January 2025

 Discipleship Conference

With the holiday season all wrapped up, it was time to start some new activities!  A colleague of mine in our organization asked if I'd join her disciple-making ministry team, and I was thrilled.  I've gone through the disciple-making program, called Student Link, before and have been so encouraged by it's focus on relational accountability in biblical truth (more on Student Link later in the post).  We went as a team to St. Augustine, Florida to help at a discipleship conference organized by SonLife.  The week was spectacular, and as helpers, we were busy with set up, registration, clean-up and other errands.  We also joined in with the lectures, seminars, and break-out sessions to develop our own leadership skills individually and as a team.  I was very encouraged in all the sessions I attended.  The main speakers spoke about God's unfathomably great love for us as we begin, build, and be in our different ministries.  The lecture sessions were four blocks of time, and we looked at specifically the strategy of Jesus' ministry in the trajectory of His life from beginning to end.  Finally, the break-out sessions gave a feel for other ministries.  As a team, we divided and conquered and then shared notes from these different ministries - I was in on a really cool ministry that takes students on mountain hikes so they can experience God's beauty and to also push them in areas where they must turn to find reliance in their Savior.  In another break-out session, we went together and learned how to encourage future leaders in our ministries.

(1) Even with a busy schedule, we made it to see the ocean one late night! (2) one of the challenges we received during the conference was to share our faith with someone we meet.  I had such a fun time talking with these girls in town and hearing their stories while getting to share a piece of mine. 

 

While it had been a bit chilly in Florida when we were there, we still found a few moments of sun that were perfect for prayer, worship, and discussion as a team.

Got pulled up on stage for one night - a conference of youth pastors includes song actions, always! 

As a team, we divided during between tables for registration, SonLife information, and a table further describing all the aspects of our Global Link Partner's ministry.

Student Link Ministry

Back in 2020, a friend (and now colleague through our mission organization) created a disciple-making program called Student Link to build students into disciple-makers and encourage accountability.  This ministry has been growing - she's even had the material translated into Czech for my students overseas!  This month, in addition to the disciple-making groups, we also started meeting Wednesday mornings for prayer and breakfast!  Our Student Link team (those who also went to the Florida conference) come together one morning a week and we are encouraging students to come as we pray over their youth groups, schools, and activities they are a part of.  Additionally, this month we stated hosting a once-a-month gathering for youth pastors in our area.  The goal is to bring connection and encouragement to these youth pastors who are mentoring and discipling in their churches.  As we had heard many time at the conference in Florida, a youth pastor can only give from the overflow of his/her own spiritual "being" and by "being" rooted in God in our personal learning, we can give overflowing-ly out.  We hope the monthly meeting will be that refreshing, filling time for these youth pastors. 

We kicked off the new year with a hang-out for the group of students and leaders who are currently working through the Student Link disciple-making lessons together.  As I had just moved back to the country, I was invited to join in and share that time with them.  It was fun to see their connection and how they are encouraging one another.  

Student Link Group

Student Link is a disciple-making accountability 52-week study done either one-on-one or in a group.  A co-leader and I were praying about starting a group in this new year, and it was so fun to watch this group come together!  While many times the groups that are formed for Student Link are already mentor/students, in this group none of us really knew each other, but somehow we got connected and formed this beautiful little group.  Last fall as I was praying for the youth on their fall retreat, God continued to put a couple names of students on my heart to pray for - younger siblings of other students and leaders who I knew were on retreat as well.  Having never met these girls and only knowing names, I trusted just that the Spirit was simply encouraging me to pray.  I would have never guessed in four months these same girls, whose names I only knew, would be our next Student Link group!  

As we were praying over this group and beginning to ask these girls if they were interested in joining a disciple-making program with us, I had an underlying thought of, "it's a nice idea - it would be a dream, really, but I'm really not sure how it will work."  After briefly meeting these gentle, busy teenage girls a week later in passing, I again thought, "it's a nice idea, but I don't think this will work."  They work, have sports, school, and on top of that, they are in different grades and at different church campuses!  Plus, I really thought my bubbly, energetic personality had scared them off.  I continued to pray.  Suddenly, one of the girls decided she wanted to try Student Link.  My co-leader had found a time and planned a meeting and we went with it.  I texted the other two who had miraculously also availability at that time between work, school, and sports schedules and were super excited to join!  That first meeting was perfect - these gentle-spirited girls bonded, laughed, and studied scripture together.  I am so excited for what the future will look like as we continue to study God's truth together.  

Czech Ministry

I have been transitioning back to American life and beginning to find a new rhythm and routine (especially still giving myself still time of rest and reconnection after the holiday momentum has depleted and getting sick this month).  To help with the process of transition back to the states, I had been registered for a debriefing week with missionary professionals that was unfortunately cancelled last minute.  The counselors and organizers were saddened to have to cancel (due to low attendance) and knew how necessary debriefing in a sabbatical or time of transition is, so I was able to set up an online call with one of the debriefers to walk through steps for this transitional period.  

Throughout the days, I am still in regular contact with many of the Czech youth, leaders, and students I have been connected to for so many years.  I am grateful for technology that allows me to continue pouring into them and encouraging in this way.

One dear friend from Czech is visiting Minnesota, and it has been fun to connect with her and be an encouragement to her in the time we get together.  As she is connecting more with the youth students and ELIM in Letovice, it great for her to see the ministries here in America and add that to her understanding of working with youth!  It is my big hope that this connecting between the youth groups will continue in the future allowing young adults to visit and develop leadership skills gaining a larger worldview background.  It is exciting to see how the passions of these young adults grow for outreach in their home country after visiting and seeing other youth groups!  The encouragement of a stint in another location to observe and participate in ministry is so valuable for renewal of energy, ideas, and personal development.  I have loved watching this one friend grow (she affectionately calls herself my "little sister") and see her passion for sharing Jesus with the next generation spark and overflow.

2011 & 2025