Jun 113 min read

A Ride to Remember: Jumping on the YWAM Train

Updated: Jul 19

STEP ONE

Getting started: Youth With A Mission

FAQ—What is YWAM? What is a DTS? Why are you doing this program?

Hear my process for what got me started with this whole thing in the first place!!

This is a story that has a whole lot to do with redemption. A few prophetic dreams and divine encounters sprinkled in along the way.

I had nooooo idea how doing a Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM would absolutely upend my life and cause me to fall in love with living a life on mission with Jesus!

*Tip to navigate this page… most images you can click on and they will take you somewhere!!!

The launch into a lifestyle of faith-sharing

Watch a little video on a few random scenarios where I saw God 1) pursuing a woman lost and broken but thirsty and searching at a fluke encounter in a pizza place and 2) change the spiritual atmosphere of dark, hard Pearl Street in downtown Denver. God is moving—as I learn that a lifestyle of surrender, obedience, and boldness, availability produces fruit.

STEP TWO

March 24–April 5 | Hokkaido

Highlights:

Twelve hour fast and prayer burn—my heart came alive for reading Scripture over unreached Japan.
A conversation with a Chinese missionary about how much more receptive locals are to hearing about the gospel from foreigners—finding a place for planting seeds in evangelism.
Worship at a believer’s new house, igniting spiritual cleansing and rewriting old narratives into joy through bold worship!
Sharing my testimony to a gathering of youths from every single continent and discovering people began hearing straight from God during the listening portion!!

STEP THREE

April 6–April 5 | Takatsuki

Nightmares in the aftermath of a shrine in the home we were staying at led to worshipping to purify the space—and no more nightmares following! Not to mention cleaning out an abandoned home up the hill and smashing some idols!!

A divine appointment at the park during a worship set with an elderly couple who needed to see the joy of Jesus.
Befriending a restaurant owner and sharing about Jesus—leading to questions, oppenness, and reciprocity with food, music, and kindness over several weeks.

STEP FOUR

April 16–April 28 | Southern Osaka

Preaching at a fiery youth group gathering and watching many teen girls hear from and respond to Jesus—for the first time, with a burden for their friends who don’t know Jesus, or into deeper intimacy with their Savior.
Many divine encounters with people hungry and seeking God and deep conversations with women all along in their walk with Jesus—encouraging and refreshing.

STEP FIVE

April 29–May 4 | Noto

Navigating the trauma of a recent earthquake with a young man through supportive space for storytelling and vulnerable questions about deeper issues—sensing darkness in his past change to light through a prayer time after sharing the gospel.
“Who are you? Where are you from? Why are you serving with Noto Help? Tell me your story!” Inquisitive questions from an eager woman ready to hear about the hope I carry. The feeling of warmth, love, safety, and belonging covering her like a blanket through my prayer over her.

STEP SIX

May 5–12 | Toyko

Mount Fuji—praying over the nation of Japan on top of the mountain and befriending two strangers later on who I got to spontaneously share my testimony with in the park!
Randomly encountering Megumi, an elderly sister in Christ, and refreshing each other through worship, lunch, and playing “Amazing Grace” on my violin. Sometimes Jesus fills with impossibly tangible and strong love for someone you’ve just met, you can’t help but overflow.
A conversation with a young man who had never heard about Jesus—sharing about how we can know, talk to, and hear the voice of God!
Playing “What a friend we have in Jesus” and “Jesus loves me” in front of McDonalds for an elderly couple—they recognized the songs from preschool and started singing along.