Meet Ashley: Gap Year Highlight

Ashley is one of our new 2014 gap year volunteers and is working in the Eaglescliffe project with All Saint's church in Eaglescliffe. With her kind and loving personality, you'd never suspect her to be a black belt in Taekwondo! Watch the video below to learn more about Ashley and the ministry she's providing to the Tees Valley.

Here's how you can pray for Ashley and her ministry in Eaglescliffe:

Ashley wants to see her youth group to continue to want to dive deeper with God. They're currently at a good basic level, and have even learned how to share their faith and present the gospel. Now, she'd like to see them become more confident in their faith and become a part of the outreach ministry. Please pray for the effectiveness that can be gained from having youth reach out and serve other youth.

Personally, Ashley would like prayer for continued strength and encouragement while serving in England. She wants to always be sure that she's serving in a way God wants her to and that she's fulfilling His purpose.

Meet Alexa: Gap Year Highlight

This month we are highlighting the gap year workers in the Yarm area of the Tees Valley. Alexa, a 22-year-old Texas native, works in Egglescliffe with Saint John's Church. Watch the video below to learn more about Alexa and how she serves in the Tees Valley. 

You can pray for Alexa and her ministry in a few different ways.

In January, Alexa is beginning a new after-school program at the Egglescliffe Primary School for year 5 & 6 students. She is hoping to build relationships with new students who may then begin attending local church activities. Alexa would love to enlist the help of her current youth group students to run the program, hoping this will create a cycle of students serving students. 

Finally, Alexa would like prayer as she continues to build relationships with her current youth group kids. She wants to see the relationships strengthened and become deeply rooted in Christ. We pray that the students will not only see Alexa's love for them, but Christ's love as well.

Bonus Video:

December Update

As the first term comes to an end and we look to Christmas I wanted to give you a quick update of what the Lord is doing here in The Tees Valley! We have had a great first term. Our GapYear team has done an amazing job of building relationships in their Youth and Kids clubs and getting to know folks in their churches and assigned schools. It is exciting to see them so engaged in the community! This is a great team and I believe that we will see a great harvest in the coming year! We hold on to this passage of scripture in 2 Corinthians 2:1-5: "And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power."  We are praying that we will see God move powerfully! 

St. John’s of Egglescliffe and Northern Ireland:

Egglescliffe is a quaint village that overlooks Yarm. St John’s is an 11th Century church nestled right in the middle of this village. For over 1000 years it has served as a beacon for the Gospel.  It now finds itself struggling to engage the community. Its greatest struggle is to reach out to the children and young people in the village in a relevant way with the Gospel. It is in many ways a microcosm of the challenge of all the churches in the UK.  How do you reach this generation of kids and young people? I believe the only way is through relationships. Building intentional relationships that lead to a conversation about the living Lord Jesus. In September, Alexa Spence joined the Gap Year team. She is living and serving in Egglescliffe alongside Sylvia Wilson the “Priest in Charge” at St John’s. Together they are bringing the Gospel relevantly to this community! Pray for them as they try to make Him known!

Northern Ireland—We are still hearing good reports from our time serving there in October and they are open to us having a team from the USA come serve and support them in the summer of 2015. It is really exciting to see UK-USA Ministries expanding to other areas outside of the Tees Valley!  

Café Church:

Café Church continues to grow across the Tees Valley. Each Tuesday somewhere in Teesside there is a group of young people gathering to connect with each other and experience church in a new and relevant setting. We are seeing more and more young people attending as well as leading in each of the Café Churches we help support. Check out this quick video for Yarm Café Church! It meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Please remember to pray for them this week!

December Schedule:

We will be in the USA for the month of December for Christmas and Grammer's 80th Birthday! During the first two weeks I will be speaking and casting the vision of UK-USA Ministries. Please pray for each of these gatherings.

• December 3-4 Idlewild; Tampa, Florida
• December 8-9 Houston, Texas
• December 12 LifeWay; Nashville, Tennessee
• December 13-14 Burnt Hickory; Atlanta, Georgia

We are so thankful for each of you! It gives us great confidence and courage to know you are praying for us on a daily basis! 

In HIS JOY,

Mike and Kookie

Life of a Gap Year: Jill

My name is Jill. I'm from Dallas, Texas, but have lived in Virginia the past four years where I attended Liberty University. In December I decided I was going to come to England to join the Tees Valley Youth For Christ team. Before I heard about TVYFC I was out of college and not too sure what my next step was in life, so when God opened up the opportunity for me to serve in England I was all in. At the time I was working as a waitress and would occasionally have a costumer ask about my life outside of the restaurant, so I would tell them about my plans to cross the pond. By the grace of God I had a few customers give me support money without me even asking. I'm not even sure if the people were Christians. To me this was a sort of confirmation that the Lord definitely wanted me in England. I was extremely blessed when I came to raising money. With the help of my family, friends, and church I was able to raise enough money for the year. 

