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3 min read

Trusting God To Make A Way

By Tyler Tom on 8 Sep 2023

Sometimes the best thing a leader can do is tell you to seek Jesus for yourself. In reality, as Christians, we should all be trying our best to seek Him first. Kaleigh Seliskar helped disciple students while serving SSTs this summer. Listen as she shares an encouraging testimony of how God increased her faith through a student. 
 
Over this summer, I had the honor of working with YWAM Tyler’s teen summer camp called SST.  During this time, I had many roles. One of them included guiding and encouraging three teenagers to prepare a teaching. They would have the opportunity to share their teaching at a Vacation Bible School (VBS) they would help with during their outreach in Houston.
 
One of the students, "Josh", was preparing a teaching on Moses and the Red Sea. He came to me on the last day of preparation and said to me “Kaleigh, I want to give an altar call at the end of my teaching but I don’t know how to do that. Can you help me?” I asked him to pray about it and then come to me later and we could talk about how to do it.  He never come back, so I assumed that he either decided to skip it all together, or that he went to another leader and talked about it. 
 
The next week we were in Houston and Josh gave his teaching on the final day of VBS. The kids in the group were engaged the whole time, and consumed by what Josh had to say.  Towards the end of his teaching, he began looking around the stage like he was missing something. At this point, I was pretty confused because his teaching appeared to be going as planned and he hadn’t missed anything. Suddenly, he stopped looking around the stage and seemed very excited and he did something that the other leaders and I had not expected. He asked the kids in the VBS if they wanted to accept Jesus, and if they did to raise their hand. Twelve of the nineteen kids responded immediately.
 
 
 
Josh ran to the side of the stage and pulled two cases of water to the center of the stage, got back on the mic and said, “If you just raised your hand, come onto the stage and walk between these cases of water like the Israelites did through the Red Sea to show everyone that you are going to follow Jesus.”  All twelve of those kids got up and ran to the stage to declare their dedication to follow Jesus.
 
 As a staff member for these SST students, I was so impressed with Josh's creativity and on-the-spot thinking. This is just one of the few ways that the teenagers in the SST were able to impact the people of Houston.  Not only did they touch the people of Houston but I was also personally affected by them. At times I felt that I was too young or just didn't have enough experience to share my faith. The SST students blew those thoughts away. Their fearlessness and resilience showed me that age has nothing to do with my ability to talk about Jesus.
 

Did it ever occur to you that when you were all grown up the next generation would look up to you? It doesn't matter what you think you are capable of, God can and will use those with willing hearts to fulfill His plans. If you open yourself up and follow wherever the Lord may lead, He will amaze you every time. Seek Him first and He will always be there to help you.

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Topics: Trust Knowing God Making Him Known Discipleship Opportunities Freedom Faith Teenagers SST Leadership Youth With A Mission ministry youth Red Sea
2 min read

Spiritual Leadership for the Next Generation

By Aaron Wardlaw on 25 Aug 2023

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the weight of responsibility? Being a leader is far from easy but if God called you to it He won't lead you astray. He wants to guide you through every situation you will face in life. Aaron Wardlaw shares his testimony about personal obstacles he overcame during outreach while being a small group leader.  

Topics: Trust God Discipleship Opportunities Teenagers Dependence on God Leadership Overcoming influence
2 min read

Beyond Blessed // Multicultural DTS

By Tyler Tom on 29 May 2019

I cannot believe it’s been five weeks since the Multicultural Discipleship Training School (MDTS) started. All I can say is that GOD IS FAITHFUL!

Topics: YWAM DTS YWAM Blessing Make Disciples Multicultural DTS Leadership MDTS
3 min read

Leadership Myth #2: Aren't Some Things Just Common Sense

By Tyler Tom on 7 Dec 2018

“Hey you, hey you!” screamed the alarm. When is she going to change that song?! It’s a terrible way to start everyone’s morning! Living in a confined space with 15 other girls was starting to take its toll on me. Half asleep I rolled out of my sleeping bag and shuffled my feet into the bathroom. I turned on the lights and immediately noticed the fingerprints all over the mirror and the toilet paper on the floor.

Topics: YWAM Tyler YWAM DTS YWAM Outreach Spiritual Growth YWAM Leadership Deeper with God
4 min read

Leadership Myth #1: It's All About Me

By Tyler Tom on 27 Nov 2018

ME: Who am I?

GOD: Marina: Sea Harbor ~ one who leads people to the living waters

ME: What does that even mean? (rolls eyes)

GOD: Allow me to show you.

Topics: YWAM DTS Serving YWAM Outreach Love Leadership
5 min read

The YWAM School of Worship was one of the best decisions I've ever made

By Tyler Tom on 1 Sep 2017

The School of Worship has been a blessing in my life. It has been full of moments where I laughed too much, moments where I wanted to go home, and moments that stretched me to become more than what I was. As my SOW comes to a close, I get an awesome opportunity to reflect on what I’ve learned.

Topics: School of Worship YWAM DTS Overcoming Fear Insecurity Perspective Potential Confidence Leadership Transformation Music
3 min read

9 things to remember when traveling with your YWAM mission team

By Tyler Tom on 30 Aug 2017

From recent outreaches with YWAM TYLER, we put together some great advice you must take to heart when traveling with your school. Of course this is not by any means an exhaustive list; stay tuned for more amazing outreach stories, but this will definitely help you remain sane while living in community with your peers.

Topics: Outreach Living in Community YWAM DTS Communication Missionary Life Packing List Travel Leadership
1 min read

Helping Victims of the Morocco Earthquake

On September 8th, a 6.8 earthquake killed over 2900 people and left many thousands homeless. According to multiple...

2 min read

What I Didn't Expecting During My YWAM DTS

With tears in my eyes, I pulled down the door of the Budget rental truck, said goodbye to my apartment, and heard God...

3 min read

Trusting God To Make A Way

Sometimes the best thing a leader can do is tell you to seek Jesus for yourself. In reality, as Christians, we...
2 min read

Hope for Maui Amid the Fire

As news spread across America about the wildfires in Maui, we have been postured in prayer for our friends and family...

2 min read

Spiritual Leadership for the Next Generation

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the weight of responsibility? Being a leader is far from easy but if God called you to...

2 min read

All or Nothing

Do you remember the day Jesus became real to you?

When I hear the lyrics to "When You Walk Into The Room" play...

3 min read

I Am Not Disqualified.

It is well with my soul . . . Really?

I’ve heard these words many times. Something about them stands out to me, but can...

2 min read

Overcoming Lies through Discipleship

I never thought I’d experience the freedom that I so desperately prayed for when I was younger. Believing every lie the...

2 min read

Fear Doesn't Have To Derail You From Fulfilling Your Purpose

Is God calling you to step out in faith and apply for a Discipleship Training School (DTS), but fear keeps kicking you...

3 min read

Nana Taught Me Almost Everything About Jesus

Is it just me, or does every generation go through a season of life believing they know it all? Even the Apostle Paul...

2 min read

Trusting God for the Impossible

With little to no money towards her outreach, Emma Hamlin experiences a financial miracle. There is freedom that comes...

2 min read

Being Comfortable with Silence

Mae sat next to me on the passenger side of the car. The silence was thick in the air between us as we drove home. As...