Hello everybody!! I hope this little letter finds you all doing really well. My team and I have been in Amsterdam for a little under a week now, and it has already been what my heart knew it would be... Amazing.
Since the very beginning of planning this outreach to Amsterdam, we have felt in our spirits that it was going to be very different than any other outreach we've all done in the past, and it has been just that. As we began to pray into what that could look like, we felt a strong call to be a "strike team", meaning we would go in with a word of the Lord, do just what He has called us to, and then leave. Since being here in Amsterdam, the word has not changed but only become more evident and alive in our hearts. We knew that this meant we were called to worship Jesus with our whole hearts, and to intercede on behalf of Amsterdam. Since being here, we have felt called to invest not just to the lost on the streets, but also to revive and encourage those on the YWAM base where we are staying at, De Poort [The Gate in Dutch]. We have been spending each morning in 2+ hours worshiping Jesus and praying for whatever Holy Spirit leads us to invest in that day, in the Prayer Tower. The Prayer Tower is so amazing because it is at the top of the YWAM base and it has all glass windows over looking the whole city of Amsterdam.
This calling for this trip from the Lord has totally challenged my heart and shifted my perspective of what is most influential. We cannot base our success on what our eyes see, because we only see in part anyways! But we have to base our success off of our obedience, and that is what we are doing. Pouring our love on Jesus, and praying out of that place for the hearts of His lost children to turn back to Him, is where everything is based out of for us, and it's such a beautiful thing to see. It has united our team is such an amazing way and we are truly becoming family.
Along with worship and intercession, we have been serving the base here every day by making the meals for everyone and cleaning the building. And then we have also been able to go out and do ministry in the streets! Today we worked with Serve The City - Amsterdam, which is a volunteer based organization that aims to create community in their society by serving the city through organizing and facilitating volunteer projects to help the underprivileged. We got to split into teams and some of us were able to paint an autistic school building, some helped put wallpaper in a mentally handicapped mans house, others gardened, while my team were able to feed over 100 homeless people homemade pancakes. We also asked the Lord for words for each of them and made them cards to keep. It was so amazing to see people get so touched by such a little thing in our eyes, but it may have changed their lives forever.
So far Amsterdam has been so amazing. I love the city, it's absolutely beautiful and I really have fallen in love with this place already. I am so excited to see what else the Lord does on this trip with all of us together. It's so encouraging to see His promises being fulfilled. I'll update more later once things happen!
Here are some pictures I've taken so far... Hope you enjoy!
Since the very beginning of planning this outreach to Amsterdam, we have felt in our spirits that it was going to be very different than any other outreach we've all done in the past, and it has been just that. As we began to pray into what that could look like, we felt a strong call to be a "strike team", meaning we would go in with a word of the Lord, do just what He has called us to, and then leave. Since being here in Amsterdam, the word has not changed but only become more evident and alive in our hearts. We knew that this meant we were called to worship Jesus with our whole hearts, and to intercede on behalf of Amsterdam. Since being here, we have felt called to invest not just to the lost on the streets, but also to revive and encourage those on the YWAM base where we are staying at, De Poort [The Gate in Dutch]. We have been spending each morning in 2+ hours worshiping Jesus and praying for whatever Holy Spirit leads us to invest in that day, in the Prayer Tower. The Prayer Tower is so amazing because it is at the top of the YWAM base and it has all glass windows over looking the whole city of Amsterdam.
This calling for this trip from the Lord has totally challenged my heart and shifted my perspective of what is most influential. We cannot base our success on what our eyes see, because we only see in part anyways! But we have to base our success off of our obedience, and that is what we are doing. Pouring our love on Jesus, and praying out of that place for the hearts of His lost children to turn back to Him, is where everything is based out of for us, and it's such a beautiful thing to see. It has united our team is such an amazing way and we are truly becoming family.
Along with worship and intercession, we have been serving the base here every day by making the meals for everyone and cleaning the building. And then we have also been able to go out and do ministry in the streets! Today we worked with Serve The City - Amsterdam, which is a volunteer based organization that aims to create community in their society by serving the city through organizing and facilitating volunteer projects to help the underprivileged. We got to split into teams and some of us were able to paint an autistic school building, some helped put wallpaper in a mentally handicapped mans house, others gardened, while my team were able to feed over 100 homeless people homemade pancakes. We also asked the Lord for words for each of them and made them cards to keep. It was so amazing to see people get so touched by such a little thing in our eyes, but it may have changed their lives forever.
So far Amsterdam has been so amazing. I love the city, it's absolutely beautiful and I really have fallen in love with this place already. I am so excited to see what else the Lord does on this trip with all of us together. It's so encouraging to see His promises being fulfilled. I'll update more later once things happen!
Here are some pictures I've taken so far... Hope you enjoy!
Prayer Tower // Top: Panoramic view of the Prayer Tower
Bottom: View out of one of the windows of the river
Bottom: View out of one of the windows of the river
[Beautiful Canals around the corner from our place]
[Exploring with my friends, Aaron & Tegan]
[Down almost every street you will find this beautiful view at night]
[Blake, Shiloh, & Arrow making
pancake mix for the homeless!]
[At Amsterdam Square]
My heart is truely amazed at what the Lord is doing through you and the team already, and so excited to see what He is going to do in the days to come. I pray blessings on you all that you would have ears to hear, and eyes to see what it is that God intends for this beautiful city...and that His heart would flow out of you in an abundant and crazy-good ways.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful pictures! They capture not only that amazing city, but the love He is putting into you for what you are doing there.
MUCH LOVE!!!! :)