Home since Mid January

Home since mid January

I thank God for my friends and family whom have supported me fanatically, through prayers, emotionally, and over all have stood with me as I wait.

There have been days in which I have asked God why… days where all I could do was cry, days like today in which I praise Him for the opportunity to just give Him glory. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring but I do know that there is so much more ahead. The journey we are each on reveals what we have learnt what we are learning and over all the charter built within.

In this season I am learning that after I have placed on my armor and prepared for the war all I am called to do is Stand. Stand Firm. When we feel lost and know that we have done everything God has called us to do all that is left to do is Stand.

Here are some pictures of Northern Ireland Base and view as well as a church in Dublin....  

Homeward Bound

This is the rundown

           I joined YWAM Scotland for 3 months to do a course regarding frontier missions. The VISA I came to Scotland with was considered a Tier 5 Religious Worker. This VISA has the potential to let me stay in the Country for up to 2yrs. I was only given 3months entry and if and when I decided to stay on as staff they would extend it to the full 2yrs. I connected with the YWAM base in N.Ireland who have the same focus on ministry of reconciliation as myself. I was in the process of extending my VISA as I was staying in the UK with YWAM. But the location in N.Ireland has been in the process of moving. They themselves have to reapply to be able to issue VISA's as well as EXTEND VISA's. They have not yet received the documentation needed to extend the Tier 5 Religious Worker VISA. 

           I was hoping I could leave the country and renter as a tourist until the N.Ireland base was able to extend my VISA... but once I enter on as a tourist I can't work as a volunteer legally. Where this VISA would allow me to stay another 6months, when it was over I would need to stay out of the country for consecutively six months before being allowed back in. This would be extremely difficult to leave my ministry once starting and this is for a full six months. The only way to receive any other VISA is to apply for it within the US. It's all a little confusing and if you could count how many times I used the word VISA it might just make you say all right already... but there it is. That's the basics at least and the end result is that I am coming home. I will be arriving in LAX at 5pm Monday as long as nothing else goes wrong :p  

          I really feel at peace about this craziness... knowing that even if I don't understand it now, in do time all will be revealed. I will be applying for a residential VISA (there’s another one) as soon as the N.Ireland base give me the green light. I'm excited to share with all of you the Vision God has given me for countries with a history of conflict to ultimately be reconciled. By building a team and partnering with the N.Ireland base I believe it is the perfect location to see reconciliation between the Protestant's and Catholic's, as it's on the border of the North and Republic of Ireland. I know that God has amazing things in store for this group within the YWAM community and I am so very excited to be apart of it. To then take DTS "disciple training school" students to the frontiers. To places like Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. Where conflict has been the infection that has keep people in cages. In 2 Cor 5 Paul talks about the calling God has given us... I have been called to a ministry of Reconciliation. The greatest ministry in my opinion is to reconcile people not only to each other but to Christ. 

Ok so I'm getting of subject but I did just want to give you a short rundown with regards to why I am coming home quite a bit earlier then anticipated. 

Thank you for your loving prayers and support, and once again there is a purpose even if it’s not crystal clear. See you soon.

In Him,

Lauren-Jean

How i got to the Howsons...

This last two weeks I have been in Ireland scouting the land and ministry opportunities i hope to be involved with in the very near future. I have been staying with a YWAM (youth with a mission) base on the border of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Their heart and desire is to see the North and Republic reconciled. And like myself they have a heart for countries that have a history of conflict. I will tell you much more about them and the ministry i will be working with in the future but this last couple days have been a crazy adventure i would like to share with you.

I was to leave out of Dublin on the 22nd of Dec. and spend Christmas with my friend Rachael and her loving family. This month Ireland has received the coldest temperatures its seen since 1910. They are not use to temperatures this low this early in the year and consequently they have not been prepared. No snow plows... no snow tires... and no chains means roads are not to be driven on. The traffic reminds me of home sweet home (the greatest freeway parking lot) but I'm not use to seeing so much ice and snow...
With a runny nose and a nasty cough i was about to head to the airport when my flight was cancelled. The next flight out was the 23rd. A ride to the airport that should have taken 45mins took well over 3hours. I arrived 20mins before my flight was to take off. The flight was then cancelled! the airline could get me on the last flight out on the 24th but i would be flying into Edinburgh not Glasgow where i was meant to originally come in at. I arrived once again to the crazy Dublin airport... as i was standing in line to check it snow started to fall outside and one after another flight were being cancelled or delayed, people were becoming irate, shouting and throwing things... My flight was delayed for 2hrs... i got on the plane and we were about to push back when the captain came on the loud speaker to tell us "an airplane has become stuck after skidding off the end of the runway and we will be delayed another hour to get the plane free"... we pulled away from the gate 45mins later and i could see a whole line of aircraft in the sky positioned to land... by this time its dark.... as we take off the passengers erupt into applause and another hour later we land safely but my travels were not over for the day because now i had to make my way via bus and train to Rachael's where her family welcomed me with open arms. 3 days later i arrive at the Howsons around 9pm Christmas eve....

