YWAM Update #1

Wow! Week One of DTS has come and gone and tomorrow begins a new week filled with new teachings.

This is a short overview of my week and what has been going on!

I arrived in Kansas City on October 3^rd with an expectant heart of what God was about to do, but I honestly had no idea it was going to be this good! I share a building called “Westside” with two families and about 40 single girls who are hungry to see God move, who love passionately and deeply care so much about each other it is far beyond any expectation I could have had.  Hunger, expectancy and nervousness swept through our dorms as more girls started arriving last Friday, and I instantly knew that God was about to do something BIG! Friday night we all arrived in “Baugh Center” (pronounced Baa Center) at 7:00 p.m. sharp to begin a night of praise and adoration to the King. What was simply supposed to be a night of Worship, turned into a hungry heart cry from a generation that is longing to see Jesus made famous on this Earth.

Over the course of the weekend, we had Orientation to cover all of the ground rules, get to know our staff and find out what the next three months was going to look like for us. Saturday I turned 24 and I was greeted early in the morning by a handful of girls singing “Happy Birthday” to me, a friend that I had met a few months before I moved to KC made me a cake and over 100 people later in the day sang to me again. I received over 20 Birthday cards from my church family back home and was honestly so blessed by everyone!

7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Five days a week we are in training and our weekends vary week to week. Our days start with breakfast at 7:00 a.m. Base cleaning from 8:00-8:30, worship at 8:45 and Lecture for three hours, Lunch @ 12:00 and then off to work duty…. (I have work duty in the evenings so I get 2 solid hours of “off time” where I work on my homework, clean my room or do laundry)….then IHOP, Support Raising class, Bible Study or Intercession from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.,Dinner right at 5:00 and then work duty following until 7:00 p.m.then we move onto Outreach, Church Gatherings, or Worship nights. My days are literally filled with fellowship, Worship, Jesus and constant learning and growing. 

This past week we tackled the topic on "Hearing the Voice of God" and everyone of us had crazy breakthrough! Our last class on Friday we went through some lies that we believed had shaped us from the beginning, we then asked the Lord what the truth to that lie was and asked Him to reveal to us how we took it on ourselves and made it apart of our identity.....Then we asked the Lord to speak truth to all those things based on the lie that we believed. I can't even begin to put into words the amount of freedom I felt in my heart after I just let it all out.

This is a picture of me doing my truth declarations in front of my whole class!!

Friday afternoon, the BIG reveal happened! We found out who our teams were and where we would be going on Outreach! I am on a team with 20 fiery, passionate lovers of Jesus, who long to make His name known!!! 

We will be going to INDIA!!!!!!!!!

For the first time ever we will be taking ALL of our DTS students to the same location! We will be going for 11 weeks, and all 86+ students will be going. For three weeks we will all be ministering together and then we will be sent out to different parts of the country with our individual teams.  More information is to come, but please join with me in prayer as I continue to prepare for this nation. Pray that doors will be open for radical encounters where people come to know Jesus as the ONE true God, that there would be hearts that are healed and that hearts would be softened to all that the Lord wants to do! Please keep my team in your prayers as well!!!

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying " Whom shall I send? And who will go for us"
And I said, "Here am I, send me!"
Isaiah 6:8  

The times they are a changing

As most of you know, in June I went on a trip with Burn 24\7 called the Burn Wagon. The Burgn Wagon is a 3 week long trip that takes you across a part of America uniteing with different church bodies and bringing prayer and worship to cities igniting them with passion to pursue the King harder then ever to make His name famous!

While on this trip I learned a few things about myself that I didn't even know needed healing. Places of my heart that I had just accepted would never change or didn't want to change because it would be to painful to go to that place.   Not knowing what to expect on this trip and having no real expectations of what the Lord was going to do I basically just told the Lord to have His way and do whatever He wanted to do within me. 

After being loved uncomfortably for three weeks and having amazing leaders who helped walk with me through this journey I felt like even tough there was so much breakthrough I knew there was even more that the Lord wanted to do within me!

Fast forward to June 24th, I am sitting in the Philadelphia airport waiting for my plane to board. Choking back tears while the realization hits me that I have just left 7 of the most amazing beautiful souls that have impacted my life in a way they will never understand and the Lord speaks to me. 

" Alyssa, I always want to be on an adventure with you"  my response is quit simple..." Okay, Lord! I want to be on an adventure with you too" I am starting to think that I have no idea where he is going with this conversation... " You see, you relate traveling to adventure but even when you aren't traveling I still want to be going on adventures with you"  Well that's easy. "Well, what's next Lord?!?" I ask in anticipation with great excitement in my heart! All I hear is "YWAM" .....ummm what! "Lord, I think you are forgetting that I have made a commitment to work this coming school year, I already told Jess that I would work for her this coming school year. I can't go to YWAM" The arguing begins. 

