Stories of Encouragement - YWAM Ships Corpus Christi

When God's Math isn't Mathing...

9/8/2023

While living in South Africa and about to lead a field assignment to Nepal, God asked me to give away the last of my money so that one of my students could go. So, I paid the rest of her fees, and she was able to go on her field assignment. After that, I thought, 'But how will I pay my field assignment fees? The due date is tomorrow. I know my bank account is empty, and nothing is coming in for another three weeks. How will I pay?'

Huckleberry Experiences

7/31/2023

I went huckleberry picking early Saturday morning. I had flown into Lakeside, Montana a few days ahead of our Bible conference, so I could assist with the set up. It didn’t take as long as we anticipated, so one of my friends invited me to go pick huckleberries on a little dirt road further up the mountain. It sounded like a really unique experience, since these berries only grow for a short season in this region of Montana. I knew going into it that I might not be able to pick a lot, since they are small bushes that like the steep sides of mountains and I have knees that don’t always cooperate. It was the experience I was going for, and I knew the view overlooking the valley would be spectacular.

The Context of Scripture

5/26/2023

Have you ever read a verse (or verses) in the Bible and wondered, "What does this mean?" Well, you're not alone. Many times when you read a passage in the Bible from the context of the people who were living at the time, it opens up a whole new understanding of what the author was trying to say. For example, here is an excerpt from an assignment one of our students completed while they studied Ephesians:

When it's Hard to See the Way

5/5/2023

During one of the most tumultuous times of our life, I was driving our son to a hospital almost 3 hours away. Jonathan had fallen asleep and when he woke up, a deep bruise was imprinted on the side of his face where he had rested it on his palm.

Divine Intervention

4/14/2023

Sometimes, a spur of the moment decision turns into a life-changing event. At least, that was the case for a woman named Rose. My name is Carl, and I used to live in Australia. My friend and I decided to take a trip down the coast during one of our vacation weeks. While we were traveling, someone recommended a small town that was slightly out of the way. We didn’t really want to go since it was slightly out of our way, but we had a free day and decided to check it out.

Giving Lacy Hope

3/24/2023

What was just a normal walk home from praying at the mall, turned into a divine encounter with the love and mercy of Jesus.

When our team was walking home from ministering at the mall, we were stopped and asked for money. This was the second time this happened to us on our walk home, so it struck me as an odd coincidence and possibly a time where God was wanting to move. The woman who stopped us, I'll call her Lacy, was carrying groceries and had just run out of money at a nearby pay phone. None of us were carrying cash at the moment, but immediately 'Acts 3:6' popped into my mind. I could hear Holy Spirit prompting me to say to Lacy, “We don’t have money, but what we do have, we can give to you.” I asked Lacy if she needed prayer for anything and if there was anything we could do to practically help her out (besides give her money). She began crying and explaining her poor health and her life situation to us. I believe Holy Spirit really moved through us because she kept saying, “Wow, I’ve never met anyone like you guys. You are so kind. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me.”

Slow and Gentle

1/17/2023

I recently became a mom for the first time. Friends and family try to tell you what it’s like, but no one can really prepare you for parenthood. I knew becoming a parent would change things about me, although it was NOT what I expected.

Testimonies of God's Faithfulness

10/19/2022

Whether it's a testimony of healing, family reunification, financial provision, etc, sharing stories of God's faithfulness can be powerful. They bring encouragement, healing, and so much joy! We asked some of our staff to share stories of the Lord's unique provision for them or their teammates during their DTS.

Pro Tips for the Field Assignment

10/7/2022

The Field Assignment phase of the Discipleship Training School is oftentimes trainees’ favorite part! It can also be the most challenging. Here are some pro-tips from someone who’s been on outreach a time or two.

Learn as much of the language as you can
You may not be fluent, but even those basic phrases like “where is the bathroom” go a long way. Another great one to learn is, “What is your name?” and “How do you say…?”
By learning how to ask for words in another language, you can engage with the person you’re with, laugh a lot, and learn a little more along the way!