I am honoured to be part of such an incredible community, movement, and mission. Check out some of our highlights from 2014.
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"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you."
"So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last." "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." As I've been reflecting on the last six months of leading the School of Innovative Youth Ministry, specifically our time in New Zealand, the previous are some of the phrases that come to mind. As much as I tried to plan and be super organised (my preference for most things I do) God highlighted to me that relationships are not planned, dictated, organised, and scheduled. They're spontaneous, ever flowing, organic, there's free will and choice, and they can be very unpredictable. Everything we were able to do was done so out of relationship, whether that was sharing our own knowledge and wisdom about youth ministry, sorting through what seemed like endless amounts of clothes and linens at the salvation army, running a youth group, or just meeting people around town. Our motivation was simply to serve in the opportunities we had and to make friends with those we found ourselves among. I could give you stats like: we gave away two bibles, we saw eight people "accept" Jesus, we prayed for more than forty people, or we worked with six different youth groups/communities. However, that doesn't depict or even begin to reflect what I feel like God was really doing in our time there. Those "stats" don't portray the time we went into town and happened to meet a young woman who was traveling and didn't have a place to stay for the night. She was deeply moved by our generosity, love, and joy to be an answer to her need. They don't show you the happy faces of the young Maori youth we met at the park to play rugby with. The stats don't predict the fact that when Ben asked us to run the youth group one Monday night that it was actually an answer to prayer because he ended up not being able to come due to sickness. I have this phrase that I say, "God is the best planner and organiser I know." In every high and low I'm thankful for how he orchestrated our time in New Zealand. I was personally stretched and I grew in my perspective for serving others, learning more about how to be a good leader and knowing what it looks like to have authentic relationships in life. We're finally in New Zealand, well we've actually been for the past two weeks!
I'm constantly reminded to reflect on the amazing things God has already done, for example, we've seen God provide over $42,000 for the lectures & outreach (July-Dec) as well we've seen him continue to provide in really simple ways. Even yesterday one of the students bought a new football to play rugby with some of the youth we've met and as we went out we felt God direct us to a different location. He ended up giving his football away as he connected with a new friend, but then later that night he was given more money to buy another football! We have one week left here in Tauranga and then we'll be heading to Queenstown in the South Island to work with New Zealand's newest YWAM centre which only started this past June. We'll be continuing to connect with youth, youth leaders, and anyone else we meet! Thank you to everyone who donated towards this outreach, whether that was to me personally or anyone on my team, we are beyond grateful and know that God is moving here in New Zealand. #sendSOIYM |
We're in our 8th week of lectures, we've learned about the importance of renewing your mind, not being led by your emotions. We've learned about project planning-failing to plan means planning to fail. We've grown in our skills of communication, remembering that our ultimate motivation for communication should be based out of love. I'm again reminded of how blessed and honoured I am to be leading this training course, each one of these students is completely different but so incredibly amazing to work with. They're brave, courageous, and willing to be challenged and grow. It's been incredible to see how God is moving in us individually and together as a team to share about the love of God with the young people of Newcastle! | Group photo with our coffees after a high school assembly sharing about 5 Day Escape, our annual youth camp to the Gold Coast. |
As we come towards the end of our lecture phase we're beginning to shift gears and prepare ourselves for the outreach phase. Outreach is where the students have the opportunity to put into practice all that we've been learning in lectures. I will be leading the team for three weeks here in Australia and then we will head overseas to another country (stay tuned for where!) for the remaining seven weeks.
Most of us still need to see a lot of financial breakthrough for outreach to be possible. We've been gathering together as a team to pray and ask God what we should do. Last night as we got together to pray I felt like God highlighted the lyrics to a song which say "You're the God of ABUNDANCE" this has been our declaration of faith, that God will provide the finances we need.
My question to you is: Will you pray with us? Will you declare this statement of faith on our behalf?
Even since our prayer time last night we've seen God providing, we will continue to pray and trust in him.
Most of us still need to see a lot of financial breakthrough for outreach to be possible. We've been gathering together as a team to pray and ask God what we should do. Last night as we got together to pray I felt like God highlighted the lyrics to a song which say "You're the God of ABUNDANCE" this has been our declaration of faith, that God will provide the finances we need.
My question to you is: Will you pray with us? Will you declare this statement of faith on our behalf?
Even since our prayer time last night we've seen God providing, we will continue to pray and trust in him.
#sendSOIYM
O LORD, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.
Isaiah 25:1
We've just finished our second week of the School Of Innovative Youth Ministry (SOIYM) and God is already moving, shifting, and growing all of us. I'm absolutely delighted to be leading these six students for these next five months! Currently we're heading into our third week, diving even deeper in understanding today's youth culture and youth globalisation. This is one of my favourite weeks- overall I'm looking forward to what we'll each get out of this season. One of my favourite things about training and developing people is to take a mental snapshot of the beginning stages, then when we come to the close of this so called "chapter" I can look back and reflect on what God has done- how each individual has changed, even me personally as a leader. What a privilege to journey with these different individuals in seeing them accomplish their goals and dreams!
