The film's purpose is to give viewers practical help and advice on good communication, and communication skills between a husband and wife in a way that both parties can find mutual "understanding".    

Bernar Verber once said: "Between What I think, What I want to say, What I think I said, What I have really said, What you want to hear, What you think you hear, What you really hear, What you want to understand, and Understanding, there are 9 ways to be misunderstood".

To gain real understanding and insight takes time and effort. The Gerasimyuk family have shared their secrets on how they manage this sphere of their marriage, and their story is the bases for this film, "Understanding". 

The film is recommended for married couples, but it would also be helpful for any who has relationship with people of the opposite sex. 

The first episode of this series, "Love" is available for free on the Internet. According to the YouTube Analytics, the version with English subtitles has been watched in 102 countries worldwide. The greatest hits were in Brazil, India, USA, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.

The premiere release of this next film is scheduled for "Valentine's Day" (February 14th). 

The team focused their mission on children. Team leader, Miranda Tollenaar reports, "Why glasses and why children? Because glasses can prevent accidents, improve the eduction and the employment & salary prospects of children when they grow up."

Miranda continues, "Not only were we able to make a difference in the lives of the patients we served, they also left a deep impression on our team. We can't and won't forget them - the children, the taxi driver for whom clear sight was very significant and the man who told us, after receiving a pair of reading glasses, that he can finally read his Bible again." 

The project slogan, "a small act can make a big impact" proved correct. With that in mind, YWAM Heidebeek has committed to return to the area and continue the "Eye Wave" project and give help to children with poor vision in South Africa.

For more information on how you can be a part of this project, please contact YWAM Heidebeek at: www.ywamheidebeek.org

This picture of Angel, wearing her glasses in school, is taken by Ray Samson.

There are a number of tests and indicators that can be used to identify strengths.  A popular one is strengthfinder, which is put out by the 'gallop organisation.'  You can fill out the questionnaire on line and it identifies your five major strengths in how you function and interact with the world as an individual.  Mine would include words like Maximiser: I like to take a vision, work on it, develop it and tweak it so that it becomes the best it can be.  Achiever: For me this means that every day, even on days off, I have a need to accomplish something.  Arranger: l love to arrange things - give me a whole host of items to put in a suitcase, topics and issues for a conference, possibilities for a project and I will organise and arrange them so that it all works together.   It is taking the complex and chaos and bringing order.  Learner:  I love learning - give me input!  Without it I dry up.  Focus:  I have the ability to focus and see what's important, gear my energies and attention to see something come about that requires concentration.  Its helpful to know what you can do and the strengths you bring to the team.  Do the test yourself and discover more about yourself.   

When I was a national leader in Scotland back in the 80's, I was part of the UK leadership team.  Lynn Green was chairing the team at the time and I received so much encouragement from being there.  In 1990 he invited me to take on this UK role.  In response my question was, "What strengths are you looking for?"  As I compared myself to Lynn I realised I was very different in makeup and gifting.  I continued to say, "I'm not a charismatic leader, I'm not a good orator, I'm not a wild visionary leader but I can build team and facilitate visionary development."  To cut a long story short I got the job.  We need to know what we can do and what we can't do.  

Staffing by strength: One day Jesus stepped into Peter's boat and rocked his world.  Peter was a fisherman, who knew his trade well.  Peter had experienced a fruitless night of fishing and Jesus asked him to launch out into the deep water once again.  Having swallowed his pride, Peter set out and experienced an amazing catch of fish.  Jesus turned to Peter and said, "I will make you a fisher of men."  Jesus saw Peter's strength of gathering people and his gift of verbal communication and prophetically called him forth into his ministry of being a leader and evangelist.  He had all kinds of weaknesses and needed discipleship but Jesus looked at his strengths first. 

