It was a beautiful fall evening in the Twin Cities when we arrived after our 3 day drive. This past week we made the decision, we should say difficult decision, to leave Youth With A Mission LA and pursue the next step God has for us. We have felt the call, pulling, nudging, what ever one would describe it as, to return to ministry with in the church. After many confirmations and a few tears we rented a moving truck, packed up our belongings, and four days later were on the road again.

We had the opportunity to reflect and glean from this past year of serving in missions with YWAM and believe that this past year was about growth. It was an incredible experence, one with a lot of trials, but one that has served to shape us and further deepen our understanding of the character and nature of God as well as ourselves.

We believe that God has used this past year to refine us and give us depth that we can bring to where ever we go.

What is next?
That is a question that is on our minds and hearts as well. We are currently in the process of interviewing with a few churches for positions working in youth ministry. We are also taking some time to rest and further reflect on where God is brining us.

Please pray for our family as we seek guidance on this next step. We will be posting updates as the future begins to unfold.

Blessings,

The Morrissettes

Please be praying for us as we are looking to God to see what the next step for our family is.

In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

This summer we had the opportunity to see over 700 students trained and mobilized into missions.

Mission Adventures is a short-term missions program mobilizing youth. Students come to LA for 4 days of intense training and then head out for outreach to Mexico, South Africa, or urban LA. We had the privilege of seeing over 100 students come to the lord as well as about 150 get the call in to missions and ministry. It was powerful.

Our highlight was getting to lead and pour into our summer staff; we had 20 full-time staff, mostly college students, who served with us this summer. It was incredible to see God working powerfully through them at the same time as he was working powerfully in them. I also had the opportunity to serve and minister to the youth pastors who would come through with their youth groups and see radical change in their lives as well.

It was a powerful summer.

We have begun our school of Ministry Development it is hard to believe that a week has gone by. This week the topic was Passions. It was a great week of reconfirming much that God has been showing us as well as giving us some new incite into what it truly means to be a “passionate” follower of Christ.

Below are some of our notes on “Discovering Your Passions” by Floyd McClung. Enjoy!

What Are Passions?
• The word Passion means to suffer for, something which you suffer for.
○ what do you believe I that you are willing to suffer for.
• Passion is something at the very depth of our being that motivates us
• Passions are deeper and have more influence in our lives then our beliefs.
• A set of Passions is a set of core values.
• Passions will affect the goals and decisions which you set.
• Passions can determine what is most important and what your priorities are.
• Your passions dictate what you will do with what God has given you.
• Passions are a large part of your worldview; rather they can dictate your worldview.
• You can have a different set of passions then beliefs.
○ This causes conflict because your heart and mind are battling for what you truly believe.

The Importance of Passion
1.) A Passion gives you an anchor on times of storm.
2.) A Passion is a foundation to build your life upon.
3.) A Passion determines what is distinctive about you as a person.
4.) Passions help you communicate what is important to you.
5.) Passions dictate personal involvement.
6.) Passions inspire others to involvement.
7.) Passions give you credibility
8.) Your Passions shape your character.
9.) Your Passions direct the vision you have for your life.

Where do our passions come from?
1. Life experiences. (Existential awareness)
- Difficult life experiences have the most influence.
- Pain is a power that can shape our values.
2. Self interest.
3. Our beliefs.
- We should derive our values from our beliefs; yet, society often determines our values from the life experiences and self interest.
- Our values should not be relative, but from Biblical truths.
- Our passions should come from God’s passions.

The Search for Passion
All passions should be focused on the glory of God.
Exodus 33:6,19 “I want a people, who belong to me”

God’s glory is His
1. Creation
2. Character
3. Presence

We should dedicate our lives to HIS GLORY. It is not about missions it is about GOD. Missions exists because worship does not.

The spiritual and secular should not, and must not be compartmentalized. Serving God, our passions, and our worship can not exist in one realm alone, for our whole lives are to reflect the glory of God.

God longs, he aches, to be worshiped.

Those who are not passionate about spreading God’s glory have not yet fallen in love with his glory.

The Choice for Passion-we need to feed our passions

Read Acts 20-21
If our passions are that the whole earth would be filled with his glory, then we should plan to GO and have to be told to stay.

Steps to Finishing Well
1. Take time for reflection. Psalm 119:9-12
2. Ask God for revelation. Psalm 139:21-24
3. Commit to repentance. Isaiah 48:9-11
4. Seek renewal. Romans 12:1-2
5. Be real.

Three Principles to Make a Difference
1. Focus
- It is better to be deep then wide.
2. Reward
- There is a reward for the quality for what we have built.
- God will only reward us for doing our best.
- We should concern ourselves with His eternal reward.
3. Gratitude
- We are loved because we are loved.
- We should operate to serve God out of gratitude for his grace and character.

Practices of Discipline:
1. Fasting
2. Prayer and intersession for the nations
3. Person evangelism
- Involvement is the way to keep your heart soft.
4. Study the Word
5. Listen to God
6. Read
7. Journal