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

Merry Christmas!

September Update

Hello everyone!

Wow! It's all I can say after the past two weeks and all that God has and is still doing for us here at YWAM Orlando. Has you know, we've been following the Lord in pursuit of a former bible camp as our new campus and I'm happy to say God has moved mountains for us. This camp only a few years ago was going to be sold for over 18 million dollars. God made it possible for us to negotiate for a price of a little over 3 million. We have spent the last 4 years and 4 months raising about $550,000 and needed over 1 million to close on August 31. Well, the owners of the land were so moved by what God was doing through us that they agreed to reduce to closing downpayment to $375,000!!!! We obviousley still need to raise a lot more money but God was so faithful to make a way for us to get on the land and begin lots of hard work in order to be transfering locations by the next year. Thank you God! So this means lots of hard work for me as I'm helping organize our work crews doing demolition, clearing brush, repairing roofs, and cleaning up accumulated garbage from the past 6 years. But I'm excited to be a part of building a launchpad to reach the hardest to reach nations of the earth for Jesus. For more info on the progress of the property and for pictures, add YWAM Orlando as a friend on Facebook or go here

One thing I wanted to share with you was a conversation I had with the Lord after finding out we had closed on the new property. I was thanking Him for being faithful but I wanted to know something. I knew He is was capable of anything and the amount of money we needed was no problem for Him, but I was intrigued that He didn't just provide the money that we would need to make the payment instead of having the amount reduced. I mean, we still have to pay for it. This is what He told me: "Sam, if you would have an opportunity to bless someone by giving to them and meeting a need, wouldn't you be upset if I took that from you because time had run out? What if I wanted to use you? What if I wanted to bless you so much that you could afford to pay the land off? Wouldn't you love to do that?" I was stunned. I was reminded of the disconnect I have in my head. So many times I hear of God using the little unknown person to do mighty things for the Kingdom of God that I forget He wants to use me too. So if you feel that God is not planning to use you for something big, let me say that you are very mistaken. Look for the small opportunity that presents itself for God to use you to change a life, a church, a community, a nation, or the world. Be obedient to what He asks of you and He won't fail you!

Thank you for your love and support and be blessed!

August YWAM Update

Hello everyone!!

This summer is nearly over and its hard to believe that fall is around the corner. The past month has been a whirlwind of activity for me as I have been in Morocco, leading one of our short-term missions trip called a GO Team. We traveled to three major cities in Morocco: Agadir, Casablanca, and Marrakesh. It was quite an intense time of experiencing a completely Muslim influenced society and learning to love a people group in deep spiritual darkness.

Morocco -

As Morocco is a "closed country" (we could have been arrested for any type of public preaching or handing out Christian materials), we had to ask the Lord for some creative ideas to reach people with the truth of Jesus. We spent lots of time in prayer, walking around mosques and businesses, fighting against the spiritual strongholds that enslaved the people. We also handed out bottles of water to the homeless and thirsty in heat that sometimes reached 120 degrees. One of our team members felt that she was supposed to buy roses and give them to people passing by on the streets, especially women. If anyone asked why we were giving things away, we told them that "Isa" (Jesus' name in Arabic) told us to and that we wanted to bless them and show them that we loved them. People's reactions varied; many were surprised but gladly received our gifts, while some thought we were trying to trick them into buying something, others wanted to hear more of why we were doing this.

There were also some sad reactions. When passing out flowers, almost everytime we would offer one to a married women with her husband, the husband would refuse to let his wife have a flower. It became quite obvious to us that though Islam claims to be a religion of peace, it clearly has no value for love. The thing that saddened me the most in Morocco was how the women were oppressed. God created Eve as the most beautiful being on earth but Satan has deceived Muslims into believing that a women is only an object to be manipulated and concealed. A good Muslim women who is obedient to her husband and family will wear clothing in public that covers her entire body, even at the risk of heat exhaustion. What a culture to live in!