I explain to the Lord in great detail all the reasons why I can't go to YWAM....I know He listens to them all but you see this has been a long time coming. I have always had a heart that dreams of living in a third world country, taking care of many babies and children and loving on the locals sharing with them the love of Jesus. I just never thought it would be now. I never even though that it would be happening in my 20's while I am still trying to figure out who I am, and also while I am still single. I had this idea in my head that I would marry the man of my dreams, we would have a few kids and then the Lord would send our little family out into the mission field.  So again, I tell the Lord I can't do this. All the other things didn't really matter but this commitment I had made was one I was not willing to break.

I arrive in Boston an hour later and turn my phone back on. The text message I receive literally had me laughing out loud. I get a message from Jess apologizing to me and letting me know that they will no longer need me because she is going to stay at home with the kids due to a series of events had taken place while I was on the Burn Wagon. I was shocked, stunned, absolutely flabbergasted that the one excuse that I had thrown at the Lord was no longer an excuse anymore. YWAM was beginning to become more of a reality then I wanted it too.  I was scared about telling everyone back home, leaving this amazing family that I have had for the past three years, unsure if I would even return back to Maine. I prayed about it and processed with a few trusted people in my life. Everyone was encouraging me to go, and so I began the application process.

 With lots of prayer I chose three different locations to pray about. Harrisburg, PA. No. Tyler, Texas. No. Kansas City, Missouri.....Silence. No answer. Nothing. I prayed about it some more and felt peace, so I started applying to Kansas City. Not that Kansas City isn't great...but the middle of America, really?!? I was so confused! I met with more people, asked people to join me in prayer. If it was meant to be the Lord would open the doors, if it wasn't meant to be I would settle back into Maine and begin to ask the Lord what it was He wanted me to do here.

After over a month of waiting, and praying, and trusting. I got the news yesterday. I have been accepted the into YWAM Kansas City Fall DTS!!!! I am so beyond excited! I have 5 more weeks in Maine till I begin my new adventure in life!!! Please join me in praying for a smooth transition, and that everything goes well with the drive out, medical forms, packing, and saying goodbye to all my lovely friends and family!!!

All for Him,
Alyssa

Transformation Tuesday

How crazy is it that I am on the road, traveling to different cities and states sharing the love of Jesus and today June 17th, is my 10 year "birthday" with Jesus!!! Oh, how faithful is He?!? 

Goodness, who is like Him in all the earth?!?

Above is a map of our different stops, today we are blazing in Gainesville, FL! We have been on the road for two weeks tomorrow and have seen so much fruit on the streets but also personal breakthrough! I blogged a story about a testimony from NOLA so be sure to read that.

 These two pictures go hand in hand. The outside of our van and the 8 family members who blaze together. These people have seriously impacts my life in such a crazy way, there are really no words for it. Healing pieces of my heart, loving on me with no limits or strings, encouraging me to step out into my gifts that have been pushed to the side for years and enjoying all my Gluten Free food with me :) Oh what joy they bring to my heart! I am not looking forward to our good-byes. Thankful for life long bonds that have been formed!

Below is a picture of some beautiful bridges we crossed driving through Alabama in a big rain storm! One of our songs that has litteraly been our war cry is "Let it rain" and every stop, we have seen the fruit of this song not only in the natural but the spiritual realm!! God is on the move and He is in a good mood. He is delighting in the praises of His people, and His love is reigning down over every place we set foot.

I have so much to share but not enough time to sit and write! Keep your eyes peeled for more updates :)

Restored Identity

A story from New Orleans, LA

Even though the rest of the world has moved along, hundreds of individuals are still putting the pieces of their life back together. Nine years later people are still without homes, jobs, personal belongings and even some are still considered "missing people" or even "dead". During the storm papers were lost and so the fight to prove their identity has been a nightmare in and of it's self.

The following is a story about a sweet man named William. William approached where we were worshipping with a can of soda and a plastic bag with his belongings. This man is a survivor and a fighter. He knows what it's like to have nothing, yet still have joy. He knows what true sacrifice is and trusting that everything is going to work out.  After making simple conversation with William he began to tell my teammate and I the heart breaking story of how he has no identity and that he is not the only one that is going through this. The government has listed him as " deceased" and because he lost his Social Security Card in the flood he has no proof that He is really who he says that he is and can not get work because of this.

