HI ALL!
I have been at the Y.W.A.M. base here in Lakeside, Montana for a little over two weeks. It is so beautiful here. I sometimes had forgotten this, but not now—I am reminded every day of God's gorgeous creation that delights my spirit. It truly invigorates me! I am about a ten minute walk from Flathead Lake, which stretches at least a half hour or more south (by car). The blue and purple Rocky Mountains distinctly frame the eastern sky with Glacier National Park also in the distance. We have cool evenings, nights, and mornings, but it has been quite an Indian summer where I can wear just a t-shirt—I even have a tan!
My Discipleship Training School leaders are amazing and truly anointed by the Lord. They keep us busy all the time! My days consist of breakfast at 7:00 a.m., and the need for coffee to get me through the day gets me up. I have lectures from guest speakers (sometimes from around the country) most weekdays and some nights. Last week was on Prayer and Intercession. This week was on relationships, beginning with the most important, a relationship with God. Next week will be on the Father Heart of God. I have an actual class on Bible study once a week, where I am studying Philippians with the inductive Bible study method. I learn YWAM values once a week, and we have worship most days. The various schools at YWAM meet for corporate worship and prayer once a week. I have a small group which meets twice a week with five girls and our leader, Jeanenne. I also meet with her once a week. Jeanenne's story is really cool. She and her husband felt led by the Lord to enter YWAM after their son and daughter had completed DTS's here and were on staff. They felt led to missions and to disciple young people in missions. There is also a Community Meeting on Thursday nights that I attend, where YWAM students, staff, and anyone from the community come together for worship and the Word. I also have books to read, book reports, and journals due each week. The journal includes points and reflections on lectures, studying an attribute of God, Bible meditations, and a weekly summary page. I am doing the creative journal, which I love doing because I feel like a kid in arts class and also get to write! But it is hours and hours of work.
To help make our time here more affordable, students and staff have several hours of work duties. I help in Facilities entering invoices and deposits into their computer system and various other small office duties. I am excited that I get to serve in such a way that utilizes some of my organizational skills and work experience from Simpson University. I also get to help paint and do other manual labor when my office work is done (I love working hard!). And just a note that the cafeteria food here is the best I have tasted and home made (not processed)! But they are not extravagant at all. We don't have dessert!
I am part of the dance track here where we devote about a day and a half to learning about dance and how to use it in ministry. We will be going into the community to teach dance to students from Somers middle school who want to participate in a dance workshop. I am part of a team of three, Christy, Samantha, and I, who are preparing our lesson to teach on Friday, October 13th. Please pray for guidance in what we are to prepare, and that we are able to connect with students and have tons of fun.
Another thing I am preparing for is overseas outreach. Before I came here I knew possibilities for outreach could be to Thailand or India. When I got here I learned two other groups would be going to Panama/Costa Rica and another to Uganda. I became so excited when I learned of the trip to Uganda in Africa because I had been really given a heart for Africa over about the last six months, and I hadn't thought that would be a possibility to go! So I am leaving for Uganda after Thanksgiving until the end of January. Possible things we may be doing is working with orphans, AIDS children, in medical clinics, doing open air evangelism, construction, going to the bush, working in Sudanese refugee camps, and maybe other things I have forgotten. We will be working with YWAM missionaries and also another established missions’ organization, and Terry and Jeanenne are my outreach staff leaders. I just got my immunizations for Typhoid, Malaria, and Yellow Fever this week. Everyone on our team has to have a Yellow Fever Immunization Certificate to be able to apply for a Visa. We are taking an acoustic worship team, and will be working on dramas and dances to perform there. I am so excited for this because as they were showing the countries and what ministry would consist of there, I was praying about where God would like me to go, and the power point slide came up for Uganda, and I was immediately holding back tears as emotions for the people of Uganda overwhelmed me.
There are so many things on my heart, and I am hoping that you will pray with me.
*That I would grow closer and closer to the Lord as I study His Word and spend time with Him in prayer.
*For each week of lecture on a different topic—that God would challenge me and I would be conformed more into Christ's image.
*That He would direct His future for my life after DTS—the next step.
*That I would be able open to learning more in dance ministry.
*Friday, October 13th—For my group's day of leading the dance workshop for middle schoolers.
*Beginning of November—A week of mini outreach to Seattle, WA. Possibly working with local ministries, serving in practical ways, performing drama, dance, and music.
*End of November—End of January—Uganda Missions Trip. Please pray for my group to get to know each other, work well together, and prepare all God desires for our hearts and in what we will be doing there. Pray that God would begin to work in the Ugandan people's hearts who we will meet and need to know the gospel of Jesus Christ!
*That we all get our immunizations soon.
*That getting our Visa's goes smoothly.
*I need about $1, 700 more for my DTS and outreach before November 15th. Thank you to those of you who have already felt led to give and have done so. I am overwhelmed by your generosity and prayers for me. Please continue to pray for my finances, that the Lord would meet all my needs because He has access to all the provision in the world for His work!
Thank you all for your love, encouragement, prayers, and support! And cards in the mail—I love mail! I truly feel that you all are with me in spirit participating in my school, preparation for outreach, and next in outreach. It amazes me to know that God is working so much in me and that I will be used to reach others with His love!
Much Love and In His Name,
Shannon
P.S. I do miss you all! There is nothing like people knowing you and just being encouraged by just being around friends! But God is here, and with the people here—so I know He is my sufficiency! Thank you for your continued friendship!