I've now been in England for about two months, and what an amazing two months it has been! The people here are so great and have made me feel right at home. Going to a place where I knew no one was pretty nerve wracking but God has given me so many new friends to live life with and I love every second of it. I live in a town called Hartlepool. Here, I work with my team to run a few youth clubs during the week. We play games and share Bible stories with primary school kids. These clubs are extremely challenging yet extremely rewarding at the same time. A majority of the kids come from broken homes and the only time they will ever hear any thing about Christ is at these clubs. I absolutely love that we get a chance to share God's love with them even if it is only for an hour or two every week. The kids are so great and you can really tell they love spending time with us. During the week my team also goes into primary and secondary schools to help in the Religious Education classes. Going into these classes is so fun! In class we get to share the Christian perspective on a lot of worldly issues. This is sometimes intimidating, but so amazing that we are given the chance to freely talk about God and what we believe. I love that we get to have conversations and build relationships with theses kids! 

Like I said before, I've only been here two months, but the amount that I've grown in Christ already is unreal. I'm learning and growing everyday and I'm getting to watch God move across Teesside. I can't wait to see what He has in store for the rest of this year. I pray that the people in the Tees Valley will see Christ in the people of TVYFC and hunger to know why we are different.

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About the Author

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JILL O'DELL

Dallas, TX | 23

PROJECT: Hartlepool

For the last four years, Jill has attended Liberty University. She still hasn't graduated but intends to. After she dropped out of school, she was left with a huge desire to travel and build new relationships along the way. Jill loves people and desperately wants them to know Jesus.

The Adventure of God's Calling: Jenna

Adventure is defined as ‘a daring and exciting activity calling for enterprise and enthusiasm’. Since I moved to England this past September, I think that the word ‘adventure’ aptly describes my life right now. There is something so simultaneously exciting yet terrifying when you stop talking about God’s will for your life and actually start fulfilling it. For me, that began the moment I determined to no longer let excuses or fears control my life and instead choose to follow God’s call half way across the world to England. And so, the adventure begins.

England is an amazing place full of even more amazing people. Although, like any city, state, or country there are rougher areas than others and I happen to work in one of them. Throughout the Tees Valley Thornaby has that reputation as a tough, Bronx-esc area. We work with kids that come from broken families who are daily facing the destructive elements of drug abuse, division, and poverty. I think what shocked me most about working with these kids was the fact that even though we share the same language, their culture is very different than ours. Mainly, there are few who express any type of faith in God, belief in the Bible, and much less who are committed to living for Christ. Instead of letting this discourage me from believing that the gospel can still reach these kids, I came to a crossroads where I chose to stand firm in the faith that God can still touch the hearts of these kids in spite of their poor circumstances. I am more than confident that the Holy Spirit is at work within the lives of the kids, and adults alike, throughout Thornaby who are desperately searching for something more, for some hope that goes beyond their circumstances. I cannot wait to see the transforming power of the Gospel flood over Thornaby and change it from one of the darkest areas in Teesside to one of the brightest, most passionate places for Christianity.

Altogether, we have the tendency to think that adventures are limited to place. That they simply consist of whatever foreign or unknown area we have never traveled to before. And yet, I’ve found that meeting new people, especially those from a different culture than your own, is an adventure in itself. Therefore, don’t limit your adventures to places, but look for the excitement of daring to experience a relationship with someone from a country or culture completely different from your own. For God did not call us to huddle around in comfortable, dormant groups with people just like ourselves; but He calls us to go into this world, as adventurers, to seek and save the lost.

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About the Author

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JENNA FRASER

Grand Blanc, MI | 22

PROJECT: Stockton/Thornaby

While attending Liberty University, Jenna studied english and global studies while playing on the women's soccer team. After going on several short-term mission trips, she felt God's call to go to England. She clearly felt God’s call to use her knowledge of English literature and love for their game of football to not only connect with the English but also preach the gospel to them with or without words.

Following the Calling: Michael

On a bright day in January I took a walk around the parking lot of Thomas Road Baptist Church on a phone interview with Youth for Christ. 

It was only my second interview by this point; however, my heart was burdened for England and a gap year with YFC was all that I wanted. I had an RA position on East campus lined up which was going to finance graduate school. A seminary degree looked appealing, having just finished my bachelor’s in biblical studies. I was tired of learning though and I just wanted to accomplish something more! 

On that day, I could recall the exact parking spaces I walked through as I answered question after question during the interview. I became more and more confident in my answers as time progressed. I knew exactly what my responses should sound like, yet I couldn't answer a simple question about the upcoming year. I was too scared to think about the faith it would require to choose a gap year over graduate school. 

Would God be mad if I made the wrong decision? Would I be able to raise the money? What if my parents were disappointed? Would this gap year in another country prevent me from finding a relationship in America? 

Some of my thoughts were sensible, while others were foolish; however, at the moment, every thought was impacting my decision. My thoughts and emotions wavered, which meant that my desires and goals wavered as well. 

I did not have clarity until I asked myself, “Which decision is most practical and logical?” 

I knew that my degree would be sufficient for a position in some form of ministry. I was financially stable. I really wanted to work with kids. I wanted the security of acquiring a master’s degree, yet I didn't have any motivation to go through any more schooling. I also wanted to travel. 