With this information in hand it was time to go to prayer. We asked and he agreed that we could!  During this time, William received a phone call and asked that we be quick because he had to get somewhere. As we began to declare blessings over this man and speak life and Identity into him, his countenance began to change. He started to really grasp and take hold of the truth that He is valued, accepted, loved, wanted and he does have a purpose!! After I had given him a word of encouragement and we finished praying he looked up with a huge grin on his face and told us we were an answer to his prayer!

That phone call he had gotten earlier, was a call from a lady that had some work around her house that he could do to earn some money for food and bills. He told us that he had been praying and asking the Lord  for a job right before he had stopped to watch us worship. Talk about the power of prayer!! We said our goodbyes, hugged him and along he went just as he came with a spring in his step!

Talk about the faithfulness of God! He is so good!



"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened."

Matthew 7:7-8

It's not about me!

Okay! Another goodie before the night is over! I wrote this back in 2009 on my Facebook notes! So good I couldn't help but share....



Yes.. You read the title right… its NOT about me. My life…. This note…. Its not about me. It's not even about you. Everything.. Absolutely everything is all about HIM. 

Okay.. So.. In these past few months I've learned many things. I've learned that change is inevitable. No matter how much you and I don't like it… its true. I've learned that great times come hand in hand with sad ones. I've learned that sometimes you just have to let people go. I've learned that country music isn't quite so bad.hehe. Most importantly I've learned that this life isn't about me. 

My existence on this Earth is nothing more than to Reflect God's Glory… to give honor to HIS name. And that's not just my job, it's the whole human race's job. Paul wrote… "So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." (2Corinthians 3:18). We should be like a mirror. We should behold God so greatly that we can't help but reflect Him. And "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1Corinthians 10:31). Everything we do.. Everything that happens to us.. Absolutely everything is for God. "Let your light shine before men, so they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:17). 

Even our struggles are for the glory of God. 
"These sufferings of ours are for your benefit. And the more of you who are won to Christ, the more there are to thank him for his great kindness, and the more the Lord is glorified." (2corinthians 4:15). 
That was probably the hardest thing for me to grasp to be completely honest. I have been on this emotional rollercoaster these past few months. And that's one roller coaster that I absolutely hate. it's the kind of roller coaster that hurts. That jerks your head so hard that when you get off you have a major headache and feel really dizzy.. Except for me.. It seemed like the ride was never going to end. Until God opened the eyes of my heart. Have you ever thought about your pain having a purpose? All of your problems, struggles, broken hearts, and all the seemingly meaningless hassles do have a purpose.. They are for the Glory of God. 
God says…"Trust me in your times of trouble, I will rescue you, and you will give me glory" (Psalm 50:15). 
Do you think there is any chance…a slight possibility that God has selected YOU to struggle for His glory? 
The bible DOES say…"There's far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting" (Philippians 1:29). 
When I started thinking of my "pain" in this way.. It completely changed my outlook. I mean.. all of us have 2 options during these bad times.. you can either complain about them and let them control your life.. Making you completely miserable along with everyone around you (which was EXACTLY what I was doing)…OR…You can take the bad things in life and try to see the good God can bring out of them or maybe see what you can do to make the glory of God shine even brighter…use it. Use it for the glory of God. 

And think about it.. A season of suffering seems super duper small and insignificant compared to the reward. 
One of the guys I really really admire in the Bible is Paul. He wrote in 2Corinthians 4:17.. That "this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble." By the time Paul wrote that… he has already "been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea" He also had been exposed to cold, attacks, hunger, and thirst. And to think he calls all THAT light afflictions to be endured for a moment. Why can't we see our troubles like this. Like a little grain of sand that can't even be compared to the forever dunes that awaits us :) 

A lot of times whenever I have bad days… its because of my completely selfish worries. What is there to worry about? God is in complete control of everything. Worry basically means divided mind. Our thoughts are split between today and tomorrow/ present and future. God knows what you'll need and where you'll be. Trust Him. I know from experience that worry does NOT take away tomorrow's sorrows. All it does it take away our strength that we need to help get us through today. Not only is worry wrong… it is downright unbelief. worrying means we do not believe that God can look after the practical details of our lives. It's disrespectful. 
Right now… we are pretty freakin blind to the good things in our life by the seemingly TERRIBLE things that happen. We feel like we are suffering and we feel like we are incredibly alone… But all the while God is holding us close, smiling down on us, wanting us to experience His blessings and His perfect plan for our lives and hoping we are aware of His love. 

