I have seen firsthand in my life how God can make beauty from ashes. I have experienced joy for mourning in a real and powerful way!

Have you ever entered an event or season of life with a certain expectation and left it with the complete opposite result of that former belief? 

It’s been exhausting, amazing, hard, and difficult, but I am thankful for every step taken and the people I get to do this with. I am thankful for the people praying and supporting financially. I am thankful for the transformation God is doing in mine and other's lives. I am thankful for God allowing us to be a vessel for Him.

There are certain people who simply make an extraordinary impact on the lives they meet. Being in their presence is like warmth on a cold day. It never grows old. These people are the ones who seem to have the perfect balance of loving you and also challenging you, encouraging you and pointing out when you need a new direction. They listen well, but they also pour joy and vision into you with the revelation of God’s love, not because they need to be heard, but because they want everyone around to discover the same wonder of who God really is. For me, this describes Ed Sinke.

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.

I was living in Tennessee as part of a very small church when my heart began to stir for missions. One day during Sunday school, a missionary came to our church and heard me share how I would love to do foreign missions someday. I was on fire and ready to go! 

Do you ever wake up and forget where you are?

This happens to me often, particularly when I find myself doing crazy things, things I never thought I would have the time, finances, or abilities to do. I'll think, “What am I doing here?” “How did I get here...ME...here doing this right now?!?”

YWAM Tyler's very own The Dream Committee has just released their first debut song, "Traded," and we just couldn't wait to share it with you. I had the opportunity to sit down with Stephanie and Josh of the band and ask them some thoughts about this new song and how the band is doing. You'll want to give this a listen after hearing the heart behind the tune.

Unearth ~ To find something buried by digging

This past weekend, a lot of digging took place at YWAM Tyler during the Inspire Worship & Missions Conference. We were challenged to pick up our shovels and excavate because something within us all needed to be unearthed.

Words like “fire, passion, movement, momentum, signs, wonders, uncompromising, and revival” have been used to describe the two weeks I just spent in Florida.

I can only imagine this is how the beginning moments of the “Jesus Movement” of the late ’60’s looked – in fact, those that have been involved with both have said so much.

If you're one of the millions of people that have seen The Greatest Showman, you may recognize the lyrics from the song "This is Me." The individuals in the movie are facing challenges in their life and are seen as outcasts, but they refuse to let what others think about them define who they are.

A few week's ago, we were treated to the President’s State of the Union Address before live television and a joint session of Congress. President Trump brought us up to speed on the progress we’ve made in areas of economy, employment, defense, border security, and foreign relations. He then reminded us of the work that still needs to be done, calling all Americans to unite for the common good of the nation.