Luggage journal eng issuee by Zhenya Shulgin

Photo Credit: Amanda Mathews

editorial team:

Sarvia GODIN

Masha Shulgina Zhenya Shulgin

Anders Myklebust

Flurin KAsper

Jean-Philippe GODIN

Berit MARIE LIAN

Design | Mission Adventures Europe All contents ÂŠ Copyright Mission Advetures Europe

contents

14 20

E G A G G LU DID

ACK P U

ELF? G YOURS A B THIS

what this theme is all about:

i Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive. 1.Cor. 10:23 When you go through airport security, they often ask: “Did you pack this bag yourself?” Why? Because they need to know if you know what’s in it. This theme is about our journey, we are all going somewhere - the question is where? The journey is our walk with God and the luggage is our life. What is in our luggage? The word “luggage” is often used in a negative way, but in this case, it’s neither bad or good. It’s just who we are. We all come from somewhere and as we grow up, our “luggage” gets heavier: our family background; education; life experiences (both good and bad) etc.- we carry this around whether we like it or not. Sometimes, having a big suitcase is very nice (like when you are going on a cruise), in other situations, you will only need a bag pack (think Amazon jungle). So, the real question is: are you carrying around what’s essential for YOUR journey? Is your luggage suitable for what God had prepared for your life? This theme is about packing intentionally vs. just thing things into your luggage. God has given us freedom to make our own choices. God is calling us on a journey, pack appropriately - it’s going to be an adventure.

What’s in your luggage? When was the last time you checked your luggage? And what is in it? Do you have everything you need for the journey? Is there something you need for safety? And maybe some practical things that is handy. You are free to put anything in your luggage, and to take out something that shouldn’t be there. But if you know where you are going, it is much easier to pack. It’s a fun journey. Let’s dig in!

for

SUCH

A TIME as THIS

Jean-Philippe Godin Hello, my name is Jean-Philippe Godin, I have been working with YWAM as a full time missionary since 2007, my career started in Mexico where I was working with different ministries such as red light district, skaters or Discileship Training Schools. As I was in Mexico, I always wanted to get more leadership and the thing was just not happening. As I stayed there, I met a girl with which I got married and God called us to come to Switzerland to start Mission Adventures, I finally had the leadership that I desired, but it was in God’s timing. A year later my wife and I were asked to lead the community of YWAM Burtigny and as we prayed about it we felt it was the right thing to do. Last summer I was asked to go and participate to a western European leadership gathering and I didnt get the reason why I should go! So I asked God if he wanted me to go and also if yes what was the reason. His answer was simple: “Because I have chosen you for such a time as this!”

for

SUCH

A TIME as THIS

It is incredible how such a simple sentence brought so much peace in my heart. As I was processing the meaning, God was not asking me to be special, to be great, to be better than anyone else. No, he was actually asking me to be myself, no less and no more. Whatever I was gonna do during this gathering could not be more than what I can bring. It was a call to be free and for this I had to drop any mask that I would be tempted to put on. There is no other way, to be free you cannot wear masks. As I got to the meeting even though I was the younger, I had no experience and I was in the midst of a whole bunch of people that are legends in the mission field, I had no fear of being myself because the only thing that I had to offer was myself and God was not asking me more than this.

It is a journey, did you pack your bag? Do you know what is inside? Did you pack it yourself? Is there stuff in it that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need for such a time as this?

Do you beleive that God actually has a plan for your life for such a time as this? Are you ready to commit your life to it even if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what this is? Beleive me, if God would have told me seven years ago that I would be where I am today, doing what I do, I would have freaked out and probably run away. But actually there is no better place than where he has lead me today.

The reality in the kingdom is that there is a place and a call for each one of us and we need to dear entering into it. Beleiving it is true is not enough, we need to step in and trust God that he is sovereign and that he knows the what, the where and the how is the best for us.

Do you beleive that God actually has a plan for your life for such a time as this?

Beautifully, it is not just a journey where we obey God but also where we learn about his nature and character, who he is, as well as who we are in him. Finally, this is also a call to die to ourselves, to give him our lives fully. For such a time as this is about God and his timing. As God lead the Israelites from Egypt to the desert, he was not writting their story but his own. It was not about the Israelites but about himself and he had chosen them for such a time as this, to be part of the story written by his hand. This is the same for us. It is just not about us but about him, his plans, his kingdom and his glory and he invites us to be part of it - How cool is that?? God’s kingdom is everlasting - that is a long journey - and what we invest with him today will bear everlasting fruit. “For such a time as this” has an eternal dimension. Do not be afraid, do not look down on it, invest with God today so that the fruit of your life will last forever.

When you read the Bible, you discover that many people have invested not only ressources but their life and it was their “For such a time as this”. Actually you cannot invest ressources without investing your life. The Bible says that where is your heart, there is your treasure, everything is measured in your heart because it is the center of your life, your values and your motivations - when you invest your heart, you invest your life. So are you ready to meet God, to invest you whle heart and to serve him in such a time as this? Your destiny lays in the choice that you make. Pack your bag, take a taxi, enter in the plane, fasten your seat belt...Enjoy the flight!!

Stories Andy FRECKA

MOSCOW, Russia

ussia is hospitable and loves to feed its guests, even on its airplanes. God used this simple truth to teach me an unexpected lesson.

