Christmas 2009!

Seasons greetings from Sweden!

I hope that Christmas is finding you well whether it is summer or winter outside,
or if you are at home or somewhere else out in the world.
“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas” Well the dreams are true as even now snow is coming down, and sideways, even up at times! My skinny Christmas tree is leaning to one side again and I am listening to my favorite Christmas carol “Carol of the Bells” Yip...its Christmas!

Which also means it is nearly the end of 2009 and a new decade is upon us. Its the time of the year where we look back over the year that was...and look forward to the one ahead.

The last six months for me has been busy and quite intense and I am now enjoying the Christmas break! Here’s what has been happening the last months...

In July I agreed to be a part of the leadership team here on the YWAM base in Restenäs, Sweden (a 3 year commitment). On our team we are 9 people and basically we are meet twice a week discussing all the details that come with over-sighting 80 people in various ministries.
There are many things to decide, talk about and work on. I can see that I have strength in looking at issues from many angles..but my greatest strength is to see things put into action. I have even recognized my ‘action’ action: slapping my knee and saying “OK!”...means lets go and do it!!! I’m weird, I know!

From August onwards I worked on preparing to run the 2nd School of Communication Foundations (SCF) here in Sweden. August and September were crazy months where I just had too many things on my plate at once. As well as prepping for my school I working on school staff training for all the schools running in the fall (3 others), the leadership team, and teaching prep for my school and Kiev (see right).

One of the biggest things I have learnt this fall is that I like to give 100% to the things I do and have quality results. I get very frustrated when I feel like I am doing nothing well because there is too many diverse things flighting for my attention.....lets hope I have learnt my lesson for the new year!!

Celebrating my 35th birthday in Kiev, Ukraine


In September myself and about 20 others from Restenäs went to a YWAM conference in Kiev. It was fun to go into the center of the city to have dessert together on my birthday.
We were staying in “soviet-style” dorms - and yes, well, it is good to be able to fully appreciate hot showers and non-lumpy mattresses when you get home!



SCF 2009

The 2009 School of Communication Foundations has come and gone, and once again I am in awe of God and His love for us. It was a challenging school in many ways and as always I feel like I have learnt and grown just as much as the students. We had six students who were very diverse in personalities and cultures and we made a unique class. They were from Ethiopia, Norway, USA, Germany and South Korea, and my three staff were from Korea, Norway and Latvia. There was a really great line up of teachers and each week was inspiring and challenging. We all grew in skills and knowing our identity in God.
One teacher was Patrick Dodson (www.patrickdodson.net) and he taught on Identity and Calling. It was a timely teaching for me as this year has a season of questioning what I want to do in life and wondering if I really make a difference in missions. I am still in the process of re-examining all the questions and no big life changes are coming up (ie I will continue working with YWAM here in Sweden)...but I am reminded about how God wants to work WITH us in living life. Not that He will dictate to us every detail, or stay distant and impersonal. But rather God wants us to talk to Him about the things we love to do and what we see around us. Then we can use our brains, talents and relationships to actively live out Biblical principles in the societies we live in. What an adventure!!!!
So I look around me and see communities of people who do not know God at all; I see people here in Restenäs who I can serve, encourage and learn from; I see new opportunities coming where I can use my talents in teaching; I see countries with so many unmet basic needs; and I see a new year where I can keep working it all out.
What do you see when you see yourself and those around you?
Restenäs Student Transformations...

Eeva (Finland), Discipleship Training School (DTS)
“I am learning more of God’s love. I have always known it in my head...but I am starting to know it more in my heart.”
Corban (USA), School of Biblical Studies
“SBS is a stretching time experiencing the pains of growing, but also the vital importance of God tearing down fear and assumptions and renewing who He really is to you.”
Marianne (Norway), School of Communication Foundations
“God has shown me I can do more than I think I can...He is revealing the truth about who I am.”
Mikael (Sweden), DTS
“God has basically turned me upside down and made a lot of things in my head more than information, and in that way touched my heart!”
Sarah (South Korea). Prayer Seminar participant
“It has become obvious how society deteriorates when we turn our backs on God...He wants to restore Sweden.”

UPCOMING CALENDAR

January 2010:
Start the year with a staff gathering where we look forward to the year.
Working in the training department.

February:
Teaching about learning styles in a YWAM training week in England.
Helping with staff training for upcoming schools.

March:
Two weeks in Thailand and Cambodia - looking around and connecting with people and ministries
Two weeks in Melbourne - visiting friends
April: In NZ!!
May: Still in NZ!!
June: Back in Sweden
July-September: In Sweden preparing for the SCF and YWAM/Restenäs Birthday parties.
September 20-26th 30th Birthday for Restenäs and 50th Birthday of YWAM International.
September 9th -
December 4th: SCF 2010

COMING HOME....
I had hoped to come home to NZ for Christmas, but unfortunately I was not able to raise enough money for the tickets. I really really want to come home in the next few months though and will be aiming to leave here in March for a three month trip.

BROKEN CAMERA
I have always enjoyed taking photos and have come to the point where I wonder if I can start to sell them online. Unfortunately I fell over a couple of weeks ago and my camera was broken.
If you want to help with either of these expenses please let me know!

NEW COMPUTER!!
Thank you all those who contributed to my new Macbook Pro laptop!
It is an awesome computer and is helping me a lot with all that I do.


Hope 2010 will be a great year for you all!!