We are about to embark on the adventure of our lives, which includes taking 6 kids around the world to follow God !! Now, how's that for an opening line ? We were accepted to the ministry of Youth With a Mission (YWAM).
About 7 or 8 years ago, with only 4 children, we looked into YWAM. But, shortly into the process, the Lord said, "Not now. Later." Not, "No." Just "Not now." Well, the idea was quickly shelved and before you knew it, we were full swing into homeschooling, and there were 2 more little boys that came our way !! Well, fast forward to today. Six children, homeschooling, living day to day life, doing our best to be faithful stewards of all God has entrusted us with. Last September 30th, Roger and I sat together and prayed. We prayed a very specific prayer that day. We asked the Lord to "catapult us to our destiny and to give us His dreams." Well, in less than an hour, Roger had received a phone call telling him that the business he had worked for for the last 7 years had been sold and he had been laid off. Complete peace reigned over the situation. There was no fear, no striving, no dread. No, "How are we going to support our family of 8 ?" Just peace. What else could there be after praying that prayer but complete and utter peace ?
It has been almost 11 months now. The Lord has sustained us and taught us that He is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider. He provides. Through unemployment and other odd jobs, we have been provided for. My couponing techniques and subsequent stockpiles have sustained us well in this time. We have had more time as a family, obviously, and more time to pray and grow in the Lord. We have felt our lives "shifting" and the Lord "preparing" us for some time, but we just weren't sure for what. Our hearts have always been in missions, helping the orphan and the widow, helping families . . . We never guessed it could be our reality so soon. The thing that we had hoped for and prayed for over such a long time.
Recently, the Lord told us to look into YWAM again. Well, it isn't shocking that that is exactly what He had in mind, is it ? The head of University of the Nations, the Kona, Hawaii YWAM base, called us on Sunday, August 1st. Not only was he not shocked and appalled at our family size, he was encouraging. He told us that he wanted us to come to the September 30th training school. JAW DROP !! "Uh, excuse me ? Did I hear you correctly ? As in 2 months away ?" After we picked our jaws off the floor, we continued on with the conversation. We completed the arduous application process, were accepted and our arrival date of September 30th, will be 1 year to the day from when Roger lost his job. God's timing is always perfect.
A little background about YWAM. YWAM's purpose is to know God and make Him known. Their main focus has been training people to go and fulfill the Great Commission. Kona is one of YWAM's largest bases and the only one this well equipped for large families. YWAM starts everyone off at the same place-- a 3 month DTS (Discipleship Training School), followed by a 2 month outreach phase. While Roger and I are in training and classes all day, the kids will have the unique opportunity to go to their award-winning Foundation School, which is a combination of academics and discipleship--exactly what we want for them. Riley, being just 3, will have to a nanny to care for him. A young woman from our church, Brittany McReynolds, has graciously said she would join us on this crazy adventure ( at least in Kona)and fill the position. I am thankful for her heart for children, because as a homeschooling mama, it is hard to not to be with your children, especially your baby. Sometime around December 18th, we will leave for our outreach in the southern part of India and Brittany will leave to come back to Atlanta.
After our outreach in India, Lord willing, we will return to Atlanta for about a month before we start the next phase of our training, Family Ministry School, in Germany. It is set up similarly to DTS, with 12 weeks of instruction and 8 weeks of hands-on training in the field. It looks as if the outreach(es) could be in Ethiopia and Romania. After that, we are not sure where we will end up. We're still praying and know the Lord will show us, but it would just be presumptuous of us to say that we know where we will be after next August. We *think* we will be serving with YWAM in full-time ministry, but the Lord has full-reign to put us wherever He wants.
We have been fervently praying, "God, give us your dreams !! Ours aren't big enough !!" Well, that is a dangerous prayer. And an exciting one, too !! While we are confident in our direction, it's still scary to step out in faith and disrupt the lives of 6 kids along the way. Stepping out in faith isn't easy, but it is time to allow our faith to take wings !! (I will say, I have known I was "called" into missions since I was 16. I received my MA in Missions & Intercultural Studies from Wheaton many moons ago. Hey, Daddy, I finally get to use all of that education you paid for !!)
Do we have all the answers ? Uh, um, NO. But we know WHO does !! The Lord told us that He will work everything out, if we rely on Him, even when it may not make a lot of sense to us. And, so far, He has done just that. Do we know where all of the finances are coming from ? Nope. Do we know if we are selling our house (our preference) or renting it out ? Nope. But, it is amazing how God has brought people to buy some of our "stuff" without us even trying to sell it !!
We knew that you would be excited for us, and right now, we need you to pray for us and to sow into what God is doing ! Please pray for all that has to be done in a mere 30 days, and that we hear clearly from the Lord each day to know what to do. Time is speeding by faster than we ever imagined, and only with His grace and His agenda, each day, can we accomplish the task set before us. Packing a house and 8 people to go around the world isn't gonna be easy. I keep reminding myself of the motto of the church I grew up in. "Attempt something so great for God, that it be doomed to failure, unless God be in it." Well, this is one of those situations for sure !!
When you partner with us, you become part of all that God wants to accomplish through 9 people. Just think about that for a second. If the Bible says that two can put 10,000 to flight, think about the numbers here !! You are not just helping us reach those who need the love that only God can give them-- the love that we are so blessed to already know-- but, ultimately, through prayer and finances, you are sowing into the Glory of God Himself. The Kingdom of God co-laboring as one body. What an exciting time we live in to serve the KIng !!
Here's to the Great Adventure !!
Dani, for Roger and the munchkins--
Madison, Quinn, Avery, Ian, Sam & Riley
Oh, yeah, the nitty-gritty:
Contact us at: themerrittfamilyadventures at gmail.com
Find us on Facebook at: The Merritt Family Adventures
Donations can be made online at our church-- just put a note as to who it is for
Checks (please put a note with it as to who it is for, rather than writing in the memo field) can be mailed to:
Daystar
Attn.: Rachel Dyck
3434 Pleasantdale Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30340
And, please email us and let us know of your support !!
Awesome!
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