Barnabas needed a co-worker and thought of Saul, who was known as a murderer, a trouble-maker and one who'd stirred up the crowds even as a new believer and had to be smuggled out of the city.  Saul was outspoken and some found him very difficult to handle.  This was the guy that came to Barnabas's mind but he chose to think of his strengths: single-minded, courageous, visionary, verbally articulate and very passionate for the growth of the church.  So he recruited him and worked on his weaknesses as they went. 

How do we see ourselves?  How do we see others?  Do we see the potential and strengths?  Or do others weaknesses disqualify them in our eyes?

To identify my strengths, it may help to answer the following questions: How have others encouraged me in my leadership?  What comes easily to me in my leadership roles?  What aspect of leadership do I enjoy?  What do I gravitate to in my leadership?  Where do I experience an anointing in my leadership?

2. Weaknesses - we all have them: We don't usually look for tests to discover our weaknesses but tests we take to reveal strengths, personality, and gifting also show by implication what you are not so good at.   Here is a challenge for you:  Take a few minutes and write down 5 strengths and 5 weaknesses that you are very aware of right now.

Don't read on until you have thought of some strengths and weaknesses!  So stop and think.  

Which came easier?  Hmmm.  Does that tell you anything?  

It's important that we are aware of weaknesses and we do need to work on them but not to the extent that our strengths aren't progressing.  There is a need to bring damage control to our lives so that our weaknesses aren't hurting anyone, ourselves included.  However it is important to note that our strengths pushed to an extreme become weaknesses.  

-  Decisiveness becomes impatient or unilateral decision making

-  Getting things done becomes insensitive to others

-  Caution becomes road blocking

-  Enthusiasm becomes manipulation

-  Loyalty and support become conformity

-  Orderliness becomes perfectionism

So its good to remember that our strengths need to be linked with the strengths of others, so our strength doesn't move into weakness. 

Staffing our weakness: Let's observe those who have strengths in the area of our own weaknesses and then invite them to join us.  When I took on the leadership of YWAM Scotland, the first person I looked for was someone who was more pastoral than I was.  The leader who I recruited and worked with me in this role was such a complement to me.  It was like he had a sign on his forehead, "Come and pour out your heart to me" because that's what people did.  I also needed others who were more detailed than I was and who could plan projects, organise finances, generally administrate the work and establish management structures. 

There are different kinds of weakness in personality.  For instance in Myers Briggs, the way we perceive or experience the world is called either "sensing" or "intuition".  The way we decide is called, 'thinking' or 'feeling'. In Myers Briggs theory these four traits are put into an order of strength in each personality known as dominant, auxiliary, tertiary and inferior.  If your dominant is 'thinking', your inferior will be 'feeling'.  These inferior areas or weaknesses are seen as areas that need growth.  Maturity means therefore that we can respond in all four functions in the appropriate way, depending on what is required.  

3. Limitations - we all have them: We might aspire to be a superman or superwoman but unfortunately we are limited to be mere mortals.  Even in our areas of strength, we have certain capacities and if we're not sure where that boundary line is, we can be in danger.  In a leadership team meeting some years ago, the question was asked, 'How are you doing generally in life and relationships?"  The response given was 'I'm fine'.  Everyone was fine, including me.  A few weeks later one of the leaders had to take 6 months out of ministry, due to burn out.  So what was going on when that question was being asked?  Was the leader lying?  No, he was just not aware of his limitations.  

The other day I was talking to a friend and I mentioned that I hadn't been sleeping well.  He asked further questions, which drew out the fact that I was in an extremely busy season, with a number of the hats I wear converging at the same time.  This meant it was a more stressful season for me than normal.  The difficulty is that stress isn't always felt initially.  It creeps up on us.  Only when we list down the issues that we are carrying do we begin to understand and have an awareness of what is going on and then perhaps feel the stress a little more.  So in response to this revelation of the amount of stress I was under, I wrote a prayer of release to pray daily.  I recognised that I actively need to let go of trying to control everything and find solutions.  I had reached my limit - the danger point.  I needed to know my capacity.  

