First month with ywam!!

Welcome to my blog!!!! I wanted to document and share my journey to be a missionary, so I have somewhere to share all the testimonies, stories and things God is doing in my life, that are too long for my Instagram!!... tho @oliviagracewarrenn on Instagram for allll the real-life updates & pictures :)

The last month has been absolutely crazy! After such a long, long journey of waiting on the Lord and being obedient to his direction despite the manyyy obstacles, I'm FINALLY here!! I'm currently in Kona, Hawaii attending YWAM's (Youth With A Mission) Fire and Fragrance DTS (Discipleship Training School)!! I'll be here for 3 monthes getting trained and prepared for missions in the nations... while also being able to experience God's creativity and joy through the beauty of Hawaii :) In short, we all live in community on campus together... I share a room with the best 8 girls, and every day we worship together, have a different speaker each week, teaching and training us on different topics, intercede for the nations, have practical training mornings, and serve the campus through our work duty. This is all while prioritising our relationship with Jesus in our secret place and community. All in all, it's so chaotic, and there’s a lot going on… but it’s so rewarding and growing.

In the first week, Andy Byrd opened our eyes to the revelation of Jesus' love and how to respond to it. He taught us that holiness is not just about following rules, but it's about finding joy in God and living out our identity as sons and daughters of the High King through our choices and decisions. Andy also challenged us to like actually surrender everything to God's glory and to make Jesus Lord of EVERY aspect of our lives. He encouraged us to hunger for a closer relationship with God and to spend time in His presence, not being passive or lukewarm in our faith or knowledge of Jesus. Finally, Andy reminded us to rest in the arms of the Shepherd's safety. His many years in ministry poured out truth and revelation, leaving us with a deeper understanding of the love of Jesus, something usually so skimmed upon in comparison to the full extent. We truly walked away with hearts full of hope and a renewed passion to pursue God.

In the second week of our classes, we had Peter Louis from Upperroom impart his wisdom on the different personas of Jesus. He taught us about Jesus, the lamb of God, (past) who showed us the path to peace through his sacrifice on the cross. Through his sacrifice, we were granted eternal life in heaven and the opportunity to have a relationship with our Father God. We also learned about Jesus, the high priest, (present) who is our advocate, intercedes on our behalf, and empowers us to overcome every obstacle. Moreover, we discovered Jesus, the bridegroom, (future) who teaches us about purity and abiding in him until his return to earth. These are just a few highlights from our extensive classes where we delved into the word to gain a better understanding of Jesus. Our thirst for knowledge about him grew as we learned more. Obviouslyyy this is VERY summarised, with us attending hours and hours of class every day delving into the word to showcase and understand this. But, wow, our thirst for knowledge about him grew as we learned more.

Coming to Kona has also really sparked an importance and love for intercession and a burning heart for the nations, there are vast people groups and nations who need the power and love of Jesus Christ in their lives and are unable to pray for breakthrough themselves. It's so so powerful when God's children come together and cry out for their salvation, hearts, and protection. We have intercession multiple times a week and it’s been so so good, and I’ve really learned that when you focus on Jesus and you focus on unreached nations who desperately need the love of Jesus, the self-centred wants and issues dim. What’s more important than the Great Commission and saving lives from the gates of hell?...certainly not fear of man or worrying about the future or worrying about finances for outreach

… tho dang it's hard.

WE ALSO GOT OUR OUTREACH LOCATIONS!!!

The course is 3 monthes on the base here in Kona, training up... and then we go on outreach for 3ish monthes to the nations to share the gospel, and make God known!!! This year the locations were announced way earlier than in previous years and were told within a couple weeks of being here. They revealed 30 locations from all around the world and gave us 24 hours to pray on it and give our top 3 locations! I really felt God reminding me of all his previous words and direction for me to go to Hawaii, and so I put Hawaii as my first choice and then 'anywhere' for the rest. As I submitted my answer, I felt God telling me that a door opens when I’ve stepped through the previous door, and I'm only taking one step at a time. The leaders of the school then prayerfully placed us all in teams to go all across the world we eagerly waited for the announcement. I really felt God’s hand over the whole process and felt that I would be sent to a different crazy place I would have never thought I would go.... and I’m going to Asia!!!!

I’m so so excited for me and my team of 8, and while I can’t disclose the exact location, it is a very unreached nation, with a 0.5% Christian population! I would really really appreciate prayer for my team and the Middle East, as we step out into what God has led us to do. While I’m so pumped for the challenge and have so much faith that Jesus will be there every step of the way, there are many realistic issues that can arise, so I would love if y’all could keep us in your prayers. <3

Prayer points:

- That Jesus opens the eyes, ears, and hearts of the people we meet and the people of the nation so they may receive the love, joy and peace of Jesus Christ and do a work in their hearts in the next few months, expectant of a radical change.

- That the Holy Spirit will guide us so imminently to the right people and places, opening and closing the right doors, and the Holy Spirit will speak and act through us to bring about salvation.

- For divine unity over my team that we will be so close to each other and God every step that people can see the person of Jesus through us.

- For safety and protection over us and the nation, both physically and mentally so that the enemy has no way in at all.

- That God will financially provide the funds to be able to go and reach the unreached!!

Due to the location, the cost has increased, and I will need $6000 for outreach! If you feel led, I ask that you prayerfully partner with me with on this. I believe this is where God is sending me, and God has been so good and he will provide! I will leave my bank details and YWAM link below, any help would be so appreciated, big or small!

Already in the last month, God has done a work in me and I’m so very excited to see where God will lead me and what he will transform in my life. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and will always glorify the faithful God I serve!!!

The gospel truly saves lives, gives freedom, and transforms generations through one individual. I feel that it’s so important to get the gospel to the unreached, to places where it’s illegal to spread the gospel, to places where it’s illegal to be a Christian. They too deserve to know Jesus, and just because only 0.5% of the population is Christian or the government doesn’t support it, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t step out in faith to reach the unreached!!

I love y’all so much and thank you to everyone who’s ever supported me ❤️❤️

Bank details:

O G Warren

20-69-34

30563625