January 2024

When I took time at the start of 2024 to hear what God wanted to say about the year, I didn’t know this would be where I’d be finishing it.

God gave me two things to do.

  1. Simply to go deeper with Him. To let Him be my wellspring and receive daily nourishment from Him so others would be blessed out of the overflow.
  2. Be diligent in finishing my main book—as other things can’t start until this one is finished. (Amen to that, but it’s still in the long editing process because I didn’t get as much time as I wanted to give it).

But as we (God and I) were finishing up this specific time, I heard Him say, like a passing comment, “Oh, and be open for new things later in the year, its not what you think.”

Interesting, I thought. Perhaps I need to work on my book now so that I can lead the DTS in September.

Looking back, I have been better at spending quality time with God most days. Serving on YWAM Burtigny’s Leadership team means I knew I needed to be close to God and let Him be my everything. But serving on a leadership team, running our Swiss Writers Intensive, and a few other things meant that writing time was challenging for some months. So, I haven’t gotten as far through the editing process as I would like.

As it stands, my ‘big book’, Being a Leader from the Inside Out, is about a third of the way through to being at a good place. A third won’t take too much more work to get it to that stage. And the final third was written a while ago and needs a lot more work. Then, it’s in a place for a Line Editor to take it on.

How did I get to Scotland?

In March, I went back to Scotland partly for some dental work, and partly it seemed a perfect time to meet up with Supporters since I knew the rest of the year would be too busy for a longer visit home. (For those who don’t know, I am Scottish. And, as a YWAM’er I need to raise my own financial support, so I have mission partners/ supporters who believe in what I do who pray and financially support me so I can do what God’s called me to). Usually, when I try to find a time to meet with my supporters as a group in person, only a few can make it at the same time. But this year, most could join in person and one on Zoom. “Wow, I thought, I’ve not had that since I was coming back into YWAM, 8 years ago.” In preparing for that time, I realised that it was a significant time as I needed to pray about whether to continue on the Leadership Team and ask God if I should reapply for another 5-year Swiss Visa since mine was ending in December.

A few days before my Supporters meeting, I was driving to meet friends and the new LT at YWAM Seamill’s training location. I hadn’t been there in ages and our Author’s Training School (which I’m staffing next year) will have their 2nd module at Seamill. So, I wanted to meet some of the leaders and take photos to share with the rest of the team. I also have friends who are on staff there, so it’s perfect to have coffee with them, too. While driving there, I talked to God about what He was saying and what I needed to share at the Supporter’s meeting. I suddenly had a picture, like a Google Maps direction, of coming up to a big roundabout. There were 3 routes off, which I knew were Seamill, Switzerland and Rostrevor. Seamill and Rostrevor were the 2 YWAM locations I said I’d go to if I ever got my visa to Switzerland denied. But the blue route line went to all 3 options, each with the little title [ETA]. I knew God was saying, “Hey, all of them are options for where I want to take you. Which would you like?”

I had a great time with Simeon, who’s one of the leadership team at Seamill, he joked with me, hey if you ever want to leave Switzerland we’d love to have you. But it was a fun comment, which felt more like a compliment than anything else. I then went to see my friends, Gail and Michael. We’d served together with YWAM at The Kings Lodge back in 1998–2000, and we’d managed to keep loose tabs on one another. If our paths freed up, we’d meet for a coffee and catch up. Michael ended our time with a question: “Would I be open to the possibility of praying about coming and joining them?” I hadn’t told them of my picture on the way over, so of course, I was open to praying about it. “What was God speaking?”

My Support Group

Part of my joy in having Mission Partners, especially as a single person, is that they journey with me—longer term. They know me and want to partner with me in hearing and seeing what God is saying to me, regardless of where in the world that is. They are my wise counsel. So I shared that I needed to know what God was saying about whether to continue to serve with the Burtigny Leadership team (as we had to give a response in May), and as my Swiss Visa was due up in December, should I be renewing it for another 5 years, or was God saying something different? I wanted them to have an unbiased initial prayer time. To hear purely from God and not be swayed by a possibility.

Their feedback on what they heard from God was amazing. Pictures of stepping stones and now I needed to trust God and take one step at a time, resting by water until it was time to cross it, having a banquette prepared before me of all my favourite foods and God saying choose what you would like, it’s all good. Standing inside a sheep pen, by the gate with Jesus, watching sheep come and go and Jesus indicating a more exit invitation. I am an eagle and soaring easily (regarding the responsibility of a leader).