Satan also did his best to discourage us from doing what the Lord had asked us to do. For our last day in the city of Marrakesh, we had planned to split into 3 groups and do a "community picnic" where we go to a public area and invite anyone who wanted to join us for a meal of sandwiches, chips, and water. The idea was that it would be a way for us to meet people and bless people in the name of Jesus. Unfortunately, the day didn't go quite as planned. Early that morning, my co-leader, Kristen, asked me to walk with her so she could take pictures of the sunrise. I agreed and we headed toward the large mosque in the area where she could get some good photos. We were walking down a main road and noticed 2 men following us. We sped up our pace but before we knew it, they attacked us and grabbed Kristen's camera bag. Thankfully, we were not hurt and they managed only to take her bag. This presented a huge problem however as the bag contained her wallet, most of her camera equipment, and most importantly, her passport. Amazingly though, Kristen's reaction was that we could not cancel our plans for the day and regardless of what would happen with her things our group had to walk in obedience to what God asked us to do with the picnic.

So after a visit to the police station and then sending Kristen and 2 other staff to the American embassy in Casablanca, the remainder of us proceeded to buy lunch supplies and headed out to bless the community. One of our groups actually went to a park area near the mosque that Kristen and I had been attacked and started passing out food to people, literally only a few feet from the spot of the robbery earlier that day. They were able to feed about 60 people and speak with several about the love of "Isa". What Satan meant for evil, God turned for good, not only for those who loved Him but also for many who didn't. As for Kristen, she ended up getting a replacement passport and was able to leave the country, but we were unable to recover anything else. We all returned to Orlando safe and sound with a great testimony of God's protection.

What's next -

I now turn my focus to working with YWAM Orlando as we pursue our new property. Our closing date is August 31 so please pray that God will provide $500,000 for us by then. I will be staying in Florida for the next several months and hopefully will be helping with construction projects for the new base. Thanks for all your support and prayers and know that I appreciate your partnership so much.

Be blessed,
SAM BLOMMEL

Hello friends and family!


Here is what's been happening for the past month:


As I mentioned in my last update we are in the process of raising money for a new campus property before the closing date of August 31. The property is 198 acres and has existing framework of 28 buildings that we hope to renovate. A big concern for us has been that since it is rainy season here in Florida, the poor conditions of many of the roofs would be damaged further. But the owners have given us permission to enclose and repair them! So, to the envy of some of our staff, I've been one of the workers going out to the property and working on the buildings. It's been exhausting but it also has been exciting to be on the land and work toward fulfilling the dream that God has given us to make this our new home.


I have been planning and preparing to take a group of 7 to Morocco for three weeks. We leave this week (Thursday, July 15) and are focusing on using photography as a way to meet people and share the Good news. We will be traveling around the country so pray that we will be protected and God will bring people that need to meet us. I'm very excited to see how God will use us to bring Living Water to this spiritually dry place. I'm also told the food is very good and so I will plan on giving you a special cuisine update and possibly even a recipe in my follow-up update.


I have also been busy being trained as a sound man for our Tuesday night community service called “Family Night”. It has been fun to expand my knowledge regarding music to the production aspect. I also have been occasionally playing drums as well. Something new that we've been trying out is doing a live, internet video stream of the service. If you would be interested in watching, it starts at 6pm central time (sorry, we are a hour before most of you) and you can go here to watch: http://www.ywamorlando.com/stream


I was blessed this past weekend to be able to come home to Alexandria and be a part of the wedding of my good friends Tucker and Merideth Reishus. It was a fun time and it was great to see some of you there as well. They are a great couple and I was happy to see them give God the glory for bringing them together. You both are awesome!



Thanks for all you wonderful prayers, support, and interest for what I'm doing! I will be back in the States on August 6 so if you need to contact me, I'm afraid you'll have to wait!



Be blessed!

Hello friends!