I don’t go to Duty Free to buy anything, but to look at people buying things at Duty Free. Observation of inexplicable behavior is cheap entertainment.

I travel regularly, and usually fly somewhere at least once a month. And most of my travel is around Russia. If you fly regularly, much of the travel process becomes an object of habit. You pack your bags (I must admit that my packing skill is strangely getting worse over the years), check your tickets and passport, and go the airport in a car or a bus. Once you are at the airport, you look for where to check in, get your boarding pass, then you have to undress (partially) for the security check. After that, you put your clothes back on. Then you go to your gate and wait for boarding. Or if you have extra time before the plane takes off, you can do what I do, go to Duty Free.

Finally, it’s time to board the airplane. Usually people rush into line as if they think there might be less seats than passengers or as if they are trying to escape a burning building. Once on the airplane, you find your seat, watch other passengers try to fit stuffed panda bears in the overhead bin. After that, sometimes they pass out newspapers, or if your lucky, some free candy. Then they tell you to turn off all your fun and then teach you how to buckle a seat belt and what to do if you have to unexpectedly go swimming during the flight.

The more you fly, the more this process becomes a habit, and you don’t even notice a lot of it. The plane takes off and soon you are above the clouds and on your way to your destination. Now, I will tell you a little bit about myself: whenever I buy an airplane ticket, I always buy the cheapest one. What does that mean? I often go on flights that are only 2 to 4 hours in length, and they are in the middle of the night. So, here I am above the clouds and it’s 3 a.m. This happened to me when I was flying to a country in Central Asia a few years ago. And since it was 3 a.m., I was sleeping. That is what I do almost every day at 3 a.m. I sleep. And while sleeping at 3 a.m. in an airplane flying from Moscow to Central Asia, I was woken up by a flight attendant. And she had a very important question for me: “Chicken or fish?”. I woke up, looked around, and heard the sound of people pulling their chicken or fish out of plastic wrapping. The smell of the hot food was beginning to fill the plane. And I have a weakness for all seafood, so I naturally chose fish. And there I was at 3 a.m. on an airplane flying from Moscow to Central Asia, eating fish. I finished my fish, the salad, the bread, drank some juice, and even began to wonder when they were going to bring me some coffee when I began to hear God speak.

What would I do if my wife woke me up at 3 a.m. and asked me if I would like chicken or fish? I would probably call the doctor. Why was I eating fish on an airplane at 3 a.m. somewhere between Moscow and Central Asia? I wasn’t even hungry. And to be honest, as the plane began its descent early in the morning, I just felt sick to my stomach. I ate because everyone was eating. I ate out of a silly habit. I ate because I thought it was free. But it was senseless and it gave me a stomach ache. Look around you. Everyone is having their “quiet time”. Everyone is going to worship and listening to the teaching. Everyone is getting ready to go evangelize. Why are you taking part in all of this? Has it become a habit for you? If it has, now is the chance to stop, get hungry, and only then begin to receive what God has planned for you. It is incalculably valuable, and if you receive it as a habit, or just because everyone else is, you will end up just like me, with a stomach ache.

the

Loudest VOICE

“

But how can I be skinny, fit, super romantic, have a perfect house, a well paid job, be sensible and happy all at the same time? Attaining some of these is possible maybe but not all. At least not all at the same time. All these voices can easily confuse me. Working to please them can be tempting. Have you ever been in a crowded airport? There are people all around you stressing to get to their gate or trying to keep close to their travel companion. Maybe there are also people that are upset because they didn’t catch their flight or it was cancelled. It is chaotic. And finding your own gate may be difficult. I remember one time I was at the airport in Amsterdam. It was crowded and I was running very late for my connecting flight back to Norway. I was alone and felt a little like I was drowning in the crowd. I struggled with figuring out my direction and exactly what gate to go to and if I had any chance of making it at all. Then I heard it. The voice over the speaker. It was calling my name. Loud and clear it told me to get to gate 32 fast because it was closing. It shut out all the other noise and I was able to focus. I ran like a maniac and I made it.

But how can I be skinny, fit, romantic, have a perfect house, a well paid job, and be happy all at the same time?

“

ave you ever been afraid of failing? Wondered what to do? Or what the right thing for you might be? Looking for answers around you, but not finding any? I have. Many times. I am a very social human being. I love hanging out with people, getting to know new characters, learning more about their lives and how they work. One of my favorite things to talk about is hopes and dreams for the future. In general I love to hear what people want in life, what they long for and dream about. But sad to say most people don’t really know what they want. Or maybe they do know what they want, but there is just so many voices telling them that they should want something else. I watch TV and the different shows tells me that what I want in life is to have a lot of fun, be skinny, be fit and find the perfect boyfriend. I read a magazine and it tells me that I should dream about having the prettiest house. I talk to people at school and they tell me that the most important thing is to have good grades and get the best job possible. I talk to my parents and they tell me that I need to be sensible and do what is best for me. I talk to friends that tell me that I need to be happy.

“LISTEN TO THE ROAR FROM ABOVE. GOD HAS SPOKEN.

