Original Design

Original Design is where one or two people pray over you. But, they pray that God will tell them what He want's to highlight that He was thinking when He knitted you in your mothers womb. So basically these people pray that God will highlight some encouraging things He would like to tell you about yourself. This was really cool because the couple that prayed for me, I have never met before, so keep in mind they know nothing about me. The names of the couple that prayed for me was Theresa and Dean.

Im just going to write down the list of what they told me.

1) Theresa got a picture of me being a nurse caring for people. Now not in a physical way but in a emotional way, she got the sense that God has gifted me in caring for hurting people. This was crazy that this was the first thing because this is probably the thing God has most used me, by allowing me to help those that are emotionally hurting.

2) She also got a picture of me standing on a building with a megaphone saying THIS IS THE WAY THIS IS THE WAY! She just felt that I was very verbal with my belief and felt very comfortable publicly saying so. Such as even being comfortable speaking in front of people about it. This was neat because I love to speak in front of people and even feel some what of a calling to do so.

3) Dean got a picture of me standing up to a dragon pointing my finger at it and standing up to it. He said that the dragon would represent the enemy. He said he felt like I was fearless towards the enemy. He said God makes us all fearless but he feels like God gave me an extra boost of fearlessness.

4) Theresa then said she felt like God was saying that I was very strong willed and determined, not in a rebellious way, but in a way that I know what is right and I'm sticking to that, I'm not falling into the temptation around me trying to lure me away. That it's just very clear to me what I think is right. That was neat cause Im even going through some things right now where I'm being pushed to let go of what I believe and it was just encouraging to hear that that. It will make it easier to still do what I know is right.

5) Dean then got a picture of, you know how in older western movies indians would put their ears on the ground to try to hear if the enemy was coming? If not oh well, but he got that. He said he felt like this meant God had given me strong discernment of knowing when evil was coming or when the enemy was involved.

6) Then lastly Theresa got a picture of figuring monkeys that were the hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil monkeys. She was saying how some may say that it seems I have really high standards for what I will and will not do. She said don't feel guilty about it because God has made me to have those standards for a reason.

And these were the things that this couple who didn't know me said. So I thought that was really neat and right on. God is so good!

October 11th - 15th

This week Ezra Griffith spoke about Lordship. Lordship is basically telling God any time, anywhere, and place. We learned what it means to give God all of these things and ask Him what He wants to do with it. It was for sure a convicting week. There are so many things that we hold on to and don't want to totally give to God.

One other thing that Ezra covered, which has to do with Lordship, is our work ethics. Some people think they are a good Christian when it comes to the front they put on at church, but the fruit of being a Christian comes out a lot when you are serving. Do you serve cheerfully and unto the Lord? This was convicting for me, especially when Ezra had us do this. He asked us to write down the top 5 things we would want in a dream employee. So I wrote my top 5 things down. Then he asked us if we judge our work off of that, how would we rate ourselves? This was like, oh man, I gotta start improving how I serve. But I can say this week when I had church clean up, which takes forever, I was able to do it with a lot more joy and just got to use that time to talk to God. I ended up getting commended in the end too. That was neat to see that God is already changing me. God is helping me grow so much from my laziness. I still can feel it in me wanting to come out, but God is really helping me overcome that sin and kill it. I have to hate it cause it hurts him.

We also had open mic night this week. This was neat because we got to experience everyones talents. There are many talented people on this Orlando YWAM base.

Friends/Family NIght

Every Tuesday night friends and family can come out to Evangel and visit me. If you come at 5:30 you can get a free dinner. The actual night begins at 7:00. If you come you will experience worship and then get a message from who ever has been teaching me all week. So just let me know if you are interested in visiting me.

Prayer

If you are wondering what you can pray about for me, I really need prayer that God brings me the rest of the money I need to finish YWAM. So please PLEASE please pray that God provides. I know that He will, He always does. It's just some what scary knowing I don't have all the money that I need yet.

Also pray that God continues to open up my heart and softening it so that He can mold it to make me more like Him.