I have just returned from Israel and Palestine this past week and was grateful that I came home to Memorial weekend so I could have an extra day to rest. I trust you all enjoyed yours. Our team had a great experience despite it not turning out quite like we thought. We had been planning to work in some Palestinian refugee camps but were not allowed to once we arrived. Instead, we were able to bless a orphanage for mentally disabled children for a day by playing games, singing fun songs and telling Bible stories. We also spent several days painting homes with a church planting team for some Muslims families in the West Bank. It was a great time to meet a need for them and they invited the team to come back again but not to work but to talk and build relationship. Simply helping someone softens the hardest of hearts and opens the door for Jesus to come in. I'm excited for what fruit will come out of God's work with the church-planting team and I'll pass on any updates I receive.

We also were able to do some maintenance work for another ministry in the West Bank that shelters battered, raped, and divorced women. In Muslim and Arab culture, these outcast women have done something to deserve the treatment they have received and are considered people with mental disablities. As a result, many are sent to mental hospitals and forgotten about. Obviously, this presents a great opportunity for the local church to minister and bring the love of Jesus to these hurting people. This home provides not only a refuge but also training in handiworks and crafts so that the women can earn money and provide an avenue for them to contribute to society.

I've been asked by many what the biggest thing I enjoyed/learned about being in the Holy Land and I have to say that by seeing a land composed of two very different cultures and religions (Judiasm and Islam) and the seemingly never-ending conflict they are locked in, that I've realized the precious gift that I have and that gift is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the answer for any and every problem including the conflict in the Middle East. The interesting thing is that these 2 peoples are surrounded by memorials of Jesus but yet ignore His greatest commandment: to love God and love others. As a Christian, I have the peace that passes all understanding and I can't ignore my responsibility to bring it to those who desperately need it.

I'm now back in Orlando for the next couple months and am preparing to take a team to Morocco at the end of August. I also will be busy with preperations for our new campus. We still need $520,000 by tomorrow to close on the land and are praying for God's provision. Please keep us in your prayers the next 48 hours!!

I hope you all have a great start to summer and are blessed by our great God!

January Update

I hope the new year has been more refreshing then stressful for you so far and you are enjoying life admist all its difficulties. I've been learning a lot about faith amongst uncertain times since the beginning of the year but God has never failed me yet and I'm excited for what He has in store for His children this year.

For those of you wondering, I am still home and hope to be heading back to Orlando sometime before March 1st. I am going to a wedding reception in Florida for my newlymarried friend Aaron Fischer the first week of February, which I'm excited for, but I will be returning to MN. Of course, plans can change at any moment! I appreciate your prayers for God's provision for my work with YWAM and that I can be fully equipped for what He has asked me to do.

Obviously, many of you have been following the crisis in Haiti and have been praying for God to move in that situation. YWAM has been sending many aid teams there so please pray for safety and wisdom for them. YWAM Orlando is sending a team there and we currently have a DTS outreach in the Dominican Republic so I have many friends who in need of spiritual and physical protection. In the midst of all the tragedy there have also been some amazing stories of God's intervention. I've heard of some YWAMers who were involved with rescuing a person who had been trapped for 10 days. Our God truly is amazing!

Thanks again for you prayers and until next time, may you encounter God like never before!

I'm Still Alive...

Hello everyone!

It has been a long time since you've heard from me so I thought I would update you. Not very much is new. I'm home in Alexandria doing some part-time PCA work and raising support to return to staffing in Orlando. I will be home for a few more months as I plan to be back in Orlando in January, but the time is already flying by. I've been making lots of phone calls and meeting with lots of people as well. It has been frustrating at times but has also proved to be very rewarding as I'm building relationships with people and learning how the Lord wants me to present myself to others. Thanks for your prayers and a big thank you to those that have met with me and listened to my stories. If you haven't heard from me yet and you want to, drop me an email or call me be cause I would love to see you. Thats all for now!

Be blessed!

Festival Tour Pictures

If your interested in checking out some pictures from the EpicQuest Festival Tour, here is the link:
YWAM Orlando Festival Tour

August Update

Hey folks!