Good ole Webster says that inevitable means impossible to avoid or prevent from happening. Which basically means… no control. None of us have any control on the inevitable. But seriously… do you really think we need control of what happens to us? "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28). God is in complete control… all we need to do is have faith. Great times come hand in hand with sad ones. That goes along with the "inevitable change." Yes its true… we can be on top of the world one week… and then feel like life is crashing down on us the next week. Have faith. Press forward… God will always get you through it… no matter how hard it seems. With inevitable change… comes the fact that we just need to let people go sometimes. 
 How relationships change over time as we are being pulled into sometimes completely opposite directions. I'm sure I'm not the only one that has experienced this… its one of those inevitable changes. But in order to keep living… to keep becoming who you are… you just have to let go… and let God. As time passes… people move on… relationships change… but even though we may have to let go of a person's presence… or nearness… it definitely doesn't mean we have to let go of the precious memories with those people that God blessed us with… or the love you have for those people. God had or still has a reason for me meeting those incredible people… nothing is coincidence… everything is God. Instead of being upset that I don't get to have those people near me anymore… I need to THANK HIM for putting them in our lives in the first place. And I have no doubts that God will continue to put amazing people into my life… as long as a continue to follow him… obey him… put HIM first in my life. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). God gives and he also takes away. But through it all I need to reflect God's glory no matter what… because this life isn't about my happiness. It isn't about whether I have amazing friends around me all the time… or my the love of my life holding my hand… this life isn't about me… it isn't about you… its all about HIM. 

I read this the other day and I found it so interesting… 
"During the Friday of Sufferings… Jesus spoke 13 times. 10 of those remarks were to or about God. Nearly 80% of his comments were to Heaven. Jesus talked or thought about God all day long." 
Okay so…the next time you have a "season of Fridays" ask yourself… "does God consume 80% of my thoughts?" 

Anyone can make it through change by pondering God's permanence… Anyone can survive rejection by meditating on God's acceptance. "Think about the things of Heaven, not the things of Earth" (Colossians 3:2). "For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever" (2 Corinthians 4:18) 
God's solution is a prayer away 
"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (1 Peter 5:7) 

Gosh, I didn't realize how much I had written until now. It's just that God has been speaking to me this past week oh so much. And this is just what has been on my heart. I have no idea if anyone is even reading this… and quite honestly… I'm not worried about it ;) haha. Anyways… I do know that this was written merely for the glory of God. I still struggle with these issues… and it seems like the more I keep my mind on it… the more I talk about it… the more I tell others about it… the simpler it gets to deal with. For those of you who DID read this… I pray that you got something out of it… and didn't feel it was a waste of time to read.

Thankfulness

I haven't blogged in over two years, my life has been full, filled with joy and sorrow. Good days and a few bad in between. I believe I was in a season of blogging, but for my own personal eyes to see. It's what I like to call journaling. I filled over 2 journals in the past two years, and most of my pages haven been filled with pages of healing and promises from the Lord that I was longing to see fulfilled. I will fill you all in warp speed about what has happened in the past 27 months!

November 2011, I  moved to Waterville to become an active member in a church now known as Kingdom Life Church. I got my first apartment in December and a few jobs to boot. I rang in the new year with some amazing new friends, and I became convinced that ringing in the New Year praising the Lord was the way too do it.

January 2012 I was in full swing of two new jobs, I was actively taking part at my church, and  I was knee deep in the Leadership Development Program that took place here at "Crave". The end of February my best friend moved up and moved into my sweet, cozy apartment. March came and I thought I found love, I later was pleasantly surprised that he was not the man for me. Spring came, I got freedom in a lot of areas of my life, I would say the day in May is my "Third Birthday". You see we all have the day which we celebrate the day when we entered this world, then when we are "born again" we have what I call my "Second Birthday" or what other like to call it "New beginning's Day" and then I have my third "Birthday" the day which the Lord came in and spoke right to my heart how much he loves me, cares for me, and so graciously took out all the yuck from my heart and gave me a new one, delivered me from all my fears, and whispered dreams back into my heart again. He gave me life!! Summer came and went, it was one full of roof-top tanning sessions, trips to the lake since I no longer live near the coast, and lot's of Ice Cream!!

The end of summer began quickly approaching and the Lord reminded me of my dream to go to the Nations and tell everyone of his wondrous love....September 13th 2012, I boarded the plane to head to Israel and later on Turkey. I was excited but so nervous at the same time! My journey was life changing to say the least and that is for a whole other blog :) Here are a few pictures of my journey there!

                                       
                                                       Sarah and I at the Sea of Galilee

Part of our team at the Wailing Wall....This is the Wall the Jews pray at.

