Hope and Faith in the Unexpected-back in Michigan for a little bit

Hello Friends and Family,

I hope and pray that you and your family are safe and healthy as we all continue to navigate how to wisely respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

Some major changes have happened for me over the past week.

In the evening on Friday, March 20, the core leadership of YWAM Kona asked all staff and students living on the campus to leave campus and the island if at all possible. At the beginning of last week we had our first few cases of COVID-19 confirmed on the Big Island and on Friday the local Kona health clinic saw many more people coming in with symptoms. It can take up to 7-10 days to confirm cases because tests done on the island have to be sent to mainland USA. Resources (hospital beds, medication, etc) on an island are also limited for treating those who become ill.

At first I did not have any peace about leaving the island so I reached out to several different people I know trying to find a place to stay; however on Saturday late in the morning the Lord gave me a tangible sense of peace about coming back to Michigan for a short season during this COVID-19 crisis. So on Monday, March 23rd I arrived back in Michigan; the plane tickets were a great price, I washed my hands LOTS and used Clorox wipes, wet wipes, and hand sanitizer! I am self isolated in my parents basement for 14 days, in case I was exposed to anything while traveling through 4 different airports (Kona, LAX, Charolette, and Grand Rapids). I am super jet lagged but very healthy so far 😄

On one of my plane rides I had the privilege of sitting near a women who is also a believer and we talked about why we were traveling and then prayed for each other! I think we were both encouraged and blessed by our meeting.

My plane from Charlotte to Grand Rapids was pretty much empty;
only 9 people total and they were all in seats in front of me.
I am super tired in this picture; it was about 20 hours of travel from Kona back to MI.

I am waiting to hear from YWAM Kona about possible online training to be offered during this time; Restoring the Foundations (RTF) prayer ministry has offered some online trainings before; I have been in touch with the people who head up this ministry and they are looking into how to offer more training at this time and have said they will let me know when they can move forward with it. I also heard talk about the campus offering a leadership track course online in April. Both RTF and leadership track were things I was seriously considering doing after staffing this DTS, and then when outreaches were cancelled I was considering doing them this April. My plan right now is to return to Kona when the YWAM campus reopens; I renewed my ID card just this morning! I think I would like to help staff the September Crossroads (but not staff the outreach part) and then stay to staff the entire January 2021 Crossroads DTS including helping staff an outreach.

The funds raised that I was going to use to stay in Kona until at least the end of June ($3,812) will now be saved for when I return to Kona when the campus reopens; if there is a cost associated with the online training (RTF or leadership track) I will updated you on what funds might be used that direction when I know more!

The YWAM Kona DTS students are finishing their last week of lecture online which also includes some debriefing; transitioning home after a normal DTS can be difficult; these students have the added challenge of not doing a normal outreach, the craziness of these times and not getting to walk through a week long debrief in person with their classmates.  I have heard several students mention coming back to Kona do outreach once the COVID crisis ends and others have talked about coming back to staff on campus or be mission builders on another YWAM campus. Those that signed up to do "Homereach" are starting those teachings and figuring out how to connect with people in creative ways, since meeting face to face in groups is just not a wise option right now. This week one of our Crossroads couples hosted a virtual prayer meeting through ZOOM as part of launching their Homereach. I logged in just to see how it went and think they did an awesome job!

I have been following along with the last week lectures/debriefing and below are some links if you would like to check some of the lectures out for yourself!

• Darlene Cunningham - friendship with Jesus and hearing God's voice
• Andy Byrd- 5 teachings about going deeper with Jesus

I will also be following along with the Homereach teaching and will try to post something once a week about what the students are learning!

Answered Prayer:

1. My ears did not hurt and I did not get sick on any of the 3 planes that I took to get home; I am healthy!
2. The students and staff have all returned home safely or found a place to stay on the island during the COVID crisis.

Prayer Requests:

1. Healing of those who are sick with COVID-19; protection over health care workers and that people would be drawn closer to the Lord in this time.
2. Perseverance and intentionality to maintain the freedom God gave me while in Kona and how to walk in it in a way that blesses the people around me.
3. Clear direction from the Lord during these next months about how to use my time here in Michigan and that I would be ready to go back to Kona when the campus reopens!

How can I be praying for you?

Kona, Hawaii - Psalm 91

Hi friends and family!

I apologize that this post is getting written later than I hoped; I am still in Kona, Hawaii and I am safe, healthy and at peace!

Things have been changing here almost daily for the past 1-2 week as new information comes out about COVID-19; I have been waiting for things to stay the same for a couple days before posting new information about what I am up to.  As you may have already guessed my team is no longer going to Mendoza, Argentina, however the connections we made there could be really great for a future Crossroads DTS outreach!