These are some questions I can ask myself: How many balls can I juggle in the air at any one time?  How many relationships can I maintain?  How much time away is manageable and is there grace for?  How many hats or roles can I wear in any season?  How much time can I serve in my 'minor' area of ministry without being released into my 'major' area?  When we know our limitations, it's up to us to create the boundary lines and keep to them.  

4. Blind spots - we all have them:  I was driving along the main road in town last week when a driver pulled out right in front of me.  We both slammed on the brakes and he apologised profusely.  Somehow I was in his blind spot and he hadn't seen me coming.  Blind spots are dangerous and life threatening.  When you are driving, looking in the side mirror to see if anything is coming just isn't good enough.  We need to turn our heads and look clearly over our shoulder to see the full view of the road.  Often when backing out I need someone in the back seat to let me know if it's clear to go.  In order to overcome our blind spots, we need others help and feedback.  Fortunately others can often see where we are blind!  The problem is that our cultures often don't encourage feedback and so without asking and pressing for input we don't receive it. 

I was recently watching 'American idol' on TV.  It is a programme where a team of experts in singing and performance, audition acts to appear on the show.  It was so embarrassing.  The poor guy auditioning was tone deaf and couldn't sing in tune but he was so pumped up and believed he was the best thing going.  His family was also there watching and cheering him on.  I guess you'd have to call this a deaf spot!  

Here's a challenge for you.  What blind spots have been pointed out or have you discovered over this last year?  Here are a few that I have become aware of (of course there are others that I am still blind to - that's why I need people close to me to point them out in a loving way):

-  As an introvert, everything is sorted in my head and I think I have communicated clearly but feedback tells me that I haven't!

-  I have a limited vocabulary of emotional intelligence.  I feel good, bad or ugly - which means I have blind spots in terms of labelling my personal expression of emotion and understanding the emotions of others.

-  I am generally over optimistic in terms of what I believe I can squeeze into a week sometimes with negative results.

-  Sometimes I am not aware of how stressed I am and it often takes someone else to point out that I need to take a break or slow down.  (something that I don't really like doing!)

So here are four dimensions that make up who we are - strengths, weaknesses, limitations and blind spots.  The more we grow in understanding of these dimensions, the greater will be our ability to work effectively in team.  The more aware we are of these four areas, the more we can maximise strengths, choose jobs that are fulfilling, staff our weaknesses, live with less stress, and generally be a better leader. 

Happy discoveries.

A couple weeks later, Marko finally asked who Chris' enemy was and started asking more and more questions. This opened the door to Chris being able to share more and more about Jesus and the Christian faith. The friendship grew over time and Marko joined a trip to another YWAM location in Romania. He came back emotionally moved by a very young child named, Sybil, whom he met there and the state of her poverty stricken life.

One day he decided he wanted to pray for Sybil, but had no words to express his feelings. He didn't know how to pray. Not long after, Marko made the decision to believe Jesus and give his life over to him. Since his decision, Chris and Mirjam have walked side by side Marko as he continues to explore the foundations of Christianity.

He has since put words to his prayers and now participates in the YWAM community the Klop's have pioneered. Mirjam credits Chris' ability to bring God into any conversation as the reason they've been witness to Marko's recent conversion. In the last year they have also seen another young man come to know Jesus.

The Klop's are working towards establishing a fellowship group in their area and will be running a DTS this September. They will also continue to disciple these young men simultaneously!

From Joost's understanding, YWAM Europe is seeking new opportunities and new ways of ministering to match the changing current of culture and young people. One of the possibilities some bases are exploring is ministering to students beyond DTS training and meeting them at a local level within their University environments. 

In the last 10 years, Navigators has experienced significant growth in Holland, going from 600 students to over 3000; from 10 cities to 15; 1 staff member to 40. In this same time period Navigators ministries in countries around Holland have been struggling to survive and are declining in some areas. So one has to ask, what's happening in Holland? Why is there so much fruit there? 