“

the

Loudest VOICE

Sometimes I think God’s voice is a little bit like that voice over the speaker. It reveals truth and gives clarity. Some times it tells me to be calm and wait. Other times to run like a maniac before the gate is closing. My point is that there are so many voices in our lives. Society is telling us all these codes and rules that we have to live by. People try to tell us what we should choose. But what we really need to choose is what we give the power to be the loudest voice in our lives -who has the final word in our decisions. Several times through the Bible God is compared to a lion (e.g. in Isaiah). I like that. Maybe it should make me scared, but it dos not. On the contrary it makes me feel protected and in awe. If you have ever heard a lion roar you know that it is powerful. The king of beasts is loud and it makes other things sound weak and squeaky. You just have to listen to it. It calls your attention. Listen to the roar from above. God has spoken. Through his word we can find out what is true. We can trust him and learn to listen for His powerful voice in our everyday life. Just read the Bible. It is full of testimonies of ordinary people, like you and me, who trusted in God. They learned to know his voice and act on it when He spoke. No matter how scary it would seem. They knew what we also know: Jesus has promised to take care of us and give us what we need. I cannot think of any better one to listen to than He who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). He is the one that created me and knows me better than I know myself.

At the end of the day it won’t matter what anyone else says. It does not matter to me that my classmates thinks I am not successful because I do not make much money. And it does not matter to me that my house is not the prettiest one around. I truly believe that the greatest success is measured best by obedience. Listen to God and do what He tells you. That is success. We need Him to give the directions for our journey. We need to pay attention to the main speaker in our life and follow the directions we are given.

Berit Marie Lian I’m a 26 year old girl who loves fancy coffee, people and tractors. When I’m not working with Mission Adventures I teach biology, chemistry and English to teenagers. I’m a nerd with a great sense of humor and a tiny, green car named Gustav. I’m from all over Norway because I’ve moved around a lot, but right now I live in the east at a ywam base near Hamar.

MISSION ADVENTURES GRADUATES

Where are they now?

1 I did Mission Adventure for the first time in 2008. I went to Latvia with Mission Adventures Grimerud. (Norway)

2 I realized that God loves me, much more and personal than I could ever imagine. I understood that God had a plan for my life, and that I could choose to live that life. That he could bless many people through my life.

3 At MA, I realized that God was real, and that he wanted to use me. That his love for me was so deep. I wanted to get to know him more, and tell others about him.

4 Today I am co-leading the Impact DTS in Skien.

Bendik Urnes Norway

I get the privilege to see people grow with God, and give them some of what I have received from God. I also go on short mission trips with the DTS, reaching out to people.

5 If I could only bring one thing it would have to be a GPS. I have absolutely no sense of direction.

When did you do MA? â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Where did you go?

In what way did it affect your life?

Why DTS?

What are you doing today?

If you are traveling and you could bring only one thing, what would it be? (except the bible of course)

I did my MA in 2011. And we went to the Krasnodar area and the republic of Adygeya

2 I found out that there are a lot of injustices and we need to fight with it.

3 Why DTS? During MA I had a desire to become a missionary. And DTS is the first step to become a missionary.

4 I am a missionary and serve God with YWAM Moscow.

5 I would take my wife :). But seriously I would

bring my backpack so I could bring a lot of stuff that I need.

Igor Okara Russia

M O D E E Y R F H C . R S V ANA d

d n A y b

rsta a K s rea

Everyone wants freedom. Freedom of speech, freedom of choice, and God help anyone who would attempt to take our freedom away! But what do we really think “freedom” means? And, does it look like the freedom that Jesus is offering us? Search “freedom” on youtube and George Michael and Nicki Minaj will aid us with their definitions, “All we have to do now, is to take these lies and make them true somehow. All we have to see is that I don’t belong to you and you don’t belong to me. Freedom!” “I feel free, I feel freedom … burn an L (smoke marihuana)… cause it’s crazy in here…” But really, is freedom found in not belonging to anyone, being independent, “true to ourselves” and escaping the troubles of life, feeling free at the end of a joint?

continues on the next page...

M EEDO Y R F . NARCH VSA Intuitively we know this is not the case. But do we know what freedom is then? “Well”, you might say, “Jesus has set us free. Free from the law, free from religion. We are forgiven, and whenever we mess up that doesn’t change anything: There is no condemnation in Christ… Basically we are free to be ourselves. Don’t worry, God is happy with you just the way you are” But where does freedom end and anarchy begin? How far can we stretch it? Watch out, often the biggest lies are camouflaged by truths and half-truths… Jesus turns it all on its head. As usual. Freedom, as he shows us is so not about seeing how far you can stretch it, nor is it about fighting for our rights. Rather it’s about letting go, it’s about losing, about dying…

24 Then Jesus said to His

disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matt. 16

This gets us on the track of asking the obvious question: What are we really seeking to be free from? What’s our goal, and who’s really the “enemy?” Jesus spoke about these things, to a bunch of his countrymen that had decided to believe in him. He gave them good news: That he was offering the truths which when acted on would lead to freedom. You’d think they would be happy to hear this, they were in fact already following him, but instead they got mad. Who was Jesus to label them “not free”? It was practically the same as calling them slaves! “Hey Jesus, we’re children of Abraham. We are Gods chosen people! We’re not slaves or captive to anyone! How dare you say that we need your freedom?” The first step to freedom is to realize our captivity. “You are slaves”, Jesus told them, “to sin.” So what do you do when you find out that you yourself are in fact the greatest threat to your own freedom? Beat yourself up? Many have tried, and eventually found out that legalism is not the key to free us from bondage. Disillusioned with this approach many Christians end up throwing off all restraints, deciding that freedom is best sought through doing whatever feels right, escaping their nagging conscience by holding to a gospel where sin a non-issue, and where grace is proclaimed without any need of repentance or change of heart. Some have called it cheap grace. I say, this is not grace at all, for there is no such thing as cheap grace.

