Introducing: Matthew

I grow up in a Christian home, and at a very young age gave my life to Jesus, but it wasn't until 2008 at a church camp where I really began to pursue a relationship with Him. The camp was about 4 days long and had several teaching sessions worked into the schedule. The guest speakers that week happened to be YWAMers. During session in particular, one of the speakers was talking about having a relationship with God and that it wasn't just about doing things for God and being a good person who reads the bible. God wants to interact with us... to know us as well as be known by us as you would with any flesh and blood person. It was at this time that I rededicated myself life to Jesus. In the following days, I went into the woods where I could be by myself. I would open my bible and ask God to speak to me. Somehow the scriptures I read right after were as if God was responding to things I was praying.

In this spot in the woods I began to understand what it meant to hear God's still small voice and, in addition to what I was reading in the bible, He would speak to my heart about things that I was concerned about or things that he wanted me to lay down and repent for. Sometimes simply the fact that He loved me and was so happy to be meeting with me. My life was never the same after that camp. I have had many high and low points in my walk with him, but truly He has taken me from where I was and faithfully led me to be more like Him. Step by step teaching me to lay aside the things that where not aligned with His character.

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I think God was really subtle with calling me to ministry; step by step, as it were. I was approximately 16 years old when I received a DVD in the mail addressed to me by name. It was a promo for the Discipleship Training School (DTS) that YWAM offers. I watched it and felt my heart pound as if it was going to jump out of my chest. I felt as if God was inviting to leap, not knowing where I would land. I prayed saying "Okay God, If you want me to go then you have to provide the way." And He did.

After being in my DTS I began to wonder how I could pour out the abundance of what God had been putting in me. I thought to myself, "Man!!! There is so much ministry to do. I can see why people do it full time." But it would be awfully hard to do that and work a 40-hour-a-weak Job. At that point I just knew God wanted me to get more training in YWAM so that is what I did.

Later, I began to question if I was truly called to missions full time as it I never really had a super clear 'burning bush' moment like Moses. God never called down to me saying, "You should go here and do this because you are the one for the job!"

In prayer, I asked God, "Lord... Am I even called? Because it just seems so unclear right now." God replied to me, "You are Called." This was very comforting, as if He was saying, "Yes, you are called and but it's okay. Even if I don't give you something specific, it is enough that you are called. So serve Me, and My kingdom.

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In my second school with YWAM, I was dating this girl (now my wife) who was on staff at a YWAM base in Germany. I didn't know what the next step after my training was, so when having a private time of worship, out of the blue God casually said, "You should go to Germany." I responded, "God, I don't know if that's actually you because maybe I just want to hear you say that to me so I can go get my girl."

Next (to my astonishment), God clearly and strongly said the following: "It would not be wrong for you to do what is necessary to see you relationship with Gillian succeed..." (after all, almost our entire relationship up till that point had been long distance) "...It is a good thing. I am blessing and bringing you together."

Beyond me 'getting the Girl', God continued to speak saying, "I have something that I want to use you to give in Germany. I also have something that I want to give you by taking you to Germany." Needless to say, I left that worship time encouraged. It ended up that after my training, Gillian was able to take leave to came back from Germany. At that time, we were able to get married, pack up our earthy possessions and take them in-tow on our honeymoon. After which we would arrive in Germany and take up our (respective) new and continued staff positions in YWAM Herrnhut.

We have continued to listen to God's guiding as to what our ministry should look like or where we should go. Thus far, He has called us to Germany and we continue to serve there as faithfully as we can.

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