Loren’s last message to the family.
It was very important for offspring to receive a prayer of blessing from their father – it was not just a show of favor toward a child, but the passing on of an inheritance.
Many of you have written wonderful prayers and blessings to me during this season of passage in my life. They made my heart rejoice as I heard so many stories of God’s faithfulness. and they reminded me of the importance of my blessing YOU before I leave.
Because I’m the founder of Youth With A Mission, I recognize that I truly am the father of this mission. But as you know, I’ve never seen you as “children,” but rather as co-workers and friends. Our call in YWAM to champion young people has been one of my greatest joys. Believing in Jesus in YOU gives me great hope for the future.
Some of you had the privilege of having godly parents. But many of you probably did not. As the first generation in your family to follow Jesus, you are starting a new family legacy.
Today, I want to do as they did in times of old – I want to bestow a father’s blessing upon each of you who want to reach out and receive it by faith: want to tell you that I am so very proud of you.
As I look at a map of the world, I think of YOU – the “waves” I saw so many years ago – coming from everywhere and going to everywhere – further and further onto the continents of the world. I have traveled to every nation on earth, but my great joy in almost every one of them, is that we have walked together as YWAMers.
I think of your diligence, your courage and faith. You have embraced this calling because you know who your God is, and have committed to hear and obey His voice.
May you live to know God and make Him Known.
May your times of fellowship with God be rich and deep and find expression I worship that reaches His heart.
May you always remember our call not just to the easy places, but to the “Alls” and the “Everys” – and to translate the Bible orally into all the Mother Tongue languages on earth!
May you thrive in your journey of faith, knowing you are part of a volunteer movement that values who God created you to be, works in teams, values community and so much more.
I want to bless you in your understanding of God’s word – may this book guide, inspire and comfort you – and may its principles inform all of your decisions. May you love God’s word and the people of His world.
I bless you in your health. May God keep you safe and free from disease.
I bless you in your relationships with your own family, as well as the family of God.
May you have friends from many nations, ethnicities and interests who spur you on to love Jesus more.
May God bless you as you trust Him for provision – may you have all that you need for your family and your ministry, with an abundance to be able to bless others.
I ask God to bless you in your discernment of the times and seasons, like the sons of Issachar (I Chronicles 12:32) who understood the times and knew what God wanted them to do.
Ephesians 3:44-21:
“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”
I love you and I’m so very, very proud of each and every one of you.
I bless you in Jesus name!