Jesus knew that these two ways of seeking freedom would come natural to the human heart: Legalism and Lawlessness. Religion and rebellion. He warned his disciples about it, and called it the “yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” (Mark 8:15). Yeast always spreads until it has affected the whole. On our own we tend to end up in Anarchy or Religion (which at the end of the day, really is quite similar in its core, it just looks different.) But Jesus felt different to those who encountered him. He seemed really free, but he didn’t really fit the rebel box, and certainly not the religious. What was it with this man that claimed to be the way, the truth and the life? Jesus came to die for us, but not only that. He came to lead us… to die. Paul, the world changer, lived in this reality and taught his young prodigy Timothy:

“If we die with him, we’ll live with him; If we stick it out with him, we’ll rule with him” (2. Tim 2:11-12, The Message) The road to freedom will bring us through death. Death to self and our own independent will. Only through being broken can hard clay pots be shaped again. And as we surrender to Jesus, allowing him to take the throne in our lives, it’s like the genius-potter, our Father, makes our lives to be like soft clay again. We’re no longer stuck. No longer “I can’t change.” He can. If we would only surrender. Freedom vs. Anarchy? It’s one great misunderstanding. Really, these two are oceans apart. Anarchy is a lonely quest for freedom. It seems to be heading for life, but ends only in death. True freedom in the Kingdom looks like dying, and in the start it looks like it’s heading for failure. But as it turns out, it ends up in resurrection. And now, just like Jesus, death and sin can no longer hold us down. For if the Son sets us free, we are free indeed.

Andreas Karstad, 34 years old. Norwegian. Married to Heather from Australia. Together they have two kids and they are leading the base Grimerud, Norway. Andreas is a great guy, sometimes he seems more Australian than Norwegian. And he is all serious about his mustache. 23

Stories Phil CUNNINGHAM

n early November 2013, the Philippines was hit by one of the strongest tropical typhoons in history. At least 6300 people were killed as a result of the storm and around 4 million displaced. I remember watching this happen from my living room in the USA thinking “What can I possibly do to help?” A few weeks later I got my answer, I felt the Lord say “Go.’ So 6 weeks later I found myself along with 10 others on a plane headed to Tacloban, Philippines, the hardest hit area of the Typhoon. We arrived in Cebu, Philippines at 5:15pm and headed to the station to purchase our boat tickets to Tacloban. We ran into a man who told us that because of the recent storms, the boats were experiencing lots of delays and cancelations. To make sure we got there we bought the earliest tickets we could, which meant we had to leave for the boat at 5am the next morning.

KONA, Hawaii, USA

After a few hours sleep, we got up and left for the boat, which was named “The Super Cat.” One thing to realize is that at this point we were all total strangers to each other, minus a few of us who knew each other from previous trips. 30 minutes later we got to the boat along with what seamed like a million other people, mostly local Philippinos. trying to catch the same ride to Tacloban. The boat ride was about 3 hours long. People had been warning us that the chances of seasickness on the boat were high, but in our excitement and pride we blew it off and believed for the best. You can see where this is going I’m sure.

The first hour of the ride kept us all in good spirits. We were all sitting in the first 3 rows and singing along to bad Karaoke music videos. It was a great time of bonding and getting to know each other. We were those Americans that everyone warns you about, loud and obnoxious. Then, about an hour into the ride, things got interesting.  We got into open waters and the boat began to roll back and forth and side to side. After 15 minutes or so of this, the cabin crew started handing out puke bags to everyone, this was not a good sign. I sat there beside my friend Adam laughing at the thought of people puking, because I was definitely not going to puke. A few minutes after the bags were handed out the Pukefest started. One by one, you could hear people throwing up on the boat. They were all making different sounds, but my favorite was “The Gurgler”. This dude sounded like he was dying a violent death as he gurgled his vomit into the bag. It was around this point where the ride became a lot more quiet. Everyone on the boat was focussing on keeping the contents of their stomach inside, but it was a lost cause. My friend Wayne started throwing up behind me, and then Chris who was sitting beside Wayne started. Two other girls on the trip were laid out on the upper deck, one laying on the soaking wet floor of the boat and the other in the bathroom, hugging the toilet will all the love she had to give.

By this point, my friend Adam and I are crying out of intense laughter, that is until Adam quickly grabbed his puke bag and started filling it. Unfortunately Adams bag also had a hole in it, thankfully he had his water bottle with him. Needless to say, I never drank from his water bottle again. I was still going strong until I looked at Chris sitting behind me. He was complaining that his bag had a hole in it, so I turned around to see vomit dripping out of the bag and all over Chris’s pants and another girls luggage. It was at this point that I lost it. I think I could have filled two bags, I was so sick. The boat was so loud by this point, people puking all over the place. It was like a horror film, but we were all living it. [If you’re not laughing by this time, you should be.] We were still in tears, it was the funniest things I have ever been through, and the absolute worst at the same time. Eventually the boat calmed down and we made it to Tacloban. By this point, after only knowing each other for 18 hours, we were all best friends. It was the best bonding time you could ask for and as a result we came together and had one of the most epic outreaches ever. Our lives were changed, we saw destruction and brokenness like we have never seen, but we also saw hope and life. This trip has eternally marked us all and if we could do it all over again we would, we would just take a bus next time and not the boat.