They were excited when I shared my pictures and suggestions to pray about Scottish possibilities. We were all hearing God, God was part of this. They wanted to know what I was thinking/ feeling about the options. Deep down, I knew I longed to return, partly for friendships and to explore Scottish worship. As my writing part can be done anywhere. But I had a reservation over whether they would continue to support me if I was back ‘home’. They all looked at me strangely, like I had two heads. Then a few said, “Why would being in Scotland change our support for you and what God’s called you to?” Whew, my little hesitation was melted.

Sitting there with them for a few quiet minutes, it’s like we all felt at peace; we’d sought God for what’s next, and He was answering. I love it when I have peace with this group of amazing people. We know it’s the unity of Spirit and surrender to God’s will unfold before us. Some of my new mission partners were so excited to be part of seeing God speak and new coming.

My home-sending church, QPBC, is also important to me. I’d met up with my Paster Iain before but checked in again; now I had some different news. He was great in feeling like, “we still support you and your calling, it’s just your location that is changing.”

Back in Switzerland

Once back in Switzerland, the hard part was sharing with my local life-group; many of them are also supporters of me personally and wonderful encouragers and friends. The downside of going back to Scotland is telling them. Through my tears, I shared with them what happened in Scotland. But I felt the confidence and joy that I knew this was God. They, too, cried, but all felt the same; this was God speaking. Ed then shared, “Patience, it’s great to see you have confidence in who you are now, just as we’ve always known and seen in you.” This, too, felt like confirmation. I had moved into a new season of wholeness in myself and God, and part of the fruit of that is now moving physically into a new season. So we would have 6 months to savour time together before I moved to Scotland.

I also shared and processed with Burtigny‘s leadership team. They were surprised when I shared what God had spoken about whilst I was back home. But after prayer, they, too, felt that God was in this. They were sorry to see me go, and I really feel for them in the extra workload I’m leaving them with. But we all know that when God speaks, we need to obey.

Having 6 months’ notice is hard and good at the same time. It means you can savour many of the things you’ll miss, finish up work you said you would do and try to transition out of other things. Having one last Swiss Writers Intensive was good for all of us, so we could enjoy knowing that we might not have one here again (at least for a few years). And to try to visit a few places that were on my bucket list to visit. Like seeing the Matterhorn (the iconic mountain on the Toblerone chocolate bars) and going to Europa Park, Europe’s biggest adventure park in Germany. But to also enjoy visiting again Yvoire, Geneva, Gruyere, Anncey and local places I love.

Now

I’ve been back in Scotland for a month now. It’s good to live at the Seamill base and be on Sabbatical. This sabbatical season enables me to get to know the YWAM and local community and take the time to hear what God is saying about what living in Scotland will mean. And I have the time to write. My latest Advent Devotional is now out on Amazon, and starting tomorrow, I will be starting the editing process with my main book.

It’s hard not to have many people locally who know me; it takes time to build friendships and make a place you’re home. Esp when I’m not sure what I’ll be doing next year with YWAM. But I must be patient and thankful for all the good things I can enjoy here. Like only having to speak English and I can stop and chat with everyone.

I take time to pray and ask God to show me what He’s doing in Scotland and what He wants me to partner with Him in. One exciting opportunity I’ve exactly come back in time to be part of is The Send UK. If you want to be part of Revival in Scotland and accept God’s invitation to see and be part of the Army He’s rising up, then say YES to GOD—Whatever, Wherever and Whenever. Join us in praying for Revival to break out across our nation and join the Arena event: Braehead Arena, 29 March.

At a Send Leaders meeting last week, they shared some of the vision and heart behind it. How it’s time for Jean Darnall’s prophecy to come to pass. With God’s revival fires breaking out all over Scotland and down into the rest of the UK and out into Europe. That God is bringing people back to Scotland for such a time as this. How God is causing a new sound of Scottish worship to come (those who hear the sound will come to him). I feel like this is part of my call back home, I have said yes – and it’s for this. Also, seeing my inner drive to explore the sound of Scottish worship tracks so closely with this. More to come as I know more, too. I am so excited to see and be part of what God is doing and will do here in Scotland. So, if you haven’t heard of the Send, come and join us.

One lovely thing is when locals ask where I’m from, I can name my village and they know where it is. And they are very happy to have a Scot with YWAM Seamill again, too.

If you want to know more about Advent, check out my latest Book Recommendation. YWAM Seamill has a lot going on, so check out their website to learn more about YWAM in Scotland.