will stacken - ywam amsterdam staff

Hoi Mensen!

I really hope you are all well in the corner of the world that you read these thoughts from. Life in Amsterdam has taken on a rather busy feel...but its nice to be here in the spring time so. Since I have been back these last weeks I have been leadership of 4 weekly ministries! Its been a ton of work but awesome. I am really enjoying the time spent pouring into my volunteers and all the challenges of making sure that things happen when they are suppost too. Like last night I was given the chance to preach in our Tuesday night ministry. I had spent the week preparing but just was not satisfied with it. I felt like I couldnt focus and get my notes in order totally...So I was working on it Tuesday afternoon and finally I felt God say just relax and enjoy His presence. So I did...I just leaned back with some tea and reflected on what God was doing in my life. In that time of clarity my notes came clear. God is teaching me what its like not to be so much of "control freak"...to trust Him for the proper words and the proper time. I desire to see the kind of movements of the Spririt that we read about in Acts...to the things Jesus says we will do...Thats truly my heart. So I went and preached that night. I had a very basic outline with my Scriptures, quotes, and main points....but not a total concrete plan. I had a good friend of mine Madelinde translating and as she would translate I would ask God for insight...so sentance by sentance...and statement by statement...I preached. It was awesome. I talked about how Jesus is a safe person for hurting people...I used 4 scriptures that show how safe and trustworthy Jesus...(Matthew 9:14-Jesus and children, John 8-Jesus and the prostitute, John 4-Jesus and the woman at the well, Luke 23:43-Jesus and the theif on the cross)...All these show how trustworthy Jesus is. I had some other quotes and such that really added to it. But in the end I had an excellent response. One guy at the end was so moved that he jumped up and gave a testimony of how he had been 20 some years sober from hard drug use by Jesus alone! Cool eh? So thats just one story of what God is doing in me and through me.

I have been able to relax a bit too with some friends too. Last night we went to see 1000 years of Jazz play at this awesome jazz venue called The Bimhuis. It was free and sooooo good. A friend of mine named Naomi from the Zolder and a few people from YWAM went with. It was a blast...Also I have been running a lot. I am aiming at running the Leiden Marathon (www.marathon.nl) in 3 weeks....AHHHHH I am stoked but nervous about it. So yeah. Thats big news...So...Thats a bit about me...Take Care all...Tot Ziens...

in Him...Will

hey all... sorry its taken me a bit to write on here. as always i am without any real excuses, except how truly busy life can get. but my business has been to much gain in recent weeks. God has been working in me and through me to achieve magnificent things that will certainly build me in to a stronger man in Him...and a more effective missionary. my ministry has been keeping me the most occupied. in addition to all the day time outreaches and meetings we have, we began our night ministry on tuesdays and thursdays. this has been going so very well, but its a real challenge to be in the Amsterdam RLD at that time of night...why?...its hard not be overwhelmed and lose focus. its times like that i become "impressed" with demonic work there. i see the strong grip he has on soooo many people. however, this is wrong for me. it means that i have lost my focus on God at that time. i need, and want to be, a person who agrees with what God is doing...participates in how He is at work in others lives...and is "impressed" with what God is doing and who He is. but life has been going well here. i am planning to run the Leiden marathon on June 18th. its coming up very quick...i am running 3 times a week with my long runs around 15 miles. this is feeling really good so. i am excited about it so...also the weather has been really warm and nice lately. so i am excited about that too. its going to be nice to spend the summer here in Amsterdam. this will be first ever summer away from construction work and the Brainerd Lakes Area. i will miss it a lot...but I love where God has me...this is for sure. so. take care one and all. stay in touch! in Him...will