I was convinced that a gap year with YFC would be best for me. That was confirmed when, all but one person out of a hundred or so that I asked, said I should go to England. Even the director who was overseeing my RA placement was satisfied with my decision to pursue the gap year instead. 

The secret to making this decision was that I delighted myself in God and He gave me the desires of my heart (Ps. 37:4). 

I now get to spend time with hundreds of kids on a weekly basis. I am asked questions regularly about my faith and what significance God plays in my life. The best part is that I've been able to share the Gospel with children who were practically begging to hear it. All of the children here need Jesus to transform their lives, yet few of them actually know it. 

I am in England to first make them aware of their need, then to make the Word of God active and living in their lives. Recently a very troubled student at the Academy I work with was testing my Bible knowledge and asking me to recite memory verses. This was during his own time, which he could have used as he liked. He initiated the conversation though and has since paid quite a bit of attention to me. 

God has done more in the last month than I expected Him to do in 6 months time. 

I would have been successful had I stayed at Liberty and pursued a Master’s degree; however, my life would not have been as joyful and fulfilling as it is now. I chose “option B,” as I saw it at the time, and I am sure glad I made that choice. 

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About the author

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MICHAEL NORTHRUP

New Haven, CT | 22

PROJECT: Coulby Newham

Michael attended Liberty University, earning his bachelor's degree in biblical studies. He has done numerous internships, learning about the structure of the church and its inner workings. He hopes to move on to plant a church that focuses on evangelism.

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Mission in Northern Ireland

All across the UK most schools begin half-term break today. It's a bit like fall break in the USA.  Families with kids love it as it signifies the halfway point of the first and longest term of the year! It is a chance to take a break and get some holiday time. This year during half-term break we decided to do a mission week together as a team. One of the great dreams we have as an organization is to lock arms and support the work of existing ministries across the United Kingdom. 

This summer some of our team helped run a Salt Factory Sports camp and had up to 30 kids attending.

So tomorrow through Friday, our team of gap year volunteers will travel to Lisburn Northern Ireland to lead a VBS/day camp in partnership with Christ Church Belfast and Salt Factory Sports. We are expecting over 50 children and young people to participate each day! Our theme for the week is “Who is God?” Each day we will have a Bible story centered around that theme. We will begin each day by dividing the kids into 4 different teams. We will do music and learn a different memory verse each day. They will participate in a new sport each day and also do a craft activity building a solar system to illustrate God’s amazing creation!  Teams will earn points so that a champion can be crowned at the end of the week. Please pray for our gap year team this week as they minister in Northern Ireland.  You can learn more about both of the ministries we will be working with here:

Your continued prayer support and financial giving continues to sustain us here in The Tees Valley and is now helping us reach out to Northern Ireland! Thanks so much for your partnership in the Gospel.

“And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news?” - Romans 10:15

In HIS JOY,

Mike

After a lesson on prayer this summer, campers let God know what they were looking forward to.

Meet the New Team

We have had a great start to the new school year here in The Tees Valley! God has given us an amazing group of leaders from across the UK and the USA to serve as Youth and Kids Workers in Teesside. Our Gap Year team of 27 hail from 12 different states- Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia! We also have team members from England and Northern Ireland! We have added a new page to the website and you can read their brief bios and follow them on instagram, twitter, and read their blogs here throughout the coming year. We are so grateful to God for His provision of these amazing and talented leaders!

We are seeing signs of faith and hope rising all across Teesside! God is definitely using this ministry and the local churches we are serving alongside to affect this area for the Gospel! As always we need more folks to join us in this endeavor to take the Good News in a relevant way to The Tees Valley. However we had several churches and towns that we were not able to supply a GapYear Youth Worker to that wanted one this year. 

Luke 10:2 "He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.""

We continue to pray, cast the vision, and recruit folks willing to give a year or two to come lock arms with us in the ministry here. If you know anyone that you think would be interested in serving with us please send them here for more information. 

Thanks again for your continual prayer and financial support. 

