Hello from New Zealand!
Goodness! I am enjoying the change of season in New Zealand in every sense of the word. This is my most exciting venture yet! This week I was commissioned by the base leader and training director as staff of the 'Around the World in 80 Days' Discipleship Training School (DTS). Many prayers have been answered to bring me to this point, so I will try to catch you up on what all has been happening.
The recently completed internship on base has turned out to be of great value in preparation for DTS staffing. A few of the leaders have mentioned, "You've grown so much since you arrived!" I have felt the gradual change as I've been adapting toward simply living with more humility. Funny how pride and independence can really get in the way sometimes! The teaching has been a blessing, but also simply learning from the life experience of the staff and observing the current school has given me much insight toward serving God as a school staff.
Something shifted for me when I went for a weekend away in Wanaka. The small town is beautiful, surrounded by mountains where I feel right at home. The weekend was spent with fantastic people – the backpackers DTS had recently graduated and many of the students were still traveling around, so I stayed with them. I was blessed by their love for one another and their effortless love for the new people they met. The whole time there I felt so much JOY. I was at peace and completely myself, loving every minute while out in God's creation. A speaker at a church service prayed over me while I was there and passed on some great wisdom to take with me for staffing. Since that time I have been full of joy with confidence in God and not so worried about myself.
Now you may be wondering, what does it mean to staff a DTS with YWAM? I will try to paint this picture. Any given day will include a staff meeting, an hour of worship or intercession, morning tea and announcements, 3 hours of lecture given by a guest speaker, lunch, small group or outreach team meeting or base duties, tea (dinner), and either world awareness night or activity night or outreach preparation or evangelism in Christchurch. In any off time I have, I do one-on-ones with the students, test and grade map tests and journals, prepare for any time I lead an activity (I'm in charge of Weekend Activities and Outreach Preparation), care for the week's speaker, as well as prepare for my outreach. Generally, we have more to do than time allows! So all the more I remain dependant on God to help me through every single day. I can't be an example of a Christ follower without Him living in me! The most important thing I do every day is spend time with God, first thing in the morning. Even if nothing else gets done, I must first seek my Father!
The staff team and I just completed our school-focused training and the students arrived this past weekend. The school start has been going great. Each of the students bring something fantastic and unique to our base. I'm excited to see them grow closer to God under our leadership through these months. Also, I'm happy to announce that I will be co-leading a team with Alison to AFRICA for outreach. I would not have imagined that I would be going there, but God has shifted some of my desires around and I believe that it's the right outreach for me.
Praise reports: God continues to answer my prayers! My staff team and I had been praying for one more member – preferably a guy who was a mature Christian and had staffed a DTS before. God answered by sending us Jesse who exactly fits the bill! He just finished staffing the backpackers DTS, so it was a bit of a miracle that God moved on his heart to come right back to Oxford and staff another school back to back. Also, the January Around the World school has left for outreach due to answered prayers for visas to arrive and funds to come in before their departure.
As for my personal funds, God has blessed me with some generous donations. Even though He promised that He would take care of all my needs, I'm always surprised and delighted to see it actually come through! It's been a delight to hear back from people that are supporting me concerning how I prayed for a deepened friendship with a certain staff member and it happened later that day. I prayed for some little things - like speakers for my computer, some nice hand cream, and a new dress for the backpacker's graduation and sure enough – God provided! Now answer this – why don't we pray more?
Prayer requests: Self-discipline, focus, and wisdom as I begin staffing. Setting a good solid start to this school. Humility and growth in learning servant leadership. Health – mind, body, emotions and spirit. Protection in all these adventures. $2500 for my outreach phase. My declined hearing in my left ear is not improving and I long to see God heal it completely!
Thank you again for your continued prayer support and financial blessings. You bless me more than you know! It is shear delight to be living out this call God has placed on my heart. I know great challenges are ahead, but also great victories for God's Kingdom! This letter comes with many blessings for you – health, peace, love, and a greater knowledge of Jesus!
Sending love and gratitude,
Julie Anna
THANK YOU for praying for me! Please stay in touch!
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