YWAM Bound in 99 Days!

I have the absolute pleasure of writing you to tell you that God has been moving in incredible ways in my life lately. For a long time I have thought and prayed about what to do next in my life. After much thinking and praying, I feel that the Lord has called me to be involved in Youth With A Mission’s Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Toowoomba, Australia beginning January 24 2015 and ending June 20, 2015.

Youth With a Mission (YWAM) is an international and interdenominational movement of Christians dedicated to presenting Jesus in a personal way to this generation, as well as training, equipping, and mobilizing believers for their part in spreading Gods love. This is my chance! I want to be one who is spiritually, physically, mentally and socially equipped to share the gospel with others. I believe the Lord is giving me this opportunity to grow and be spiritually challenged. I am so excited to learn from and about God in this way!

DTS is a six month program with the first three months called the “lecture phase.” The emphasis of this phase is getting to know God better, His character, His will, intercession and worship, and God’s heart for the lost. The last three months will involve putting what I learned into action! This is called the “outreach phase” and entails going on a cross-cultural evangelistic and service-based outreach to another country. This DTS is designated as a "worship" DTS, a program created to strengthen your relationship with God while finding purpose in the field of music & worship ministry. The outreach sight as of yet has not been determined, but I will keep you updated with that information as I receive it.

You are receiving this letter because you have been an intricate part in my life and my growth. The most important thing that you can do for me as family and friends is to pray for me as I go through this transition in my life. I need prayer for wisdom, discernment, protection, direction, and for God to transform my life!  Another prayer concern is for financial support for the program. I will be raising my own support for this DTS. Everyone in YWAM from the founder down to the beginning DTS student has to raise their own support, and I am no exception. I ask that you would prayerfully consider giving towards my trip, and if you cannot afford it financially, please be in prayer for me as I raise support.

Because the outreach location has not been determined I do not have a fixed amount, but the approximate price of the program is $8500. If you would like to be a part of my time at YWAM financially you can make checks out to me personally. I am so thankful for this privilege to serve the Lord and learn about Him in many new ways. I want to thank you in advance for your prayer and any financial gift you may feel led to give. Please feel free to call me anytime with questions, concerns, or just to talk about my decision.

Once again, I am so excited to be able to share this with you and can’t thank you enough for the support & love you have given to me throughout my life, and now. I am truly blessed.

Blessings,

Christa Colburn

61370 King Solomon Ct

Bend, OR 97702

https://www.youcaring.com/mission-trip-fundraiser/support-christa-s-ywam-adventure/196566

Dancing with Cinderella

Lately, i've been focusing on getting out of my comfort zone. Out of my comfortable bubble and into new territory. Last week I went and hung out with a new amazing group of people. If it hadn't been for Bud I never would have gone. But I went, and met new people and practiced normal social interactions. I ended up talking with this wonderful woman for a good chunk of the evening and hearing about all her amazing things she's done in her life. She told me about her travels, her passions, her past and her hopes for the future. With every word out of her mouth I felt more and more comfortable opening up and sharing with he my goals and prayers.  When the end of our talks had come to an end she asked to pray for me, I was baffled. But as she prayed my heart warmed and tears poured from my eyes as she prayed the most beautiful wishes over my life. She had only known me for an hour. Yeah. I know.

Her prayer was straight from her heart to mine. It captured everything I had been feeling and hoping for months and even things I had pushed down so deep I didn't even know existed. This prayer lasted for over 5 minutes. After the prayer she told me she had a vision while she was praying for me and wanted to share it with me. She had pictured me dancing on Gods feet and twirling and laughing and dancing with my father. That I need not worry because God will guide me! That God is proud of the woman I have become and is so over joyed with the future he has laid before me. At this point I burst into sobs. It is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me. It reminded me of the beautiful song by Steven Curtis Chapman called Cinderella. I finally understand.

At the end of the night on the car drive home the only word I could use to describe the situation to Bud was weird. It was all just weird. I think it was weird because it was the closest I have felt to God and another person in a really long time. A weird I can get used too.

