Our family has always wanted to serve the Lord in radical ways, and we have been involved in many different kinds of ministry⏤including short-term missions.
We felt the Lord pulling on our hearts to do something different with our lives. We visited my daughter who serves as a missionary with YWAM in Idaho. Her Discipleship Training School was the start of her journey in missions.
We wondered, “God, could we do something like this as a family?”
As we sought the Lord and did some research into YWAM over the next 6 months, we both sensed the Lord calling us to do a Family Sync DTS in Tyler, Texas.
Our sons were seven and nine years old when we first talked about going. We got a little hesitation from our seven year old, Colton. He wasn’t sure he wanted to leave his toys and home for five months. He is by nature a homebody and doesn’t like change.
We continued to talk with him, and asked the Lord to speak to his heart and confirm this direction. When the time came to pack and leave, Colton agreed to go, but was still a little nervous about the whole idea.
When we travelled to Texas and started the school, he adjusted fairly well, but we had to encourage him many times to change his attitude about doing what God was saying for us to do as a family.
About midway through the lecture phase, dealing with him became pretty intense. He was very upset, often wanting to go home and he started being unpleasant during the Family Sync school activities.
My wife, Kimberly, felt she should take him for a walk and talk to him. During their walk, the Lord directed her to share the importance of walking with Jesus through everything we do, and that having a relationship with Him helps us navigate the challenges may have.
The Holy Spirit came on Colton and she had the wonderful opportunity of leading him to receive Jesus as His savior. She saw an immediate change in his eyes and his attitude.
During our outreach in New Orleans to the homeless, Colton shared his testimony with a man, and then asked him if he wanted to accept Jesus as his Savior! An evangelist in the making!
Colton is being changed each day as we are a part of YWAM. When we returned home after DTS, we felt the Lord calling us to return for SOE.
While making that decision, we met with the boys and asked them what they felt the Lord was saying our next steps were. Isaac said, “We should go back for SOE.” Even though he loved being home, Colton agreed this was what the Lord was telling us.
When we trust the Lord with our kids, He will take care of them, speak to them and cause their heart to become agreeable with His will. He can move the mountains, or the "Coltons"----whichever they may be!
Take your family on a discipleship / missions adventure you'll never forget. It could very well be the most defining moment in your lives.