A little update on how our school is going!
Things have gotten so good lately!
It was a pretty slow start with this school, every group is different.
In the beginning, it was a little difficult to get the students interacting in lecture's and kinda stepping out, but these past three weeks have been amazing!
Three weeks ago we were blessed beyond blessed to have Kenny Peavy come speak!
Three weeks ago we were blessed beyond blessed to have Kenny Peavy come speak!
His topic: Kingdom
He made it so simple and beautiful, everyone's hearts were changed!
He is a powerful worship leader in California and full of wisdom.
He literally sat on a stool in front of the classroom, we circled the chairs in the room and just listened. Sometime's speakers come in with agendas, and we take heaps of notes and get fed a lot in our minds, but Kenny's approach is simple.
He doesn't come with anything but a guitar and Bible.
No notes, no white board needed, just truth.
It's amazing the effect some people have over a room.
Our students were drawn to him, each and every one of them.
A lot of our students were needing break thru. They were needing "Jesus" to not just be a 'good idea', 'something they believed in to make their parents happy' or 'the person who is happy with them when they do good and mad at them when they do bad' - but to truly have a personal relationship with Christ and recognize Him as the King and Ruler that He is!
Kenny is very prophetic, you look into His eyes and you can see his mind working, and then when he speaks it's as if he's known you your entire life.
The Holy Spirit works thru him in such an exciting way.
One day I was sitting outside of our classroom during lunch and he just sat next to me and said, "Tayler, how are you doing?" and at that moment every single person stood up, walked inside the classroom and knew what he was really asking.
We proceeded to talk, and I kid you not, he knew me better than I did. Before I knew it I was talking, tears streaming, and such truth had just been blasted in my face. Good truth.
I had prayed to God and asked Him to have Kenny say something to me that only God would know and no one else, and sure enough, He did.
Our God is a faithful God, He always makes me laugh :)
Needless to say, I was rocked that week, as well as the students!
He made the Bible so simple. Spoke in words and terms everybody understood and could relate to.
He simplified what we have made so complicated.
His agenda is simply to let the Holy Spirit guide him.
On day one, he had just talked about the Bible and God's Kingdom and about an hour in to it he asked if anyone would like to rededicate or commit their lives to Christ. Our students literally, leapt out of their seats to get in line!
14 people could not wait to know this Jesus!
Our students in line waiting to recommit their lives to Christ!
Our little Kia girl! She was filled with unexplainable JOY - It was awesome!
Praying for our sweet Sarah!
Praying for our sweet Jessica!
Miss Lucy, our fear conqueror!
Tessa! Knocked out by the Holy Spirit!
So needless to say, after this week our students have been on fire for God! They've moved from lecture phase and retaining knowledge to now being in a place of WANTING to know more.
Wanting to know why things are the way that they are.
They are digging deeper in their relationships with Christ.
The spirit of unbelief has been stripped from them and it is beautiful.
There is no more "religion" floating about the room, but full on relationship with Jesus.
The Bible is real and true.
They are able to step out and ask questions because they genuinely are curious!
It's so awesome!
This is my favorite part of staffing - Being able to see the break thru's, see the changes in the students. I literally see the change that happens inside of them as it pours out into the way they act, communicate and interact with other people.
The moment Jesus becomes more than a "good idea" is remarkable.
I don't know about you, but seeing people overcome doubt, lies and strongholds is one of the best things!
This is why I love what I do.
I don't have an income. I pay to disciple students.
Gave up everything to pursue Christ, and I get so many glorious rewards every single day.
I literally, couldn't be happier.
The great part also, is that God is working in the staff too!! We aren't just facilitating a program, but we literally are having break thru's, on the floor crying, and walking this journey with the students! We are transparent, showing our weaknesses and being real with them; which is beautiful.
One core value of YWAM is 'do first, then teach'.
Such a great value to have!
How do people impact you? If your parents say don't drink soda, and then continue to drink it in front of you, what good does that do to get you to understand it's bad for you?! Same goes for us as staff, if we tell our students to have quiet times, step out (especially when it's uncomfortable) and yet we aren't doing it, why would they?!
