Y what?

Some of you maybe wondering what is YWAM?  Can't say I blame you.  I did not know what it was either until a friend told me of her brother's missions work with the organization.  Youth With A Mission (ywam.org) is its full name.  It was the second largest missionary organization in the world just behind Wycliffe Bible Translators when I attended the Crossroads Discipleship Training School in the Spring of 2001.

It was a great experience for me.  I was 34 years old, and I learned to live life like a missionary. I had judged missionaries harshly thinking they were not technology savvy, not like what I was in the business world.  YWAM leaders proved me wrong in the first meeting.

I also learned to value the things God values.  I was so far gone in the ways of this world that He had to take me to missionary school to teach me the value of being a wife and mother.  I had no idea God would so quickly put that teaching to work.  When I returned from my six-week outreach in Ukraine and Bulgaria, I was planning to attend my next training with YWAM in Kona, Hawaii, at the University of the Nation's School of Worship.  That is not what happened next.  Two weeks after returning from Montana, I met my husband.  Seventy days later we were married.  Then a honeymoon baby on the way. 

Psalms 16:9 says that man makes his plans but God orders his steps.  My plan ... school of worship.  His plan ... a family plus the school.  He is so good!!!!  This is how His plan unfolded.  My job would not give me leave to go to Hawaii for the school plus I was now engaged.  I turned down my acceptance to the school, but I was sad.  I thought that desire was gone forever.  Life moved on for about a year until the Holy Spirit told my husband through a vision that we were to move to Nashville.  We lived in South Carolina.  What was God doing?  Many details later.  I was accepted into the YWAM School of Worship in Nashville.  We moved here in September of 2004.

Eight years later we are still here, and I believe God is soon to open the musical doors we are here to walk through.  A friend prophesied to my husband and I this spring that these years have been used to establish us.  I can believe that.  We have great friends here, wonderful homeschooling opportunities, a church home, and the list goes on.  I am finally moving back into songwriting, a task I started with YWAM's School of Worship, but have done little with until now.  I am gaining confidence in my singing thanks to YWAM leaders, my talented husband, an encouraging friend, and an all-knowing God. 

What He will do next I do not know.  Philippians 1:6 tells me "that he who began a good work in me will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus."  2 Corinthians 2:14 tells me "But thanks be to God, who in Christ Jesus always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere."  I am expectant.  Here we come 2013!

Refills Needed

Have you read Radical (radicalthebook.com)by David Platt?  I read it about two years ago.  It really made me stop and think about his concept of the American dream getting in the way of the spread of the gospel.  His concept to pray for other countries prompted me to start praying broader.  I admit it worked for a short while.  Some how I took my eyes off of others and put them back on myself - so much like the American dream overtaking the Great Commission.

"D. L. Moody was once asked why he urged Christians to be filled constantly with the Holy Spirit. “Well,” he said, “I need a continual infilling because I leak!” He pointed to a water tank which had sprung a leak. “I’m like that!” he said.” (Owen Bourgaize - Sermon Central).

That is so me.  Leaking, leaking, leaking.  You would think my time in YWAM (ywam.org) would have cemented that concept of prayer for the nations but it didn't.  I lost focus.  Radical reminded me.  I refocused, but still fell back to me again.

One thing from YWAM that I did not forget is this ministry!  It was there that I heard the Holy Spirit tell me to start C Square Ministries Foundation.  While there in Lakeside, Montana, I visited with the president of Mission Builders Foundation (mbius.org) because I did not know what a foundation really did.  He gave me the names of several family foundations to research.

Today you are reading of that ministry.  We were founded in January of 2006 as a family ministry, i.e. the research I had done.  Thank you to interlibrary loan, a patient family and divine direction, I wrote the bylaws way back then to incorporate us in the state of Tennessee as a non-profit.  We have a board of directors and a Bible verse of purpose - Psalm 82.  We lack the federal 501 (c) (3) designation.  Just this week I requested a book from the library to guide me through that filing.  It is going to be an adventure!  I need the Holy Spirit's guidance anew.

Ready for 2013

The ladies bible study for 2012 has now ended.  Don't be sad.  We will resume in January!  It is so hard to believe that one year ago we stood on the threshold of beginning it.  Three studies later.  Yes, three studies later we are looking forward to 2013.  This is quite a feat and a testament to the dedicated ladies willing to dig in and learn more about their God.

Our next study will be Beth Moore's Daniel.  Yes, God has already provided those valuable DVDs through our church.  They are waiting at the church office for me to pick them up.  My community life pastor says we will love it.  The lady that selected it was excited!  "So relevant to the times we are living in today," she said.  How on the mark!  Here is the description of the study.

Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy by Beth Moore Join Beth in a faith-building study of prophecy and learn how to live with integrity in today's self-absorbed society. The prophet Daniel faced unbelievable pressures to compromise his faith, to live in a hostile culture, and to confront temptations and threats. Today, believers in Jesus Christ face many of the same trials.

Come and join us!

The Nashville Napkin

This blog ... this blog has challenged me.  Here I am confessing my shortfalls to you ... again.  While catching up on some back issues of Southern Living several months ago, I felt prompted to borrow the idea of "The Paper Napkin Interview" for this blog.  In the article they ask questions of celebrities while having an informal meal.  It is only a one page Q&A story with photo.  They even say what was on the interviewee's plate to eat!  I forgot the idea.

Today while waiting on my daughter at a dress rehearsal for The Nutcracker, I was scanning my latest issue.  I stopped at "The Paper Napkin Interview."  It had a little different format.  I began to judge it.  I didn't like that they changed it.  Then I felt it.  My face went flush.  My chest burned.  My heart seemed to drop in my chest.  I remembered.  I was to do this type of article in the blog.  I had failed to obey. 

Immediately I prayed, "Lord, forgive me for forgetting.  I don't know too many famous people.  Who do I interview?  What questions do I ask?  I don't want to fail again." 

One name came to me.  Then another.  Then another.  So I am committing to you here that I am going to do this.  Hold me accountable.  Check back to see what becomes of "The Nashville Napkin."