Beach Adventure

I just wanted to share this story from going to the beach this weekend because you really saw God's hand in it. I went to New Smyrna Beach because I persuaded everyone that it's better than Coco, which they all agreed. Josh Smith, a friend of mine who lives out there and goes to a church we have planted there, and my friend Dylan, he goes to my church, came and met up with me and the YWAMers. Dylan left early but Josh stayed the whole day. After the day was over we went to drive home and about 10 minutes later the car over heats and the pipe thing broke so it was leaking koolant... IDK how to spell that. So we drove the car the a gas station and sat there examining it. There we met a kid named Corey who had recently been baptized and was on fire for God. It was really awesome. He drove us to Walmart to pick up some Koolant. I then texted my friend Josh who lives at the beach and let him know what was going on. It just so happened that where we dropped him off there was a mechanic at that house. So we drove back there and the mechanic looked at the car. We waited there where Ms. Jarvis served us food and drinks until our ride home got there. We ended up getting to spend most of the night praying and talking about how awesome God was and we may have even recruited a new YWAMer through Corey. It was such a neat experience, we all knew God had the car break down for a reason! God is so awesome!

October 4th - 8th

This is the week out founder talked, Michael Berg. His testimony was amazing. He basically did everything you shouldn't do that you can possible think of before he got saved, well almost everything. So to hear how years later God is using him so much is amazing and encouraging. He talked on relating to God as a father and even a mother. The biggest thing we talked on though was forgiveness. So later we had our small groups and we went through and thought of everyone we had not forgiven and forgave them. I think everyone cried! I thought I only had one thing I hadn't forgiven for, but man was I wrong. I had so many people to forgive. It felt so freeing once I forgave them though. Then next day we burned our paper or people we had forgiven in a fire. It was such an amazing experience! God is so awesome!

Oh the places you will go...

One thing really neat is, ever sense I have been here I have gotten to meet a new person every time I go out in public. The first time was when we all went shopping. We met this girl named Jordan and her friend. Her name being Jordan actually confirmed to some of the girls they were supposed to go to Jordan. But we got to reach out to them. Then we went to Walmart and met a really sweet old lady who really encouraged us with our walk with God and said she would be praying for us. Then We went to Lake Eola and we met this guy with a snake on his arm. He is a surfer and knows all these big surfers. He does a bunch of charity things with them, so I got to tell him about YWAM. He is the reptile guy at Bush Gardens. Then at the beach we met this kid named Corey who just recently dedicated his life to God. We told him about YWAM after he helped us with something and maybe have recruited a new member. It's awesome all the people you get to meet when you throw yourself out there and leave expecting God to put the right people in your path.

I finally know where I'm going!

So from the get go of this DTS, I felt like God was saying that He wanted to teach me patience in hearing his voice. God's timing is better than ours after all. Seriously, I'm a huge fan of knowing what I want to know when I want to know it. So this has been challenging. So guess what one of the things was God wanted to teach me patience with was, WHERE I GO ON MY OUTREACH! I had 2 options, Jordan or India. I have been very torn between the 2 and honestly had no idea where I wanted to go. Every day I'd ask God to tell me and every day I'd not be able to clearly hear Him. Actually I didn't hear Him give me an answer on where to go at all. So September 31st, I was starting to loose patience. I was actually demanding God that He tell me where I was going. So I felt God saying to get up and take a breath then come sit back down. So I did, and was like OHHH MAYBE GOD IS GONNA TELL ME NOW. So I do and then God gave me a page number in the Bible, I don't even remember the verse or page but this is what it said... "India!" Tricked ya! It actually said, "do not be hasty." I was like COMMON GOD I THOUGHT YOU WERE ABOUT TO SAY! SO by then I got the point that God wanted me to wait. Little did I know that He was going to have me wait as long as He possible could. It gets to the last day, October 5th, and we had 15 minutes left to know where we wanted to go. I had NO IDEA we had to know by then. So I asked Jessie and Kristen to pray for me and they did. So I went in this open field to lay down and just waited on God to speak. For probably 13 minutes I didn't hear anything. I could see everyone walking in to give their paper to Jessie saying where they were going. Was God really going to wait this long to tell me? The answer to that is yes. I kept feeling myself drawn to Jordan even though India seems more like a place I'd enjoy. So I prayed and finally I was like God just give me an I or a J. Like that would be AWESOME! Like here I am with one minute left please just tell me. So I feel like He said sit up and look in front of you. So I did, and long behold, there were flies on my leg. So I was like hmmm weird, then God was like look up a little more, so I look at my foot and there on my foot is the letter J. I have a picture of it. It's awesome how much it looks like J. And I felt so at peace that I was to go to Jordan. So yeah, that is where I am going, Jordan. :D

How Am I?