I want to update you on my recent trip with our Epic Quest U.S. Festival Tour and also share a funny story. To explain the tour, it is a opportunity for high school kids to experience YWAM Orlando by receiving teaching and training to use dance, drama, and testimonies to evangelize and get people interested in missions. It's a great way to share with people about what God is doing around the world and also share the good news of why Jesus died for us.

I was asked to be the driver and sound man for the first part of the trip (no, I didn't dance) and we traveled to Richmond,Virginia, New Haven, Connecticut, and Easton, Maryland. We had opportunities to work with inner-city elementary kids in Richmond, perform at Foursquare, Vineyard and Episcopal churches, and entertain kids at an bible camp in Easton. The dramas and testimonies that the team shared were very powerful and touched many, including myself. Even though I'm involved in missions full time, it was great to be reminded of what darkness Jesus has taken me out of and the great blessings he has given to me.

It was also a great time of pouring into the team and helping them understand God's character and seeing freedom come into areas of their lives. We were also very blessed by our hosts in each place but in Easton, Maryland, a blessing almost became a problem. During one of our free times, some of the students (one of them being the son of Michael Berg, my boss and director of YWAM Orlando) asked to go sailing in the Chesapeake Bay (sounds bigger than it is) using our hosts' small boat. They had gone several times before and promised they wouldn't go far and would be back soon. About a 1/2 hour later, they had not returned and we went down to the water to see if we could locate them.

Sure enough, the wind had taken them quite a distance in a very short time and they were now struggling to sail back against the wind to get home. We could see them and knew that it would simply take them a long time to get back, but it was quickly getting dark. We decided to call Tom (our host) so he could take out the big boat and tow our kids home. Before he arrived, our students were in shouting distance from the shore and we called Tom back to inform him that the students were nearly back and he no longer needed to come.

The kids returned safe and sound and we headed inside for some pie (yes, I bake) and ice cream. All of a sudden, our contact with the church frantically showed up with her husband and started asking "Are the kids safe? We heard they were lost at sea and the Coast Guard is on the way!" I wish you could have seen the student's jaws drop and the blood drain from their faces in embarrasment. It was quite the funny moment.embarrassment, the Coast Guard was quickly notified and the story has a happy ending.

Please keep the team in your prayers as they are still on the road. I left them in Baltimore as I was needed back in Orlando and they traveled on to New Hampshire, Buffalo, New York, and will finish in Michigan. This leg of the tour will be spent performing at Christian music festivals as well as sharing with some local churches. If you are interested on keeping up with them, you can check out their online blog. They have already endured through some leaky tents, bad food, and flat tires, but they are also enjoying the opportunity to share and pray for the people they are meeting.

I'm now in Orlando until the end of August, finishing up my leadership school and will be traveling back to MN the first week of September so if you have some time and would like to see me, let me know and I will make it happen. Thanks for your prayers and support and spending some of your time reading this. Love you all!

To Him be the glory,

SAM BLOMMEL

Love146.org

Hey guys! Check out Love146 as they work toward the abolition of child sex slavery and exploitation through Prevention and Aftercare. I got to visit their office in Connecticut recently and help them out. They are great people with a great heart for a great need.

New News

Hey everyone,

So it's now day 3 of an unexpected trip for me and I haven't had the time to update you about it yet. YWAM Orlando has sent out an Epic Quest dance/drama team to tour some of the music festivals happening on the east coast for the next 4 weeks. They will sharing the gospel through dramas and dances explaining what Jesus has done for us and also working with some churches and non-profit organizations along the way. They were in need of a driver for the first 10 days and that is how I've gotten involved with this trip.
We are in Richmond, VA today and will be leaving for Connecticut early tomorrow morning. After that we will heading down to Washington D.C. and then I will return to Orlando as the rest of the team heads back up north to New Hampshire, Buffalo NY, and over into Michigan with a new driver.
Please pray for travel safety and for those who see the performances will have open hearts to receive what God is speaking. We have already seen some fruit as one man told us he has rededicated his life to Jesus because of being touched by our message. It is amazing to see people touched by unique methods!

