For the past year I have been involved in a Christian outreach organization called YWAM. (Youth With A Mission)

YWAM’s main goal is for people to know Jesus and to make Jesus known. It is easy to think of missions as a 1 week trip with a church or something only retired adults do. Although both of those things are good, YWAM encourages young people to make it their life mission to share the Gospel. I always understood the importance of missions but I didn’t fully realize how important they are until I stayed in a nation for a long period of time. I learned the culture, served practically and saw lives transformed by the good news. God commands us as believers' to tell others of His love and I believe that I can best do that through YWAM in my current season of life.

Matthew 28:16-20

The Great Commission

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”                

Last year I started with a DTS which stands for “Discipleship Training School.” I spent 3 months in a lecture phase learning about the Bible, how to preach the Gospel to different religions and how to serve others in practical ways. Then I went out for 3 months to Turkey. My team and I volunteered in the earthquake zone and served to help meet the Turkish peoples needs practically as well as spiritually. We saw a handful of salvations and even got to baptize new believers in the Mediterranean sea. We connected the new Turkish believers to the long term missionaries in the area for further discipleship. I was given many opportunities to lead worship for local Turkish believers. After those 6 months were up I went home for the summer sang at my wonderful church at home, started a Bible study with some of my girl friends and sold my car to pay for the next thing I felt the Lord calling me towards.

I then started YWAM's school of worship. I spent 3 months in a quarter of full time school. I had lots of homework, lots of lectures and a lot of challenging moments but I learned so much and am so thankful for it. My favorite part of that school was learning how to write songs from scripture. During the school I wrote lots of Christian music. Writing songs is my biggest passion and one of the callings God has on my life. It was amazing having so much support in my writing and learning how to use my gifts for the Glory of God.

After my school of worship I was eager to step into a leadership role. I looked at a bunch of different opportunities and then I stumbled across a program called Kokua crew. Kokua crew is a work to live  program that YWAM offers. Anyone can join this work to live program no matter their beliefs. They serve the YWAM campus practically (mowing lawns, cafeteria work, maintenance ect..) in exchange for housing, meals and church attendance once a week. Within the program there are staff/mentor roles. So I was interviewed and selected to staff a quarter of Kokua crew. I did lots of random office tasks and planning but my main role was women’s discipleship. I had 11 girls that I would meet with every week and I was there to be there friend, discuss spirituality and faith and above all show them the love of Christ, which many of them hadn’t experienced. It was such a wonderful opportunity, I saw salvations and lives changed through that and it was one of my favorite things I have ever done.

I’ve been home since April and have been working, watching friends get married, serving in church, and spending time with friends and family. I have felt called back to missions for some time now but have been wrestling with it a lot because of one of my main struggles, which is Anxiety. Anxiety has been something that has stopped me from accomplishing many things but I hate letting fear win and God constantly is getting me through this daily battle. I have decided to follow what I feel like the Lord has placed on my heart even though it is not in my comfort zone.

My next step with missions is to staff a DTS program and lead a team out into the nations to spread the Gospel. Staffing would be the same process as when I was a student but instead of just going on a missions trip I would be in charge of planning the missions trip. I would leave in September for a 3 month leadership training course in South Africa. During these 3 months we will be taught useful Leadership skills, biblical teaching, servant heartedness, discipline and so much more. We will be doing local outreaches while in South Africa to help the community while we are there. After the 3 month training course I will head back to Kona, HI (where the 3 month lecture phase takes place on a YWAM campus) While the students are in classes I along with my future Co-leader will be planning a 3 month outreach by calling contacts from the nation we get sent to, planning ministry, finding housing, budgeting and traveling practical’s. I will also be staffing the lecture phase. Then my future co-leader and I will be assigned a team of 7-12 young adults to lead out on a mission somewhere in the world to spread the love of Jesus in anyway that we can.

Now I need your help! Support financially, support in prayer and support as a community!

God calls Christians to give! Not only give, but give with a cheerful heart.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

In order to do this 9 month mission I will need to raise about $10,000. This will cover, plane tickets, food and housing. I am currently working and saving money to put towards this goal but I need some help! If you believe in what I am doing and feel called to give I would be so grateful. Any amount will help. You can donate once or support by monthly donation. If supporting financially isn’t what you are able to do, no worries! MORE THAN ANYTHING I need prayer! I need community at home who can be praying for me as I step into this! I have felt the Lord calling me to do this for the past 4 months. I have prayed over and over for clarity, confirmation and peace and have felt all of the above. I know God has many plans for me and will be happy with me as long as I seek a relationship with Him. BUT I know that He is currently calling me to step into leadership, to give my anxieties to Him, to lay down my comforts and to put others before myself. He wants to teach me about sacrificial love, patience, humbleness, and so much more.

My Instagram is often the highlight reel of the really fun things I get to experience but I believe it is important to shed light on the hard work, time and effort that is put into preparing and doing mission work. So please ask questions if you have them! If you decide to give Thank you!

Thank you for being a great community. I have been absolutely blessed to grow up in a community of people who LOVE Jesus. Every time I come home I am surrounded by Christians and I always feel so blessed to be home. Thank you for your support <3

Naomi