MISSION ADVENTURES GRADUATES

Where are they now?

1 I did Mission Adventures for the first time in 2007. I went to Poland with the YWAM Skien base.

2 For me it was the first time I experienced the power of

the gospel as something more than an activity you do Sunday morning. The power of the gospel will not fade out as Monday comes with all its “normal” stuff.

3 I had to get away, change my surroundings and decide whether or not this thing I believed was more than an activity on Sunday, more than just a book and more than something in my culture. For me to believe in God I had to find a sense of purpose, a sense of life and meaning. I found that, not sitting on a bench doing the same thing over and over, but by going out and apply real raw life to the “theories” I had about God. In the DTS I found all that and much more.

Torstein Hide Norway

I recently left YWAM and now I work in sales, trying to apply the things I learned from God, the Bible, and YWAM into my life. I want to be a salesman with “accurate and honest weights” (Deut. 25:15) Later on I would like to go further into marketing and leadership.

5 I would, without a doubt, bring my wife to be, Renate!

When did you do MA? –Where did you go?

In what way did it affect your life?

Why DTS?

What are you doing today?

If you are traveling and you could bring only one thing, what would it be? (except the bible of course)

Первый раз я была в миссионерском приключении на Урале (город Пермь и Нижний Тагил). После этой поездки у меня возникло желание учится в ДТС.

Мне захотелось узнать больше Бога, отвечать на Его вызов “Да, Господь, вот я пошли меня”. Это перевернуло всю мою христианскую жизнь и повлияло на мои отношения с Богом.Мое сердце стало еще больше открытым для людей, особенно которые нуждаются.

Желание учится в миссионерской школе было всегда, когда я узнала про ДТС, Господь очень четко проговорил ко мне и я не сомневалась, что это именно то место где я должна учится и служить. Еще я знала ребят которые прошли ДТС и видела как Бог изменил их жизни и сердца.

4 Сегодня я живу в своем городе. Работаю и служу.

Я лидер межконфессионального служения в детской противотуберкулезной больнице.

5 Думаю я бы взяла зубную щетку или мыло.

Olya Afanaseva Russia

quiet

time

We believe Quiet Time is the most important part of the day. So we’ve built at least 30 minutes for it into the schedule, and we’re providing Daily Devos for you to use.

What Is It?

Quiet Time is just time set aside for you to develop your friendship with God. Jesus himself had quiet time. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.”

First find Peace with God

When you first sit down to meet with God, it’s honesty time. It’s time to evaluate your relationship with Him. Are you in tight with God? Take a minute and praise Him for it. Do you feel far from God? Let Him know how you feel. Are you anxious and concerned about something? Give your worries to God. Is there sin in your life? If He’s convicting you of something, deal with it together. (Check out 1 John 1:9). . Do whatever it takes to get right. It’s impossible to move forward in your relationship with God if you’re not at peace with Him.

Praise Him for Who He is:

Thank Him for What He’s Done. Think about the aspects of His character and nature. Worship Him for His mercy and love. Take a couple more minutes and thank Him for all He’s done for you.

00 Read Your Devo for the Day

There are devos on the following pages, more than enough for each day of your outreach. These devos are designed to help you focus on God.

Prayer Changes Things

A preacher once said, “Prayer works so well in a crisis, it’s a wonder we don’t implement it on a regular basis.” A key to a good devotional time is prayer. Start with issues that concern you. Then pray for your family, friends, youth leaders and whoever comes to mind. Pray for people you know who aren’t Christians. Ask God to reveal Himself to them. Then pray for the nations.

Close with More Praise and Thanksgiving

Thank God for your life. Thank Him for the cross, and His great Mercy. It’s okay if you get excited. People clap, cheer and go nuts at football games. So it should be easy to get excited about the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and His great love for us!

quiet

time

Richard Leakey Working with Youth with a mission in Burtigny Switzerland. Mentoring young leaders and agricultural development with a focus on Africa. In my suitcase I always pack tea. Proper strong British tea. Nothing that I do isn’t better with a good cup of tea and nothing bad that happens can’t be a little easier with tea. So it’s always in there!!

Bring your ID

ow often do you get your passport out and look at it? I often travel oversees so get to see the information page the border guard looks at. The photo I’m not allowed to smile in and the barest information of the country I was born in and when. This is me! What do people see when they look at you? A cheeky smile? The wonderful curves or strong muscles of your body? Is that all you are the way you look or how you dress? In a world of likes and followers it can be so easy to get caught up on these first impressions. They are just the shallow snapshot of your life. What is your true identity? Each one of us is made in the image of God, because of the way he shaped and crafted us we are all unique. He has made you with amazing gifts and abilities. The way they come together make you unique and amazing

01 and mean God has plans for you. What are some of those things that make you? Can you list them? Are you allowing God to teach you about them and how to use them? Take some time now to write these things down and talk with God about them. Finally on the first page of my passport, the part no one ever reads! It says ‘to whom it may concern, allow the bearer to pass freely without let and hindrance.’ I have rights and value not because of what I have done or who I am but just because of where I come from. We need to accept that this is the case for each of us. You are made in the image of God so you are Loved, accepted and good enough!