God is sooo good... thank you for all your wonderful prayers... i dont think i would have gotten off without them. I was the last flight out to Scotland that evening and might have been spending Christmas in the airport!
I attend the midnight service at Rachael's church where she was singing then I was straight off to bed. This Christmas morning has been great. They made me a stocking with things i really needed and things i love like chocolate. I feel so blessed... I love and miss you all please stay safe and sound this Christmas!

your Lauren-Jean

To the Mosque and beyond

This last 3 weeks have been a real adventure…

3weeks ago...

I was able to visit my first Mosque in downtown Glasgow. The visit was a tour and the man giving the tour was able to open up and talked passionately about God. He talked about how Abraham was a friend of God and that there are people he knows who consider themselves friends of God. I loved hearing that he too desired to be a friend of God. I wanted to give him a hug and tell him that he too could have this friendship with God. That God loves him! All I could really do without causing offence as a woman was to pray for him. This was the beginning of an eye opening crazy month! 

2weeks ago...

I was learning the importance of working in a team. I have worked in many different types of teams in the past but knowing that as God is gives me vision for the path ahead, it has become clear the importance of the church. I don’t mean the church building... far from it... but that the people are what make up the church. We have all been given gifts and if we really want to pray as our Father in heaven taught "Your kingdom Come your Will be done, on earth as its in Heaven" then I believe heaven can be here on earth through His body, the church. The church body is to bring that kingdom here. I am learning more and more about my giftings and how best I would fit into a team. Getting together with like-minded people with similar passion and vision, to see the Kingdom of God hear on earth. 

God has been showing me that the future vision of my calling is to bring Reconciliation to individuals, people groups, and even nations. The Catholic’s and Protestant church have been at war here in Scotland and Ireland for hundreds of years. To think, if the Church cant get along and love each other how are we to spread the love of Christ to people that don't know they can have a relationship with God. We are to lead by example but it is clear that the age-old hate and blood shed has created a riff between the church. There is a ministry over in Ireland that is working on mending and healing the damage between the two churches. Bring Reconciliation by humbling our selves... repenting.... and blessing one another. 

1week ago...

I went to Spain! When my leadership told us we were going to Spain to join a week with another SOFM (the same school I'm doing) I was so excited. The speakers/ teachers for that week came in from Jordan where they are church panting, and evangelizing to the Muslim community by living and loving them. These were two woman who live with such boldness and faith that it felt as if they were setting a fire under my butt. Their stories were so moving and glorifying to God that I wish I had time to share them with you. For their safety I can’t say too much more on my blog… but I can say that I was truly blessed by their testimonies.

The place we were staying was a couple blocks from the beach. I felt so spoiled getting to be in the warmer weather and having the chance to wear my rainbow flip-flops.  I was only there a week and I was in class most of the time… any free moment I went to the beach and the last day a group of us went into the city. I fell in love with the architecture in the city of Malaga. I wish I could have had more time to spend there before we had to jump on the plane back to the bitter cold of Scotland. Praise God the leadership had fixed the heat in our building, so instead of coming back to an arctic like building it was just a chilly building.

Thank you again for all your love and support over this last month… I do miss home and now that Thanksgiving is right around the corner I wish ever so much I could be home with all of you. I am so very thankful for you in my life. Many blessing… please continue to pray for my finances, health, and safety.

In Him,

Lauren Jean

Church planting

Yup... this week in class we focused on how to church plant...

     The term church planting can have quite a stigma to it. But once we understand that church is not the building but the people, the whole aspect changes.

     Here are some counter intuitive (paradoxical) aspects of Church Planting Movements...
- Evangelize only when and where people are ready to hear
- Focusing on the few (or one) to eventually win the many
- When talking about who God is start with creation not Christ... creation will always point to God
- It's about people discovering scripture, not preaching or teaching
- Prepare to spend a long time but anticipate miracle accelerations
- Paid local leaders slow or kill the church planting because it becomes about the money and if the money runs out then so does the church panting
- Expect the hardest places to yield the greatest results

These are just a few point is how to think outside the normal idea of church planting.


There are 7 commands of Christ and these should be the foundation on which the Church is planted...
- Repent, believe, and receive the Holy Spirit
- Be baptized
- Break bread
- Love God, neighbor, fellow disciples, enemy (forgive)
- Pray
- Give
- Make disciples (witness, shepherd, teach)

     This week i was able to read many different case studies on Church Planting and what works as well as what doesn't but my conclusion is to walk in the fear of the Lord as I plant churches, knowing that I will incur the stricter judgment (James 3:1). We desperately need an intimate relationship with the living God! And out of that relationship will come the eternal fruit of His great love and labor; the Bride of Christ --- the Church.
     God Himself must be the Source and His Word the Foundation for all that we do. Knowing God and His ways gives me a context and a perspective from which to apply these principles. We must always keep our focus upon Him rather than on that which we want to do for Him.

      This week has been eye opening... I believe I am ready to be "a shipwreck" for God. :) The context of the shipwreck is to be broken for the kingdom. That my life may have a significance that I can not quite comprehend. If I make a mistake I want to be willing to humbly tell others so that the same mistake is not made again.