So basically I feel like I am a different person sense I have been here. I am learning how to schedule out the social and studying, which I have done good on so far (I have done perfect on all my tests). It also means learning how to eat well and exercise on my own, which I have failed miserably at haha. I, Victoria McGahey am learning how to be a young adult! It's neat watching how God is changing me and turning me into one, just in time to turn 18 too!

September 27th - 31st

This was our first week of real classes. John Bills came and talked to us about hearing the voice of God. I am going to try to sum this week in one post though it has been probably one of the most if not the most life changing week of my life. This week we have been challenged to listen to God's voice. This has been awesome cause I have slacked a lot when it comes to listening to God's voice. When I was little I used to talk to God every night in bed and it felt like He was there and we were talking together. I haven't experienced that for a while sense then. So this week really pushed me to get back to that. John pushed us to ask God regularly. "What do you want to tell me?" and "What do you think of me?" So God has been answering both of those and it has been very interesting. Like, I am used to hearing God's voice. The thing is though, I listened to God when I really felt His presence and knew that He had something BIG to tell me. But I never really just BAM, God speak to me! So it's weird just learning to talk to God on the spot, BUT its awesome.

What has God told me?

This is a huge step me saying this, but for a while I have felt God saying that He wants to use me for great things. I have never accepted this and I still am having a hard time excepting this. You see, it's all the thing with not being disappointed. I don't want to look back on my life and know that God never did anything great through me. I still sometimes find myself fearing that this will be what happens. So Im taking a HUGE leap in faith in admitting that I feel like God has told me that.

As I have asked God what He thinks of me I was not getting anything clean... UNTIL! I believe it was on Wednesday of this week God decided to change that. I went to take a nap and guess who decided to speak to me in my sleep, God did! Yeah, I'm still trying to wrap my brain around that. So this is how it went down. Here I am sleeping then all of the sudden I hear, "So Victoria. You know how when you look at your parents you get a lot of correction. They are always bring things to your attention and telling you things you can work on. (My parents are amazing parents and also commend me a lot too. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about them because they are amazing. But this is what God was telling me.) Well You know how many times you look at yourself as a fail because of that and like you will never be able to do anything right. On the other hand though, I have placed many other authorities in your life that let you get away with things and never correct you because you have been told that they don't feel worthy. You always fear they will not tell you what you need to hear. Well Victoria, I have made it this way so that you learn to come to me. You try to find what I think of you by going to other people and seeing what they think of you. You can't do this, you have to come to me to find what I think of you and I will tell you what I think of you." So yeah, I woke up because this little girl Tiffany woke me up by running me over with a skooter. I was just like, WOW GOD YOU DO WANT TO TALK TO ME! So that was exciting.

We have also been learning this week how to do intercession. This is where you pray for other people and places asking God to tell you what He wants you to pray for and maybe even some unknowns. We practice this almost every day. Normally we get in small groups and pray that God will put something our heart. Then we go around saying what we think God told us even if it's as crazy and Big Bird (there is a cool story about that btw). It's really neat cause in the end it all ends up tying together. I have enjoyed learning how to do this and that God does want to talk to you. You don't have to wait on Him to be like, Hey Victoria I want to talk to Him. You can be like, Hey God, I want to talk to you. It's so cool. The really exciting thing is that it has made me so excited about my morning devotional. I always am so excited that I get to talk to God... LIKE KING OF KINGS, CRATOR OR THE HEAVENS AND EARTH! Ahhh, it's just so exciting. So to feel that passion again is so refreshing. Man guys I'm in love... WITH GOD!

September 26th

Today I went to Evangel's church service. It was pretty good and it was fun to get to see the church that is serving us by letting us use their property. I will still be attending Metro most Sundays though. Today God did something really neat. Not to be overly specific, but I was having super bad cramps on Sunday. Now super bad cramps for me ends with me being dizzy and throwing up and really sick... not a fun experience. SO, for the first time I thought hey, just maybe I will pray God takes them away. So I put my hand where it was hurting and it got really hot then after that it felt like there was kicking. The next thing I know they are completely gone and I enjoy the rest of the day. This was really good because I have been doubting God a lot. I realized I have always been fearful to pray that God would do a miracle or something great because I am afraid of being disappointed if God chooses not to. So basically I have been putting God in a box for a long time. So for the first time in a while I asked God to do something out of the box I put Him in and He did it! This was an amazing faith booster. It got me excited to see what else God will do for me.