Most of the Crossroads DTS staff is still here in Kona and several of the students have also felt like God has called them to stay here. I am still in Kona, and greatly appreciate your prayers and financial support-I will update you on both of those areas at the end of this post.

Here are some links to things YWAM Kona posted recently that will give you insight on how the campus is responding in wisdom to the current situation:

• Message from campus leadership regarding upcoming training programs
• University of the Nations YWAM Kona COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

When I came back to YWAM Kona at the end of December, I thought God was calling me to staff the Crossroads DTS and stay here in Kona after outreach, possibly through the end of June. I had wondered if I might stay here with YWAM Kona longer than June or go to another YWAM base to serve or return back to Michigan. I was trusting He would give me more direction during outreach or during the time here in June after outreach.

I still believe God has called me to be here in Kona at least until the end of June and quite possibly for longer. There are Crossroads students still here and in the past few days I have already seen ways the Lord wants to use me here in this season walking with the Crossroads students who have felt the Lord call them to stay. We are not exactly sure what daily life will look like yet but we are spending time in prayer individually and in our small groups. We are also spending time together virtually as an entire campus, they have a cool set up through an app call Workplace that is allowing live streaming to be possible in this way; my Crossroads DTS has a group chat through this same app where everyone can join for a video call. Psalm 91 is a verse we have been praying out.

Over the past few months God has been using a prayer ministry call Restoring the Foundation (RTF) to bring lots of inner healing into the lives of the students and also into my own life. Depending on how the current COVID-19 situation progresses there may be the option for us to do some training to learn how to facilitate RTF prayer. I am very interested to learn more about this, as it is a tool I could take with me wherever the Lord leads me next, whether it is continuing to be staff here in Kona, or YWAM staff at another base, or if God leads me back to Michigan and getting involved with my home church.

I plan to keep writing blog posts every two weeks so please stay tuned. 😊

Financial Support Update- I am FULLY funded through June

Thank you so much to everyone who has given financially!!!!! The funds raised that were originally meant to cover the cost of outreach (and continuing to serve here in Kona for the month of June) will now be put toward the expenses associated with continuing to live on the YWAM Kona base serving the students still here. (I am living with 5 of the Crossroads single ladies, I see and talked to other Crossroads students from the appropriate social distance and still others I am connected to virtually.)

The total amount raised is: $6,642

The estimated expenses for me to continue to serve here in Kona this last week of March through the end of June is quite similar to what the expenses would have been had we gone on outreach so that is  really awesome!!

Total estimated Expenses Kona April-June: $2,145-$3,085
Housing: $400-$600/mo
Food: $120-$200/mo
Laundry: $40
Staff fee and ID renewal: $15
Mailbox renewal: $30
Plane Ticket Home: $500-$600

I am very seriously praying about staying longer than June so it is possible the money I am estimating for buying a plane ticket home would be used for rent in July and any extra funds that have been raised would be used toward food and needs that come up that month. If you have questions or concerns about the way the funds raised for outreach are now being use please don't hesitate to reach out and email me: jpatnott@gmail.com

I want to invite you to begin praying about if you would be interested in supporting me more long term should God call me to stay past June!

Answered Prayer:

1) Over the past week I have experienced EVEN MORE breakthrough/healing/freedom!! 

2) I am FULLY funded through June! THANK YOU and PRAISE GOD 🙌🙏😁
3) My ears are better! The health clinic found fluid behind my ears which has probably been there since when I arrived here, it is now gone.

4) The staff is working as a unified team even with all the changes that are happening. 

Prayer Requests:

1. Perseverance and intentionality to maintain the freedom God has been giving me and how to walk in it in a way that blesses the people around me.

2. Good sleep and good health for us here on the YWAM Kona campus and ALL of YOU who are reading this!

3. Unity among those still on campus and within the small group communities we have formed; good communication

4. Courage, wisdom, understanding, patience with myself and others, humility

5. Clear direction from the Lord during these next three months and for after June.

How can I be praying for you?

Argentina

¡¡¡Vamos a Argentina!!!  WE ARE GOING TO ARGENTINA 

Mendoza, Argentina

It was announce today to both staff and students that my outreach team is going to Mendoza, Argentina! We are all VERY excited 😀

I have given an estimate for outreach cost and it will include emergency health insurance being out of country too. The estimate is $2500.

So the new total estimated cost for staffing DTS is $6,440

$3,862 has been raised so far......