Joost was invited to share his experience with the YWAM European leaders as a source of encouragement. Within Navigators, there was definitely a time of struggle and questioning in the 90's. Overall people had become non-responsive to the Gospel and the way Navigators had been approaching them. This has been slowly changing with the fresh thinking they have used to meet students where they're at and share the Gospel in a more intentional and relevant way.

Potential partnerships between Navigators and YWAM could be seen in the future. There are YWAMers who have the desire to or are already pursuing new ways of reaching students. Perhaps Navigators can help facilitate that for YWAM. Joost has been blessed himself by mentorship from a YWAM leader in Holland over the years. He has taken much away from those times and has planted some of it back into the Navigators ministry. 

There are many challenges and points to consider when investing in student ministry. YWAM leaders and their teams must discern who the students are, where they are at -- how they think and feel. The methods that have been used in the past are no longer relevant to this generation. They are wired differently. That is the challenge - really understanding what their questions and needs are. We must find ways of bringing the truth of Jesus and the Gospel to where the students are. It needs to apply to their current lives so that they can truly connect to the message.

What does a missionary look like in 2011? YWAM has a strong desire to recruit young people in for short term missions and then onto long term missions. Which is a wonderful thing, but Joost believes that maybe 90% of people are not called to missions abroad but rather at home within each sphere of society - family, business, university, etc. If one wishes to pioneer a student ministry on a local level, he feels the goal should be broader. Asking how students can be fruitful disciples at home and not just full-time overseas, answers questions of how to combine their faith and desire to serve the Lord with where they are living or studying. Joost feels this approach really illuminates what Kingdom living is all about and is essential so that we don't compartmentalize the sacred and secular aspects of their lives. 

Joost shared his experience and opinions at the 2011 European Leadership Gathering in Budapest. He lives in Holland with his wife Josephine and 3 daughters and foster daughter. Much of his spiritual upbringing was through the ministry of the Vineyard, YWAM and Soul Survivor. He has a passion for young people being restored into their identity as sons and daughters of their heavenly Father and finding their destiny in Him. He longs to see them equipped to lead and be fruitful among the brokenness and confusion of modern society. 

For more information on the Navigators ministry in Holland: www.navigatorsstudenten.nl

Written for ywam.eu by Stephanie Green

I often find myself tapping my foot to the music in a shop, strumming my fingers on my jeans or humming along to the song playing.  I am sure you do it too.  As you listen you get into the flow of the beat and find yourself moving in rhythm with the music.  I am a musician myself and I can remember times when I have been playing the piano and someone is playing the guitar with a different rhythm.  I was playing in ¾ time and they were playing in something quite different - it doesn't work and you have to stop playing and communicate a clear beat.

New Year's eve found us as a family in a Spanish town, close to where we live and the whole population was on the streets to celebrate with twelve grapes in hand at midnight! (the custom in Spain to eat a grape on the sound of each chime at midnight)  The town square was packed out and the bands playing were definitely in rhythm together and everyone was moving in time with the music and soaking up the fun atmosphere.  Everyone was bouncing in rhythm.

Rhythm isn't so easy in YWAM is it?  Our lifestyle is such that every week is often different.  For me it's speaking in Ireland last week, hosting a retreat in Spain this week and leading a consultation in Hungary next week!  It is hard to be consistent every day, every week, every month with a routine.  However, if we are going to live healthy, fruitful lives, this is an issue we have to work out.  Without rhythm we won't last long. 

I was chatting to my twenty something kids the other week and we got talking about routines.  All three kids have an aspect of high I on the DISC along with my wife, although two of them are strong D's too.  So they are very different from me. Yet through our conversation we agreed that routine was important for each of us.  It fascinated me that someone who like constant change like my wife, who is motivated by the new thing and likes to think options and futures, but knows her need and even likes a routine. 

 

We all need that sense of stepping in the groove, not just enjoying the music but living our lives along with the beat.  When there's no groove, its like the music stops, we get stuck, there's no movement and we stop really living.   That's why we have to be so careful of holiday times, weekends, weeks away traveling and days off, because if we're not careful we will lose our rhythm or never get into one.