In HIS JOY,

Mike and Kookie

Summer 2014

I just wanted to take a moment and give you a quick update on the last three months here in The Tees Valley. It has been such a busy but incredibly fruitful season of ministry. Our 2013-14 GapYear team have all but gone now and they did an excellent job serving faithfully across the area. We have 7 of the current team that are continuing on for another year. They will link up with our new team of 20 arriving around September 1st to carry on and sustain relationships and projects that have begun to grow and develop. We have just finished leading and hosting 15 different Short-Term Mission Teams with 322 participants serving on mission here in Teesside. It has been incredible! These teams for the most part come in and serve alongside our existing projects and help us fuel new relationships with their energy and enthusiasm! In some instances we use teams to break new ground in areas where we do not currently have a project. During the summer we hosted 8 different Camp of Champions in Hartlepool, Hardwick, Thornaby, Middlesbrough, Coulby Newham, Stockton, Billingham and Eaglescliffe! Over 900 children & young people attended camp and heard about the Ultimate Champion Jesus Christ. Dozens put their faith and trust in Him…it was amazing! Our UK-USA Summer Interns arrived in May just in time to help us facilitate and lead all of these short-term trips and spearhead Camp of Champions! They worked really hard all summer and did an incredible job demonstrating servant leadership! Our first Doulos Team of 13 youth and adult leaders are over in America serving in Inner City Dallas with the 58Foundation, The Heights , and The Village Church. Doulos is a 3-year leadership journey to develop the next generation servant leaders in The Tees Valley. They have spent the last year learning about qualities of a leader and they are being launched in Dallas this week. We will start Year Two with this group in September and launch a new team of Doulos 101 participants at retreat in September! Finally, on July 13 we had a Baptism Service out at Saltburn beach and we baptized three young people and one adult!  We are definitely seeing new life spring up all across the Tees Valley. We are growing as a ministry in size but what is really exciting is we are definitely seeing signs of fruitfulness and growth spiritually as well! These are exciting days! Please join us in praying for God to continue to move!

We could not be here without your prayer and financial support and for that we are forever grateful. As often as the Lord reminds you please continue to pray for UK-USA Ministries, the Tees Valley, our family, and please continue to give as He directs and leads. 

In HIS JOY,
Mike & Kookie

Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Just north of where we live is a an amazing place called The Holy Island of Lindisfarne. In 635AD Saint Aiden arrived from Ireland and established the first monastery in the Northeast of England. The period of the first monastery is referred to as the "Golden Age" of Lindisfarne. Aidan and his monks came from the Irish monastery of Iona and with the support of King Oswald (based at nearby Bamburgh Castle) worked as missionaries among the pagan English of Northumbria. In their monastery they set up the first known school in this area and introduced the arts of reading and writing, the Latin language and the Bible and other Christian books. They trained young men as practical missionaries who later went out over much of England and across the world to spread the Gospel. Christians have been shaping culture through education and mercy ministries for two thousand years. Aidan saw an opportunity for the gospel and began to invest in the community around him. The spiritual heritage of of England is so rich. We often say that we are standing on the shoulders of those who have come before us-great men and women that God used to touch countries and entire continents. Our prayer is that we will once again see this place ignited for the glorious Gospel and that we will see generations of young people trained up as they were in Aidan's day to be sent all over the world proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ! One way we do that is through Camp of Champions. This summer we will be hosting a Camp of Champions nearly every week during the months of June and July. We set up camp in local parks and utilize sports and crazy fun games as a way to build relationships for the Gospel. Please begin praying now for God to draw kids and young people to Himself during Camp of Champions and that He will use the Summer Interns and Gap Year workers to make a lasting impact in the lives they come in contact with!

In HIS JOY,
Mike

March Madness: First Four In

Tonight we have 4 USA mission teams coming across to spend the week serving here in The Tees Valley. Each church has been here before and we are beginning to see some very strong relationships forged which is one of our core values. Champion Forest Baptist has been coming here since 2005 and they will be working in partnership with The King’s Academy and Coulby Newham Baptist Church. They will be speaking in King’s Academy each day as well as leading a youth group and a kids club. Heritage Park Baptist will be serving with churches from Stokesley , Great Ayton, and Hutton Rudby. They will be speaking in Stokesley School as well as Café Church and several youth groups. They will also be putting on a Volleyball Clinic. Nassau Bay Baptist will once again be serving in Hartlepool. They will be working with several different schools and speaking in youth groups and hosting a talent and testimony night with local youth! Legacy Bible will be serving primarily in Stockton. They will be speaking in several different schools across the town as well as leading kids clubs and sports camps. They will also be sharing at Yarm Café Church. These are very exciting days here with so much potential for God’s Kingdom to be advanced!

Prayer Points—

Please pray for the teams as they travel across the pond.

Please pray for great spiritual conversations to be had!

Please pray for protection and safety at all of the events and gatherings.

Please pray for the churches, ministers, and youth workers in The Tees Valley.

Please pray for a real sense of freedom both to share and respond to the good news.

Please pray for spiritual breakthrough and awakening across The Tees Valley.

Please pray that God will “call out the called” and that several mission team members will pray about coming to serve a Gap Year in The Tees Valley.

Please pray for sustainability and that God will produce fruit that remains.

“I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:3-6

Thanks for locking arms with us as we continue to minister in this amazing place.

In HIS JOY,

Mike

A Life Well Lived—

Today this side of heaven lost a champion. I have been privileged to serve alongside some amazing men and women in my thirty plus years of ministry. Everyone is unique and different…designed by a creative God who seemingly weaves people’s lives together for His purposes and for epic moments. Jim Patterson was a follower of Christ, a disciple in the truest sense of the word. He lived for Jesus. He did not live his life in a compartmentalized fashion of Christianity. He lived his life moment by moment serving the Lord and the people he came alongside on a daily basis. He was faithful husband, loving father, tireless worker, faithful friend and a servant leader. He and his family faced these last five years with a tenacity that I have rarely seen. To stare fear, suffering, uncertainty, and death in the face and never waver in their faith is a lifelong lesson we will all take with us. The legacy of his life and his story will continually be written through his children, grandkids and those who have been influenced by him. They will flesh it out for generations to come because Jim passed on the principles of a life well lived.