Thank you for your prayers and God bless the end of your summer!

SAM BLOMMEL

July Update

Many of you know what it is like to anticipate something exciting like a wedding or big concert or even going to a new restaurant. You think about it your whole day, wondering what it will really look like or smell like. You ask yourself questions like "What should I wear?", "How much money do I need to bring?" or (if you're a parent or a girl) "Where will the bathroom be?" Finally, the big day comes where you finally get to experience what you've been daydreaming about and many times it is completely different than what you thought it would be like. Many times the experience is better than what you expected, but it also can be equally disappointing.

Right now, I'm traveling on a path completely different from the path I thought I would be on and I'm discovering how much Satan is trying to pull me off this path through disappointment or the "death of a daydream". Like any other person, many of my goals and dreams throughout my life haven't come true and thankfully, God has had a better dream for me than I have. I've come to find one thing that is true: God is more committed to me than I am to Him.

In the last half of Genesis, we find the life of Jacob is filled with his dreams "dying". He loved a girl with all his heart and was so committed to her that he worked seven years to marry her, only to be deceived into marrying her "not-as-appealing" sister. He then discovers the girl of his dreams can't have children and when God miraculously intervenes enabling her to have children, she dies giving birth to her second son. Later, Jacob's most precious son, Joseph, is thought to be killed by wild beasts at a young age. Jacob was hurt so much that he said he would die grieving for his son. Jacob endured through dream after dream failing and dying, but God's dream for him never died.

Many years later, God's dream for Jacob's life had a storybook ending. Joseph, the precious son thought to be dead, is discovered not only alive but as the ruler of Egypt of all places. Jacob receives high favor from Pharaoh through Joseph and is given the land of Goshen in Egypt and has all his and his families needs met in the middle of a massive famine! And if that's not enough, God tells Jacob the future of his remaining years, the future of his descendants, and how his heritage will be remembered forever. Despite all that happened and all the mistakes that Jacob made, God was committed to the best dream for Jacob and made it happen.

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I write this as an encouragement for you and hope that God blesses you through his personal revelation to you. As for whats happening with me, not much has changed. I'm very busy at the base, wearing many different hats with many responsibilities as most of the staff are on outreach until the middle of August. I graduate then and will be returning to MN for several months to rest and prepare for life upcoming. I am applying for a staff position at the base and need your prayers for God's provision as I am completely supported by not only Him but your generosity and partnership.

These are uncertain times for many and probably you as well, but if you are willing to invest in me and what God has called me to, send a check to:

Sam Blommel
PO BOX 620487
Orlando, FL, 32862

Make the check out to "YWAM" or "Sam Blommel".

I deeply appreciate your love, prayers, and support! Let me know how I can pray for you and if this was a blessing for you.

June Update

Hello from the land of 100 degree weather!!

I'm excited to be in A/C as I write this e-mail and will gladly send some heat to whoever would like some. But on to the update...

Bad News- For the past 2 months I have been preparing to lead a trip to Ukraine in July to work with a school for special-needs children. As of last Wednesday, that has been canceled and I will be staying here at the YWAM base. It has been difficult to see all my hard work go for nothing but I am now learning how God can work through failure. He is still faithful.

Good News- I will now be one of the worship leaders here at the base and overseeing the worship department. I also will continue with my job as Transportation Coordinator and working with the Maintenance Department. I'm so blessed to see how God has made a way for me to use my talents and also fulfill some needs here at the base.

Prayer needs:

- My Grandpa recently had heart surgery. Please pray for his quick recovery and for there to be no complications.

- YWAM Orlando is starting 2 new training schools (Discipleship Training School & School Of Missions Development) today. Pray for our new students to feel welcomed and press in to what God has for them to learn in the next 6 months.

