A copy of my March newsletter

(A copy of my March newsletter, if you would like to be on the list that gets these sent to email please let me know)

Family and friends,

Here I am almost two months into my “Kiwi life.” I'm almost daily made breathless by the beauty of this place and how blessed I am to call this my home, my ministry and my job. (Although I was mildly jealous of that Minnesota snow day a couple weeks ago).

I'm going to aim for sending out a newsletter once a month or so to keep as many people as want to be involved in what ministry is looking like here, what my successes and struggles are, and the needs that come up. I will continue to blog and that will frequently be a more intimate look at the things I'm doing and the ways God is moving in my life here. (http://tonarnia.blogspot.com) Please feel free to forward this to anyone that may be encouraged or benefit from it.

Ministry: In this second month I've spent more time with the Smith family. James and Caroline are part time staff on our Father's Heart Cross Roads school and James also works at our local elementary school. I spend a few days with their boys, Titus and Zephyr so that James and Caroline can be a part of the school and prepare for baby number three!

Titus and Zephyr

On the hospitality department front, the last week and the next week are super busy here at YWAM as we will shortly have five schools here! We have the Around the World in 80 Days DTS and the Father's Heart Crossroads DTS which are in their first few weeks of lecture phase. As well as the Justice DTS, Backpackers DTS and Climbers DTS which are all back for their debrief and graduation week. We've had a lot of rearranging to do, beds to set up and make, etc. The next week we will have close to 110 people here for each meal!

As one of the Snowboard DTS school leaders, Loren, is back some of the admin stuff to do with that school can start for me. As our school leaders have been accepting the new students for the upcoming school I've been finding them online and getting them into our facebook group to start even an “online” community and answer questions before they start arriving in a few months.

I've also loved being able to support the current AW80 (Around the World in 80 Days staff) I live in an apartment with their female staff so I've loved sharing breakfasts, coffee, and movie nights with them when they get a spare hour. This past weekend they took a group to Akaroa (about two hours from us) to go kayaking. I got to go with because I can drive the trailer with the trailer (Thank you Jesus for Snowboard school). What a fabulous day! It was such an awesome time to be able to connect with their students and enjoy God's amazing beauty. Susie and I were kayaking through the bay when a dolphin spouted not a meter away from us!!

Susie and I after kayaking with dolphins 

This week I asked to lead our intercession time. A time we set aside every week as a base to pray on the benefit of others. We break into small groups to seek God's heart for a certain person or people group, etc. To see if the Lord will speak to us or give us any words or Scripture to encourage or lift up others. (Similar to how Abraham interceded for Sodom). I felt like God was leading us to pray for Venezuela as they're in midst of major change as a country. It was a really awesome time for us, a lot of people really felt like there is great hope coming for that place as their election draws nearer.

Leading Intercession

Training- Training has also started. I'm in my second year of our Basic Leadership Training School. So once a week I meet with some of the other staff that are on our base and we study, pray, talk, and fellowship together. We've got a lot of the same journals and book reports the students do. Currently we're working out way through the book “Strengths Based Leaders.” I also meet on Wednesday mornings with some of the base staff in a smaller prayer/accountability group. We've been sharing breakfast, prayer and lots of laughs together.

Just Me: March has started off well. This week particularly I have been blown away by new revelation from God almost everyday. I was invited to sit on lectures these two weeks and am just enjoying learning and receiving so much more than I thought was possible. I've posted on Facebook that I've literally written my way through FOUR brand new pens I've been writing so much. This is just a season that I'm learning and able to process so much through writing. I've really enjoyed building relationships with the staff and students that are here. I'm continually blessed by conversation, community, playing games, challenging each other, laughing and how normal it is to always pray for each other.

Prayer Needs: As always thank you so much for praying for me. Although the road has not been easy, I am so blessed to be in this place in this time. God is moving in big and small ways in my life and the lives of those around me. So thank you, thank you. If you would continue to pray for me:

• That God would continue to reveal His heart to me, His heart for me and the nations. That He would speak loudly and clearly to my heart. That He would continue to be near. That my life would be marked by great freedom, great grace, great faithfulness because of His love. That my heart would always and only be found in His hand.
• That would continue to get applications for students and staff for the new Snowboard Discipleship Training School that will start in late June.
• As my birthday comes this Monday that God would mark this next year of my life with an even greater revelation of who He is, his faithfulness, blessing and grace.
• God has been faithful in finances in this season and right now I'm praying for an abundance of financial support for a specific amazing  opportunity that is still is prayer stages. (http://tonarnia.blogspot.com )

Thank you all for your love, prayer and support of God's call on my heart into missions. My life is being changed everyday, my heart more and more tender to His voice. I'm being prepared to take this love and this message into the nations. Thank you for partnering with me on this journey!

In His love and blessings,

Mandi