 “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”

Psalm 116:15

Mike

Martha... I AM.

"Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes LORD; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."' John 11:21-29

I am often like Martha... I think I know the answer and I think there is another way/goal/solution to something in my life other than simply Jesus. 

I forget what happens when I put all of my trust in the weight of His words. I think I know how He will work and how He will conclude a scenario (martha: "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day"). But Jesus Himself looks to His beloved Martha (who He knitted together in her mother's womb btw...crazy) and said to her the two most powerful words in the history of the world..

 "I AM... the resurrection AND the life..."

-LIFE HIMSELF

It's almost as if He is saying, 'You don't quite understand, Martha. I am enough. I am life. I am the one who restores to life what is dead. I am the one who makes possible what is impossible .. because if you believe in me you are never going to DIE...even if you die. You will live. In this life and the life to come. Do you believe this? Do you really actually believe this?'

He is asking us too.

Martha responds with "Yes, LORD; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world." In saying this... she references Psalm 118:26: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD." 

She needed to remind herself of what her soul knew to be true.... she had to take action herself to remind her soul of what she was existing for and where her hope was rooted. She was acting like a Pharisee in her acknowledgment of the resurrection and lack of faith in the Jesus in front of her (Acts 23:8). She was forgetting to rest and be united with Christ.

The I AM, the Eternal Deity, is in front of us asking if we believe that He is who He says He is... because if we truly believe it, we will not be spared from pain. We will not be spared from tears (Jesus wept, obvi). We will not be spared from confusing and hurtful circumstances. We will not be taken away from situations that lead us to having patience and trust in Jesus as He sovereignly orchestrates our lives according to His glory and pleasure and our good. 

...And although we will not be spared from all of those discomforts, I think I have a greater glimpse of why He has chosen such a pattern for His friends and followers.

He wants us. 

He wants us to see Him as He is... not as what we "think we know." He wants us to experience life as He gives it... not life as we "think we know it." He wants us to see life through death. and death through life (during this temporary stay in a country not our own) (ex: 1 Corinth 15:31; Mark 8:34-35, Gal 5:24, etc).

The phrase, "believes in me" automatically implies a personal trust in Jesus and not a pharisaic outlook on religion or the ideas of God.

YHWH wants us to be in such close fellowship with Him that we break off our other patterns of thinking and begin to be "renewed in the spirit of [our> mind[s]" and put on the new self as a result of putting off the old self that is corrupt and stupid (Ephesians 4). He wants us to take hold of the freedom of being His and transform our way of thinking and make use of having "the mind of Christ." WHAT A GIFT.

He wants us to behold His glory and not the empty satisfaction of our manufactured circumstances.

"Did I not tell you, [Hannah], that if you believed you would see the glory of God?"

-LIFE HIMSELF

Life is so empty when Christ is not seen as glorious. Life is so empty when He is forgotten as Lord and is instead seen as our demanding and controlling slave master or boring duty. Life is so empty when we try and do life on our own… having the knowledge of Him but missing out and not comprehending what He means by saying "I AM….” There is so much more to His promises… so much more to His friendship… so much more to HIM. 

Yes, He wants us. That is why He waited two extra days to go to Lazarus… “that they might believe” (John 11:15). He waited because of His love. He waited so He could use the situation (that seemed hopeless from worldly eyes) as a testament to His power and as a captivating model for how He pursues personal relationships with His disciples. He was willing to let them endure discomfort, pain, loss, impatience, confusion, irritations, and even death so He could give Himself the opportunity to display His irrational love and affection for His followers.

He calls us to Himself and He is relentless. 

Despite our blame, pride, bewilderment, and even anger towards Jesus, He is so very patient with us. He is so very sympathetic (see verse 33 in John 11 for cryin out loud). He is so pleased to show us more of who He is and show us that He knows best… and above all else, to show us that He actually cares.. actually loves… actually knows what He is doing. He is offering Life to those who believe that’s who He is.

"Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt."

JOHN 12:15

(PS: remember that this verse {which is also referencing the psalm Martha quoted from Psalm 118:26} which is found in chapter 12 is saying that “the KING is coming… sitting on a donkey…” huh. a DONKEY y’all.

Good golly… we must wake up. He is trying to show everyone that He has come for THEM… for us… {heart, mind, soul, and strength}… not to conquer by force as earthly kings on fancy stallions would come.. no no. My Friend came on a donkey.. He came in captivating confidence. He is true religion… and He extinguishes my fears, doubts, worries, and distractions. How dare I look away from such a great GOD. 

"Hosanna! Blessed is he who coms in the name of the LORD, even the King of Israel!" 

May we forsake our old ways and BELIEVE HIM. and in doing so, may we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, mind, and may we love our neighbor as ourselves.