- Finances for me are very tight and I need a miracle for my needs to be met. Pray that God will give me wisdom on how to raise further support.

- I am here in Orlando until September and then will be returning home to MN. I have several options for the future and I am excited for what God has next for me. Pray for clarity and wisdom in my decision for what to pursue.

God bless you and as always I love hearing from you!!

May He refresh you toady!

World Vision

Check out World Vision and if you hear of their exhibit coming near you, go. I helped with one recently in Orlando and it portrays the reality of Africa well.



Check it out.

Hello everyone!!

Thanks for being a part of my extended family and I'm excited to (finally) share quickly with you what's happening with me.

I'm a part of a Basic Leadership School (BLS) here in Orlando and staying busy with:

- Transportation: I coordinate all the YWAM vehicles and make sure the students get back and forth from the base to the dorms as well as any ministry transportation. I also oversee all the legal aspects of YWAM Orlando's ownership of the vehicles. It's not as easy as it sounds!

- Dorm Supervisor: I live with our 3 male Disciple Training School students and make sure we all live together responsibly. Their names are Adam (Lousianna, age 26), Matt (Pennsylvania, age 25), and Sung-Woo (South Korea, age 21) and are a lot of fun to be around. Please keep them in your prayers, that they will continue to grow in the Lord and will be prepared for their outreach to China!

- Recreation Coordinator: Every Monday afternoon my job is to organize activites for our students to get some exercise and build relationships with each other. We have a blast playing sports (even when its really hot) and enjoying God's creation.

- Outreach to Ukraine: I've been asked to help lead a mission trip to Ukraine this July. A local church here in Orlando supports a special-needs school in Simferopol, Ukraine and are sending some of their youth to help with some light construction and preperation for the school's opening later this year. Please pray for financial provision, more people to come with us, and wisdom as this is a new challenge for me.

So, there is a small sampling of what I'm involved in. I've been learning much about servant leadership and putting it into practice all the time. It's been great to experience a new aspect of God's heart for His children and I appreciate more and more all that Jesus sacrificed for us so that we could have a good example to follow.

Bless you all and thanks for caring for me!!

YWAM BLS Update

Hey everyone!!

I want you to know that I've made it safely to Orlando and have been able to jump right into the leadership school and get acquainted with people and the area. Thanks so much for your prayers and it was great to be able to get together with many of you while I was home. I enjoyed it very much!

Awesome praise report -

I left last Friday (13th) from MN to head down to Orlando, but as I was about to leave, the school directors called me to let me know that I needed $1200 by Monday (16th). Well, I did not have that amount, but I also did not feel that I should not go. The directors agreed to step in faith with me that I would still come down to Florida and pray that God would provide. I obviously had a long trip and I kept praying and asking God if this was what I was to do. He never told me to turn back and reminded me to simply trust Him. I stopped in Atlanta, GA for the night on Saturday (14th) and the next morning I decided to do my taxes on-line before leaving for Orlando. Well, God showed up and my tax return was $1,500!!! He is AWESOME and He definitely was faithful!!

Please keep praying for me that the rest of my finances will be provided ($2,400, plus $500 in monthly expenses) and that I will be able to adjust to a new place quickly. God does not leave us or forsake us and believe that He will provide in more exciting ways. I can't wait to see what He does next.

If you would like to help me financially, send a check to:
Sam Blommel
YWAM Orlando
P.O. Box 620487
Orlando, FL 32862

Make the check out to "YWAM" if you would like a tax-deduction receipt or you can simply put my name on it if that doesn't matter to you.

Another way you can help me is if you want to help me in a more tangible way is by sending me gift cards for Wal-mart, gas stations, etc. I rely solely on your support as I can't have a job, and I know you may be more comfortable in helping me if you know what you are contributing to.

I hope you are encouraged and I can't wait to share all the exciting things God is planning and doing upcoming. God Bless!!