Rhythm of the day: You probably have a set routine in the morning that gets you going.  Perhaps not in the same order as me but it goes something like this.  Switch off the alarm, climb out of bed, and manoeuvre your way to the kitchen to make two cups of coffee (one for the wife) and bring it back to bed where we read out devotions and pray.  Then throw the dog a ball, that she's placed just nicely out of reach by the side of the bed, then off to the bathroom to try and clean up.  Brush teeth, shave (generally while sitting on the loo - no sense in wasting time!).  A quick shower, dress and upstairs  (yes its upstairs for us) to start the day.  Breakfast doesn't usually come until later in the morning in Spain having eaten late the night before.  Most of that can take place without too much thinking.  Why?  Rhythm!  We need that kind of rhythm in so many categories in our lives. 

The Rhythm of Jesus: Jesus had certain rhythms in his life during his ministry years that we can observe.  Early in the morning he would disappear from the house and wander in the mountains connecting with his father.  He also made sure he found priority time to spend with Peter, James and John, as well as in his home from home in Bethany with Mary, Martha and Lazarus.  Part of his rhythm while in Jerusalem was time in the garden of Gethsemane with his disciples.  That's why Judas knew where to find him on the night he betrayed him.  Perhaps that's why it didn't seem special to the rest of the disciples on the particular night that Jesus asked them to "watch and pray". 

Rhythm of prayer: Have you ever wondered why God doesn't speak to you more?  I was reading Acts 10 where Peter goes up on the roof of his house to pray.  And what do you know... God speaks a very important message to him regarding the Gentiles.  Did he have a significant word like that everyday?  No, probably not.  But because he had a rhythm he heard it when he needed to.  God could download a message to Peter because he had his attention on a regular basis.  God obviously takes every opportunity he can to speak to us, if we only listen once in a while.  But his desire is to communicate on a regular basis and for that we need routine.  

Daniel was a man devoted to God who had a pattern of praying three times a day.  Even in the midst of persecution where it was prohibited to pray to anyone other than the King, Daniel continued his prayers to the God of heaven.  He was seen praying and caught red-handed and had to suffer the consequences.  But of course we know the miraculous salvation from the Lions den.  This was a man who had a rhythm of prayer.

Rhythm of witnessing: Have you ever wondered why you haven't led more people to Jesus?  I have just read through the book of Acts and been fascinated by the salvation of Paul and his development into a major leader in the early church.  Everywhere he went he couldn't help himself but talk about Jesus.  Just as he was passionate about persecuting the Christians before his Damascus road experience, after his conversion he was passionate about sharing his faith.  Every opportunity that came his way he would speak - there was no fear of man, no holding back, no compromise.  He said, "woe unto me if I do not preach the gospel."  He had a daily rhythm of speaking about Jesus. 

Rhythm of reading: I started this year with the Murray M'Cheyne bible reading plan.  It takes you through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice in the year, with four passages everyday to read.  I have the blessing of a bible application on my phone that with one touch takes me to the next passage - very handy!  There was a connection with my phone and thinking bible, so whenever there was a spare few minutes, it was spent reading.  After a month, the habit was established and it is so easy to fulfill as an extra to my normal devotions.

Rhythms of life: Life needs some sense of order but not too much. It's getting the balance of on the one hand "predictability killing" life and on the other "chaos reigning."  If each new day has no shape to it at all, we lose a sense of priority and order.

I'm sure you have a routine of looking at emails!  As I open my computer, I've made a goal of half an hour of Spanish before I get into my emails (otherwise I never get back to it).  You probably have a rhythm for coffee breaks, and snacks (no better cut out the snacks!) and meals.  We each have a circle of friends, family and acquaintances.  How do we relate with them all and keep up? Certain people we see each week, each month, each year and others every blue moon. 

We need a rhythm for so many areas of our lives.  Why not make your own list right now....