-Hannah Taylor

The Power of God's Word

I'm reminded again today of the power and life that comes from a daily reading and saturation of the Scripture in our lives. We live in an 'Information Age' but if that information doesn't speak life and hope and truth into us it is simply just noise. Listen to God's word to Joshua  "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Words like 'meditate' or 'be careful to obey' and 'give careful attention to' all ask us for more than a casual glance. 2 Timothy 3:14-17 challenges us to be convinced of the power & authority of Scripture. "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

If we want more out of life we must guard our time and attention to God's word. It will become a bedrock of truth to guide and inspire our life. Walk with Him daily through the pages of scripture and reap the promised benefits and blessings that come from knowing him. A steady intake of God's word will...

Quiet your spirit, 

Enlighten your path

Sharpen your perception 

Clarifiy your direction 

Increase your faith

Enlarge your view of God

Keep you aware of God's presence and power

Guide you to success

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A Glance Back and A Look Forward--

It has been a great year in here in The Tees Valley! We have seen the Lord do some incredible things in our midst. We began 2013 on top of Roseberry Topping, an iconic rock that rises above Teesside and serves as a chapel for us to teach the word and pray over this valley with regularity. As the clock struck midnight last December 31st we were on Roseberry Topping praying over the Tees Valley. It was freezing cold and windy but a beautiful night as the stars danced in the sky! As we began to pray 2013 in I was not prepared for what was going to happen next. The Valley erupted with flashes of light and color as fireworks went off all over Teesside. It was spectacular! As we prayed I had this thought…Father that is exactly what we want You to do in this valley….we want the light of the glorious gospel to shine brightly and for you, Father to erupt in every town and village that we are ministering in. In many ways the Lord has begun to answer that prayer. The ministry at The Vine Church is growing. We are seeing new faces and families each week and the venue we meet in is definitely at capacity. We are continuing to experience the movement of God in our services and lives are being changed. The partnership with Tees Valley Youth for Christ and UK-USAMinistries is also blossoming. We had 15 different short term mission teams bring over 250 youth and adults across the pond to serve and share the love of Jesus in the Tees Valley in 2013! We also had an amazing team of  20 summer interns that lived here for two months and they served and supported the ongoing youth and kids outreach projects.  Then in September we launched the current Gap Year Team for 2013-14! They are an amazing group of 25 servant leaders that God is using in a tremendous way!  They are serving in 25 different schools each week and leading 31 faith based Youth and Kids clubs every week.  They are faithfully sowing the seed and praying for God to bring forth fruit that will remain! I believe we will see it soon… “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

We often hold on to that verse and claim it for this labor of love that we have here in The Tees Valley. I believe we are on the verge of seeing some real fruit this spring and summer!

I love this time of year because it is a natural point in our yearly journey to look back and remember and also to raise our head and peer down the road into the unknown. I cannot say with certainty what the New Year will bring.  Each of the next 365 days holds so much potential for the glorious gospel and for His Kingdom to be advanced. I can say that He is faithful and that by His grace I will be as well. I can say that I am excited to join Him where He is at work…and I believe He is definitely up to something here in Teesside. Our team is growing. We will add 4 more Gap Year Volunteers this next week. We are also adding Tyler and Nicki McClure tomorrow as the get on a plane to come here to head up Axiom Sports in partnership with Tees Valley Youth for Christ. God is rising up people to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this valley and we are going to see this place transformed by the power of God. As we grow, we need you to continue to go and grow with us. We count it a privilege to be in partnership with you. Will you please continue to support all that we are doing here both in prayer and financially? If you will pray with us for this coming year will you please send me a message on Facebook or Twitter? That will help me to know who all is praying for us on a daily basis. If you would like to support this ministry over the next year or send in a 2013 year end gift you can send a check to uk-usaministries PO Box 11555 Spring, Texas 77391 or you can give online at uk-usaministries.com.  You can also help us by sharing the story of what God is doing in this place with your friends.  I believe 2014 is going to be the most fruitful and exciting year yet. Please join us and pray to that end.  Thank you so much and we are praying God’s richest blessings upon you in 2014!

In HIS JOY,

Mike

A Merry Christmas Blog by Hannah Taylor

Today is Christmas Eve. The sun is already beginning to set on the valley and I can hear the faint laughter and conversation of loved ones downstairs. The wind is blowing through the trees and the wispy clouds are moving swiftly to reign briefly over someone else’s gaze. The Christmas music from my iTunes account is singing of the cradle in bethlehem. Snow is lacking out my window. The temperature is not as cold as the tales of the white christmas’ of old idealize… but I am yet joyful.

I am joyful because tomorrow is just like any other day as a follower of Jesus. I used to be sad as the clock struck 11:59pm on the December 25th’s of my childhood. I truly would be sorrowful that it was over. I love Christmas lights. I love holiday festivities. I love cold weather and warm sweaters. I love fires and warm drinks, flannels and my mom’s cooking. I love Christmas trees and family being together. I am delighted in all of these things and so much more, but my outlook has changed this year. Those things that once had dominion over the happiness in my heart for this season have been paled. They are great things.. but He is far greater. Their true colors have been dimmed in the majestic light of Him. 

