September Update

I could hardly believe it...

I'm sure you have had those moments in life where you just are not sure that what you're hearing is true. I've had a few of them in my short life with one of them happening a few years ago when I paid off my car loan. I can't describe the freedom I felt when I was told I didn't have to fork over $350 every month anymore, has I had been doing for close to 3 years. It was a shock to my system.

I would also say that I've experienced a much better "shock" , like when my friend said, "I think I just got healed!" This happened a few weeks ago during our YWAM Orlando staff training week. A teacher from another part of YWAM was leading us and he had us take some time to pray for each other; specifically for physical healing. Many staff had some kind of need and so we just prayed for whoever was closest to us. I was standing next to my friend Sarah who recently had a beautiful little girl. I asked Sarah what her need was and she explained, "Well, I've been having lots of problems with my sinuses and allergies lately and it has been hard to breathe clearly through my nose." Now I've prayed for a lot of people and I've only physically witnessed 2 or 3 people have their problem go away. Needless to say, I had kind of fallen into what I would call a classic case of "I'm doing this because it's what I'm supposed to do" and honestly, I didn't think anything would happen. And then she said it: "I think I just got healed!" My amazing, spiritual response: "Really?"

I won't pretend to know why God does or doesn't heal people when we pray for them, but I've definitely learned that He does and is willing to heal even the smallest things. I don't have any powerful insight on His timing either, but I want to encourage you to take every opportunity He gives you to pray and then maybe you can join me in having a "I could hardly believe it" moment too.

May Update

May Update
Greetings from Orlando! Here's a quick update on my life:

What I’ve been doing -
I've just returned from participating in a 4-week long Supernatural Missions Training Seminar with YWAM Mendocino Coast in Mendocino, California and am right back in the thick of things here at YWAM Orlando. The seminar was very intense, challenging, and confirming. There were speakers from YWAM, Bethel Church in Redding, California, the International House of Prayer - Kansas City, and a few local pastors. The purpose of the seminar was to train us in how to more effectively reach people and the closed nations for Christ. I was really challenged! God specifically challenged me in making Him my only priority and truly loving Him as Jesus told us. Jesus highlighted that the greatest commandment was to love God which in turn included loving others as ourselves. God showed me that I keep my love for Him "comfortable" and am not really extravagant with showing my love to Him. I also realized that it was easy for me to love lots of people but not all and not how I love myself. God really rearranged some of my thinking which I really needed. I can't help but be blessed by the truth of Romans 12:2 which tells us to let God transform us into new people by allowing Him to change our thinking patterns! That has become a reality for me in this season.

The seminar also provided me with some practical experiences as well. I was a part of a healing room that happened every Saturday morning where people would come for prayer for anything in their life. It was a blast to see God move in people's hearts as we showered them with the Father's love and encouragement. I had a one cool testimony from a lady I prayed for. She needed prayer for an internal organ issue and while I was praying for her, God highlighted her heart to me. I prayed into that and after I finished, she told me that she had forgotten something that happened at her last doctor visit. She said that she had some kind of test and that the doctor found something that would indicate that she may have a small problem with her heart. The doctor wasn't overly concerned and had told her to not really worry about it and that it may have just been a testing blip. She heeded the doctor’s advice but remembered the incident as I was praying for her and she said that she felt some kind of activity in her heart while I was praying for her. She believed that God had healed her from whatever problem the test had detected about her heart! Unfortunately, she didn't receive a full healing the day I prayed for her but we both agreed that God had started something amazing in her and that He wasn't done working yet!

YWAM Orlando -
I've returned to a very different YWAM Orlando then the one I left. God is doing some very challenging, but amazing things with our community here. This is the first quarter that we are running all our training schools on our new property! It is a challenge still as we are relying on diesel generators for all our power and there is currently no running water or operational sewer system on the land. God is moving however as the power company is in the midst of installing new power poles and lines. Those are expected to be finished in 3 weeks and we can't wait to see them finished!

We have about 30 students total for the 5 schools that we are running (low numbers but it's working out) and we have 3 teams on outreach: one in the West Bank, one in Jordan, and one in China. I haven't heard any specific stories from them yet but I'm told that they are seeing God change hearts in those nations. YWAM Orlando has also sent out a long term team to a Middle-eastern nation recently and They reported that they have found apartments and are now working on finding a place to start a business that they have plans for. So there are many exciting things that God has been using us for in the nations!

What’s next-
I am planning on returning to Alexandria May 25-30 for the specific purpose of connecting and updating you on what I'm currently involved with and what's been happening the past year. I would love to make time to see you if you want and also look for an update from me on a potential night of some pictures and stories from my recent adventures. Please let me know if you are interested!

The next few months for me here in Orlando will consist of me preparing to take a team to Israel in late July and helping to renovate our "old" campus houses so that we can start renting them and getting some cash flow to help us continue to function as a ministry.

Prayer-
• YWAM Orlando is in financial crisis right now. We need to see $30,00 come in by this Friday in order to pay our bills. God has never let us down yet but we are praying. If you feel led to give financially towards our need, you can visit http://www.ywamorlando.com to give online and info on how to give through other avenues.
• Pray for the teams on outreach in the West Bank, Jordan, and China
• Pray for our power and water situation on the campus. People are getting tired of having to go to the gym to shower!
• Pray for more students to come to our upcoming schools this summer. We are equipping people to go to the hard nations of the world and the devil is doing all he can to stop us. I believe God is about to powerfully break out across the Middle East and we need ambassadors of Christ to be bringing His truth and love to the people in those nations!

Thanks so much for your prayers. I love you all!

