YWAM DNA Conference (by Joel)

Nobody ever told me Missouri was beautiful.  

All I knew about the state is that I should be able to get some good BBQ ribs.  For my 37^th birthday I did just that – along with an apple pie made by some lady named Barbie.  But did you know Missouri is also a beautiful place?   I didn’t! 

We found out Missouri was beautiful while spending two weeks at a YWAM conference held at the Windemere Baptist Conference center on the Lake of the Ozarks. 

Back in February we’d felt God prompting us to attend this conference, a ‘DNA Infusion’ for the Americas, held April 10-22.  The founders, Loren and Darlene Cunningham, as well as David Hamilton and other long-term YWAM leaders would be spending two weeks passing on the values and calling of the mission to the next generation of leaders.  I’d like to share a little about this conference so that you can get a better feel for this tribe called YWAM.

{At the time we registered for this conference, the cost for the children’s food, housing and program had not been worked out.  When we heard the total cost for our whole family we really had to go back to what God had told us to do, even if it meant emptying the savings account and still not having enough!  So we did, and just before the fees were due some good friends, without knowing our need, made a donation that covered the rest!}  

Early on in the conference we found that even the Cunningham’s had been unsure of how they would pay for their flights to come to the conference!  These are the leaders of an organization with 20,000+ staff, plus 30,000+ students/year with a presence in every country in the whole world!  But that is the way they live, and the lifestyle they model for YWAM because that is specifically how God called YWAM to live.

YWAM Value #16 says: “YWAM is called to practice a life of dependence on God for financial provision. For individuals and YWAM corporately this comes primarily through His people.  As God has been generous toward us, so we desire to be generous. YWAMers give themselves, their time and talents to God through the Mission with no expectation of remuneration.”  

The conference was attended by roughly 300 people from 45 different bases representing 32 nations.  YWAM Minneapolis showed up with 27 staff and students.  We spent roughly 8 hours a day in worship, intercession, teachings, workshops and simply hearing the stories that have defined who YWAM is.  

              
I sometimes forget that YWAM teaches most often not by lecture and instruction but by story-telling and modeling.  We were more ‘infused’ than taught the nature of the mission.  Essentially it’s the way a family stays together – being together doing things they love and telling stories. It's easy in YWAM to feel you are in a family when international leaders who’ve been so influential in the world, happily give you a hug, pray for you, then help you stack chairs and vacuum the floor when it’s time to clean up! 

Speaking of family, the kids had their very own DNA conference learning about and praying for the nations, learning to hear the voice of God, writing their own worship song, doing lots and lots of crafts and playing outside in the Missouri spring-time.  The staff at YWAM Madison did an incredible job and we are grateful for the way they served the families.    

Here are a few highlights of the conference: 

>>>Workshops on Families in Mission, conversations with long-term missionary moms, and families just starting new bases. 

>>>Fellowship, processing, praying, hanging out at the Funky Buffalo coffee shop, hiking and eating apple pie with our MN staff friends. 

>>> Hearing about the YWAM method of decision making at every level:  Hear God.  Obey God.  Don’t Give Up. 

>>>Truly seeing that YWAM is not all about YWAM.  It’s all about King Jesus, His church, His mission.  We’ll partner with anybody who wants to see Jesus worshiped by every nation, tribe and tongue:   

One night we prayed for the President of CRU (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) and he was healed of a heart condition. 

On the same day, YWAM made a historic intellectual property agreement with Tyndale Publishing so that the SphereView Bible App can be released for free.  Learn more here: http://beta.scripturesys.com/

>>>On that note, Ending Bible Poverty is not only one of YWAM’s goals for 2020, it’s been a core part of the mission since the 1970’s.  Here's Loren speaking to the Azuza Now Gathering earlier this month:     

>>>YWAM’s calling:  Young people from everywhere, going everywhere, taking the Gospel to the ‘Alls’ and the ‘Everys’ through Evangelism, Mercy and Training.  Time and time again we heard stories of crazy, new, innovative ways YWAMers are doing this, or being the “boots on the ground” for other Christian agencies.  The scope is getting the whole Gospel to the whole world.  Kinda ambitious!  But it fits the verse God gave us as a motto when we first came into YWAM:  Matt 24:14 “And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” 

>>>YWAM’s leadership comes through influence, not authority.  The international and national leaders have laid down their titles.  Direction comes not from the next level of seniority, but through circles of relationship convening to seek God together.   Relationships built around geographic proximity, or target people groups, or target spheres (such as the Cities conference held in San Francisco last week for YWAM bases wanting to saturate the different spheres of culture within a metropolis.)    