It is not that I have just met Jesus this year, but I have grown to know Him deeper. I have learned more of His unchanging, eternal character and how that relates to the ever-changing, death-deserving human that I am. I have learned how joy unspeakable is offered and given to whosoever will receive with every new breath. I have learned that the maintaining of my worthiness for love is a fool’s game and I must put away all my notions of striving rather than receiving. Why would my striving do anything for the Living God who made Himself nothing, taking on human flesh, becoming obedient unto death FOR me? Why and how could my state of worthiness rest on my own works? Jesus Christ came as a baby on this planet that He created. He is making the sunset that I’m watching. He is dwelling in me. THIS IS THE CRAZIEST NEWS I HAVE EVER FATHOMED. I can barely hold it in!!!!

Life passes away and His word remains firmly fixed in the heavens.

His word is true and my soul knows it.

We are broken pieces of pottery, but we are held safely in the hands of the Great Potter… and He has not left us to fend for ourselves. That is why He came to us. That is why we celebrate, not only on December 25th… but everyday.

His πνεῦμα shakes the earth. None can stay His hand. I have been reminded of my First Love this day. Even the strongest of trees cannot stand completely still against His wind. The reality of Christmas is much like the strong wind I feel rushing through my open window… but 10293284 billion times stronger.

Jesus Christ came to give life to those who were wallowing in our own blood, to give the human race true, abundant, and eternal life and freedom, to give man the undeserved and [literally] AWEsome blessing of knowing Him intimately in this life and beyond. 

We are alive forever all because of the poured out life of YHWH. The Living Word. Veiled in flesh. The incarnate Deity. 

It is a Merry Christmas. It is a merry LIFE! It feels like Thanksgiving in my heart. This joy surpasses the 25th of every December. It surpasses the trials and annoyances of life. And although the lights might be coming down and the trees will begin to brown, my soul rejoices in Jesus.

Grateful.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:16-17

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:12-17

God’s Word is so rich and is just drenched with a call to live our lives with grateful and thankful hearts. I hope today as you pause to say “Thank You” for all you have been given in this life, you will remember God’s greatest gift. That He will be on the forefront of your mind and heart. Grace…Forgiveness…Redemption all came at a cost. God gave us His one and only Son that we might know Him and experience the fullness that comes from having a personal relationship with Him. When I look back to August 1978 (and yes, it seems like forever ago) to the moment that my life collided with Jesus and I was introduced to a loving, merciful Savior, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all He has done in my life! Yes, for the things He saved me from but also for the things He saved and called me to…a personal relationship with Jesus! Knowing Him is transformational! I am a blessed man today and so thankful for all that The Lord has done for me! I hope wherever you are that you have a great Thanksgiving with family and friends!

 “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1

 In HIS JOY,

Mike

Gap Year Team for 2013-14

 

Our current 2013-14 team stands at 25 Gap Year Volunteers serving all across The Tees Valley! We have had a great start to the school year and we are off and running! We had a tremendous time together for our training week. We spent the first two and half days in a classroom setting going over all the requirements for being a safe, effective youth and kids worker here in the UK! We discovered our tendencies and temperaments and we  dialogued about effective outreach and estate work. Then we loaded everyone up for a two night retreat over in The Lake District where we had a great time of team building, worship and bible study. The Lakes is honestly one of the prettiest places in England and I love going there! One of the highlights of our time together was hearing from Eric Alldritt, a retired Pastor who was saved through a Youth for Christ outreach in 1946! As he shared his story and journey of faith it was so moving and inspiring. It was such a sweet moment and one that I will not soon forget. Upon returning from our training week the team has been serving in schools and churches. They are doing a tremendous job and have really bonded well together. As often as you think of us please remember to pray for all that we are doing here in Teesside. I have listed their names and the area or town in which they are serving. Please pray for God's provision for each of them. Please call on God to move powerfully through them. Pray for tender hearts for those who will hear the good news about Jesus. Please pray for awakening. We are desperate for God to move here among us!