Sun Stand Still Prayer

Yesterday I started reading a book that my friend had given to me early this weekend. She had told me how this book had changed her way in thinking about her future and how she hoped it would do the same for me. The book is called Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick. It's a book that talks about what it looks like to live with audacious faith and "what happens when you dare to ask God for the impossible". The author talks about the story of Joshua and the battle of Caanan. Joshua and his army had almost conquered but knew that come nightfall  the rest of the Amorites would slip away. In order for Joshua to win the battle he prayed one HUGE prayer:

O sun, stand still over Gibeon,

O moon, over the valley of Aijalon. (Verse 12)

God made the sun stand still! Darkness didn't come, the sun did not go down for another day. WHAT!? Mind Blown!!! Joshua had the audacity to pray this ginormous prayer and look how God provided. The sun stood still.

Why do we choose to dumb down our dreams? This friend and I were talking a few weeks ago about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. When I told her I stopped because the way my brain has been formatted I believed it wasn't a realistic dream. Through no fault in anyone in my family, I was raised that singing is not a levelheaded career. It is something that you can love but not something you make a living from or commit your life too. When I explained this to her she stopped me. She told me if I don't dream big I am pretty much saying that that is something to big for God to handle. That he cant provide in that way. Why was I doubting that the Lord couldn't provide in such big ways in my life?

I am not very far into this book at all, page 21, but it already seems to be molding my brain to believe in my dreams. It finishes the second chapter by asking, What is your stand still prayer? This may not be "the correct" way to write this kind of prayer, but this is how it feels right for me. My name is Christa and this is my stand still prayer: 

Lord, I commit myself to you. I wanna sing of your great and wondrous love for the rest of my life. I want to speak to the next generation about you God and for you Lord. To bring them closer in their walk with you. Use me and mold me Lord into the worshiper you want and need me to be. Lord I want to SING for YOU! Whether that be through volunteering or a career as a worship artist, I believe that you will make the sun stand still in my walk with you just like you did for Joshua and show me I am on the right path and what you need me to be doing.

Teach me. Grow me. Mold me. Guide me. 

Amen.

Jesus Firm Foundation

This week at first wednesday we sang a new song called Jesus Firm Foundation. In it it says "And we will not be shaken, Jesus firm foundation." These lyrics really resonated with me this week. So often we let little things in our life shake our world and cause us to think our world is falling to pieces. I have had many MANY moments like this. Me being the drama queen I am, it feels like the end of the world. The thing Im thinking about now is what if we all built on this foundation. God is the one thing that will not change, the one thing that will always be the same. If we built our lived on that we wont be shaken we wont feel as though things are crumbling. I choose to start today. To rebuild my life as Jesus MY firm foundation.

The Lord Works Through Strangers

I recently had one of the weirdest days I've ever had. Its one of those days where everything that has happened in the previous few days all makes sense. It makes you even more in awe of the Lord and his work, if that is even possible.

As I was leaving church a few weeks ago and sitting in my car, I see a woman speed walking and staring me down. I get out of my car to meet with this woman to see if I can help her in some way. But mostly to figure out why she was trying so hard to get my attention. Her name was Kori and she was an older woman. She had said that she had felt called by the Lord to talk to me. This weekend I had lead the song Hosanna. In that song I talk about "I see a Generation..."She wanted to tell me that she feels I have the voice to talk to the next generation. To inspire and encourage whether it be through music, prayer, or sermon. She left with a hug an encouragement to stay close to the Lord and he will show me the way.

As I left the church and drove back to my job, it hit me. Worship is more than just something I love to do. It is my passion! It is the thing that makes me feel closest to the Lord and long to learn more and bring people closer to him. It is there that theLord lit a fire in my heart. With that fire I want to return to school and study more about about Worship. I want to get back into writing music and brush up on my piano and do everything I can to become a better me.

Whether or not I become a Worship artist or just continue to volunteer at the church, it is nice to finally feel passionate about something. The Lord always continues to astound me and provide in ways I never thought about. I am so excited to continue on this journey of life and grow closer to my father. I am blessed.