MISSION'S STORIES

Publishing God's stories among the nations.

During this season of my life, very few things are more gratifying than seeing people I have cried for, prayed for, laughed with, counseled, and shared life with for months say “YES” to God. And that is exactly what I have experienced this month with Jonna, Brody, and Landon coming to YWAM Tyler for a Discipleship Training School (DTS).

I met these three in Lubbock on a recent trip where I planted a seed, then watched God lead them over the course of eight months to YWAM. This is exactly what I was hoping for when I went to South Texas on outreach with a team of committed friends from YWAM Tyler.

YWAM-Tyler-dts-outreach-missionary-trip
 

“If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

Make no mistake, the statement Jesus made found in Matthew 16:24 is not painting a picture of a plush life for followers of Jesus. Let’s break it down.

“Deny himself” ~ These words mandate sacrifice. Putting our plans, our desires, our pleasures, and our comforts on hold to seek what God wants for our lives. This is hardly what someone wants to hear when entering a new relationship, but Jesus knew that it was necessary.

“Take up his cross” ~ Carrying your cross can only be fulfilled by you, and that is your reason for God placing you on the Earth. Much of what motivates me is seeing others find their purpose, which creates ever-lasting motivation. You see the sacrifice aforementioned doesn’t seem as detrimental when you are operating within the framework of your purpose and calling. But it is impossible to locate that purpose if our thoughts are consumed with ourselves - goals, ambitions, perceptions. The succession of denying your human goals is necessary before acquiring Godly ambitions. 

"Follow Me” ~ This is undeterred, committed, determination to God’s direction.

As I sit here this afternoon, I am compelled to say that for me denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following God is simply constantly about “drawing near” to our Father, and this can look a thousand different ways.

Following God can one day be apologizing for behaviors, as you’re committed to becoming more like Jesus. The next day following God could lead you into a conversation with a stranger at Starbucks. And for those that we meet on outreaches, we pray that following God will lead them to a decision that’s greatly sacrificial and highly centered around finding their reason for God placing them on the Earth.

We also hope they'll come to YWAM for a Discipleship Training School. That is why we go on outreaches. We want other’s to meet the God that saved our lives, hear they have an option to follow Him, and share the hope that God has a purpose for everyone we meet.

YWAM Tyler offers Discipleship Training Schools all throughout the year! It's a great place to be immersed in truth and get to know God. While here, you will gain fresh perspective on purpose for your life too!  

Learn More

Anthony Huerta

Written by Anthony Huerta

My name is Anthony Huerta, I am 27 years old and grew up in West Texas. I have had an exciting, eventful life that was spurred by a tumultuous lifestyle. Today, I am living in Tyler, TX as a missionary with Youth With A Mission. I help lead the Mobilization team focusing on helping people activate their faith. My passion is seeing people of all different backgrounds, education levels, social classes, ethnicities, and ages overwhelmed by God's love.

2 min read

Courageous Women

What does it take to become a courageous individual? William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, observed that...

3 min read

Building Foundations

How do you increase your faith? Former student Sarah Horan shares her heart on how God revealed His truth to her during...

2 min read

Missions Changed Me

From as far back as my junior high school, I remember struggling to find happiness. I felt like I didn’t fit in and...

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...
2 min read

Miracles in the Classroom

What does a young person chasing after God's heart look like? Christian Heritage School desires to fan the flame of the...

4 min read

Cross-Cultural Christmastime

Have you ever wondered how Christmas is celebrated around the world? We asked four of our YWAM Tyler missionaries to...

3 min read

My Stepmom Thinks YWAM Rocks

Have you ever been curious about going to a Discipleship Training School but don't know what to expect? In a recent...

2 min read

Marked by God

Can you imagine God sending someone from another country to see you? While in Thailand, Jess Reminger encounters a man...

2 min read

The Day I Thanked God For Losing My Job

One morning I sat in the classroom during my training school with YWAM, and I was crying, thanking God for the loss of...

2 min read

Sharing The Gospel Isn't Complicated

God has been doing amazing things with our DTS team on outreach in Thailand. As the team has made themselves available,...

2 min read

How DTS Changed My Child

Before I left for my Discipleship Training School, my family really had no idea what YWAM was. If your family...
2 min read

Laying Down My Rights

I was sitting in my DTS classroom, my head wrapped in thoughts of a family circumstance that was happening. We had...