Cake, Christmas and Everything Between

A week ago today was my birthday. I am now nineteen years old, and no I do not feel any older yet, unless waking up with a crick in my neck means something.
My day was spent being celebrated by my friends here in Australia and in America. I ate cheesecake twice and had an amazing ice cream cake that left me feeling very happy and way to full of sugar for my own good. This year was the first in eighteen years that I have not been at home to celebrate my day of birth. This year I did not wake up to my family charging into my room with breakfast and presents at an ungodly time, I did not get to have birthday hugs from my family, and I did not get to do my favorite thing in the world-eat dinner with my family and simply be loved on. As much as I hated the fact that life is changing so much I also got a chance to embrace the change in my life. I got to be sang to and hugged by Candace Braaten as I sat and ate an orange for breakfast, I got to be in the middle of my STS as they huddled around me and prayed blessing over me, I got to eat dinner with a whole house full of people that I love and treasure, now more then ever. Change is good, no matter how much it may hurt. I hate the hurt but I love the adventure and freedom of changing with God.
Oh Christmas. As it comes racing towards us, I simple can't get into the Christmas spirit. Last week I sat in the office and took a moment to listen to Michael Buble sing, I'll Be Home For Christmas. I turned it off as soon as I started to tear up, I have lost all desire to "get in the spirit". The house is slowly putting on it's Christmas outfit one sting of lights at a time. I'm not sure how I feel about sweating on Christmas, I don't think I like it but I'll let you know when the day comes. Speaking of Holiday's, how could I forget to mention Thanksgiving, which is my favorite holiday of the American holiday calender. Tomorrow will be Thanksgiving for my family and friends back home and I am determined not to let the day pass without some form of a Thanksgiving meal and finding a few people to share it with. Oh to have Turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes...I really need to stop thinking about it.

Financial Information

Finances
This time around my finances are going to work like this. In order to enable my supporters gifts to be tax-deductible I have set up an account with a YWAM base in Tyler, TX. This base receives my donations and transfers them to my account.  In order for you to make a donation you have a few different options.  

1. Mailed Check. You can send a check made out to YWAM to Accounting Department, PO Box 3000, Garden Valley, TX 75771-3000. Note: It is very important that my name is nowhere on the check. Accounts can not process them if it is so simply put a separate note stating that the founds are going to Hannah Grey Williams in the envelope.

2. Bill Pay. A bill pay service is often provided by your bank and you can have them automatically send a check from your bank account to Tyler. In order to do this just contact your bank and find out that procedure. Note: You MUST put your full name and address on the check as well as put my name in the memo section.

3. Automatic Withdrawal/Credit Card Donation. To do either of these you can contact Julie Sinke at julie.sinke@ywamtyler.org and ask for the appropriate form to fill out.

Once again thank you so much for your support. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me!

November 11, 2010

 

Here is a bit of an update from this last crazy month. On the 28th of September, once again, I left my parents and sister Maggie standing in an airport terminal as I tearfully walked to an airplane. Leaving never gets easier and this time was just as hard as the last. From North Carolina I flew to Seattle Washington where I stayed for a week with my dear friend from DTS, Nicole. We spent the week catching up, eating great food, visiting with mutual friends and experiencing Seattle. Along with the Space Needle we visited Pike Place market, the very first Starbucks, saw the Seattle skyline by night and never stopped eating. After five days of tourist bliss I left for Newcastle, Australia. Twenty-four hours later I was, once again, ushered into my second home, Lewis House. I was greeted with familiar faces and hugs and laughter and was filled with a sense of peace. From the moment I walked back into my DTS home I new I was where God wanted me to be. The four months of questioning God's call were quickly forgotten as I found my way to my old DTS room (now my permanent staff room) and let out a sigh of relief.
My first week on base was a week of relaxing and getting settled. Because everyone on base was working or in class during the day I was able to spend most of my time with God. We went to the beach and on coffee dates and  He continued to stir my passion for teaching and discipline young people. By the end of the week I was itching for a job to do, something to keep me busy, and was put in charge of cooking lunch in the mornings and working in Training in the afternoons. In the mornings I would go to whatever meeting was being held and then, with my two fabulous helpers, proceeded to cook lunch for 70-80 people. In the afternoons I would go down to the office and work alongside the head of Registrar in the Training Department. Registrar is the part of the department that deals with new and potential students. We communicate through phone and email about DTS information, visa directions, travel details, and everything else that falls in between. I have loved learning how the system works and have also enjoyed the fact that we do not just hand out templates of information, we give pastoral care, pray for students, genuinely care for the people on the other end of the phone or email. It has changed my whole view of what an office job can look like and how we are able to bring God into everything we do. For three weeks I spent my time like this, along with reuniting with old friends and meeting new ones. Last week my Staff Training School began. This is a three week school of learning about our base, ourselves and how we fit here. We have leaders of our base speaking on work ethic, mentoring, and much more. We have also learned how to use our bases data base and took a strength finders test. We have two more weeks of lectures and other events which I am looking forward to.
When my Staff Training School ends I will start my three month provisional staff positions. During this time I will get the chance to work in two different ministries and choose the one I fit best in. God has been speaking to me about staffing a DTS in the near future so in order to be prepared for that task I will be attending a Phase 1 at the end of November. Phase 1 is a two week training program that is taking place in Sydney this year. It will train me in the things needed to staff a DTS as well as other leadership qualities. I am really excited to see what God does during those two weeks and to become better equipped to do what God called me to Australia for. The future, after all this, is looking pretty unclear at the moment, but God has been speaking to me from Deuteronomy 4 in the last few days. In that chapter God is talking to Israel about taking the land that he has prepared for them. God has been inviting me to move into the land he has prepared for me and I am mustering my courage to move forward and face the giants. I am very excited to see what God has for me in these upcoming months but I also love living in the moments that are flying by.
Every aspect of this last month has been stretching and, as hard as it is, I love it. From relationships and missing home, to purpose and finances, God has been calling me to a place of reckless abandonment and unnatural trust. Please continue to pray for peace and provision in these next months, they are greatly needed and I love having that form of support.

Until later (goodbye in Registrar language)

Hannah

Pray Request
My visa will go through quickly and be granted as soon as possible
That my faith in God's provision of my finances would not falter
That I will hear clearly from God the ministry I need to work with during my time here

Financial needs
Phase 1- $300 for transportation, training, housing, and food
Monthly support- I am still in need of consistent monthly support of $500.

Thank you so much for being apart of my God's ministry through me.