>>>Praying for the nations:  This is Rachel standing on China and India where she rushed as soon as she found out we'd be praying on a big map. 

I'll finish up with a few more pictures.  Caving!   Family time! Missouri State Park with castle ruins!  New friends!  And Beautiful Missouri!  

Some highlights from End of July through August

Our first stop worth mentioning was Montana!::

The beautiful F Family!

Lots of machine fun at L & D's house!

The kids became fast friends :)

Beartooth Pass, highest elevation in Montana: 10,947 feet above sea level

Getting into the Montana spirit

Onto Washington State!!::

Dear Grandma Ann

A lot of Joel's lovely family

South to Oregon!:

The lovely S Family!

The men and boys went on an 8 mile hike in the mountains.

Best friends forever

Joshua and O were baptized in a mountain river. A little chilly but a momentous occasion!

 Back north to Washington!:

The wonderful C family, Yes the llama is included.

Mount Ranier

Mount Ranier and four wonderful troopers!

Washington sure loved their espresso kiosks!
Here's Dutchman Brothers Coffee- good coffee and positive messages on the lids.

British Columbia, Canada!::

Met our newest nephew and his beautiful mommy K.

I (Renée) enjoy Canada's road signs. Here's a deer being hit by a car.

Biggest truck in the world. Sparwood, BC.
See the kids in the wheels?

Alberta!::

Camping with Joel's family

Joshua and Nana

Juneberry Pie with homemade ice cream.

Cousins!!

Cousins again!

Cousins! They all had so much fun together.

Sister and Brother and an inlaw.

Back home through South Dakota:: 

We stopped at one statue the whole 4800 miles.
It was a doozy.

Later on in August::

Rachel got baptized!

And that concludes our summer! Hope you had fun seeing the pictures! We loved seeing our wonderful family and friends this summer!!

A long totally uninteresting post about the past year in YWAM

   As I look over the last year of our being in YWAM, I am amazed that we are still here. Does that surprise you? The last year was an incredible adjustment for me, for Joel, for the kids. The previous nine years was spent in a small town in a big county. Next to a beautiful, humongous puddle.

Joel with 9 mo old Rachel Summer 2007

This community was really the first for Joel and I in our marriage adventure. Sure we moved about every 1, 2 or 3 years to a different house, but it was always in the same community, same sweet town, same church family, same friends. Same wonderful grocery stores, bank and Post office.

So when God swung open the wide door of MISSIONARY and YWAM and FIVE HOURS AWAY FROM EVERYTHING FAMILIAR the adjustment was not a shock, but more like an ache. A dull, panging ache. Don't get me wrong, I love it here...now. The people are great- I love the staff. I love the students. We live out in the country. The kids are making friends. But as I look back on the last year, it's been hard. Lonely, in fact. Wondering "why" God put us here. What is our role here?

It's amazing what answers come in just a year. I don't ask God "why am I here?" quite so often as I used to. I see this time here at YWAM as a time of training. Of preparation for Something Else down the road. God is training us to be leaders. But as every leader should know- it's about servant hood. Joel is serving in the maintenance department. I am serving our children. Both of us help out where needed at the YWAM base, whether it's in the kitchen, in the accounting office or just cleaning.

God is teaching me to be content as a mother. At home. Cleaning. Cooking. Homeschooling. Raising children. This has been a hard lesson for me over the last year. I want to be over at the base Doing something. Anything. Because then, I'm doing something Important. Yes, this has been a hard lesson to learn.

Over the last year, I have experienced some emotional healing through a ministry called Theophostic Prayer Ministry (TPM). I have experienced freedom from different lies I believed about myself and God has brought His Truth into my life to set me free from those lies- permanently. This has been wonderful for me and I know it's another reason why I am here.

There are many other reasons why God has put us here, but those are the two I'm going to share with you tonight.

On a lighter note: I was praying and struggling about learning Spanish. Since ninth grade I have tried to learn this language off and on. But to no avail. I would try and try to learn it and then I would keep hitting a wall, and then I would quit trying. Then six months later I would pick it up again, only to fail again. So finally I asked God, "why? Why is it so hard for me to learn this language?" And do you know what He said to me? You'll never guess. When He told me His answer I didn't believe it. Until He told me again two days later: "I want you to learn German." ??? Why in the world would I want to learn German? Nothing against German, except that it sounds harsh, like Russian. I guess in one way I was relieved He didn't ask me to learn French. Whew.
So there you have it. For 2.5 weeks, I have been learning German, thanks to Duolingo. And you know? It's coming along a lot easier than Spanish ever did. Amazing.