I loved this week... and would love to share more... maybe next week



In Him,
Lauren-Jean

p.s. thank you so much for your prayers... please keep them coming

End of week three with "Lights and Life"

So at the end of week three I have some really great praise reports!

     There is a ministry that I have begun to partner with called "Lights and Life". They started out as a group of believers who wanted to demonstrate God's love, power and miracles through their lives. Doing this by combining creative gifts (e.g. art, music and massage) with prophecy and healing, allowing people to have life changing  experiential encounters.
     Just the other night they held something similar with Lights and Life (AND i was able to be apart) at ‘The Flask' a local Pub and restaurant. This really worked great as a non-threatening location for non-believer to meet in this small coastal town of Saltcoats.  With a population of just 11,000 people, Saltcoats boasts some of the highest levels of unemployment; poverty; addiction; depression; crime and poor health in Scotland. Yet the Father’s heart for this Scottish town is one of absolute love.

As the doors opened, nearly 100 people streamed in. The place was absolutely jumping. Nine people got saved as the night went on (including a Reiki practitioner and a spiritualist) and another three wanted to invite Jesus into their lives in the privacy of their own homes. Many, many people had life-changing experiential encounters with the Holy Spirit.

We’re still gathering testimonies but here are some of the reports so far…

Morag, a local girl came in… broken and looking ‘a bit tough’ on the outside. As she sat down the Holy Spirit revealed some words of knowledge and within minutes she was weeping and experiencing God’s love in a tangible way. She felt heat, warmth and love flowing into her – starting at her hands, traveling up her arms and eventually filling her whole frame. A few moments later she declared that she too wanted to become a follower of Jesus and invited Him into her life as Lord and saviour.

Raymond, a local guy came into the bar feeling a bit grumpy. He’d come in fully intending to get drunk but as he stood in the presence of God chatting to one of the team, the Holy Spirit healed him of a long-term shoulder injury and he was suddenly aware that the pain he’d lived with for so long had completely gone!

Brenda, a spiritualist on holiday from the Isle of Man, had been having a meal at the restaurant and felt drawn to our function room. As she sat down in the presence of God, the Holy Spirit reminded her of some previous dreams she’d had… dreams where He’d invited her to come into an intimate relationship with Him. Within minutes she’d repented and received Jesus as her saviour.

Mary came for a word of prophecy, but was in great pain. She had a crumbling hip joint and was waiting for a hip replacement. The team commanded healing and the pain completely left. She walked around afterwards grinning and commenting on how great her hip felt.

      Many remarked on how the different words they’d received at various stalls all seemed to fit together as the Holy Spirit wove their individual prophetic threads together. As they laid their hands on the sick… they got healed. As they opened their mouths to prophecy… God gave relevant words of life, hope and destiny.

      This was an incredible night in the presence of an amazing God. More Scottish fires lit, more sons and daughters brought into the Kingdom and more of God’s people activated and commissioned. God is so Good!

-Rachael Howson

     Thank you again for standing with me and as you can see it has not been in vain. I am sill in need of finance and prayer support so please continue to stand with me. It is so good knowing you are partnering with me. It feels a little less lonely out here knowing you are praying for me.Thank you!

Many Blessings your sister In Christ,
Lauren-Jean

End of week two in Scotland

 This week has been quite eventful.

   The organization I work with had there 50th anniversary! The founders of YWAM (youth with a mission) came to Harpenden, England this week to meet with as many people as possible in celebration. Loren and Darleen Cunningham are two genuinely amazing people who are kicking strong and championing young people for Jesus. The focus was directed to this being a year of Jubilee. In worship time there was much emphasis placed on the "flame" going forth. The call to Go into all people groups in all nations. Especially the people groups who have not been reached with the Gospel. There is over 3,500 bases around the world where YWAM has established themselves and so Loren and Dar are trying to hit as many as possible in this year of celebration. The event was awesome... I ran into an old friend from the South Africa base and was lucky to share her couch for the three days. There were over 1000 people and as you can imagine a little tight courters. For the most part everything went on without a hitch but the 12hr car ride is not something I would like to repeat in the near future. And I am truly grateful to be back in my own bed.

   Once we got back to Seamill we had a day of rest on Wednesday and then straight back into lectures. Lectures consisted of a focus on how to support raise before going out into the field long term. In other words how to stay connected to those who are partnering with you when you are in remote parts of the world that might not have My good old friend "Email"... :) anyway I will use it while I have it! Today's lectures were more focused on how to communicate vision to your church and family as well as the crazy stuff... like... if you are in a hostile area how to protect yourself.... ex. if kidnapper goes to grab you become one with the floor :). This is something that is very real but at some point you have to laugh about it. Its good to know if you know what I mean.

  Anyway on a lighter note... my roommate is great... her name is Karen and she is from the Netherlands. We get on extremely well... and I think she agrees... she tells me that shes the only European that likes Americans so I should think myself lucky. She's a real crazy one. Karen has a calling to Afghanistan so I think the training this week will be of great use to her.

   I hope to have more stories of what I am learning and what work I am involved in ministry wise this next week. So till then may God richly bless you my Beloved.

Lauren-Jean