It has been a long time since I have written on here! Last week, I was at home, so I decided that talking to people was more important :) I had a terrific Thanksgiving break! And two weeks from today, I will be heading back to Canada again, so I'm going to enjoy my time here in Madison while I can :)
I came back here on Monday. It was an uneventful drive. Rather boring, since driving by yourself for 11 or so hours can be... mind numbing. I mean, I'm an introvert. I love being alone, but even that is a little excessive! Crossing the border was a bit nerve-wracking, because even though I have a visa, they asked me all sorts of questions (including ones about my work with YWAM in Canada- which as you know is non-existent), and made me show them my letter from YWAM Madison again. But after 10 or so minutes, they let me through and I breathed MANY prayers of thanks! :)
Preschool started up again on Tuesday. It was so good to see "my" children again! I missed those kiddos :) One child missed the whole week before Thanksgiving because his family was visiting family in Pennsylvania, and his dad told me that every day since they got back, he would ask if he could go to the YWAM preschool again. He just really missed it! It is always so good to hear those things. I mean, I know the kids love it because they have fun when they are here, but when their parents tell me things that they say at home -about how much they love preschool, or random things about God that they have learned here- it really helps to remind me that what I am doing makes a difference, and it matters.
This week in the DTS, the speaker was a man named Wick Nease, who taught on destiny. We had him last year for the same topic, so I already have heard all his teachings, but it was really good to be able to sit in class with him again. I had a lot of classes last year, so I obviously don't remember everything! One thing that he said several times was that "Salvation is free, but destiny will cost you everything."
To live the life God has called you to... it will cost you. It is definitely worth the cost (which Wick also made clear), but there is sacrifice. I mean, look at me. I live most than a thousand kilometres from my family. I love Madison and all the people in YWAM Madison. It is an absolutely amazing community. But I am a homebody. Before I left for DTS, the longest I had ever been away from home was two and a half weeks, and that was with my brother. I love being at home with my family. I love my life in Georgetown, my friends there, my church. It was very hard for me to agree to come here in the first place, and to come back to staff. But living here, doing what God has asked me to do, is the best decision I ever made. It is worth the cost!
This year, for the first time, YWAM Madison is running a winter DTS. So far, they have 26 students signed up. One of my friends from my DTS, Kari, has come back on staff, to staff this school. She just came back to Madison after Thanksgiving. Today, we went to Cool Beans (my favourite cute little coffee shop here, owned by Christians so that's a bonus) for coffee and to get caught up. We talked for 2 1/2 hours, which flew by. I miss my fellow DTSers. This new groups is great! I love them all! But my DTS will always and forever have a special place in my heart. And seeing Kari again reminded me how much I miss them. So I am thankful for every moment I have with the ones who have returned!
This week, in the DTS, we finished our intercession times for North Korea. I told you about how we prayed for Bhutan; that was for the first half of the school. For the past few weeks, we have been praying for North Korea. I love intercession, and praying God's will for the nations is such an honour and privilege! It also helps me to have a heart for these nations. I didn't really give North Korea a second thought before we started praying for it. Now, I care deeply for the nation, and continue to pray for it. Same with Bhutan. I would encourage you to do the same- it doesn't have to be Bhutan, or North Korea. But if there is a country that is on your heart, pray for it continually! Even if you don't currently have a country that you have on your heart, pick a country and pray for it! Watch, and see if that country doesn't become very important to you! :)
Prayer is a beautiful and powerful thing.
Blessings,
Katie
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