Hey Friends & Family,
Time for an update on this school! After returning from Michigan, in April, we started staffing a new school. This pioneering school is a Crossfit-focused DTS (Discipleship Training School). This means along with all the regular DTS requirements, students and staff are training at a local Crossfit gym a mandatory of 3 times a week. We encourage a holistic growth of mind, body, and spirit as students grow in their knowledge of God, the health and strength of their “temples”, and their greater awareness of His presence.
Time for an update on this school! After returning from Michigan, in April, we started staffing a new school. This pioneering school is a Crossfit-focused DTS (Discipleship Training School). This means along with all the regular DTS requirements, students and staff are training at a local Crossfit gym a mandatory of 3 times a week. We encourage a holistic growth of mind, body, and spirit as students grow in their knowledge of God, the health and strength of their “temples”, and their greater awareness of His presence.
Being at the Crossfit gym after lectures has been a great opportunity for students and staff to practice what we are learning each week. Learning how to love people right where they are at, how to encourage, how to step out and pray for people, and invite them into our lives. So far, we’ve had some pretty cool conversations with people from the gym. We’ve also been able to create relationship outside of the gym, just loving on people, practicing a lifestyle of evangelism from a heart of love. Friday nights we’ve even had a few people join us for our barbecue after a workout. It’s been an awesome opportunity to share about our school since we come in as a group and people are curious about what we do. It’s an open door to share about God and what He is doing.
This school has been challenging, but God has been so redemptive. The first week we had to send the first speaker home, which has never happened before. From the beginning he had New-Agey vibes and his words did not directly line up with what the Bible says. Although he created some confusion and conflict from the beginning, God ended up ministering to him and the girls on the school had unity together standing on what they believe--not an ideal situation, but cool how God worked it out.
Although a small school has a family-style feel it also can amplify drama, making any small problem a whole school problem. There has been quite a bit of conflict and drama since the first week, but finally, as we approach week 7, everything has started to turn a corner and our unity and trust has definitely strengthened. (I just realized the symbolism of it being our 7th week. That is pretty cool!) Now, there is more of an understanding of cultural differences, how personalities differ, and how people communicate. Now, nobody wants to go home and no one is thinking of switching bases. There is no longer tension between students and/or staff. We feel the prayers of everyone lifting us up! Thank you for your prayers! We can see the fruit of it as we have ended “Lordship” week and are now approaching this upcoming week on “Pure Heart.”
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Josh and I are excited about leading outreach with this school. This was not something we were originally planning on, but we got asked to lead alongside Sage, another staff member, as soon as we got back in April. The school leader felt like she was not to go on this outreach and asked us instead. We really prayed about going, especially since it was such a small team, but God placed it on our hearts to go with the April school instead of the September school, so we listened, and said “yes.” From the beginning, this school was planned to go to Brazil for outreach, ministering at the Olympics, but we also felt like God was calling us not only to Brazil, but also to another country. We both prayed separately about it and came back together with Chile. It was cool too because we asked Sage, the other staff member we are leading outreach with, to pray about it as well, and she was reminded of a picture God had given her earlier before the school about outreach that fit exactly with Chile. It was very important to us that all three of us were on the same page hearing from God separately and then together.
We are going to Pichilemu, Chile and Rio, Brazil for outreach from June 26th - August 22nd. One month in Chile and one month in Brazil. We are still trying to figure out our ministry options with our contacts, but we think we will have quite a few varied options. We are excited about being in Rio during the Olympics because often times there are many other YWAM teams that flood the city to pray, serve, and evangelize to the many different countries and people groups that come to the city during the Olympics. We are praying for God to go before us and work out all the details of our outreach and to begin to open people’s hearts for when we come. We would really appreciate your prayers as well!
Prayer Requests:
Blessings on each and everyone one of you! We love you!
Josh and Amanda
Prayer Requests:
- Unity with the school
- Wisdom for Amanda as she mentors Ashley and Kimmy
- Continued provision for finances
Blessings on each and everyone one of you! We love you!
Josh and Amanda