September 24th

Today was mostly just orientation still. They explained all the rules about YWAM to us and just basically an overload of everything we need to know. The Jordan team members are a couple named Jessie and Kristen Anderson. They both have twins who's names are Hunter and Noah. I really enjoy them and Jessie reminds me of my Uncle Matt Slack. I'm excited to get to know them. Kristen is really into photography. Speaking of which, I was told that after praying for my DTS they felt lead that this DTS was going to focus in a lot on photography and the arts! So I'm super excited about that!

September 23ed

Today was our orientation day. It took forever, such as going through 9 long steps in different stations. I was at the church all day. Oh, in case you didn't know, I'm training at a church called Evangle Assembly of God. They rent out their space to us. Here is where I spend most of my time and lost of my time on today. It was cool getting to know everyone though today. It makes me wonder who I will be friends with and what not. All of this is so new and exciting!

September 22ed

Day one I came and checked out my house to see how much stuff I could bring. Believe it or not, I, Victoria McGahey, under packed. So I got to come home and get more stuff. So I came home and had lunch with my Grandmommy and then I got more stuff. I then came to my new lovely home and unpacked and claimed my bed. I was told by the Carleton family, who's son just did I DTS (Discipleship Training School) where I am doing my DTS, that I should claim my bed as soon as I could. I asked why and they said that the person on the top bunk is effect a lot by the movement of the person on the bottom bunk. So yeah I got there first. But anyways I got to my new home and unpacked and made myself feel at home. Then I went to go have dinner at a different house to meet everyone in my neighborhood. I live in Jon Jon Ct. It's a nice little place. Of course that night i had trouble sleeping cause I was so excited about everything. I really enjoyed meeting everyone. I can tell these are friendships that will last the rest of my life.

My House :)

So I am now here at YWAM. I feel as if I am at home though. I live with 7 other people. In my room is Joy and Katie. Both of them do the Compassion school that will be going to Africa. I am doing Classic that goes to either Jordan or India. I get to choose which one I want to go to. For the first week there was a girl named Jessica in my room too but she decided YWAM was not for her and left. In the room next to me is Ashley and Kylie. They are both staff and I love them both a lot. I actually really like everyone in my house. Then for our house family is the Joensens. This family is made up of baby Erikur, then Barbra and Marnie. They are such a cute family. Soon we will be having a different girl from Sweden live with us.

I live in a small 3 bedroom house. There are 4 of us in 1 room. I'd have to say impressive. We all have responsibilities we do around the house and on the weekends we make dinner for each other. We also have personal devotions that we are required to do everyone morning. I really love my house and I get a long with everyone that I live with so well. I also really enjoy all of the staff here at YWAM.

How did I end up at YWAM?

So far all of this has felt like a dream. I don't even remember actually deciding yes, I am going to YWAM. I feel like I just floated a long here and here I am. But it goes to show you, God know's what He is doing because I sure do love it here.

I have visited family night for YWAM a few times. I really enjoyed those but never knew I pictured myself there. The funny thing is though, I'd get butterflies really bad before the family nights as if I was actually going there. But once I actually knew I was going it just never hit me. As a matter of fact, it's still hitting me that I'm here. Ladies and Gentlemen, I didn't even get butterflies or get nervous when I was on my way here. Not even when I got here cause it all felt so unreal to me. I still feel as if I'm in some wonderful dream.

In case you don't know this, YWAM stands for Youth With A Mission. It is basically a place where you can come to get trained for being a missionary. Every week they have a teacher fly in who gives you lectures every day. I have different books i have to read, verses I am required to memorize, and geography I have to learn. I have small groups and one on ones with staff. It is a really neat atmosphere.

Now for the big question that I guess isn't really big. How did I end up here? For a while, I wanted to go to Honduras with Hope For Honduras. One of the requirements is that you have missions training. So I started looking at places for missions training and saw YWAM. After learning about YWAM I eventually knew I wanted to go there weather it lead to Honduras or not. Eventually it all just happened and now I am here.

I really like YWAM and would strongly recommend it to anyone, married, single, young, or old. I think this place could benefit so many people!