Dear Family and Friends,
At the moment, we are thinking of fall time in Grand Rapids, missing the trees changing color, the last bits of Art Prize, the sweet smells of cinnamon and chai lattes, the cooler, big chunky sweater weather, and the smiles of people we love the most. It’s a bit of a different world over here, but it has been so good. We know this is the place we are to be for the season we are in. We are learning everyday that God’s call on our lives is worth the sacrifice.
At the moment, we are thinking of fall time in Grand Rapids, missing the trees changing color, the last bits of Art Prize, the sweet smells of cinnamon and chai lattes, the cooler, big chunky sweater weather, and the smiles of people we love the most. It’s a bit of a different world over here, but it has been so good. We know this is the place we are to be for the season we are in. We are learning everyday that God’s call on our lives is worth the sacrifice.
The September Discipleship Training School started out with a bang, and it keeps building. The students came so hungry and open for God. It has been amazing to see the spiritual, emotional, and physical healings in students’ lives. The past few weekly topics have been Father Heart of God, The Character and Nature of God, and Prayer week. Each one has a different feel, but in each one, students are changing and growing, as are we. During Father Heart of God, we had a time of ministry with students and a lot of them stepped out in confession and chose to forgive relationships that had hurt them, many choosing to forgive the hurt of their fathers. It is so cool to see how when you walk in obedience and forgiveness there is so much freedom that you can have. We saw that first hand with students while we prayed with them.
For prayer week, we went away to a macadamia nut farm, where the owner has a retreat center he generously lets YWAM use. Throughout the week students got lit up with the excitement and power of prayer as we prayed for each other, for nations and people groups that haven’t heard the gospel, unsaved family and friends, and more. During the week we had 24/7 prayer, with groups having 3 hour prayer slots going throughout the afternoon and night. Although it may sound tiring, it’s an amazing experience to be up praying from 1am - 4am and we weren’t tired (after praying tiredness away..). It’s so cool that God never sleeps and He is always ministering and speaking to us. During prayer week, we also witnessed some physical healings as well. One girls’ hurt shoulder got totally healed after a time of prayer and another guy’s foot got healed! Josh and I were both reminded of the power of prayer and how we often underestimate the authority we can have through prayer.
The one on one times that we have with our students is probably some of my favorite time here. I have three students that I mentor (Madison, Jessica, and Heather) and Josh mentors (Graeme and Josh). I love walking beside each student, hearing their hearts, and seeing how God works in their lives. Each one is at a different point in their spiritual walks, but they keep hungering after and growing closer to God. One of the girls I have been meeting with didn’t even have a Bible when DTS started, so I bought her a Bible. It was awesome to see how she was so excited to own her own Bible instead of just reading it on her phone. She has lots of questions since Christianity is fairly new to her. During prayer week, she had told me that she really has wanted to grow closer to God and feel more intimately connected to him, but she has felt like there had been a wall up. I asked her if she had ever invited Jesus into her life to be the Lord over her life. She said she didn’t know that she needed to do that ( I was so surprised that no one ever told her this! especially after being involved with a church for a little while now). So we prayed together and she accepted Jesus into her life and she made him the Lord over her life. After we prayed, she was so excited and told me she couldn’t wait to journal about it. That night in her prayer slot, I heard that she said she finally understood what it means when people say they "encounter God," because she felt his presence for the first time!! She said it was the first time she ever felt like she was talking to a person rather than the wall. She was overwhelmed by how loving it felt. Moments like these, when we get to partner with how God is working in a person’s life makes the sacrifice worth it.
Another small update, although this may seem small, it was such a blessing and we saw God’s provision in it. He gave us bar stools for our kitchen! Not just two like we wanted, but three! We were so blessed. The base was just giving them away and asked if we had wanted them, not knowing that we were needed some. God is so faithful, even in the little things.
Finally, we had the opportunity to go to Brisbane a few weekends ago for a “Normal Christian Life” Conference that was all about evangelism. It sparked our hearts for living a lifestyle of evangelism and it was pretty awesome to hear Todd White speak in person. We practiced getting words for people and praying for them on the streets during the afternoons. One girl I got a word for and prayed for, asked if I was Buddhist. I said,” No I just love Jesus and love people.” One revelation I keep having is that evangelism is simpler than we think and it’s not about “leading them to Christ.” It’s just about sharing with them whatever God specifically wants to tell them during that specific moment. Sometimes we are just seeds and other times we are reaping the harvest, we just need to be in line with what God wants to do. It was an awesome weekend and it was cool to share some of our experiences and revelations with the school when we got back. On top of everything else, God also provided us with a free place to stay with an amazing family that weekend!
Okay, so I know this was quite long, but I hope you were able to get the jist of what is going on over here.
We are amazed at God and humbled when he uses us in what he is doing.
Thank you thank you thank you, we can’t thank you enough for your prayers and financial support. We seriously couldn’t do it without you. Each one of these stories are because you invested in us.
We are so grateful to partner with each one of you. We daily thank God for you.
If you want to partner with us financially, we are still looking for monthly partners, but we are trusting God will lay it on your heart if you want to invest in the work we are doing.
Thank you so much! We miss you all!
Blessings,
Josh and Amanda
We are amazed at God and humbled when he uses us in what he is doing.
Thank you thank you thank you, we can’t thank you enough for your prayers and financial support. We seriously couldn’t do it without you. Each one of these stories are because you invested in us.
We are so grateful to partner with each one of you. We daily thank God for you.
If you want to partner with us financially, we are still looking for monthly partners, but we are trusting God will lay it on your heart if you want to invest in the work we are doing.
Thank you so much! We miss you all!
Blessings,
Josh and Amanda