Someone somewhere said, "You can do anything for a year!" If God asked you to give a year of your life for discipleship and missions, what would your answer be? Elsa, a graduate from Discipleship Training School said, "It starts with a sparkle, a thought, a desire for more. Dreaming of adventure, seeking an uncertain purpose. A will to serve, a thirst for deeper understanding."

The Cost of Following Jesus Anywhere and Everywhere.

We shouldn't be upset when God moves us and scatters us into the world. Even if we are somewhat in our home culture, we need to remind ourselves that we are outlanders.

A lot of us feel even more disconnected because the world seems so weird now. There is so much turmoil and change. We feel uncertain.

As believers, we should be certain of who we are because as we own our identity, we transform the cultures and places where we are planted. Yet, we remain different from them.

How do we operate among the lost? How do we reach them?

HERE’S WHY YOU SHOULDN’T GO TO COLLEGE IMMEDIATELY

Graduate valedictorian, go to an Ivy League school, enter a respectable profession, get rich - that’s what I decided my life’s purpose was when I was in high school. The only reason I wanted to do missionary work before college was so that I could have a stronger résumé. Good thing God can take our impure motives and bring something good out of them.

Gigi and I met in ministry in Brazil and were best friends. Now, we still are best friends and married too! When we first started talking, we realized we had the same dream: to be a family in missions and a lighthouse to other families. We didn't know yet what our family would look like, but we committed that to Him.

I came to YWAM Tyler primarily to study and improve my English. The thought of being in a Christian environment while learning English encouraged me. However, God had higher thoughts about my journey.

A few years ago, I went to the regularly scheduled Monday morning prayer meeting at the YWAM Tyler campus my husband and I are a part of. This particular meeting was to focus on prayer for the newest School of Strategic Missions (SOSM) on their first day of class. As we prayed, I felt the Lord leading me to Luke 15, which is where Jesus is speaking about: The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin and The Lost Son.  As I pondered this and prayed, I sensed God speaking to me that He wanted to restore what was lost in for these missionary students attending the SOSM. 

Sixteen years ago I made a collage, which represented my life vision/mission statement. Included on it were the biggest, most epic dreams in my heart. 

A few days ago I was pondering a quote by Lou Engle (one of my heroes): "The world needs wild men and women of God!"

A few years ago, I began to develop seasonal allergies. It got so bad my vocal chords were actually damaged. For a time my voice hurt all day, every day. As a worship leader,  it was very sad for me because I could barely sing. Yet singing worship songs is my favorite thing to do!