2 min read
Unexpected Friendships
When we follow God, sometimes we have our own expectations of what God will do through us. This can sometimes cause us to put God in a box and feel like we aren’t being used at all, when in reality we are being used in a way we just didn’t expect.
Topics: Connection Communication Discipleship Opportunities ministry faithfulness friendship student communications long distance
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 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.
Topics: Trust Knowing God Making Him Known Discipleship Opportunities Freedom Faith Teenagers SST Leadership Youth With A Mission ministry youth Red Sea
6 min read
Joy Dawson~A Tribute
I suppose it is possible, but there can't be many YWAM missionaries around the world who haven't heard of Joy Dawson. When word spread of her death, the fruit of her ministry instantly came to mind. Many of us had the privilege of hearing her speak, and perhaps listened to her teach for a week in a YWAM training school, or read one of her books. Most of us have a story about her, or can share how she has impacted our lives.