Our day off before flying to Turkey we went too Tel Aviv, and swam in the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea in Turkey!

 I conquered Masada!! One of the hardest hikes I have ever accomplished and because it was sooo hot and we were in the middle of the desert, our water quickly became very warm so it was grueling!

Returning home from my 2 week trip  October was right around the corner. I celebrated my 22nd birthday, my good friends wedding, and Beth and I got a new roommate! I interviewed for my dream job as a High School Cheering Coach, and landed the gig! Fall was over in the blink of an eye and into Winter I ran. November and December were full of firsts for me. I started my job as a cheering coach, I coached my first High School Varsity practice, made it through my first Home basketball game, created my very own competition routine with the help of a few precious gems in the cheer world, and got pulled over for the first time since having my license! ( Not so fun part! But I didn't get a ticket, probably because I was in full blown hysteria)

I rang in 2013 quite differently then I had 2012 and after that I was determined to see changes in my life and the people around me. Well as it goes, that is usually never the case with me haha I finished my First Season as a cheering coach, I ultimately became jobless and trusted that the Lord would provide for my needs. He did! I was hired at Home Depot and then during the summer took a job as a nanny a few days a week. The end of the summer came and I was asked to take over as the director of the Youth Cheering Program. I happily agreed and coached 7th and 8th graders, 11 amazing Middle Schoolers to be exact. As we neared another October, I headed off to Canada for the first time ever....get that! I am a born and raised Mainer and had NEVER been to Canada! I celebrated my birthday with some amazing people and then a day later celebrated the marriage of two great friends!!

 I was in my first bicycle accident, and I got to take my second trip in an ambulance. Case still waiting to be solved!

Due to my accident, I had to leave my job at Home Depot but the lord came through and provided me with a job within the same week. I get to teach two amazing children about the Lord daily and it is seriously one of the most rewarding jobs I have ever obtained. Towards the end of last year I attended the Love Project in Salem, Massachusets  and once again was blown away and rocked by the fiery love and passion that God has for His children! November came and I decided I would write something for every day in the month of November about what I was just simply thankful for. I will share those in another blog as well! December was a whirlwind of events as well, (kind of a pattern, aye?) I conducted my first kids play at church, started and very quickly ended my cheering season as a coach, attended a Fancy Banquet, got iced in at a friends house for two days and had a much needed "Vacation", Went to the movies for the first time in over two years, and many more things!! 

2013 has gone and we are now in a year of New Beginnings! I have my goals set and am determined to accomplish them with the help of my friends and family. This year has already started out great and I am soo excited for what the Lord is doing! Stay tuned for some exciting news about what I will be doing this summer!

Much Love,

Alyssa

Falling into the arms of Grace

On Wednesday as I was making my way downstairs for bed, I fell into a slight problem... Literally. As I tumbled down those 10 steps, at 11:30 pm might I add, I landed shockingly at the bottom out of breath, in pain, and on the verge of tears. As I sat there trying to catch my breath, I was angered by the fact that I fell first of all, and secondly that I had probably made enough ruckus to wake the whole house up!


I sat there for about ten minutes while the pain and tears set in and I had too do this all in silence,  just to make sure the house was still asleep. Thankfully it was, (Dog and all) and I was left to fend for myself. (Although I am sure if my friends had heard me they would have come running) but nope, Silence!


A few days later, as I am recovering from the fall the Lord has been teaching me a lesson in all of this. That even when we fall, He is there to pick up the broken pieces. Sitting on those steps that night tears streaming down my face, I would have never thought there would be a lesson in all of this. 
You know, I feel like I have messed up so much in this life that I don't even deserve to be picked back up. I think to myself often, "How am I even still here? How do I still have all that I need, when I could have nothing?" I have fallen so many times but He still loves me. He loves me so much that He will keep picking me back up until my very last breath here on this Earth. Why? Because He wants the best for me, He wants my dreams to become a reality, He wants to see me soar and walk in all that I have been called too do, He wants to see me succeed, and you know what? He wants the same for YOU!!


The Lord has been showing me that He will NEVER leave me, and NEVER forsake me. Thats a promise to you too!! His word promises in Hebrews 13:5 " Never will I leave you, Never will I forsake you." NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!
So be encouraged, even in your darkest hours when it seems as though all hope is gone and there is no one who really cares... You, yes YOU, have the strongest, most amazing daddy God standing right nest to you. Picking you back up, brushing off the dust and dirt and calling life back into your very existence and all that He has created you to be!!

So friends, Be encouraged! That even when you fall, mess up, make mistakes. The Lord is there waiting for you.. He wants the very best for you...Royalty Sons and Daughters!!