Family Week, Hurricanes, and Growth!

Hello from the aftermath of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Iselle!

It is absolutely appropriate that Samantha and I be writing this blog post in the wake of a hurricane, because that is what these last few weeks have felt like for us!  Two weeks ago Samantha and I spent the whole week preparing and planning to lead and facilitate DTS Family Week.  DTS Family Week is a week during the quarter that all of the DTS students and staff on base come together from their individual schools to learn as one.  Two of the base leaders or elders are the speakers during the week, sharing stories from the history and tradition of YWAM to stir faith in the students and encourage them by sharing over 50+ years of testimonies of the hundreds of thousands of missionaries that have been trained in Youth With A Mission since its founding in 1960.  During that week of training, we make it a point to share some of the stories from the beginning of the mission because it helps them better understand where we’ve come from and where the students might take us into in the future.  

Darlene talked about how difficult it was for her when YWAM was first being pioneered by her and Loren because of the lack of acceptance that she had for the gifts God had given her.  It helped bring understanding to the students who were unsure of how their gifts could be useful if they weren’t called to teach at the front or we the worship leader (which ninety eight percent of people aren’t).  It was so comforting for people to hear that Darlene, the founder of the mission, went through those struggles.  Danny Lehman came and taught to us about the Fear of the Lord and on the Word of God.  Admittedly in this organization, sometimes our YOUTH speaks louder than our MISSION, so the teaching that Danny brought on the Fear of the Lord was refreshing and helped to center us.  After all, the Scriptures say that the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom!  We all need wisdom!

From the 21st of July through Friday August 1st, Samantha and I had the privilege of working with Darlene Cunningham (YWAM Founder) and Daniel Lehmann (Kona Base Leader) in setting up and running the Family Week.  It was such a learning experience being in charge of making things run for 180+ people during the four day lecture times.  We did everything from facilitating class to buying and setting up desserts for the intro night.  We truly learned all the angles of making things work for a large group.  Samantha and I were very stretched and it was wonderful!  Thanks to a lot of help and guidance from the leaders above us on base, and especially the Lord, the week and all of the teaching and tours of campus and worship went superbly well.

Samantha and I are walking through a very difficult time in our lives because we are unsure of what we are doing in October.  There are uncertainties about our lives that give us a lot of pause, but I don’t know a time in our relationship or even our lives when we have been happier and closer to God!  Our marriage is growing and we are learning so much about what it takes to be a Godly, loving married couple.  Samantha and I have become very versed in dealing with conflict and we can not put a price on what we have learned overseeing the DTS’s for this summer.  And we are only halfway through the quarter!  I have been learning how to take my burdens to the Lord instead of keeping them bottled up.  That has really helped communication with Samantha and I in our marriage. Samantha has been getting almost constant revelation from God on his love and intimacy with Him and she has really started to walk out in confidently discipling other women.  The Lord has given so much wisdom to her even before she came to Kona, and the experience she gained in school and teaching is so useful here!  In spite of the questions about our future, we are so incredibly thrilled by the present time we are in.  It truly has been one of the most fruitful times of our lives.  

Thanks for reading!  We love keeping this blog going and letting everyone who cares know how we are doing.  Please comment and keep in touch!

We pray that the Lord would bring love and peace upon you and that the Holy Spirit would bring revelation and understanding in your lives and guidance to your walk with Him!

Love and Hope!