Fundraising is a huge part of missions. Whether you are raising money for yourself to be supported as a missionary, or for a project to help others, it takes funding to accomplish our God given goals. Although it can be overwhelming, it doesn't have to suck. 

HOW DO I FUNDRAISE?

Missions—it sounds wild, crazy and just what you’ve always wanted, but you scroll down to where it says “fees” and you stop. Maybe God has something else for you. You know, a cheaper option or a well-paying, safe option. 

Depression doesn't have to control your life.

Before I knew God, I drowned in dark depression, deceit, and lived in fear. Sin and suicidal thoughts controlled me, and I had no escape. I struggled to find so many things: purpose, love, peace, joy, zeal for life, and much more.

Meeting the Lord of all creation brought me out of the trap I was ensnared in and gave me life abundant. Not life without struggles, but life with hope.

WHEN LIFE DOESN'T GO AS PLANNED

2020 has been a year none of us expected. I wish I could just blame the pandemic for wrecking my plans, but I'm learning a bigger lesson when my life plans get sideways.

On my journey over the last year and half, there have been many times I had to continuously remind myself of the goodness of God in spite of my circumstances.

Hey Siri! Should I Panic?

In the early days of GPS, there are at least a handful of stories of some poor souls who opted to trust their Global Positioning System over what their eyes and senses were telling them. Most of the stories have decently happy endings (meaning no serious injuries).

MOVING. I couldn’t believe it when my parents told me we were moving. My family and I were living in a beautiful, mountainous valley in North Carolina at the time. The view of the Smoky Mountains from our house was breathtaking. Relocating to Texas with my parents did not sound like a good idea to a stubborn eleven-year-old like me - especially when I heard we were going to be missionaries and live in tight quarters for a season.

Stepping from fear to faith is never easy. Students and staff members at YWAM Tyler have had to do this often as they've followed Jesus to the ends of the earth. Honestly, every step involves a tremendous amount of trust, but God is worthy of our trust! He is faithful!

"Make sure there's no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God."  (Hebrews 3:12)

During one of my YWAM training schools, I learned a new word, Renounce, which changed my life and the way I daily practice dependance on God.

MOVING. I couldn’t believe it when my parents told me we were moving. My family and I were living in a beautiful, mountainous valley in North Carolina at the time. The view of the Smoky Mountains from our house was breathtaking. Relocating to Texas with my parents did not sound like a good idea to a stubborn eleven-year-old like me - especially when I heard we were going to be missionaries and live in tight quarters for a season.

If you're lacking confidence, than this story is for you! Taylor shares about her experience during a training school at YWAM Tyler that changed her life and boosted her confidence. 

Imagine gathering around an empty table with a slew of orphans to thank the Lord for food that wasn't there. Hard to even believe, honestly; yet, it's true. George Mueller trusted God to the point he was willing to sit at a barren table and offer thanks to God for the food that He was going to supply. God had promised to provide all Mueller needed in caring for those children, so in that moment of need, Mueller banked on God's promise, and sure enough God did it! The doorbell rang, and fresh bread was placed before them all to enjoy for breakfast.

On a recent Discipleship Training School (DTS) outreach to Mexico, Kelsey overcame fear by obeying God's leading. Her story is an encouragement to us all to not give in to fear but instead to step out in faith.