In February, YWAM experienced its biggest tragedy in our 60 year history, with 11 leaders dying in a bus crash in Tanzania. The following weeks have involved caring for survivors and repatriating them, organising funerals and memorials, debriefing those who lost loved ones and friends and those on the ground as it happened. It has been a very sad and lamenting time for the YWAM world. The big question is how do we pray and Read more about Is God in control?[…]
After a long shift at the fire department, Matt Swatzell fell asleep while driving and crashed into another vehicle, taking the life of pregnant mother June Fitzgerald and injuring her 19-month-old daughter. According to ‘Today magazine’, Fitzgerald’s husband, a full-time pastor, asked for the man’s diminished sentence—and began meeting with Swatzell for coffee and conversation. Many years later, the two men remain close. “You forgive as you’ve been forgiven,” Fitzgerald told Today. So, how do we Read more about How easy is it for me to forgive?[…]
Some years ago, I was asked to help a church planting team with their mission statement and strategy. I love this kind of assignment and so happily met with the team for a couple of days. The vision became clear as we dialogued together, and a plan began to emerge as to how they were going to implement the church plant. Before we finished, I raised the important question of values for the team. They Read more about Have you considered using your values as an evaluation tool?[…]
Definition: Lifelong learning is the ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. What Does it Mean to Be a Lifelong Learner: The book, ‘The three boxes of Life’ throws away the idea of learning, working and leisure as the three developmental phases that we all experience. Instead of graduating high school, getting a university degree and moving on to a lifetime of work before retiring, we are to learn, work Read more about Are you a lifelong learner?[…]
1 peter 5:7 encourages us to ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.’ Sounds easy, doesn’t it? So why are we in an epidemic of people struggling with anxiety in all walks of life and especially in the younger generations. We are all aware that the COVID season has developed widespread mental health issues among the whole population but perhaps there’s more to it. It has been suggested that Millennials and Read more about What strategies do we employ for overcoming our anxiety?[…]
Last week my wife and I were guests of a new pioneering team in Victoria, Canada, where we have been privileged to enjoy some team building together. We are reminded of the joy we’ve have had over the last 40+ years when we experienced many adventures in starting new ministries, establishing churches and developing dozens of teams and bases. So, to watch this small team of five staff plant a YWAM presence in Victoria fills Read more about What’s so special about pioneering?[…]
I’d thought that the pandemic had taught me how to slow down. Yet the days were still busy with online courses, mentoring, communication, not to mention the whole leaving and transition process of moving to another continent. It’s amazing that even if you don’t have too much to do, it’s still not difficult to get caught up with a ‘hurry’ attitude. It makes you drive faster even though you have plenty of time, eat quicker Read more about Are you ready for the ruthless elimination of hurry?[…]
We’ve recently been celebrating the wonder of the birth of Jesus and I hope that you did have a good Christmas. We have had our fill of carols being played non-stop, delicious food to feast on, the giving and receiving of presents and connection with family and/or friends. In another three months we will be commemorating Easter with the horrific crucifixion but the joy of resurrection. Philippians 2:7-8 sums up the significance of these celebrations: Read more about What’s the underlying message of advent & easter?[…]
In September we moved to Canada after living and ministering in Europe for over forty years. The transition was the result of what I would call a sacred moment of asking Jesus about our future. My wife and I both had the same sense of a move to Canada that up until that time had not been on our horizon. At that point our transition began. There followed a year of processing the move, filling Read more about Have you experienced life changing sacred moments?[…]
We have just been through a soul-searching time during covid. Many have had extended times of thinking, reflecting, wondering about life and the world and how they interact together. Even if you have been busy throughout the COVID season, with all that has been happening you can’t help questioning and pondering the state of the world and our role in it. After a time like this, it’s an ideal moment to ask, who am I? Read more about Are you on track?[…]