Much to be Shared!

SO MUCH has happened with our journey to YWAM it's just crazy!  First off I would like to start off by saying that while we were in Kona visiting, we felt like the Lord said a third family would be coming with us and the Cottles.  I sensed it while we were there, Misty sensed it as well, and then to confirm our suspicions, a friend at church one Sunday morning informed us as he was praying for our families, the Lord had given him a vision of a third family from our church in Kona with us.  He said he saw us all gathered around a table in fellowship and full of joy and he clearly saw who the family was.  When I asked who it was, he said he wasn't suppose to tell me that part, that God would do His thing.  Well, of course for a while Misty and I tried to figure out who the third family was, but never did.  As months went on and it grew closer to leaving time, I honestly thought, 'well, I guess there won't be a third family.  Maybe we heard wrong.' Then BOOM again, so all of a sudden.  It was clear as day to this wonderful third family and to us that they were suppose to be with us in Kona.  So here we have it 3 (the number of completion) families going to DTS in just 9 weeks now!!!!

Ecclesiastes 4:12

New International Version (NIV)

¹² Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

 

Meet our newest family traveling with us on this amazing ride: We are so blessed to be in this with The amazingly servant-hearted Shocklee Family!

Backing up again while we were in YWAM, Kona.  Our first day in the prayer room, this precious young girl comes over and starts praying over Misty and myself.  Then she starts prophesying and telling us that she sensed  the Lord was saying that we did not have to worry about money at all and the journey He had set before us was already provided for.  The finances are there.  She said it would be effortless and her words were "Like you will be on an elevator and a stranger will write you a check."  I was thinking.."I receive that word Jesus, Amen!" HA! Others praying over us at home also gave us that same word, so we received it.

So here we are 9 weeks out until we leave and we're raffling IPADS and Canon Rebels and selling and stacking firewood, and the money is coming in..... in trickles.  Now there are 3 families here, a total of 19 of us, who don't have a ton of extra money laying around, so we knew God was going to have to come through in a big way for our DTS and outreach for all of us, because to be honest, it's really expensive to take your whole family to a school and then a 3- month outreach.  Even though we knew He would, and He really does like to surprise us at the last moment, (and we know that) we were starting to sweat it.  9 weeks out and we weren't even close to having what we needed to go.  Then BOOM!  Out of nowhere again, God surprises us. 

I mentioned above we were selling firewood.  Well, someone my mother-in-law knows heard of us selling firewood and what it was for and offered us a HUGE, GIGANTIC donation (fun jewelry) from a very large and well known retail chain in our area to sell to raise money!  You guys, IT. IS. RIDICULOUS!  We could open a store with the amount merchandise that was donated.  And it is such fun stuff!  Great stuff!  So we have all this stuff (CRAZY AMOUNT OF STUFF) and in our minds we knew since God provided this, He will provide an avenue to sell it.  A couple nights later I decided I did not want to cook and I randomly felt like Steak Kountry.  It's a great little small chain restaurant, but we rarely go there. It was a random choice. We were sitting eating our dinner and a couple from church walks in and comes to our table and says,"Hey, how is all your fundraising going for YWAM?" We told them about our donation and the husband says, "Hey I have a meeting with a man tomorrow morning and he happens to have a booth in Canton  First Monday Trade Days, do you want me to ask if he can hook you guys up?  UM, Seriously!  YES!!!!!! So today, we got the number and... WE.ARE.GOING.TO.HAVE.A.BOOTH.AT.CANTON.TRADE DAYS!!! For those reading this, that don't know what Canton First Monday Trade Days is, google it...it's huge!  It is rated as one of the top 3 Trade Days in  the US and one of the top 100 best events to attend, and people from all over the US travel on down to little Canton just to go shopping there!  AND......November and December are the busiest Canton months of the year!!!  AMAZING!  We didn't go asking for this blessing or looking for it, God just laid it right before us and gave us an amazing venue to sell it as well.  He is so amazing like that!  The other night during our meeting, Misty said it so perfectly, she said something along the lines of, "You know, to the rest of the world, we are crazy. "  What she was getting at is when you tell people you are packing up your big families and dropping your jobs and your life for a 6 month season, people tend to think that is irresponsible.  Some Christians may think, (and I've heard it,) "Wow! I'm so jealous,  I wish we could do something like that."  Well Then Misty went on to add that our donation is just mind blowing, and the timing and venue can only be God. CAN ONLY BE GOD! She said she felt like the Lord was going to use we three families as forerunners to show other FAMILIES that they to can go when God calls them somewhere.  Not just young adults right out of high school or retired couples with no strings attached.   No matter the cost or how impossible it may seem, HE WILL MAKE A WAY and blow you away with how He does it, just as He is doing with us! He just wants you  to trust Him enough to say YES to what He asks of you.

Matthew 19:26

New International Version (NIV)

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

During an exciting time where God is calling His church to rise up, Let this verse ring true in your heart when you hear God call YOU!  Because Jesus meant it when He spoke it, and even though your story will be different than ours, we are living proof that He meant it.

If you live near Canton or are planning a little trip over this next weekend, come find us.  We don't know our exact location yet, but we are on the main side.  And we are going to be handing out fliers telling where we will be, so keep an eye out for our fliers.  Come get the best deal you wouldn't find anywhere else on some super fun jewelry, and say hi to us! We would love to see you and pray with you.  GOD IS SO GOOD, AND SO MUCH FUN!