Friday, July 9, 2010

BACK TO SCOTLAND!

Sorry this is a bit long! My next updates will be a lot shorter! I just have a lot to say to you all!

I'm officialy going to be a blogger. Wow, things have changed! I have been accepted to go back to Scotland at the end of August and this is going to be the way I'm going to send out my support letter and update everyone on my where abouts.

The first time I traveled to Scotland I didn't keep anyone but my family updated and I have completely regretted it. I now realize the huge mistake I have made by not taking along the others in my life with me during this EPIC (yes epic) life changing adventure with God. Honestly, it makes me nervous telling everyone in my life what I'm doing because they just might not understand or agree at all. But if I want people to know about God and what I truely believe and know about Him, it has to start with my friends and family, right?

While living and traveling through Scotland, Turkey ,and Bulgaria I experienced the love and miracles of God in ways I didn't know where even possible or still done today in modern times. These experiences need to be written down and shared with the ones I love. When I moved to Scotland over nine months ago I knew I was in for the adventure of a lifetime. I knew God was calling to do something more with my life that included Him in my job title. To be a missionary. To live out His commands and to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt 28:19). I joined with the organization Youth With A Mission (YWAM) to undergo a 6 month intensive course called a Discipleship Training School that teaches and equips you to be a short term missionary. During the course you're involved in a three month lecture phase getting to know Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and growing deeper in a personal relationship with each one. This time is spent focusing our yourself, and God revealing who you are to Him. So many barriers where broken down for me in this time. I learned to start loving myself and to love the person God made me to be. When I first moved I had a life full of depression and a heart full of loss from my Dads death the year before. I was so lost. So sad.

God knew this was the right time for me. A time for healing, laughter, expectation, and joy. In the first couple of weeks living in the Seamill community I was healed of my depression! I laughed every day and was continually encouraged by my fellow classmates to seek and praise God for the changes that He already made in my life.

Once the lecture phase was coming to an end it was time to prepare for Outreach. We were going to Turkey! Lessons with language and culture began and we were learning how to bring our classroom theology to the "lost". While in Istanbul I was living with 7 other indivduals reaching out to the Muslim culture at every opportunity. We were involved in different ministries such as teaching english, working in a city church, working with refugees running from war, volunteering in a soup kitchen for 50 Nigerian men, bus evangelism, friendship evangelism, Marias Cheescakes (teaching Muslim women from a farming community to run a business), and numerous prayer walks. This is just a few things we did. This work was challenging daily. We were noticed everywhere we went and stood out like a soar thumb! This Nation is 99.9% Muslim! I believe we made a great impact on the communtiy and the atmosphere. The Lord revealed to me the stuggles of a missionary with spirtual warfare but also gave me an amazing gift by seeing the Turkish community and other cultures from all around the world come together and praise Him as one!

I also traveled to Bulgaria with my team and was linked with the YWAM team there in healing ministries. We were continuesly in prayer with the Bulgarian Gypsies to see the Kingdom of God come to earth. It was some of the most powerful days I have ever experienced in my life! We saw people constatly being healed by God through the power of prayer. We were invited into Gypsies homes to kneal on the floor in front of them and show them they were worthy of love and respect. We would then pray for what ever they needed (and it was usally healing in the physical or spiritual) and see them healed every time by God! I was so blessed to get to really experience the Gypsy culture and people and see how colorful and lively they are. They truely love to sing and worship God with a fire in their heart!

I'm writing this letter to you all to let you know of my up coming plans. While I was still in Scotland I prayed about my next step and where it would be. It took a couple of weeks but I heard from God over and over again "Scotland, Scotland, Scotland". I am choosing to live my life for God and obeying Him when He calls me. I have prayed about staff positions at Seamill and I am confident to say I have been accepted to become a Suppot Staff member on the next October DTS School for a year starting the last week in August 2010. Support Staff works with the new students that come into a Discipleship school. I will be involved in their lecture phase of their 6 month coarse being a mentor, leading small groups, local ministry, and times of prayer. I need your support in this next journey with God. I need your prayers. I need my friends and family to be my encouragement and trust that I am on the right path. I have been called.

Prayers
1. Pray for protection for me getting back to Scotland.
2.Pray for breakthough in finances to be covered during my time is Scotland.
3.Pray that I will have constant encounters to share my faith with the Scots.

I also need help in Financial Support. As a missionary with YWAM you do not get paid. Even as a staff member. I know thats hard for some of you to understand. So I need a team a people behind me that would be willing to help support me. The fee at the base will be about 300 pounds ($450) each month. I would also need help to save up for a flight and visa so I will be asking people if they will be willing to help with 400 pounds a month ($600).This covers my room, three meals a day, transportation, saving for flight, ect. Please pray about this. Monthy support is welcomed as well as a one time gift. God can to anything, even with our finances. I choose to have faith that He told me to go and He will find a way to help me. Thank you guys for reading this and keeping me in prayer and mind!

Checks can be sent to:
Katie Beck
321 Alvarado Pl.
Newport Beach, Ca
92661 USA

My skype name: katienbeck
Email: katienbeck@yahoo.com
Facebook: Katie Beck

I also have a paypal account, and I will hopefully be linking it to this blog soon! Technology is not my friend, so pray for that too!

2 comments:

  1. katie, I just wanted to let you know how proud of you I am. God has created such a beautiful woman in you with the biggest of hearts. I will keep this trip in prayer!
    -Love always, your friend Darleen

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  2. I am so proud of you!! Follow your dreams!!!!

    ReplyDelete