I still need to raise $2,578

Week 8 & 9

Outreach update- Not Going to Cambodia or Thailand

We are no longer able to travel to Cambodia or Thailand for outreach. Due to the rapid spread of the Corona virus the YWAM Kona Campus leadership, after lots of prayer and research, has decided not to permit any outreach teams to travel to countries in South East Asia for this quarter. Please continue to pray for those being directly and indirectly effected by this virus, the churches and believers in those areas and for the YWAM Kona leadership as they make decisions about outreach teams/locations.

My outreach team does not yet know where we are going!

Last week, as Crossroads staff we spent time praying together and individually, listening to the Lord about where He wants us to go. We have reached out to a few YWAM bases in different countries asking them to pray about hosting us. In addition to my outreach team there is another Crossroads outreach group that also needs a new location and many other DTS's and secondary school outreach teams need to change locations too. So that is a lot of people! The campus leadership is in prayer about a divine strategies for rerouting all of these teams.

I am excited to see where the Lords leads us! I have been writing a blog every two weeks but with there only being 3 weeks left before outreach I will be sure to write a post as soon as I know our outreach location.

Freedom- Adam Narciso

The teaching this week came straight out of a book called the Freedom Manual. When I was a student, we went through this same book in class ,but with a different teacher. It was one of my favorite weeks.

Adam did a good job teaching the material, incorporating his own stories/testimony and also trying to activate the students, so they feel more equipped to apply what they are learning. I was disappointed that he did not go though 1 or 2 of the worksheets in the book with the students; the days we did the worksheets when I was a student were really powerful days full of healing and breakthrough; but I think we will go through a couple of the worksheets in our small group or outreach groups.

The book has 21 chapters so there is no way to get through all of it in 4 days but some topics covered included:

• The power of salvation
• The greek word for 'save' in Luke 19:10 is sozo. It means deliverance, restoration, protection, preservation, healing, make whole
• Our original design- how to know your design?
• The Bible (1 John 3:1, Colossians 1:2, Ephesians 1:18, 2 Corinthians 5:20, Epheisan 1:1, Colossians 1:2, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:8)
• Seek the Lord yourself (James 1:5, Jeremiah 33:3)
• Seek the Lord in church (1 Timothy 1:18, 1 Corinthians 14:3)
• Strongholds

• Worksheets in the book help identify areas of bondage (anger, fear, passivity, rejection, shame, and unforgiveness) and to help people pray through:
• Repent of the sin (Acts 3:19)
• Receive God's forgiveness snd cleansing (Psalm 103:8-12; 1 John 1:9)
• Rebuke the enemy's how on ou because of sin (Matthew 4:10; James 4:7)
• Replace al lies with God's truth (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:18)

Intercession and Worship-Andy Byrd and Michael W. Smith

Personal life of Prayer

• Matthew 6:5-15: Personal life of Prayer
• God the Father know what you need but wants you to ask Him because knowing Him is a real relationship
• 'Our Father in heaven'
• our=family, church, community
• Father=hears us and is near us
• heavenly=able to breakthrough/interene in unlimited/impossible ways
• Luke 18:1-8 Persistent Widow
• God is not unjust and you are not a nagging widow
• If a nagging widow received from /was heard by the unjust judge how much more with you just Father hear you who is his daughter/son
• Luke 11:1-13 Shameless audacity/perseverance
• Thoughts on fasting:
• God is speaking maybe if I fast I will hear him better
• God is powerful maybe if I fast I will be positioned/humbled to receive it/give it out
• Fasting is a gift of brokenness outside our circumstances having to break us (gift of a tender heart)

During outreach the strength of our team will come from our personal and group time in prayer and intercession

Michael W. Smith just happened to be on the island, so he stopped by to visit our lecture on Monday. He shared some awesome stories of God working in his life and then lea us in a short but impactful time of worship.

Beautiful Sunsets

                         

Answered Prayer:

1) LOTS of breakthrough/healing/freedom for me during my prayer session on Friday Feb 21st!!!! Thank you for praying💜🙏

2) The staff is working more and more as a unified team even with all the changes that are happening with outreach

Prayer Requests

1. Final decision about an outreach location and for all the planning and prep that will need to happen in a very short period of time.
2. Perseverance and intentionality to maintain the freedom God gave me during that prayer session.

3. Good sleep and good health for me and the students/their families
 -I am getting motion sick even more easy than usual and think there might be something going on with my ears; going to get them check out on Monday.

4. Unity among staff (entire staff and each outreach team); good communication

5. Courage, wisdom, understanding, patience with myself and others, humility

6. God's provision for financial support ($3,862 raised so far; total needed $6,535-$7655)

**I won't know the cost of outreach until we have decided on new outreach location**

7. Clear direction during DTS and Outreach

8. Clear direction for after DTS is finished.