It was Saturday morning and slightly overcast when the van with 7 students and 4 adults heard an alarming bang under us. Our driver carefully brought the 75 mile an hour trip to a halt on Highway 20 heading to Dallas Love Field Airport. The tire on the Mercedes van was shredded, and the wrenches on hand to change the tire were the wrong size.
We had a feeling this might be an eventful trip.
The tradition of celebrating a Thanksgiving holiday is a wonderful part of American life. Although this holiday is closely connected to what’s called the First Thanksgiving, held by the Pilgrims and their Native American friends in 1621, we should note that the holiday also reflects a broader culture of giving thanks to God that was more common in times past.
However, regarding the Pilgrims, let’s take a moment to look at three aspects of their story that are not always remembered today, yet make this holiday an important event on America’s calendar.
Fred Markert visited us at YWAM Tyler this past weekend and brought a convicting message we want to share with all of you. A portion of the notes from the message are here, and the audio clip.
There is hope for America. All is not lost. However, there is something we as the church must consider...
Will you be streaming this historical event with us?
This November marks the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims crossing the Atlantic and signing the historic Mayflower Compact.
We are hosting this historic celebration in Plymouth Massachusetts, November 21, 2pm EST. <<Sign up today to watch>>
I caught YWAM Tyler's campus director, Chris Lascelles, just before he jumped on a tractor to haul hay to give to hurting farmers here in East Texas.
Once I read Chris's book, 20/20 Vision for America, I knew an interview was a must. I'd heard Chris talk about his purpose in writing this epic history lesson, but I did not expect to be drawn into it so deeply. An incredible message of hope for America is woven through it like a tapestry.
During my Discipleship Training School (DTS), God really showed me His heart for America. I’ve always dreamed of being the missionary that traveled to faraway lands to preach the Gospel where it’s never been heard, but God showed me that He cares as much about the people of America as He does the ones in far off lands. God cares about every nation tribe and tongue, including my own!
I remember the way it felt: walking out of the airport into the humid Houston, TX air after flying halfway around the world, heart racing at the excitement of being back in the United States. I remember embracing familiar faces I hadn’t seen in years that were waiting there to pick us up. I remember the car ride from the airport to my cousins’ house. I’d look out the car window in awe. “Look how green it is here!” “Everything is written in English!” “Everyone is wearing shorts!”
It doesn’t take an astute observer to realize that there are many things in the world today that are not as they should be. Modern society is like a piece of shattered plexiglass; it’s still intact, but its integrity is compromised. The entire framework of our human reality is filled with cracks and fissures, all of which can and should be fixed by focusing and investing into our vertical relationship with God, which in turn smooths out our horizontal relationships with others.
