Thoughts on 2012

One week away. At this time next week I'll be on a plane to Kona, Hawaii where I will spend most of 2012. I know that the Lord has told me to, and provided, so I am going. Not really sure what this year will hold but I am excited and nervous to find out.

There's only so much you can write on a newsletter, so I want to explain a little more about what I'll be doing this year. As most of you know, I was part of a Discipleship Training School through YWAM last year, called Awaken. I spent 3 months of training in Kona and 3 months on an outreach/mission trip in Amsterdam. Now I'm leaving to go do a leadership track with Awaken DTS in Kona.
I don't really view YWAM Kona as a school. Yeah, it's a university, but there's so much more to it. It's an inter-denominational, intercultural community. By this I mean there are people from every different background and denomination, 25+ countries and languages, all coming together to live out what the church is suppose to be...a family. And it works so well. People aren't perfect, but our God is perfect and following Him and seeking His will makes all the difference. The main goal is spreading the gospel. So we not only have schools, but a local preschool on base, people focused on mapping where missionaries have been and where there are unreached people groups, ministries focused on the Kona area, photographers and filmmakers creating art to show people the gospel, an upcoming news organization focused on providing reliable, real stories worldwide, and so many other people using their gifts to benefit God's kingdom. But hey, this can be anywhere! I don't have to go to Kona for this because the church is everywhere!  So why go back to Kona?

Simply because I feel called there for this year. I love what God is doing in Awaken and what he is going to do in 2012. On my heart specifically is revival in America...even revival in the American church. After living with about 90 Americans for 6 months and falling in love with the Lord together, I have learned to see hope for this nation. The people are thirsty for more of God. Many Christians have his a stagnant plateau in their faith and they don't realize the depth of the Lord. But He is after their hearts. I long for this whole nation to be a burning fire of passion for the God who loves them so much. And it's possible; it's coming. It doesn't start with whoever is elected president or what laws are enacted or retracted...it starts with hearts of the people being awakened to the reality of a personal relationship with the creator and knowing Him. My heart is simply to know God and make him known. It may be the YWAM slogan, but it's so true and simple.

From April-June will be a time of learning and living. Along with the new staff, we'll be helping out on campus in different areas while going through classes, ministry times, intercession time, and training to lead up to the Awaken DTS school in July in which we will be staffing. The leadership track is designed to do as follows:

• Raise up priests before the Lord who have learned to prioritize His presence, live for His glory, and be led by His Spirit through a lifestyle of corporate and individual worship and prayer centered around the Word of God.
• Develop committed kingdom family relationships, and create mature and effective leaders who walk in great integrity and Godly character that could staff and lead DTS outreaches and pioneer DTS schools
• Release evangelists, preachers, teachers, and worship leaders who could effectively teach and impart into any setting with great anointing and profound impact.
• Train community builders and pioneers who are effective in creating, discipling, and multiplying missional communities centered around the presence of the Lord.

As I have previously stated in the newsletter, staffing a discipleship training school can mean anything such as mentoring the students and walking alongside them in their school, leading small groups, being a part of running the school logistically, planning and leading a group of 5-10 students on an outreach trip to another country, etc. I'm not sure what God will lead me to do, but I know that he has a purpose for me in this time. I am so excited to see another group of ~90 students really seek who God is and who they are in Him. I'm excited to see their love for God fuel their ministry to the people in the countries they go to. And I am most excited for my relationship with the Lord to be stretched and strengthened this year. Lord, I want more of you!

Thank you so much to everyone who has been praying for me and supporting me financially in this big step. I am so grateful to have a great group of people in my life. So excited to keep in touch with all of you and share what the Lord is doing globally! If you want to receive prayer support updates, please send me your e-mail address! And if you would like to make a donation either use the PayPal link on my blog or talk to me about becoming a monthly supporter.

I'll be sure to write more soon.
Let's do this!

Alyssa