Here are some of the aspects of my rhythm apart from my actual job role: 

As you look at your list, you probably have areas where the rhythm is flowing smoothly and other areas where it isn't.  Whenever we enter a transition, our rhythm can be upset and we need to sit down and come up with a plan to reset the rhythm.  Is there one category of life you feel needs growth?  What's set up in your schedule right now to develop that area?  When you think about it with no rhythm it will probably dwindle or plateau.  

Often we set goals in our lives to create a rhythm.  Once we are functioning well, then the goal has produced its result - a good rhythm.  Then the goal is not necessary any more as the new habit has become part of our lives.  In my experience, I need to check out how I am doing every 3 months along with the change of the season.  I call it my PDP or personal development plan.   If we are going to keep in step, and keep moving with the music, then its good to take a little time to work on our rhythm by setting some new goals. 

- A Celtic prayer.

This article is from Stephe Mayer's monthly leadership letter. If you would like to subscribe, please send an email to: 

Wednesday's sessions included input from the Regional leaders and interactive presentations on the concepts and models of pioneering in YWAM ministries. Questions such as the use of revelation vs. strategy to reach more of Europe and how bases can do things differently to pioneer more works from the local, national and regional levels were brought to the table for break-off groups to discuss. 

We heard many stories from some current pioneering works around the continent. For instance, YWAM Ireland was recently given a new property in Northern Ireland that is being pioneered as the national training centre for Ireland. In the Czech Republic a new community is being formed to reach out to the dark and broken places in the border towns. God's boundless provision led a Norwegian couple to begin a DTS just 6 weeks after moving into a new city. Many principles of pioneering such as hearing God's voice, stepping out in humility and courageous faith, emerged from each of these stories and many others that were shared throughout the day. Leaders were exhorted through the story of Caleb and Joshua from the Old Testament. Are they prepared to take on the "giants" around them in order to step into God's promises and experience multiplication in ministries?

Recognizing the different approaches to pioneering and sharing testimonies of how God is moving throughout the European Region was key in encouraging leaders to step out in greater faith, boldness and courage to embrace the fresh move of God throughout all of Europe. 

Afternoon workshops allowed leaders to explore pioneering in more specific ways and both formal and informal networking, prayer and worship times were weaved throughout the day.

On Thursday, leaders were brought together to focus on partnership. Input from current ministry, national and regional partnerships within YWAM encouraged other bases to form strategic links to expand their ministries if they have not already.

Interactive presentations and break-out sessions continued to dive deeper into the models, challenges and benefits of partnering. The Regional Leadership Team suggested a new approach by combining the Western/Central Regions and the Northern/Eastern Regions for an in depth discussion of potential links and support that they can offer each other. 

 

There are still dozens of major cities around Europe that are untapped by YWAM presence. The prayer, discussion and networking of the forum inspired new ideas for how to reach these cities. As Carmelita Clarke, the Central European Regional Leader put it -- God is weaving together a rich fabric here that we are going to be able to draw from in the future.

In his introduction to the week, Stephe Mayers said there's been a real sense that this is a pivotal time for YWAM in Europe. Bridges are meant to be formed to link the isolated, pioneering teams. There needs to be links to resources and other bases. The forum gave that time and space for pioneering leaders to connect their vision with others and move forward towards strategic planning and partnering in the future. 

According to Alyona, the project's producer, "this project is made because there is a great need in it. Many post-Soviet families lack information on how to build and sustain relationships within marriage. This project's goal is to reveal the true source of love, through which people would find strength, so that they could apply the principles of a family life and have a happy and a successful marriage."

"All members of our production team are totally devoted to this task," adds Sasha. "We believe that producing this series will help us and many other Christians in the Slavic world share about Jesus Himself with many people who are heart hardened and are rejecting Him."

Jesus said "go". So using this project they are "going" right into people's living rooms through TV and Internet.