In HIS JOY,

Mike

Gap Year Team 2013-14

1. Stephen Bell—serving in Hartlepool with All Saints Church Stranton (Burbank)

2. Bethany McNeely—serving in Hartlepool with Headland Baptist

3. Stephen Merkey—serving in Hartlepool with Oxford Road & Alton Manor Baptist

4. Jess Woody—serving in Hartlepool All Saints Church Stranton

5. Rachel Peters—serving in Stockton with Love Stockton & Life Church

6. Alicia Trinkle—serving in Stockton with The Vine Church

7. Tanner Bishop—serving in Stockton at The Tab

8. Bri Korenek—serving in Stockton at The Tab

9. James Trammel—serving in Stockton Hardwick with St. Johns & James

10. Jacob Chase—serving in Stockton with Portrack Baptist

11. Sam Benzing—serving in Stockton with The Parish Church

12. Lindsey Villareal—serving in Guisborough with The Bridge & Guisborough Fellowship

13. Hunter Brooks—serving in Guisborough with The Bridge & Guisborough Methodist

14. Jen Simpson—serving in Nunthorpe with St. Mary’s

15. James Wilde—serving in Nunthorpe with St. Mary’s

16. Andrew Millington--serving in Coulby Newham with CNBC

17. Allie Mandell--serving in Coulby Newham with CNBC

18. Jonathan Bagwell—serving in Middlesbrough with St. Barnabas

19. Rebecca Jackson—serving in Middlesbrough with Free Style

20. Meagan O'Hara—serving in Thornaby with Thornaby Baptist

21. Braden Davis—serving in Thornaby with Thornaby Baptist

22. Taylor Browne—serving in Thornaby with Thornaby Baptist

23. Liz Baldwin—serving in Stokesley with Stokesley Fellowship

24. Jared Bredeson—serving in Stokesley with Stokesley Methodist

25. Caleb Warren is coming in January!

26. Who's Next? Let's Jump...

Summer Rewind

Summer 2013 will forever be etched in my heart and mind as one of my favorite summers! As we gear up for the Autumn term it is always fun to look back and think about all that we just experienced! I don't even know where to begin actually because there were so many significant and powerful moments that I will never forget. It always comes down to people and capturing moments in time when God seems to prompt and pour out His Spirit. In the end that is why our heart is beating and we are alive on this planet...to live each moment for the glory of God and His life changing gospel. We had twelve different partnering churches and organizations come serve and invest in the kids and youth of  The Tees Valley this summer! We had teams sharing the love of Christ in Stockton, Hardwick, Thornaby, Stokesley, Guisborough, Darlington, Eaglescliffe, Yarm, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, Coulby Newham, Ingleby Barwick and all the way down to Whitby! We did sports coaching, camps, kids clubs, youth clubs, cafe churches, skate park outreach, hope invasion in parks and on the High Streets of towns, prayer walks, beach parties and Warehouse Project parties! It was busy but so much fun and so very exciting! Taking the gospel to the streets and reaching out to those so distant from God and desperate for hope is a thrill and a privilege! Each week we experienced the presence and power of God at work. So thanks to the following churches and organizations that invested in The Tees Valley during the summer of 2013: University of Mary Hardin Baylor, Missouri Baptist College, Champion Forest Baptist Church, Legacy Bible, Getwell Road Methodist, Axiom United, Hebron Baptist, FBC Texarkana, The Heights, Southcrest, Liberty Baptist and Prestonwood.

We also had fourteen amazing young leaders come spend the summer with us and serve as interns. "Team Barnabas" was legendary!! They served from May 16 until July 31st. Their constant presence here in the community created a buzz and helped us establish so many new relationships. They supported all the ongoing programs we have across Teesside as well as served alongside our Gap Year Team and partnering churches! Living together for two months had its challenges but hearing the sound of worship and offering up nightly prayers together was truly one of the highlights for Kookie and me! The bond between brothers and sisters in Christ is so powerful and I know that we will all be lifelong friends! Three moments really stand out to me as significant and powerful. We planned an all night prayer vigil on June 24...asking God to pour our His Spirit on this valley and raise up thirty Gap Year workers to come serve here from September (more on that in the next blog post!). We had a group of 30 Teessiders and Americans crying out to God through the night. We all sensed God's powerful presence and several of our current 2013-14 Gap Year team either called that very night or felt prompted by God to join with us. It was an unbelievable night! The second moment was July 14 when we held a picnic and baptism service out at Saltburn by the Sea and baptized 5 young people!  One young man name Matt who had been hanging out with us for over a year, prayed to receive Christ right on the beach that afternoon! The third snapshot took place in late July. We put on our second annual 'Camp of Champions' at Preston Park run by Liberty Church in Virginia and hosted by churches from across Eaglescliffe and Yarm. We had over 100 children involved each morning at camp and dozens of youth each afternoon and evening. It was a great week and children came to faith each of the last three days at camp. On the evenings we had youth events each night and Wednesday night we had a big youth pizza party at The Axiom Centre Warehouse Project! Jesse from Liberty shared his story of faith and I gave a challenge at the end asking if any young people were ready to step into faith and follow Jesus to write their name on the chalkboard and draw a cross through their name. Galatians 2:20 is the image I had in my mind..."I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Several youth came to faith that night...but the coolest thing happened the next morning. One of the local lads named Mikey, who plays on the Middlesbrough Futsal team with Thad and who had been serving as a helper at Camp of Champions, prayed to receive Christ that morning at camp. He then proceeded to come into our home...where there is a chalkboard...and he wrote his name and put a cross through it!!! Needless to say our house went crazy!! 

Three snapshots from epoch moments this summer that transformed lives for eternity. We believe that God is at work and on the move here! We believe that we are only beginning to see the first waves of mercy and grace. We are so grateful for all of your support through prayer, encouragement and sacrificial giving! We feel so blessed to serve here in Teesside and alongside so many amazing people. We are excited about the days to come and believe that 2013-14 is going to be such a significant year as we continue to share the good news about Jesus Christ across The Tees Valley!

In HIS JOY,

Mike

Daf Matheson

https://vimeo.com/71930013