With You Always

Today as I reflect on the beauty of Easter I am overcome with gratitude because of what Jesus has done for me. Not only has he offered eternal life, but he has given me freedom to live a fulfilled life in him with each new day. But if this is true then why am I so often met with difficulty as I follow Jesus. After all didn’t Jesus say to his followers, “And surely it will be easy to the end of the age…”  Wait, no, that’s not right?! He said “And surely I will be WITH YOU ALWAYS and to the end of the age.” (Mat. 28:20) This is a very different message.

I often find myself discouraged when I face obstacles as I follow the will of God. I moan and complain, “God why is this happening to me?!” I may as well be saying “ It would have been better for me to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (Ex. 14:12). Like the Israelites, I complain and criticize God rather than stand in awe of who He is and what he has done. There truly is nothing new under the sun. The irony of it is that I feel like God owes me an easy life because I have said yes to him, but this is not a biblical value. In fact Jesus promises the opposite. He says that his path is narrow and difficult (Mat. 7:13; Luke 10:3, 14:27). To his twelve closest followers he promises persecution (Mark 10:29-30). Then why do I believe that it should be easy? Why do I think a life of following Jesus should bring me happiness? Maybe it is because somewhere in my heart I believe that I deserve the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is not a biblical value, but an American one. Somewhere along the path of life I allowed the world around me to taint my Biblical worldview. The pursuit of happiness is often met with unfulfillment and regret, but the pursuit of holiness is what produces true fulfillment that often leads to happiness. God desires for us to be fulfilled, but this fulfillment does not come in chasing happiness. It comes in chasing Jesus, and knowing, that through it all, he is with you. I hope you find encouragement this week as you reflect on the fact that Jesus is with you always and to the end of the age.

The Unreached

The winter months remind me that we were never meant to live in darkness. We are creatures that crave light. Something about the sun draws us out and fills us up. A day or two of darkness will have little effect on us, but extended periods of time in the dark have physical effects on our bodies that can be measured. This is one of the reasons why areas closer to the North Pole have higher depression and suicide rates. These areas get little to no sunshine in the winter months and it is draining.

This same concept can be applied to spiritual darkness. Most people reading this are living in a country with laws based on Judeo-Christian values. While we experience the consequences of a fallen world we have ample access to Christian resources. We have radio stations, books, and even TV shows broadcasting the Good News of Jesus Christ. Even in these environments, we can feel the weight of darkness around us. However, take a moment to imagine how much heavier you would feel with little to no Christian influence around you. Imagine laws based on control rather than love. Imagine a society in which the class you are born into cannot be changed. Imagine a faith in which you have to work for your God’s approval. This is the life of the unreached person.

An unreached people group is classified as a group that has less than 2% evangelical Christians among them. They are considered unreached because without outside influence it is highly unlikely that they will come to know the saving love of Jesus. Most of these people groups are found in what we call the 10/40 window (a geographical location between the latitudinal lines of 10° and 40° north of the equator over the continent of Africa and Asia) and can be dangerous to reach. People in this area live in constant darkness. A kind of darkness that can feel crushing. These are not easy places to go. Nevertheless, Jesus has commissioned us all to spread His Gospel to all nations. This is our heart at YWAM Idaho and we hope you will join us as we work to make Christ known to every tribe and tongue.

Our Beginnings

YWAM Idaho was founded in 2004 by Marty and Kelly Meyer. Their vision was to reach the people who had never heard the name of Jesus. This is still a large part of our mission, however, God has expanded this vision to include people in reached nations who are less likely to hear the Gospel. We are convinced that the good news of Jesus should be heard by all and we feel called to make that happen. 

YWAM Idaho started with Mission Adventures Camps held at our Warm Lake retreat center. These camps are ten days in length and consist of training and outreach. In 2005 the first DTS was held with a focus on frontier missions. DTS is a six month course consisting of 3 months of training (know God) and three months of outreach (make Him known).  We have since expanded our programs to include a Backpackers, Winter Adventure, and Worship DTS. In 2015 God called a team of people to Boise with the vision of reaching the unreached in our backyard. Through the years we have run various secondary schools that focus on everything from the Bible to Pioneering Missions. Our base is growing and, therefore, so are our ministries. We are excited to have you join in this journey with us.