Now My Eyes Have Seen

        Growing up in a Christian home, I am not unaccustomed to spending time with God. Back at home, I would have a quiet time every night before bed, when I would read the Bible and talk to God. I hate to admit it, but all too often this time was rushed and I didn't truly spend quality time with God.
     Here, though, I have quiet time in the morning. We have it written into our schedule, a whole hour dedicated to our personal time with the Lord. I have really been enjoying this time! I am genuinely spending quality time with God and I feel so much closer to Him every day!
     One of the things that has really helped my walk with God -already!- has been classes. We have only had 3 classes since we only got here one week ago today (Oh my goodness, my friend was just saying to me that it feels like we've known each other for years! And it is true!), but we have all learned so much from them! This past week's focus was on hearing God's voice. On the second day of class, our teacher, Kathy, was talking about how she has a friend who has such a childlike faith. She talks to God about everything. Kathy told us a story about this friend, who one day was making a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast. And as she did so, she talked to God. "If there peanut butter in Heaven?" she asked. And that lead to different questions and she had this conversation with God about Heaven and what it would be like. And then another lady walked in, and she just saw the first standing there with her peanut butter toast, grinning and talking to God. The second lady freaked out "I've been fasting for days! I've been trying to get God to talk to me about something important, and you're talking to Him about peanut butter!?" And she stormed out. The first lady felt a bit sad, and then she heard God tell her "You know, if she talked to me about peanut butter, then she could hear me for the bigger things, too."
     And so then Kathy asked us if we have the type of relationship with God where we talk to Him about everything, or do we kind of put him aside until we need him. Do we talk to God about the peanut butter moments? And then she sent us outside for half an hour to have peanut butter moments with God, or just spend the time we needed with Him.
     The thing is, I always used to have "peanut butter" moments with God all the time. Back in high school (oh so long ago!), I had quite a bit of time on the bus. So every morning while I sat on the bus in the quiet, I would talk to God about anything and everything. It brought me a lot closer to God. Sadly, once I graduated, I didn't have that time anymore, unless I purposely set it aside. Which I didn't. So my "peanut butter" moments with God slowly became less and less. And while I still will have those times with God occasionally, it is certainly not as frequent as they once were. And my relationship with God did change because of that.
     So when Kathy sent us outside on Thursday, I grabbed my Bible, my ipod, and my journal and headed out into the sunshine. As I was walking towards some trees, I asked God "So, what should we do?" And I sensed God asking me "What do you like to do? What haven't you done in awhile?" And I immediately thought of reading. I love reading, as you probably know, and I haven't had the time to read for pleasure since getting here. "Okay, what Bible story should I read?" I thought to myself. "No," God told me, "I want to spend time with you while you do something you enjoy." (Not that I don't enjoy reading the Bible!)
     So I sat down under the tree, took my ipod out and opened a book ap on it. And of course, since I have Miss Match on it, I opened that book! Hee hee :) And I read it out loud to God. It was wonderful! After reading a bit, I just lay in the grass, listened to some music, and just talked to God. It was amazing. I haven't felt that close to Him in a long time!
     Our half hour was over far too quickly. We returned inside and finished up class, and then we all returned outdoors for some a spontaneous worship time. While I was sitting on the grass, a spider crawled onto my leg. And if you've ever worked with me, you know that I like to name insects and such. "Alright, God, what should we name this one?" I asked. Just like at work I sometimes asked Trish or someone else what I should name my insect "pets". Instantly, I had a name. It was a cool and uniquely Katie-ish moment with God. :)
     After we came inside from our half hour of "peanut butter" time with God, someone mentioned a Bible verse that I think really sums up this whole week in Madison. It is from the book of Job.
     "My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you." -Job 42:5
     I have always known God. I have known Him well. Yet now, I know Him even more. I truly have seen God.
     Blessings,
          Katie

Those Faith Yams

     Have I really only been in Madison for under a week? We were all saying that it feels like we've known each other forever. Really, its funny how a week ago, we all had never met, and now here we are, talking about everything and hugging all the time. Last night, I spent 2 hours with two of my friends on my lap while we talked!
     So, where to start? Every day begins at 7 with breakfast. After breakfast, we have Quiet Time until 8:45. This is our personal time with God, and we can spend it any way we like. Some people will go running, because that is how they connect with God. Most of us either sit on our beds or on a couch or chair and have our quiet time there.
     After quiet time, we have group worship for about an hour. The first few days, we always worshipped through song. Yesterday we were given paper and writing utensils and we wrote notes to people, writing what we saw in them or a message that we felt God wanted them to hear. It was really awesome! Today during worship, we prayed in small groups for each other, and after, individuals told the big group specific things that they wanted prayer for. And as a large group, we all prayed for them.
     After worship we have class. The first couple days were different, because it was orientation and introductions, but on Wednesday, Thursday, and today, we had a wonderful woman named Kathy Ryan come and speak to us about hearing God's voice. The lessons were amazing... we all learned so much! And partway through her lesson, on Wednesday, Kathy sent us outside to listen for God in creation. It was a beautiful day and we all heard and saw God in different ways, which some of us shared once we gathered back in the classroom. Yesterday in class, Kathy again felt called to release us into nature, so we spent another half hour outside. It was wonderful! Today, we wrapped up the Hearing God's Voice unit.
     The afternoons are pretty relaxed. We each have our chore that we have to do every day. We are in groups. The chores include food prep, maintenance, cleaning, and food clean-up. I am on the J-crew, as we call ourselves. We are the janitors. I figured after helping clean the church for 6 years, I'm pretty good at cleaning toilets! :) Its actually the best CR (Community responsibility), because it takes the least amount of time- with 6 of us, we are done in just under an hour. The other CRs generally take closer to two hours. When you are not doing your CR, you have free time. I have spent my free time just hanging out, as well as reading my homework out in the beautiful sun... we have have absolutely gorgeous weather this week!
     After dinner, we occasionally have things going on. Once our regular schedule starts, we will have our focus night on Mondays (we have two focuses in our DTS... Children at Risk, which is mine, and Rescue Ops. We do everything, including outreach, together, but our focus nights we are separated), worship on Thursdays with another DTS located in downtown Madison, and on Friday nights, we have a movie night.
     Tonight, we have our reveal night for our small groups and one-on-ones. It should be good to find out what our small groups will be.
     So yeah, that's a VERY quick summary about what has happened so far. VERY quick.
     Last night, when Kenzie and Rachel were hanging out on my lap, Kenzie told us about how, while walking that day, she had met one of our neighbours. They said hi, and he then asked her "So are you a part of the group on the corner there? What are you guys, the Faith Yams or something?"
     The faith yams, that's what we are around here!
     So I thought I'd post a few pictures, let's see how this works!