A run-in with the heart of the Father

The other day I was driving to work by myself and I had a car that passed me with a bumper sticker on the back of it that said "NOBAMA" over an American flag. Now I've seen that phrase hundreds of times over the past few years but this time I felt the Lord telling me to pray for our president. I started with some generic, "righteous" phrases but then I thought of how Mr. Obama would have to answer his little girls when they would see that phrase and ask their beloved father what it meant. Suddenly, I was overcome with God's heart for the Obama's and I couldn't help but cry as I thought of how this man, regardless of his political or personal views, had to overcome so much hatred from the very people he was currently serving. I don't agree with many views of our President, but I do know I wouldn't want his job and it's hard enough to be president of the most influential country in the world without having to also face the ridicule of someone who judges you based on your skin color, choice of faith, and not to mention, who only knows you by what someone, who is not trustworthy, else tells them (the media). No one deserves that kind of treatment.

In reality, we as humans deserve the worst kind of treatment because of our sin, but God has made a way for us to live in freedom through Jesus and He asks us to love others as He loves us. As I continued praying, I thought of the treatment Daniel received in the Bible (God has been teaching me lots through Daniel's life this past year). Daniel experienced the reality of evil. When the Babylonians overran Daniels homeland, they probably destroyed his home, killed his parents, enslaved him and then made him walk to Babylon. After surviving that journey, Daniel was then forced to forget all that he was and learn a new culture, language, and religion, only to then have to serve the very king who completely ruined his life. But Daniel learned God's heart and learned to love his captor, Nebuchadnezzar. In fact, Daniel loved Nebuchadnezzar so much that when God began to humble the king, he wept and was grieved (Daniel 4:19). I would have been celebrating the fall of the man who made my life miserable.

I heard Dean Sherman speak recently and he said something that has challenged me everyday. Dean said that when Christians gather together for worship that before doing anything else, we are commanded (1 Timothy 2:1-5) to pray for everyone, especially our authorities. God loves to work in the opposite spirit and I can't imagine how transformed our President would be if every follower of Jesus in America would pray for Him everyday before doing anything else and then refuse to bad-mouth him and instead, honor him whenever possible.

President Barak Obama is a real person, with real feelings, a real wife, real children, and real dreams and aspirations. He also has a really hard job that God has prepared and appointed him for in this time. President Obama wants to bring change to our nation for the better, but I would have a hard time listening to those who say that the plan for change must come from the Bible when those same people are preaching that I'm the Anti-Christ.

Hello!
I missed sending out an update last month so I'll do my best to update you on what's happening in my life. I'm still in Orlando working mostly on the renovation of our new campus; it definitely is progressing! We are in the middle of a volunteer boom with over 40 people coming to do construction work since the beginning of the year and are looking forward to another 60+ coming until the end of March. Many have been Amish or conservative Mennonite in their beliefs so it has really been fun to talk to them about their lives. Some wear very different clothes and they usually all have the same hair cuts, while some, surprisingly, even have a cell-phone or enjoy wake-boarding. It has been a learning experience to say the least. Well, now for some details:

YWAM Orlando Schools -
It has been a good start this year as two schools are now running on the new campus: the School of Missions (SOM) & the School of Ministry Development. The SOM is planning on leaving Orlando in April and going to Turkey to start a work there, with many of the students having committed to spending one or more years to get up and running. I have some close friends who are a part of that team so it will be sad to see them go but it's also the point of our work so it's awesome to see them talk their faith to the field. The SOMD is our staff training school and it has been fun getting to know the new people who plan on joining our staff family for the next few years. The Fall Discipleship Training School's are well and still on outreach in India, Jordan, and South Africa. If you want to see pictures of their adventures visit http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=57588427474
On a personally sad note, in my last update I told you that my girlfriend Danielle was helping to lead the DTS team in Jordan, but before she left she ended our relationship for personal reasons. I was surprised but I know God is in control and has both of our best interests in mind. We still are friends so please pray for both of us as we move forward with our lives.

What's exciting & new -
The new year has brought me some different roles here at YWAM Orlando. Along with my campus work, I am now leading worship on Monday mornings for the schools at our new campus. I love it! I find it very funny that God has equipped me to lead worship but there is no better place then in His presence. It has been a great time for me personally to help people draw closer in intimacy with Jesus. Something else that I'm excited about is that I have been asked to lead another short trip overseas, this time to Israel. I was in Israel last May and it was very eye-opening! The trip will be this summer sometime and the admissions department told me that people are calling all the time to find out how they can come on this trip. If you or someone you know would be interested in going, check out our web page: http://www.ywamorlando.com/short_term_go_teams.aspx
I also have applied to attend a Missions seminar with YWAM Mendocino Coast in northern California that starts at the end of this March. It is primarily focused on using the power of God in your personal life to share the Gospel with others. It also focuses on 24 hour prayer and worship as a tool to evangelize. For a better explanation, here's their website: http://ywammendocino.org/ignite And lastly, my birthday is February 27 so this is my favorite month. Send cookies if you would like!

Pray for...

• The DTS teams in India, Jordan, and South Africa for good health and divine moments from the Lord to share the Gospel.
• Planning this trip to Israel. I will need to determine where we visit, ministry opportunities, and the dates for the trip very soon.
• Our new campus and the safety of all our volunteers and that God would provide materials and money for us to keep moving forward.
• The SOM team preparing to go to Turkey long-term this April.
• God's wisdom as I pursue training with YWAM Mendocino Coast
• My faith and trust in the Lord to grow as He takes me new places.

Thanks so much for reading!
Be blessed,
SAM BLOMMEL