I, personally, have had too many break thru's to type up. If I shared and explained every one of them, my blog posts would be pages and pages long!
But God is good. So good.
I have such an understanding now of creation, why we were created, how we are to act, who we were created by and for and so, so much more. This was all very difficult for me to see in previous years. I think it's very common for people to get swept up in stereotypes, religions and worldly views. Also, many people do misrepresent Christ and call themselves Christians. So I understand the doubt, confusion and desire to continue living as normal.
BUT, if you are wondering what this "Christ following" stuff is all about, I encourage you to ask.
Ask me, ask someone you trust. Open up the Bible and see what God has to say. Start researching things on your own. Go to the library and do some research. I'd encourage you to read any books by Joy Dawson. Start with Oswald Chamber's "My Utmost for His Highest"
I would love to answer any questions you have!
Many of you know me and have witnessed the MANY mistakes I have made over the years, especially since being a Christ follower, but how AWESOME is it that I don't have to live in the shame and guilt!? I literally am forgiven and can live freely, use those mistakes as testimonies for others!
God is so good.
He is so real.
He communicates with us.
He is living and breathing.
And my life has been radically changed.
My life has been ruined for the ordinary.
You may think I'm crazy.
But I know what true love is, and wouldn't walk away from it for the world.
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AFTER Kenny Peavy, we had Danny Lehman come and speak on evangelism! His approach was different than Kenny's! He shared many personal testimonies with us.
He used to be a long hair, beach/surfer/pot head bum living totally for himself, before one day a man came up to Him, told him who Christ was and gave him a tract.
He then took the tract home, put it on his dresser for a few months and then one day really read it and understood the fullness of God's love for him.
From that day forward, he has been on fire, giving his entire life to God!
He shared many powerful testimonies with us, gave us deeper insight into evangelism and took the "scariness" out of it for our students!
Many people hear the world evangelism and have many preconceived idea of what it means.
However, it's not hard!
It was a very eye opening and great week for our students!
Now, they can't wait to go down town and speak with people!
Which, coming from a quiet school, is HUGE!
God is so good and breaking down their walls!
I love it!
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After evangelism was another round of Corporate Week!
This week was prolly one of my favorites!
It was led by Brian Brennt and Andy Byrd, two men you should read about!
Andy Byrd is one of the most impacting, influential men I've ever met!
He is absolutely ON FIRE, in LOVE with Jesus!
We go thru this manual called "Salvation Encounter" and literally spend the ENTIRE week in Ohana Court, split off into outreach teams, in circles, on chairs, yelling at the tops of our lungs!
We are walked thru Knowing God, a guide to Gospel Truth.
Which then leads us into a clean break up, clean house, freedom, getting ready to take the ground back and praying repentance!
After that, we walk our students through shame, rejection, unforgiveness, anger, fear, "I don't care", and body image struggles! We scream with them, repent of these problems, break off the strongholds and walk out feeling like a million pounds has been lifted off our shoulders!!
We then walk them thru "The Christian Birthright Card", God's love and forgiveness and walking in the opposite spirit.
This week is powerful and intense. On about the third day we had worship at the end of lecture and I was SO filled with joy and the holy spirit I was just jumping around, spinning in circles, smiling from ear to ear! I could not get enough of God's goodness, mercy, freedom, forgiveness and EVERYTHING else that He is!
My worship lifestyle changed that day.
The fear of man was broken off and the truth of the King was revealed.
I wish everyone could experience this week, haha.
So much crap we carry around and live with for YEARS.
I love, love, love the simplicity of God.
Aside from my personal break thru's, our students are experiencing them as well!!
I'm so stoked for outreach and how amazing our students are going to do!
They are in the best places they've ever been with God and really understanding what it means to be a Christ follower and I am SO excited to lead them to Palau!
-Worship in corporate week-
For now my friends, be blessed and take care!!
xoxo
