December Update!

Hi all!

So we’re entering our last two weeks of lecture here at the base. This week have Phil Gazely speaking on the Holy Spirit. Phil is the base founder of YWAM Calgary in Calgary Canada. Now he and his wife, and his two kids live in California working against Human Trafficking. In the last day and a half of lecture, it’s been absolutely amazing! Some of the things that he’s been sharing I’ve heard before, and others I have not. From what I can tell, and just hearing the student’s comments here and there, it’s been a really good and intense week for them.

Last week we had in-house speakers. Two staff, Josiah and Alia Scott spoke on Monday on Biblical Worldview, and it was definitely an intense teaching. It had all the students talking and murmuring the entire day pretty much. On Tuesday, we had Andy Schmalfuss speak on Genesis and just how important it is to the church, he went on to say that a majority of churches nowadays don’t think that Genesis is relevant in today’s church, which is a huge deal. On Wednesday, we had Josiah and Alia speaking again on Biblical Worldview, but they were focused on the importance of Genesis in world view. As well as the importance of having a worldview that is biblically based. On Thursday we had Chuck Walton of Wycliffe Bible Translators come in and speak on bible translating in the world. It was so cool to see the way the students were affected by what he was saying. I have no doubt that there are a few students that very well might go into Bible translating, which is way cool!!

Two weeks ago for Monday and Tuesday, we had Mark Baxter in from YWAM Jacksonville Beach in Jacksonville Florida. He spoke on the importance of team work, and how important it is to trust one another. A typical lecture day is just 9-12:30, but because he only had two days to get through everything he needed to get through, we gave him Monday morning, Monday afternoon, Tuesday morning, and Tuesday afternoon. So we were lecture all day for two days straight. His teaching was really good. It was interesting to hear Team Work as a topic in DTS. It’s something I never really thought about as a topic that one could teach on, but I was proven wrong. As soon as he was done with lecture on Tuesday afternoon staff and students were free to leave for Thanksgiving break.

Three weeks ago we had Wick Nease come in and speak on Destiny. Wick was the base director for the YWAM Tyler base in Tyler, Texas until God had told him and his wife to move to Connecticut and start a ministry that supports orphanages in India with help from churches. From what the students said to me, and from what I heard the staff heard it was definitely an impactful week for students and staff. He spoke on how our destiny is really just an adventure in God. Wherever God leads us to go, safe to say, adventure will follow. One statement Wick said his first day of speaking which I think so many missionaries don’t think about when getting married, is that BEFORE you get married, make sure that your destiny, and the destiny of your spouse are compatible. So many times these days people get married for the sake of getting married. When people do that…the marriage just ends in disaster and more often than not, completely ruins the kids, if kids are in fact involved.

Thank you all that have supported me monthly, or one time, and for those of you who have supported me through prayer! It is very much appreciated, and I definitely feel the prayers! Thank you!!

With the wind,

Mark