As a highlight of what God is doing already in and through I'd like to share a story from last Thursday night. As a school we've dedicated our Thursday and Friday nights to do ministry, either working with youth groups, other events, or whatever we hear from God to do. Last Thursday we gathered in the morning to pray and ask The Lord what we should do for ministry, we got a location- Newy Beach and an activity: Playing music.
After dinner we gathered again to pray and ask God for anything else specific in that location, one of the things God spoke was that we would meet someone who would have a lot of questions about God, almost in a somewhat argumentative way but their questions wouldn't be out of anger, more so just wanting honest understanding. With that we bundled up, believe it or not Newcastle does get fairly cold in the winter months, and we made our way into town. We were filled with loads of questions, would there even be anyone there? Who goes to the beach on a Thursday night? Would we meet this person with questions?
Once arriving we got out of the van and as we looked around we didn't really see anyone... All those questions came back to mind- God did you really even speak to us, did we hear you properly?
Then all of a sudden there was a group of teenagers near us, they said they were just hanging out driving around and stopped at the beach. Two of my students Livia & Emily and myself began talking to the group. One of the guys in the group who was 16 was asking them about what they're doing here in Australia, Livia started sharing her journey of the past six months. She shared about coming here to Australia and YWAM, all the amazing things God has showed her and done in her life, she shared how God has transformed her! Within minutes of this conversation starting we realised this is the guy who God spoke to us about- he had so many questions and was really searching for truth. Emily & Livia proceeded to connect with this guy answering his questions and sharing their own personal journeys, by the end of our time there this young man had found hope through a relationship with Jesus!
We have a few other amazing stories of other things God did that night but that was just one.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Below is a list of things you can be joining us in prayer for!
-Unity, as we grow and work together these next months.
-Strength, God has big plans for us but we need to do this all in His strength not our own.
-Provision, most of the students still need to see their lecture phase finances then we'll be heading on outreach, which we all need finances for.
Stay tuned for more updates and how you can join us on this journey!
As a highlight of what God is doing already in and through I'd like to share a story from last Thursday night. As a school we've dedicated our Thursday and Friday nights to do ministry, either working with youth groups, other events, or whatever we hear from God to do. Last Thursday we gathered in the morning to pray and ask The Lord what we should do for ministry, we got a location- Newy Beach and an activity: Playing music.
After dinner we gathered again to pray and ask God for anything else specific in that location, one of the things God spoke was that we would meet someone who would have a lot of questions about God, almost in a somewhat argumentative way but their questions wouldn't be out of anger, more so just wanting honest understanding. With that we bundled up, believe it or not Newcastle does get fairly cold in the winter months, and we made our way into town. We were filled with loads of questions, would there even be anyone there? Who goes to the beach on a Thursday night? Would we meet this person with questions?
Once arriving we got out of the van and as we looked around we didn't really see anyone... All those questions came back to mind- God did you really even speak to us, did we hear you properly?
Then all of a sudden there was a group of teenagers near us, they said they were just hanging out driving around and stopped at the beach. Two of my students Livia & Emily and myself began talking to the group. One of the guys in the group who was 16 was asking them about what they're doing here in Australia, Livia started sharing her journey of the past six months. She shared about coming here to Australia and YWAM, all the amazing things God has showed her and done in her life, she shared how God has transformed her! Within minutes of this conversation starting we realised this is the guy who God spoke to us about- he had so many questions and was really searching for truth. Emily & Livia proceeded to connect with this guy answering his questions and sharing their own personal journeys, by the end of our time there this young man had found hope through a relationship with Jesus!
We have a few other amazing stories of other things God did that night but that was just one.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Below is a list of things you can be joining us in prayer for!
-Unity, as we grow and work together these next months.
-Strength, God has big plans for us but we need to do this all in His strength not our own.
-Provision, most of the students still need to see their lecture phase finances then we'll be heading on outreach, which we all need finances for.
Stay tuned for more updates and how you can join us on this journey!
It has been an incredible start of the year for me with what seems like countless opportunities to connect, share, and invest into the youth of our city, Newcastle. Whether this be through high school seminars, all night skate events, or everyday life connecting with those in our neighbourhood.
I have recently returned from visiting some of my family in Virginia and Michigan, it was so good getting to see them because it had been about a year and a half since I was last with them and it was a nice change of pace being able to relax a bit since a busy last couple of months here in Australia.
Below are some photos from what has been going on so far this year.
We're coming to the end of summer, the days are getting shorter, nights are getting a tad bit colder, and life is cranking away.
It almost feels like the past month has been non-stop; filled with excitement, events, and lots of activity. Stay tuned for the details :)
God is faithful and will look after us.
He hears your prayers, knows your heart, and best of all he completely and wholeheartedly loves you for who you are. Happy Valentine's Day!
He continued this subject with his disciples. “Don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.
“Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can’t even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don’t fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?
“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.
“Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can’t go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
He hears your prayers, knows your heart, and best of all he completely and wholeheartedly loves you for who you are. Happy Valentine's Day!
He continued this subject with his disciples. “Don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.
“Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can’t even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don’t fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?
“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.
“Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can’t go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
Author
I'm Kelcie, I like people, baking, summer weather, the ocean, and Jesus!
Here's a bible verse that inspires me: Mark 10:28-30
Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!""I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.