Batman Begins or alternatively, My Origin Story

As I'm now currently living and working with YWAM in Northern Ireland you may be asking how I ended up here. Sometimes I ask myself that question too. Or you might not give two shakes of a stick, in which case I'm just writing for the sake of posterity. Either way, here's a brief summary of how I ended up in Rostrevor, why I originally didn't want to come on as staff, and how God changed my heart in that regard.

After pronouncing Jesus as my Savior in 2017 I made the commitment to Him that I would go where He led, and for the next few years that meant staying at home rebuilding relationships and learning how to love those closest to me well. In the summer of 2018 my sister spent a summer at Word of Life Bible Institute in upstate New York and when she came home she told us about Youth With A Mission in Australia that she'd heard about through some friends at WOLBI. As I do with all things I have a mild interest in, I decided to google YWAM. And as I sat there late one evening on my laptop scrolling through hundreds of program options, one caught my eye and tugged on my heart a bit more than the rest. The Redemption DTS. What does redemption mean for individuals and what does it mean for the world? That was the question I'd be unraveling for the next six months to come. So from February - July of 2019 I lived, studied, and worked in a community dedicated to learning about the effects of Christ's redemption and doing our part to spread that in the communities surrounding us in the locations of Rostrevor, Northern Ireland; Belfast, Northern Ireland; and Rmeligh, Lebanon. And as we learned about and experienced the mental, emotional and spiritual transformation we witnessed and were a part of the physical impact it had on the world around us. Come July, my whole worldview had shifted, with Jesus more at the center than He'd ever been in my life. I was ready to go home and share with my loved ones! Ready to make an impact in my city! Ready to stay put and return to 'normal' life with a more can-do attitude. Quickly I realized that God wasn't asking me to stay home and just as quickly, I realized how much that scared me. So I came up with every excuse in the book and for every 'but' I put before God, He answered with "Don't you trust me?" I had decided in 2017 that "Yes Lord, of course I trust You" but I hadn't realized that to every "of course" I'd been tacking on a "unless this happens..." So I surrendered my fears as best I could and finally said okay to whatever, and wherever, God had for me.

This "Yes" has led me back to Rostrevor to join staff for the next few years. The next six months will be further training in full time missional living and leadership. During these months I'll be a part of an everyday community and have responsibilities that reflect that. I'll also be a part of regular weekly ministries put on at An Cuan (our YWAM Rostrevor base) and monthly, yearly, and one time events. I'm grateful to be a part of a community that loves Jesus and wants to love one another. If you'd like partner with me prayerfully and/or financially I would be grateful for your support! You can find a list of prayer points below and information for financial support can be found here.

Thank you for your time and support!

Cheers,

Kelsea

Prayer Points for March 2020

- Those affected by COVID-19 around the world and also the impact it's having on our community. Gratefully, no one is sick; however, things like food rationing, travel bans, and self-isolation are having an effect on us.

- For peace as I find myself in this time of transition. Moving houses, countries, and re-joining friends is something I'm grateful to experience but can be tricky at times. Thankfully I've been welcomed with open arms and so happy to see old friends and make new ones!