Sasha and Alyona are the leaders of Family Ministries at the YWAM Lutsk base in Ukraine.

They are actively seeking those who are interested in investing finances into professional ukrainian production for families.

The production of the second episode in the series, which will focus on trust in family will start on March 1st, 2011. They need $3,000 before that date.

For more information, contact:

yukhymchuks@gmail.com

Facebook: Alyona Yukhymchuk

skype: sasha.alyona

phone: +38-050-987-7316

Any donations can be sent to:

For USA (US dollars):

YWAM, 501 Blacktail Road, Lakeside MT 59922

with a note on a separate piece of paper 'For Family Media Project Lutsk, Ukraine'

OR write Project #3598. Please, make checks payable to YWAM.

All gifts are tax-deductible.

Report 1 from 2010 GLT Meetings: 

(Click here to watch the first video report.)

YWAM's Global Leadership Team (GLT) began their first full day of meetings with an exhortation from Chairman Lynn Green to meditate on 2 Chronicles 5, in which Solomon prepares the Temple to receive the Ark of the Covenant.

"God wants to bring more of his presence into YWAM," said Lynn. "We need to prepare ourselves to become a fit habitation for the Lord."

Lynn also stressed the importance of "moving away from business world terms that do not define us" in day-long discussions about reorienting YWAM's leadership structure to respond more effectively to the word of the Lord and the challenges of a changing world.

Darlene Cunningham followed Lynn's remarks with a teaching on eldership. She reminded the GLT of our mission's mandate to individually and collectively seek the Lord rather than be dependent on structures. "This is not new. God has always led us this way," she said.

Next Danny Lehmann gave a significant message on unity called "a clear trumpet sound." He said that in taking on the role of International Dean of UofN's College of Christian Ministries, "I was to shoot for obedience in the following directives from the Word - that there are no divisions among you (1 Cor. 1) and that we be like minded ...having the same love...one in spirit...and intent on one purpose (Phil. 2)."

He said Loren has been emphasizing that YWAM is not called to a specific end times eschatology, that we are not called to settle theological controversies, and we are not a humanitarian organization (although we do humanitarian work). Danny challenged GLT members to use their authority as elders to feed, lead and protect the YWAM family. "This includes loving confrontation and warning to those who are blown here and there by every wind of teaching" (Eph. 4:4).

He encouraged fellow GLT members to hold our foundational values, which are our attempt to summarize the Words from the Lord to us over the years, so we'll be in unity and able to hear the Lord's trumpet sound.

The GLT meetings continue in Kona through Saturday. For video and written reports go to www.ywamlife.com

"Everything's news, we prowl and we slash; Everything's news, we offer you cash; News without mercy...news from the shadows...news on the doorstep, the truth as we know it is a headline away." Martyn Joseph

Anyone of us is truly stopped dead in our tracks when we hear a story that is powerful in it's simplicity and depth of meaning: A story of beauty, of grief, of purity. We know we have heard prophetic truth when the inner most parts of our thoughts and hearts are laid bare by someone unravelling the truth of their life. 

I haven't written anything for a couple of weeks. I have been a bit tired, and largely pre-occupied with the immediate demands of my life, having returned from a long holiday. Every time I start to write I find myself overwhelmed with a sense of nausea at the prospect of adding mere verbal methane to an environment already cluttered with the views and thoughts of so many "experts". It leaves me yearning to hear the voices of people who are genuine practitioners of an extraordinary life. That is why I bought Abraham Heschel's book, The Sabbath, while in America. It is why I spent a few minutes now re-reading the introductions to a couple of Aung Saan Suu Kyi's books, one of which I first read in the mid 90′s. There is something magical about reading the words of a Jewish Rabbi who has marched with Martin Luther King; or someone who has lived under house arrest for the best part of 15 years for standing up to an oppressive regime in Burma. There is something liberating about reading the words of Jesus interpreted by someone like N.T. Wright, when you know he isn't trying to use Jesus' words to cement his position of power.

