To Know God and Make Him Known

As some of you know, the 3 weeks before I came out to YWAM were a little bit crazy. A few days after I was accepted my arms painfully cramped up and went into continual spasms. As the days before my flight crept up, it only seemed to be increasing in severity so I made the decision not to come. The night that I had planned a going away party and fundraising night, I had friends pray over me, and by the next day the pain was completely gone. So amazing! The Lord also supplied for the need I still had for half my tuition and a new plane ticket to Maui.

I am still in awe that I am actually in the midst of a discipleship training program with YWAM. The first few weeks have been so good. I live in a room with 16 other girls, bunkbeds piled 3 high, and am quickly making solid friendships. There are only 23 students and about 20 staff that live on this base, so it is truly a little family. I feel blessed to be a part of it. During the week we have daily lectures, worship, homework, outreach preparation, and work duties (I help in the kitchen one day per week). On Sundays, I get the opportunity to teach sunday school to grade 5 and 6 at a church nearby.

Each week we have a different guest lecturer speak, and this past week our base director spoke on biblical survey. I thought that this week would be drier and less insightful than the last 2 weeks (which were on our identity in Christ and on the Holy Spirit), but I was rocked by the teaching. He took us through the main points of the bible: creation, the fall, and redemption, in a way that I have never been taught it before. We focused most of our time on Genesis and Exodus and the covenants God made with His people, and how each one of them brought the picture of God's plan into clearer and clearer focus until the revelation of the cross. The old testament came more alive to me than it ever has before, and from that, how great this love of God. Right from the moment the fall happened He began the steps to bring us all (Jew and Gentile) back to restoration and intimacy with Him. I could talk for hours about all that I learned this week, so when I come home and can go for coffee and have a heart to heart.

OUTREACH!!

Our group will be split into 3 groups at the end of March and head to different countries. I have the most amazing opportunity to go to another country! I can't even tell you how exciting this is to me!! Our focus will mainly be reaching out with love through practical serving in communities, teaching english to university students and building friendships, and helping in orphanages. Most of our time will be in rural mountain villages, and then we will spend a few weeks in a large city.

Please pray for: safety and protection for my team and I, unity and strength, and opportunities to share about our Friend.

Could you please pray that the funds I need to go will come in? At this point I need $4000 US funds, and $2000 of it in 2 weeks. This seems like an incredible amount, but the Lord has already amazed me by His provisions to this point, and I have faith that if it is His will for me to go He will continue to provide.

If anyone feels led to support me financially you can mail in to my home address and Mandy will get it to me, or a money order to YWAM- Maui:

Robyn Heppner Robyn Heppner

#8-124 Mills Rd. c/o YWAM - Maui

Kelowna BC PO Box#790237

V1X 4G7 Paia HI

96779

The Dream....The Journey

As those of you who have listened to me share my heart and my dreams know, I have had this dream in my heart and on my mind for years... to serve the Lord with YWAM. Growing up, there were a couple different family friends who were apart of YWAM long term. Hearing their stories of sharing the gospel in other countries and reaching out with Christ's love in practical compassionate ways, stirred my heart and I began to pray about having this opportunity one day. I think that I've also been drawn to YWAM because they have such a strong focus on moblizing and equiping young people, and have a special love and affection for youth. Whatever the reason is though, I have looked at and prayed about going with different missions organizations but my mind has always come back to rest on YWAM, so I trust that this is from the Lord.
This past spring I began to work towards going in the next year or so. While I was praying and making plans to go this coming summer at the earliest, I also prayed that their might be a way for me to go this winter. Even though I was praying this very earnestly and regulary, I will admit that there was not even a thought in my mind that I would be going in January. Somehow this is exactly what is happening. In the begining of December I was layed off from my job, and I began to look into going to YWAM in January. When I got in touch with the training base they had just one spot open for a girl. It has seemed that perhaps God has shut some doors but opened others. Here I stand now, ready to embark on this journey. I deeply desire your prayers, for I know this is what I need more than anything. I go with the hope of growing and learning and drawing nearer and nearer to this Christ whom we love. I go with the eager expectation of getting to serve my brothers and sisters in countries that are so vastly different than the one I have know... to be stretched and have my eyes opened futher... to express my heart's response to Jesus by choosing to serve in humility. My prayer is that whether I am at home, or away from home in another country, I would choose not to spend my life just chasing after the wind but that I would spend it in love. I am overwhelmed by this very great and beautiful love, and I need to pour it out in service to my faithful master. I am so very weak but His grace is sufficient for even me. I am so in awe of this opportunity given to me and I desire to honor and glorify my Lord in it. I hope that He will use this as another opportunity to purify my heart so that it will more fully belong to Him, and that it will be fully focused and set on His. For, I have set my heart on a pilgrimage in this life - to Know Him.
I long for your prayers... they are my greatest need, now and always. I would also really love to receive emails from family and friends so that though I am away for awhile I will know of the things going on in your lives, and can also pray for you. My email adress is robyn.melissa@hotmail.com.
If anyone has it on their heart to share with me financially, that is also a need I do have, but please don't feel burdened to. You can write a check to " Youth With A Mission" (and then just make a note on the check that it is for Robyn Heppner) and mail it to:
Robyn Heppner
c/o YWAM Maui
PO Box 790237
Paia, HI
96779

So, here I go.
Robyn