who has followed our blog the past few years and supported us along the way. We may sound like broken records, but our work could honestly in no way have been sustained if it wasn't for your support!!
At the moment, we are trying to find jobs here in Grand Rapids. If you would like to continue to support us while we try to settle in Michigan for the time being, we greatly appreciate it, but once we find jobs, we won’t need the support. We will let you know as soon as we find jobs, but hopefully by the end of January. Our YWAM Tyler Texas support account (here: ywamtyler.org/funddonation?uid=fc7aa13a-5cfd-4623-b56f-2bd219cba68d) will shut down in June, so all donations made through that account will no longer be valid after that time.
If you have any questions or would like to connect while we're in Michigan for a few months, please contact us!
- Transitioning: Pray that we find jobs and transition back here for the time being.
- The Future: There are a few dreams that we have on our heart that we want to work towards. Pray God shows us when that will be and how it will unfold.
Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. We could not do what we are doing without all of you. EMAIL US at our link below and we would love to know how can be praying for you. Love you guys!
Josh & Amanda