I have a little praise report: Rachel had a severe stomach ache one night. She was doubled over and moaning in bed. I gave her peppermint. But that didn't seem to help like it usually does. I could only think of one thing- Appendix. No, not at the end of this long rambling post. I was thinking of a ruptured appendix. I closed my eyes and tried not to think about rushing off to the ER ten minutes away in the cold and snow and it was 11:30 pm and I would really like to go to sleep..please? I tried to give it over to Jesus. We prayed over Rachel. We tucked her in. Then we went to bed and waited. We prayed. And prayed. Rachel didn't get up. Not once during that night after 11:30. She woke up happy and ready to go to school. She was fine. I could hardly believe it. No surgery. She still had her appendix and I even got some sleep. God is good. Aren't you glad?

Having ECCO students and staff over for dinner and coffee

So a quick update on two things here at YWAM: One is that Joel and I are co-leading (yes) a Bible Class for our current school (English Cross Cultural Orientation aka: ECCO). We teach one hour twice a week. Monday and Thursday mornings. Hudson and Madelynn come with us and they do fabulous. I think it's because the students are so fun. Joel and I are writing and inventing the curriculum for this Bible Class and it has been such a blast. We sing songs, we play games, the students share (in English) what God is teaching them. This morning the students demonstrated their hard work and put on two performances: Original children's songs written, sung and performed (in English) by all the students in Noah's Ark theme. Oh they did such a great job!

ECCO Bible Class

And the second thing is that once a week in the afternoon we take four ECCO students and volunteer at the local thrift store. This has been fun getting to know these specific students a little better. Last week they came over for supper afterwards and we had a great time together.

At the Thrift Store

Joshua and Rachel are both in Scouts this year. This has been a good decision so far as it is helping them to form friendships and do something fun outside of school and YWAM. Joshua made his first Pinewood Derby car and Rachel will soon be selling Girl Scout cookies.

The L.S. Rock-It!

Two things you can be praying for us about:

1. We are still looking for a church. We were going to one since June 2014 but it has gotten very difficult with the timing (it's an evening service) and being a school night and all....The worship is great, the teaching is solid, the people are nice, and it's not a very big church. We've really enjoyed going there. But being on staff at YWAM, early mornings at public school, and trying to eat healthy have become large obstacles. So the hunt continues...

2. Please continue to pray for Joshua and the disease that haunts his body- Type 1 Diabetes. He is currently on a liver cleanse diet and it has been helping him. We continue to seek God and His Righteousness and we know that all things will be added to us as well-whether it's healing or just an improvement in blood sugar numbers.

3. (Ok there's actually three, not two) We are praying about taking a family missions trip this summer. Right now we are seeking God on a specific ministry that we have been made aware of in a large Asian country. We would like to travel there this summer and stay for a month and see how it goes. How we could fit in, how the kids do, how I do (with elephants, heat, snakes and oh yeah, spiders-really really big ones).


Going back to life at YWAM....
The kids are doing really well. This is home now. Though they talk about Grand Marais and want to go and visit. And oh yes, Madelynn wants to move back there, not just visit.

Rachel turns EIGHT on Saturday (can you believe it??), so our house will be pink for a few days.

Sledding Birthday Party!
Here's the train...watch out!
Love Rachel's face in this one.
(She's the one with a light green jacket, her mouth wide open-yelling of course.)

Joshua is doing a unit on Engineering in Science class so he's been constructing roller coasters and really enjoying himself.

Hudson is four now and is just as cute as ever. He's the baby of the family, so he probably gets cuddled way too much by Rachel and I. But he's becoming a handsome little man and knows how to count to 13 (skipping the 12) and recognizes the letters of the alphabet.

Hudson's Fourth!

Homeschooling Madelynn is easy peasy and I'm really enjoying this break from the usual chaos at home.

And that's about it! That wasn't too bad was it? At least there weren't any footnotes or a dozen appendices like the Lord of the Rings books. Hope you enjoy the rest of your day in the Presence of the One who is worth Everything.

At Minnehaha Falls visiting a friend in Minneapolis