Adventure Awaits...

I've made it home where the sun shines bright and palm trees mark the way to the beach. Big changes have occurred since I was last here. So let's sit back and talk about life.
First, my apartment has been amazing. It's been wonderful to have a full house were in the old place we only had a small hotel room. I share a room with one of my five roommates. Our neighborhood is in the navy base district so they are many opportunities for friendships. Second, our base is still in the process of moving into an office space. We found a building but have been waiting on legal paper work to process through before we move in. Please join us in praying for the building process.
The structure of the base has changed a little bit too. Leadership "circles" have been put in place in the different departments (frontiers, accounting, personal, and registration) instead of in the past having our base leaders head of everything.
Now that I've been back in Jacksonville for over a month I've reconnected with friends and watched the Discipleship school (DTS) that went on outreach to India return and graduate. Some students will be returning to continue schooling in YWAM. It's always encouraging to hear their stories and watch them fall in love with different nations and people. It's why I do what I do.
On a similar note, my school planning is going slow. With this being my first school as the leader I pray a lot about how the Lord wants this school to look. Each school is different based on the students who come and where they are called to. In this upcoming school there are Muslim and Buddhist focuses.
All the students come with the intention of moving overseas long term, but sometimes like this last year some students have joined me in member care. And the last two years I've come to see the importance of member care (M.C.). I have many friends who have had the intention of living overseas who have come home earlier than planned because of a number of things that they didn't expect. The one thing I have seen most of is the lack of intimacy with the Lord. People become so consumed with the work they are doing that they forget to continue in their own relationship with the Father. In many cases workers get burnt out and overwhelmed and feel trapped so the only solution in their mind is to come home, back to normal life. That's where I step in. With our long term workers I counsel, encourage, and guide them to spend one on one with with God. It's so important as a believer to stay in constant relationship with God, no matter where or who you are. Too many of my friends have been hurt and discouraged and that's where I know the Lord is asking me to lead people and call out truth and speak wisdom so that they can continue ministering where they are. Some days are easier than others but I believe that this is the time for me to stay and invest in people in Jacksonville and M.C. I know that one day I will be where my heart longs to be among the unreached people's. For now though I wait on the Lord and what He has here for me.
Love you all like crazy,
Ansley