YWAM Queenstown | Volume Six
God loves to work in mysterious ways and to surprise us. We tend to think that we have things figured out and that we have an understanding of God’s future for us, but our minds can’t come close to the vastness of His love and how He wants to use us. All for the sake of having true intimacy and relationship with Him. God instills each of us dreams, given to us by Him and we get to live them out with Him. That will look different for everyone, but Jesus has a desire to love us more than we could ever love Him.
This week we’ve had the honor of having Dan Baumann speak on Missions. He is currently on staff at YWAM Kona in Hawaii and speaks on DTS’s across the globe every year. Dan has a testimony like no other. He was imprisoned in Iran for 9 weeks and wrote a book on it called “Cell 58”, which I’m currently reading. The Lord has used him and his testimony to show what it truly means to be friends with Jesus and the sacrifice of missions in ways that I can’t explain by this simple newsletter.
The Lord has been rocking my world this week and has been bringing new definition and clarity to what my “calling” is. Last week the Lord told me to lay my calling unto Him and to surrender it fully. Though it was difficult, I knew that God wanted to bring new definition to what that is and this week, He’s done just that. My calling and passion is to simply love Jesus and follow Him. Through the act of obedience, submission to Him, and inviting Him into all that I do, we’ll do remarkable things together!
The Lord has been bring up a number of old dreams and passions that I thought were long gone and dead, but I’m realizing that those were placed then and they’re arising now. Dreams of how God wants to use my gifts in photography and filmmaking. Those dreams were planted by Him in the subconscious of my mind and now those dreams are sprouting into a new creation. These dreams my scare me in the present, but I know that God’s goodness and faithfulness is sufficient for me and that’s all I need.
Long story short, God has refined my vision and defined my calling. My eyes as set upon Him and I will never look away. His ways are higher than mine and His love for me is greater than my love for Him. Though I may be afraid, I know that I may find rest and peace in the shadow of His wings. God remembers the dreams and desires we have and will fulfill them because He gave us those dreams.
I want to just say a huge thank you for the support, prayers, and feedback I’ve been receiving. The Lord is so good and I’m so grateful for how the Father has moved upon the hearts of His people. I do have some prayer requests that I wanted to put out so that you would know what to specifically pray.
Finances — This week we had to get the required immunizations for our Outreach Trip coming up in a few months and it was quite above what I was expecting it to be. It came at just under $500NZD, but I know that the Lord provides in all ways, including finances.
Health — This week with immunizations, my body has been feeling quite weak and I have been having pain in my left knee as well. Those two have nothing to do with one another, but pray that physical healing come.
Peace — With this whole thing of talking about calling, passion, and dreams; it has caused me to be afraid. I know that I can walk in the confidence of the Lord, but I want to move past the fear of the flesh. Pray that I would continue to lean on the words that the Lord has spoken to me and hold onto them.
Once again, a massive thank you for all the support! Words can’t describe my overwhelming amount of thankfulness and I’m so happy that this newsletter can at least be a small communicator from me to you on what God is doing in YWAM Queenstown in New Zealand. If you’d like to continue supporting me, you can do so in the link below!
www.PayPal.me/JosiahDavidGibbs
Just as a semi-announcement, I do know where I am going on Outreach! I’ll be in Papua New Guinea and East Timor, 5 weeks in both countries! Below is my incredible team and I’m so thrilled to be apart of “The Eastside Eagles”! God’s going to do mighty things!
Godspeed,
Josiah Gibbs