Today I wrote a support letter to my family and friends. I like posts where there are a LOT of pictures and little writting, but this one is just the opposite! ~ Sorry ~ In the future, I hope there will MORE pictures and less writing. I wanted to post the letter, as there may be a few of you reading this who did not receive one in the mail. The letter contains a brief description about YWAM and what I will be learning there, as well as my 'faith journey' during the past few years. I took out the paragraph that contained my contact information since the blog is open for the world to see. If you are interested in supporting me and do not know my home address, please send your gifts to YWAM. Thank you for taking the time to read it! Here it is:
Dear Family and Friends,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! I had a wonderful Christmas, enjoyed lots of family, and had a very wonderful surprise! The surprise was a phone call from Youth With A Mission saying that I was accepted to their Winter Discipleship Training School (DTS) from January 11 - June 26 at the Cimarron, Colorado base! YWAM is the world's largest Christian mission organization. Their goal is to make disciples of Christ and to send them out to disciple the world. The DTS is a radical 6-month program designed to promote incredible growth in the lives of the students and to build solid foundations on the Word of God.
The first 12 weeks will be spent learning in a classroom and assisting with ministry in CO. We will be learning about: God‘s nature and character, hearing the voice of God, the fear of the Lord, evangelism, leadership, mission and culture, intercessory prayer and spiritual gifts. Training includes physical preparation as well as language and cultural orientation. The last 12 weeks will be spent on the mission field. The outreach location is usually the Himalayan Mountains of South Asia. The staff at YWAM are still praying about where the outreach will be located, so I do not know where I will be going. I will update my blogspot once I have that information.
A lot has happened in my life to get me to this point of going out in faith to be His messenger. About 5 years ago God started asked me if I would be willing to be a missionary some day. That was one thing I NEVER wanted to do! I always dreamed of working here in the states and supporting my sisters -- all of whom want to be missionaries -- NOT going myself! Well, God had other plans for my life; He started working on and changing me. I had to give up my rights to my own desires and dreams, and started seeking Him with ALL my heart. Soon His desires became my desires! This birthed the desire of missions into my utmost being and now has become my true passion!
He started teaching me about trusting Him, hearing His voice, and obeying no matter what the cost --a true ‘faith journey‘. For the past 1 ½ years I have been doing just that! My security was wrapped up in providing for myself, so God took that away. I believe that God asked me to give up my nursing job and just trust Him to provide for me and to guide my every step. I prayed and fasted over this decision, and knew what I had to do! I chose not to re-sign the work contract and have been on a ‘faith journey’ ever since. Even though I have not been working in a secular position, I have been all over the country helping out my family members and friends that needed assistance. When I got upset about not having a job, He gently showed me that He was fulfilling my desires -- being a missionary. This was not my idea of being a missionary, but He assured me that this was HIS mission for me…for such a time as this. This was the start of something bigger. Now, He is leading me further in this walk of faith.
During these past 1 ½ years I have experienced God in powerful ways in my life! I have received miraculous physical healing for a non-diagnosed neurological illness, enjoyed encounters with the Holy Spirit, and been called into missions. Each day I have yielded myself and desires, and experienced a deep trust and faith in my Savior, Jesus Christ. This time has been the best growing experience that I have ever had. I realize now that He was just preparing me for this day. And this mission will just prepare me for the next step in His ultimate plan for my life. He is proving faithful each day!
One of YWAM’s foundational values is ‘faith and finances’-- believing that God will provide our every financial need in whatever He leads us to do. I am trusting God to continue to provide for all my needs. The total cost for this program is approximately $6,400. On January 11th $2,900 is due, and $3,500 is due before the outreach. Would you pray and partner with me for this 6 month journey of faith, preparation, and serving? Prayers, letters of encouragement or financial support would be greatly helpful to me as I begin to fulfill the burden He has placed on my heart and my life’s calling:
Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion -- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. -- NIV
Please send your financial gifts to my home address or directly to YWAM specified for Lisa Rowzer. My mailing address at YWAM is: P.O. Box 158, Cimarron, CO 81220. The phone number at YWAM is: 970-249-8115, as I will not have cell phone service on campus.
I believe without a doubt that God has called me into missions and that YWAM is the first step in this process. I am trusting Him to provide for my every need, and am excited to embark in another ‘faith adventure’ with Him! I am praying that this experience will help me to get out of my comfort zone and be a bold Christian for Christ, increase my faith and trust in Him, and be humble as He works through me to minister to others. I am excited to see people healed, hearts changed, and lives turned from darkness into the Light! Please keep me in prayer as I continue to be His servant…for such a time as this! May the Lord bless each one of you this coming year. Thank you for your support!
In Christ,
Lisa J. Rowzer
Colorado Mountains