     This is our base, my home for now! We are literally surrounded by cornfields. Seriously, so. much. corn.

     So like I MAY have mentioned, we have a LOT of corn here! And our base is surrounded by fields of corn. On Wednesday afternoon, a few of us went into the field and had some fun :)

                                                          I told you we have chickens!

     This was my view when I was outside yesterday, just spending time with God. Those are corn fields, by the way. ;)

     This is the wall of our classroom. It is so neat! The countries whose names are in red are the countries that we do intersession for. The wall art around here is so nice!

     And one of the girls received a package of cookies in the mail today from her grandma. They were absolutely delicious, and so if any of you feel the need to send me cookies (or anything else!) my address here is:
Katie Roest
YWAM Training Center
N1707 County Road N
Columbus, WI, USA
53925
     Please keep me in your prayers as I continue on this so far amazing journey! While living in a room with 12 other girls isn't as hard as I thought it would be (apparently I sleep like a rock. Cause the French Canadian girl sleep talks -in English and French, which is why it is apparently hilarious- and I have yet to hear it!) but I miss my own room. And all of you!
     Thanks, and blessings,
          Katie

....We Have Chickens!

     I have arrived at my training center! My time with YWAM has officially begun!

     Yesterday morning, my mom, dad, and I left home at about 7:30. On the way to the border, we stopped in Strathroy to visit my Opa, and then we popped in at Kyle's place before crossing. We got over the border with no problems, and then we drove. And drove. And drove. And drove.

     We stayed overnight in Beloit, Wisconsin (I think), and this morning, we arrived here at the training center outside of Madison, Wisconsin. It is located in the middle of nowhere. Literally, we are surrounded by corn fields! And guess what! We have chickens! I believe there are 10 of them... I already went out to go see them.

     A few of the other students arrived yesterday, but I was still one of the first to get here. My parents helped me unpack, and then we said our goodbyes. Everyone who contributed to the book of cards my mom gave me, thank you! I'm very excited to read it all :)

     This afternoon, I spent just hanging out with my fellow students as well as the leaders. I am so excited to get to know these people better as time goes on! Already I feel like I am connecting with some of the other girls, which is great!

     Later tonight, we will get to know each other as a big group, and tomorrow we begin to learn more about what we will be doing. It should be a good day!

     So yeah, I'm here, I'm having fun, and I'm looking forward to what God has in store for me here!

     Blessings,

          Katie

Ps. Tell Sarah that I've had people tell me how CUTE Fluffy is :)

The Beginning

     If you had asked me in September 2013 what I would be doing a year from then, I would never have said moving to Wisconsin, USA. And when I say never, I mean never ever. It wasn’t even on my radar.

     But as winter passed and my graduation from college loomed closer, I began to think more and more about the future and what I wanted to do after graduation. When YWAM’s Children at Risk DTS caught my attention, I was interested but didn’t really think I would actually go. It was far away. I like to be at home.

     However, God works in mysterious ways. And I felt called to participate in this DTS. So, here I am, heading for Wisconsin for training.

     A DTS is a Discipleship Training School, which a program that YWAM runs. Basically, I will be spending 3 months in Madison, Wisconsin, receiving training for the outreach that I will later participate in. After Christmas, I will be sent out on the outreach phase of the DTS. Where I will be headed I do not know yet.  While I am on this journey, I hope to keep you up to date on what I am doing through this blog. 

     If you would like more information on the Children at Risk DTS, you can read about it here http://www.ywammadison.org/dts/kids-at-risk/

     As I was trying to come up with a name for this blog, I discussed ideas with some of my friends. There were some interesting options, but I ended up choosing Walking By Faith because of 2 Corinthians 5:7, which says "For we live by faith, not by sight." I am taking this journey standing on my faith that this is where God is calling me to go. 

     As I begin this time of my life, and throughout this experience, I would greatly appreciate your prayers!

     Blessings,

          Katie