Maybe I have just returned from America where the endless monotone of cable news is undoubtedly like a resounding gong, and a clanging cymbal. The seeds of paranoia are fed 24/7 by Fox News, but also by it's rivals. The consciousness of Americans every day are dulled by the relentless hum of stories that are lined up to reinforce the very subjective story line that is being pedaled by the powers that be. Hope and pain were rare in the News I saw. Hype, exaggeration, character assassination, and ratings consciousness was omnipresent.

In our information soaked virtual world, reflect on the words of Abraham Heschel where he writes in "The Sabbath", "The higher goal of spiritual living is not to amass a wealth of information, but to face sacred moments. In a religious experience, for example, it is not a thing that imposes itself on man but a spiritual presence...Spiritual life begins to decay when we fail to sense the grandeur of what is eternal in time."

Let us not pay attention to things that according to 1 Corinthinans 13, "will cease". Rather let us struggle to meditate on what will remain: "faith, hope, and love." Can we hear the still small voice of Jesus amidst the clammer of conspiracy theories, and sports results? Can we meditate on the tangible moments of beauty that we experience every day, and allow the "spiritual presence" to enfold us?

From the song "Lovers in a dangerous time", on the album "Stealing Beauty" by Bruce Cockburn

This post is being re-posted from Jonny Clark's blog: The Strawberry Hill

It is 6 months into YWAM Ireland's period as the focus nation for this region. What it means is that we are asking all YWAM teams around Western Europe to proactively pray about how they can partner with us in the next two years. It may be by prayer, it may be by a staff member coming to serve with us for a week to 6 months, it may be for a school outreach to come here for 1-8 weeks, or it may be for a staff team to come and serve with us.

The point is not just that we want more people to come and visit us here...the point is that we want to see new teams pioneered in the significant cities of Cork, Galway, Belfast, and Derry, while we simultaneously, want to see our new teams in Dublin, Banbridge and in Rostrevor resourced to become stronger and more productive. We want to channel people into these cities so that we can build our network there, build YWAM's presence there, and try to recruit people who will come back to pioneer new teams in those cities.

We will tell you in the next couple of months about opportunities for a joined up outreach to each of these cities in the next 18 months, but in the meantime I want to tell you about one tangible opportunity to get involved in helping us.

The Advent season leading up to Christmas is understood in traditional churches as a "little Lent". In other words, it is a season for fasting and preparation in expectancy of the feast to come. We want to take this Advent season, 28th November-25th December as a special time of fasting, prayer, and consecration for our new ministry "An Cuan" in Rostrevor. I want to invite you to consider coming here for a couple of days or a couple of weeks to pray and serve with us in An Cuan during this time. If you are interested and want to know further details, send us an email at registrar@ywamrostrevor.com.

We have already had 2 teams here in the past 2 months, and another team is coming next month. Apart from the Advent initiative please consider praying about how to invest in YWAM Ireland. You will see a small graphic of Ireland with stars on our focus cities. Why don't you consider printing it off and posting it in your base kitchen, office, prayer room, or lecture room (if you have one).

With plenary sessions or smaller break-out workshops on topics ranging from 3D Communication to writing, and from photography to web design, all the participants came away with more skills to carry out the challenge of communication. Simone Hofmann, from Germany said, "It was a great opportunity to network and come together. I loved the variety of lectures and workshops."

Also conveyed by the teachers, who were from among the top communicators in YWAM International, was the vision and heart needed to communicate more effectively. Meike Grafrer from Germany, with YWAM Lutsk, Ukraine: "The things you taught me are a great blessing to me and opened my eyes to the impact communication has on our daily lives. Thank you for helping me to have a more biblical worldview."

EuroCom is planning further ECWs in the future, in a location near you. And they come highly recommended: Florence Tsala from Cameroon, serving in the Netherlands said "It was a very inspiring time for me. I have tasted a bit of everything concerning communication. I will definitely encourage all YWAMers to attend this workshop. They will have no regrets."