surprise! it's time for another update. this is a look at the month on October:
Like a whirlwind, the students blew in from Canada, the USA, Holland, England and New Zealand. We have 22 students from around the world and six staff. hurray, they all made is safely and our fully trained and excited staff were ready for the challenge. hehe :) This is now my third time being involved with a DTS (Discipleship Training School); once as a student and now my second time staffing. The great thing is that God has made it new for me. I'm still involved with the same process, but I'm seeing things differently and having new experiences. There are some new guest speakers coming through the school and I'm getting some new revelation from God. Also, each new school really is different. The make-up of the students dynamic and changes with each year. I am already learning so much from these new fresh faces. I see a real heart of serving and sacrifice in these students. Very inspiring!!!
I have three girls in my small group and they are amazing. I have a girl fro Oklahoma, Holland and England!! I love the diversity. These three girls have a huge desire to be close friends and open about everything... not just friends because they are put in the same small group or friends just for five months. They desire getting personal. It's awesome. I don't have to facilitate it, they want it!! One of the girls loves keys and even collects them. She wears one around her neck and from the first day I noticed it I've joked that it's the 'key to her heart' and I want to know how to win it. :) Well, she's amazing and thoughtful and in Christchurch one night she searched out an antique store and bought three old keys and some material for string. Each of us in our small group now wear our 'key to our hearts' around out neck. We were all so touched by her thoughtfulness. It's a great personal thing that we can all share in.
I'm in charge of running the ministry in the main square (central spot in town) on friday nights. sounds crazy, but I'm facilitating and encouraging evangelism to the students in a busy public place... street ministry. The funniest part is that this is the ministry that absolutely terrified me as a student. it really did. I hated it. it scared me. there is still always an element of 'fear of man' when I go in every friday night. but I have seen God use me so many times to let the fear stop me. Two weeks ago I had a great talk with a traveller from China. I started talking with her in the square and the conversation turned from her travels to what she believed in. I know it sounds weird, how does it 'just' change... but it's amazing what some prayer does while you talk with someone. you find places in the conversation to share what you believe and then it happens. amazingly, she was soooo interested. she had just visited a church up on the north island for the first time ever. i shared about Jesus and asked if I could pray for her. She had never prayed before so she asked how to do it. What an opportunity to share how much God loves talking with us and it's just a personal conversation with God. So I shared about prayer and we prayed for each other. Then I was able to give her a Bible and exchange emails with her. We parted ways. I've emailed her and hopefully I'll hear from her. I am amazed over and over again how much people WANT to hear about God and it's just us and our silly fears that get in the way. I'm still learning this. It's a process. but a beautiful process.
So far we've had three weeks of lectures. Our topics hve been 1) backpacker ministry 2) The Father's Heart (God as a father) 3) Destiny and Calling (God's purpose for our lives) and this week is the Character and Nature of God. It's really amazing information and also ministry time to let God speak to us about who He is and who we are in Him. I love seeing the changes in our students already. There is so much more depth to go... I want to dive in. No more surface stuff, time to get personal with God and lay it all down. speaking of which, I've been doing a lot of thinking of what's next for me. I finish my leadership school here at the end of February. I have too many ideas running through my head of what to do next. My heart is so for the nations and for missions, but I don't know if God has called me to this life full-time or just for a season. I guess I'm trying to figure out my destiny and calling with God. My desire is to be home next Easter in the USA. I can see myself home for a year- spending time with friends and family and being back in good ole' America again. but beyond that I feel like it's all foggy. Which, perhaps that's exactly what it is supposed to be like. There's one big prayer request. I don't desire a five-year plan, just some peace on which direction God is leading me for the next season.
thank you Jesus for the woman of God you have blossomed in me. I give all praise to God who is doing a great work in me. Thank you for joining me on this journey.
Be blessed! Love, Nicki
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