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Lilla Tramm Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m using art to reach out to local teens in Norway! When I travel, I always bring a sketchbook and probably way more pens, pencils, and brushes than Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ever have use for!

Conquer Your Fear

ou’re walking through the gangway toward your next flight… you get to your seat and buckle up… those engines roar as the plane taxis toward the runway… then those flight attendants are describing the safety procedures… What thoughts are running through your mind? Excitement? Fear? Even if you are afraid of flying, you wouldn’t let fear hold you back from this trip of a lifetime, right? If you let your fears overtake you, you could miss out on all those undiscovered mysteries beyond the horizon. I hate fear. I hate being afraid… but even more I hate seeing how fear often torments me and my family and friends and keeps us from amazing things. I honestly believe that the Enemy uses fear to try to stop us from living the abundant life God created us for. He tricks us to think that things are way more scary or

02 overwhelming than they actually are. We have to change our perspective to see that our Father God is with us all time. “For God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity, but of power, love, and a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7). Our faith in God gives us confidence for those challenging times we will face in life. Let’s not let the Enemy win these battles; we have the living God on our side, and nothing can stand against Him. Read Psalm 118 and 1 John 4:16-19 Is there anything you are anxious about for this trip? What might God have for you that fear could stop you from experiencing? I encourage you to pray with God about it… he is a good, patient, and loving God. He wants you to trust Him… and I trust He will give you courage for the journey ahead!

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Kostya Molugov Kostya is a YWAMer since 2004, experienced musician, graduated from College of Music with a degree in conductor of an orchestra of folk instruments! Married now for 11 years! The founder of the alternative band Metanoya! One of the founders of the Russian Academy of Arts in Florence! On a road I always bring my headphones.

Fasten Seatbelt

y name is Kostya I was born in the north of the Rostov region, but at the moment I live in Italy! Have been engaged in music and working in the field of education! Also I take part in various YWAM ministries such as missionary adventure and preaching to small nations! All this I am very like it, how else? During all this time, and it is 11 years, I went through a lot, and there were different times! But one statement that I heard somewhere from someone helped me not to give up) “there is no safer place for a man as God’s will” and I still believe in it! Worked almost 8 years in music, traveled all over Russia with concerts, my dream come true! My wife and I started the art academy (painting, dance, music) we were just 20 years old and had just a little bit of money. It was hard, but it was our dream and we knew that we are on the right place- in a place where

03 God wanted us to be. I believe that there is different seasons in life with it’s own challenges! But let God be your seatbelt, that will help you to go through those difficulties because you are in his will. Now we have Art Academy in Italy where students study from around the world, we are the only school giving such knowledge in Europe !!! but we are facing new challenges and we are still going through all sorts of difficulties! So fasten your seat belts, please be prepared for difficulties that you will encounter on the road! Like another quote Ralph Waldo «You will not grow if you do not try to do something beyond what you already know to perfection.” Take a chance, move, difficulties will, but without them you will not grow EVER!

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Sara Helene I live in the town of Hamar in Norway and am a staff at YWAM Grimerud. I work with discipling youth and investing in new opportunities to share who God is at schools and in the community. When I travel I always bring a bunch of books with me that I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even open up.

Consider Jet Lag

T.T.T. Three letters written on my arm with ink. Some months earlier I had started working at a YWAM base. My vision was to disciple local teenagers. Of course, being young, I would like everything to happen NOW. Or yesterday. But somehow the transition wasn’t quite that simple. It took time to figure out what exactly I would do, and what I should say no to. It took time to feel at home and to understand the people and culture at the base. So I wrote those three letters to remind me of something important. Things Take Time. A seed takes time to grow in to a flower, and that’s how God made it. God is more patient than I am.

04 get used to our new surroundings. If there is a time change, our body needs to readjust. If there is a culture change, even just a small one, we need some time to watch and learn. So take a deep breath and settle down. Take time to fix your eyes on God. When we stay connected, it’s easier to understand His timing. Listen to Him, go for what He calls you to and trust in His time!

In life we experience different transitions. It might be starting a new school. It might be moving to a new country. It takes some time for us to

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Carolyn Buck Carolyn is originally from Michigan, USA, but currently resides in Ensenada, Mexico and has worked with YWAM for 5 years. She stays busy with two kids - Micah, age 2, and Charlotte, 6 months old - as well as with Mission Adventures in Mexico. Carolyn loves lazy Saturday mornings, dark roast coffee, and color-coding anything and everything. She believes the best part about journeying with God is the surprising route He takes.

