Hi friends, family, and strangers,
My name is Lya Peterson and I’ve officially graduated from DTS, and I can honestly say I’m not the same girl who began this journey. Over these past months, the Lord has done a deep work in my heart—opening my eyes, teaching me to let go of old walls, and inviting me into a more honest and vulnerable relationship with Him.
But as that season has come to a close, I have spent much time praying about what the Lord is calling me into next, and I am so excited to say that I will be going back as a full-time missionary with YWAM Amsterdam!!!
I have decided to take my next step specifically in joining one of their ministries called “Priesthood.”
Priesthood is a nonprofit cafe in Amsterdam whose vision and heart is to connect with the locals and tourists of Amsterdam. They host community events and serve the people of the Netherlands. A key focus there is building relationships with the locals, and I truly believe that God can work wonders through those everyday encounters and interactions.
Before I did my DTS, I owned a coffee cart business. I have a heart for building the local community, and coffee shops are the epitome of seeing that come to life. I believe there is so much beauty and joy found in a cafe setting. It is such an honor to get to know our customers by name, to ask about their day and remembering their favorite drink. Sometimes the simplest interactions are the most memorable. Although I loved running my own coffee business, I truly felt the Lord pressing me to go to DTS, so I chose to obey. It was honestly a very hard time for me. I had worked endlessly to start it, and here I was surrendering it to the Father because I knew He had good plans for me. And He did!!
When I went to Amsterdam for my lecture phase, I was introduced to Priesthood, and I instantly knew in my spirit that this was the place He was guiding me to. As much as I wanted to go back to my reopening my business after DTS, I knew that there is more growth for me in this season. I applied to Priesthood right before I left for my outreach in Malaysia and I was accepted the week after I returned home!
Now, I can’t just move to Amsterdam without God's provision and calling. I have committed 2 years to serve in this ministry with YWAM Amsterdam, and I fully believe the Lord will do what only He can do in this season. Because YWAM is a nonprofit organization, we need to raise monthly support as staff members to live under a work visa. The income requirement for the country is 1400 euros per month, which is $1,622 USD. I have never done something like this, and it is honestly all very new to me. I truly will be learning so much obedience and dependency on the Lord. Which is a beautiful and intimate thing, it is just hard and scary. LOL.
I see it like we are building a team. A team who works together to build the kingdom of God. Everyone has a role in building the Kingdom; some are sent to the unreached, some to the local mall or coffee shops, and some are providers or servers. Some are students, teachers, or cashiers—who knows!! No person is unseen in the eyes of God and He can do anything through each of us.
As I step into this calling to serve as a missionary in Amsterdam, I would love to invite you to prayerfully consider being part of the team supporting this mission. That could look like praying for the ministry, sharing encouragement, or partnering financially.
Right now I’m looking for people who feel led to join through monthly support as I prepare to go. Even small monthly gifts make a huge difference in helping reach the monthly requirement and make this mission possible. At the moment, I still need $1,522 per month within the next couple of weeks, but I trust that the Lord will do what only He can do. Thank you for considering being part of this journey with me :))
Lastly, I want to say a THANK YOU for supporting me through my journey and reading this! I am forever grateful for what the Lord has done in my life, and I can’t wait to see what He does in the lives of others.
If you want to know more about Priesthood or have any questions, please feel free to message me as I am always open to conversation. Always remember, Jesus loves you and so do I!!
Have a truly blessed day my friends
-Lya Peterson