I have been at the Y.W.A.M. base here in Lakeside, Montana for a little over two weeks. It is so beautiful here. I sometimes had forgotten this, but not now—I am reminded every day of God's gorgeous creation that delights my spirit. It truly invigorates me! I am about a ten minute walk from Flathead Lake, which stretches at least a half hour or more south (by car). The blue and purple Rocky Mountains distinctly frame the eastern sky with Glacier National Park also in the distance. We have cool evenings, nights, and mornings, but it has been quite an Indian summer where I can wear just a t-shirt—I even have a tan!
My Discipleship Training School leaders are amazing and truly anointed by the Lord. They keep us busy all the time! My days consist of breakfast at 7:00 a.m., and the need for coffee to get me through the day gets me up. I have lectures from guest speakers (sometimes from around the country) most weekdays and some nights. Last week was on Prayer and Intercession. This week was on relationships, beginning with the most important, a relationship with God. Next week will be on the Father Heart of God. I have an actual class on Bible study once a week, where I am studying Philippians with the inductive Bible study method. I learn YWAM values once a week, and we have worship most days. The various schools at YWAM meet for corporate worship and prayer once a week. I have a small group which meets twice a week with five girls and our leader, Jeanenne. I also meet with her once a week. Jeanenne's story is really cool. She and her husband felt led by the Lord to enter YWAM after their son and daughter had completed DTS's here and were on staff. They felt led to missions and to disciple young people in missions. There is also a Community Meeting on Thursday nights that I attend, where YWAM students, staff, and anyone from the community come together for worship and the Word. I also have books to read, book reports, and journals due each week. The journal includes points and reflections on lectures, studying an attribute of God, Bible meditations, and a weekly summary page. I am doing the creative journal, which I love doing because I feel like a kid in arts class and also get to write! But it is hours and hours of work.
To help make our time here more affordable, students and staff have several hours of work duties. I help in Facilities entering invoices and deposits into their computer system and various other small office duties. I am excited that I get to serve in such a way that utilizes some of my organizational skills and work experience from Simpson University. I also get to help paint and do other manual labor when my office work is done (I love working hard!). And just a note that the cafeteria food here is the best I have tasted and home made (not processed)! But they are not extravagant at all. We don't have dessert!
I am part of the dance track here where we devote about a day and a half to learning about dance and how to use it in ministry. We will be going into the community to teach dance to students from Somers middle school who want to participate in a dance workshop. I am part of a team of three, Christy, Samantha, and I, who are preparing our lesson to teach on Friday, October 13th. Please pray for guidance in what we are to prepare, and that we are able to connect with students and have tons of fun.
Another thing I am preparing for is overseas outreach. Before I came here I knew possibilities for outreach could be to Thailand or India. When I got here I learned two other groups would be going to Panama/Costa Rica and another to Uganda. I became so excited when I learned of the trip to Uganda in Africa because I had been really given a heart for Africa over about the last six months, and I hadn't thought that would be a possibility to go! So I am leaving for Uganda after Thanksgiving until the end of January. Possible things we may be doing is working with orphans, AIDS children, in medical clinics, doing open air evangelism, construction, going to the bush, working in Sudanese refugee camps, and maybe other things I have forgotten. We will be working with YWAM missionaries and also another established missions’ organization, and Terry and Jeanenne are my outreach staff leaders. I just got my immunizations for Typhoid, Malaria, and Yellow Fever this week. Everyone on our team has to have a Yellow Fever Immunization Certificate to be able to apply for a Visa. We are taking an acoustic worship team, and will be working on dramas and dances to perform there. I am so excited for this because as they were showing the countries and what ministry would consist of there, I was praying about where God would like me to go, and the power point slide came up for Uganda, and I was immediately holding back tears as emotions for the people of Uganda overwhelmed me.
There are so many things on my heart, and I am hoping that you will pray with me.
*That I would grow closer and closer to the Lord as I study His Word and spend time with Him in prayer.
*For each week of lecture on a different topic—that God would challenge me and I would be conformed more into Christ's image.
*That He would direct His future for my life after DTS—the next step.
*That I would be able open to learning more in dance ministry.
*Friday, October 13th—For my group's day of leading the dance workshop for middle schoolers.
*Beginning of November—A week of mini outreach to Seattle, WA. Possibly working with local ministries, serving in practical ways, performing drama, dance, and music.
*End of November—End of January—Uganda Missions Trip. Please pray for my group to get to know each other, work well together, and prepare all God desires for our hearts and in what we will be doing there. Pray that God would begin to work in the Ugandan people's hearts who we will meet and need to know the gospel of Jesus Christ!
*That we all get our immunizations soon.
*That getting our Visa's goes smoothly.
*I need about $1, 700 more for my DTS and outreach before November 15th. Thank you to those of you who have already felt led to give and have done so. I am overwhelmed by your generosity and prayers for me. Please continue to pray for my finances, that the Lord would meet all my needs because He has access to all the provision in the world for His work!
Thank you all for your love, encouragement, prayers, and support! And cards in the mail—I love mail! I truly feel that you all are with me in spirit participating in my school, preparation for outreach, and next in outreach. It amazes me to know that God is working so much in me and that I will be used to reach others with His love!
Much Love and In His Name,
Shannon
P.S. I do miss you all! There is nothing like people knowing you and just being encouraged by just being around friends! But God is here, and with the people here—so I know He is my sufficiency! Thank you for your continued friendship!
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