Pack Appropriately

magine that it’s winter and you are surrounded by meters of snow, gray clouds, and frozen air. You come down the stairs one morning and there is a surprise for you. At the front door your parents are waiting excitedly with a suitcase at their feet. They tell you that you get to go on vacation to visit your cousins. You are heading towards warm sunshine, golden beaches, and two weeks of no school, no cold, no worries! You grab your bag and rush out to the car. They take you to the airport, put you on a plane, and wave goodbye. You arrive, grab your luggage, and run out to meet your cousins. You talk the whole way back to their house about surfing, snorkeling, hiking, and all of the awesome things you are going to do while you are there. You plop your suitcase on the guest bed, click open the hinges, and

05 freeze. What? You find gloves, a hat, and wool socks. Ski goggles, boots, and fuzzy pajamas? Spilling out are comic books, toothpaste (but no tooth brush), headphones, a magnet, and a whole bunch of other random things. How are you supposed to enjoy your vacation with these things? Sometimes it’s not about how much we pack, but what we pack. Often our culture will try to load us down with things that we don’t need for our journey with God. We may have packed lightly, but did we pack rightly? Is the stuff we are bringing useful for our unique walk with God? We don’t all have the exact same journey, so instead of looking at what people around you are packing, how about you ask God - where are you taking me? What do I need for my adventure with you?

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Iris Hecock Iris lives and works in Russia for the past 10 years with her hubby and 3 amazings kiddos. She is a Jesus lover with a passion for fitness of the body and soul, teaching Zumba, living life fully, and really good coffee.

Coping With Jetlag

rossing continents, borders and time zones causes such a great disruption to your body. Normal things like when to eat, sleep and wake up, suddenly become a challenge. Your new culture says it’s time for dinner, but your body tells you it’s long past time to sleep. You can’t prepare for jetlag, but denying it’s there doesn’t make it any less difficult or make it disappear. So, what does a traveler do?

06 really living. My grace is enough for you; for in weakness, my power is shown more completely. 2 Corinthians 12:9 Admit that we are powerless to fix the past and invite God to bring healing to our hearts. God’s grace is great and He desires to show himself strong through our weaknesses, if we allow him.

You can’t heal a wound by saying it’s not there! Jeremiah 6:14 Face the new reality about your surroundings. Maybe it’s an unfamiliar language, customs, uncomfortable climate or just simply being far from home. We each have jetlag in our daily lives- those things hold us back from really engaging in our surroundings- the hurts, losses, past regrets, that are hindering us from

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James Huisman My name is James Huisman, and I am 26 years old. I hail from the western coast of Canada. I am the oldest of three siblings, in a family of 5. I grew up in a Christian household my whole life. Currently I reside here, in Grimerud, where I work with the Make Waves department, primarily as a personal assistant and with Mission Adventures. One thing that I always have to pack in my suitcase when I travel is my Batman underwear! I am Batman, need I say more?

Lost and Found

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; - Luke 15:24 Have you ever made a mistake? Somewhere in life you made a choice that later in life you wondered why you did that, and then you wish that could go back and choose again. Or maybe you just let the mistake consume you, and think that all is doomed, and that there is no way out. But I like to see mistakes more as build blocks, or as second chances. It may be a hurdle when I first approach it, but the important thing to remember is that my God is bigger than the situation I am in, and that He will give me a second chance. With that second chance, I choose to learn from the mistake I made, that way when I see another mistake coming, I will know how to face it.

07 In the parable of the Prodigal son, we see this situation. The son leaves his father and brother. He makes a decision that he will later regret. While at the lowest of lows, the son realizes his mistake, he faces it, and returns to his father. But the father does not punish him, he gives his son a second chance. God does the exact same thing. He does not punish you for your mistake, or keep you down, but rather He extends His hand out to you, to lift you up, and give you a second chance. What will you do with that second chance?

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John Goldie John is originally from Scotland and is married to Ellen, a Norwegian. They have four children from fourteen to two years old. They worked in Asia for many years before moving to Norway, where John works with Family Adventures and the ‘Kairos’ missions course. He always has his camera with him: it’s a piece of luggage he can’t be without!

Enjoy The Ride

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”. - John 10:10

once heard of a woman who lost her husband in a car crash. She went into a deep depression and nothing seemed to help her – no doctor, no medicine, not even friends. Then one day she heard God saying to her ‘Thank me’. That sounded like a crazy idea! But nevertheless she began to find things to thank God for. She still had her own life, her children and her friends. As she began to thank God day after day, the depression lifted and slowly her joy returned. She learned to love life, and to enjoy every moment of it as a gift from God. Most of us will never have to go through what that woman went through, but we can still learn lessons from her life. What can we learn? Not only that God can speak

08 to us in the depths of despair, but that He desires us to be thankful, to enjoy life, and to have a right attitude to it. He wants us to love the life that we have, it’s a gift from Him! Sometimes we can think ‘if only I had this thing, I would be happy’. Or ‘If only I could do that, I would be contented’. But let’s remember it’s God who gives us our joy, it is He who makes us contented. If we pin our hopes on anything but God we will be let down. Material goods lose their appeal, and friends will let us down, but it is God alone who can let us enjoy each hour of every day, it is He who gives our lives meaning. The question is, are we willing to trust Him fully?

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Sergey Fadeev Hello I call Sergei Fadeev, I was born in the city of Togliatti on the Volga. Engaged in the business of educating managers and specialists of different companies. Father of three children, the husband of one wife and friend of a small dog. On the road I take, passport, bag and the belief that in any case my God is with me and I will succeed!

Find Your Gate

often have to travel by the fastest of transportation - airplane! Here for example in the Domodedovo airport (Moscow) almost always they change my boarding gate. And if you come to the wrong gate, it is possible to go in a wrong direction. It’s like in real life! Many people ask me- how can I find my calling? In other words how to achieve dream. There are various examples in the Bible of how an angel or God himself miraculously appear and shows THE WAY!! But what to do if one is showing up, and you don’t hear anything from the “above” ?! For me it’s a simple question! First, write it on a piece of what you like to do, something with what you can help people. Begin to study this area, find people who have already achieved something in this area

09 and made their discoveries in this field. Then continue to do what you like and most importantly do it with your 100%. And so little by little will emerge, what you’re good at, and most importantly professional. God is looking for people of different professions and skills. He will ask you to partner with Him as He asked David, Joshua, and many other young people. One day God asked Elijah: what do you want? And Elijah could not answer his questions. On this and ended ministry of Elijah. God will ask you: what do you choose, what you want? And he is ready to support you in your zeal. The main thing to find the answer to what I am strong and I want.

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Flurin Kasper My name is Flurin, i´m from Switzerland. I grew up at the foot of the alps where the hills are nicely flowing up and down. A wonderfull place. My passion is to see youth meet God and to start live life in a way that makes God the only explenetion. Talking doesn´s stay talking but becomes action. I live in Norway now and work with Mission Adventures and DTS in YWAM Kristinsand. I bring in my suitcase: a tooth pick (for real, I always do, it´s part of my swiss pocket knife, but don´t tell anybody)

Stay in Touch

John 10,27

y sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

I travel sometimes, I go here and there, often to places I have never been before. Usually I know the people i´m going to, but it also occasionally happens that I arrive somwhere and I don´t know anybody. I´m a missionary and as such I travel many places, living with the people I meet. I help them, share life with them. The worst thing that can happen is: You´re traveling to a city you can´t spell or pronoune its name. You don´t speak the language. You do have an arrangement with somebody from the place. You arrive, and nobody´s there to take you allong. WHAT? How could that happen? Did the program change?

10 Did you miss a message from your contact? You are really dependent on your contact. You HAVE to stay in touch. It´s really the same with God. Your life is a jurney and you´re on your way with God. He tells you how to live through the bible, but he shows you what to do in the places you are through talking to you. He loves to reveal things to you. Now, if you stay in touch with him, you will hear about any changes of program. You will know what to do when you arrive somewhere. He will be ready and will show you the next steps. He loves to do that, the importance is to stay in touch with him, to listen to what he has to say, to give him time to speak to you, to read know what he already spoke to you through the bible. Stay in touch.

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J.B. Hecock JB, his best friend Iris and their three kids, is an international worker St. Petersburg. He is a master coffee roaster and uses coffee roasting as a platform to train Christian leaders in bi vocational ministry. Every time I am on a trip I bring my Journal with me.

First Class vs. Economy

ou’ve been there, waiting to board…first for Platinum members, then Gold and Silver… then Elite…Business Class…First Class…then finally your turn- Economy. Having to walk past all those people in their comfortable chairs, looking up at you as if you were trampling through their comfy living room on the plane. Suddenly, you step into a new culture. One that is weird, doesn’t follow the rules (or to you, it doesn’t have rules at all). It’s “dirtier” than yours. It’s “louder” than yours. The thought of “if only they would look at we do in my home culture, then they would know how to be civilized,” pops into your head as if they were trampling through the comfy living room of your worldview…..

11 Reflect on Acts 10:15. Peter was calling some things unclean that God had already deemed as clean. What is your attitude towards the culture where you’re serving in relation to this passage? Also, reflect on Matthew 8:18-20. Jesus didn’t take political sides. He didn’t take on a country to “pride” himself in. How can looking on one culture as greater/better than the other shape your attitude towards the people within?

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Rich Todd Rich Todd served as a Youth Pastor in California for over a decade and is currently living the dream as an Envision Site Coordinator in St. Petersburg Russia! He has an amazing wife (who happens to be a better writer than he is) and three incredible daughters, almost triplets. He has been self-described as stupidly optimistic, loves to travel and once burnt the end off his nose off with a flaming marshmallow… it grew back. One thing I always take when I travel: Starbucks VIA… as much as it’s not REAL coffee, it’s still coffee!

X-Ray

“Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 2 Kings 5:13

think it’s safe to say that none of us like being told what to do. Whether it’s by parents, teachers, friends, it doesn’t matter. We want to be able to make our own choices and be who we want to be. Naaman was a great man, he was the commander of the army of the King of Aram. He was used to giving orders and telling others what to do but when he stormed off angry refusing to listen to Elisha’s instructions, his servants were there and confronted him. I’m sure he could have had them killed, demoted them or something. It had to have been risky to confront this powerful man and tell

12 him he was wrong, but they did it. What is even more amazing though, is that he listened. Naaman listened to his servants and was healed. Who do you have in your life that is willing to tell you the truth about yourself? Who do you allow to know the REAL you? Are you honest with others about what is going on inside of you? When people tell you the truth, even when it’s hard to hear, do you listen or get defensive? Others can always see parts of ourselves that we will never see. They have an outsiders perspective. They see the things we can’t or the things we refuse to see. These are called our “blind spots”. Just like driving a car, if you never check your blind spots your life/car will end up a wreck.