It's Go Time!

In just over three weeks, I will be in the air flying to Swtizerland. I've purcahsed my flight and will be leaving Minneapolis on January 3rd for my Leadership Training School (Click here to read more about the school) at YWAM Lausanne. I am so excited for this amazing opportunity! So far, God has provided $3,900 towards my school. It's been really neat to see how God has provided, especially in the area of finances. I am still in need of$2,300 in the next three weeks. Would you pray about partnering with me financially towards this Leadership Training School? You can donate online (http://www.ywampismobeach.org/donate.html) or by check (click here for instructions on how to donate by check).

I am really excited to see what the Lord has in store for me during this school. I am waiting expectantly for some awesome things to happen. It means so much to me to have a group of people that are supporting me not just with finances, but through prayer and encouragement.

Blessings & Merry Christmas,

Tyler Dean

How to Donate

If you'd like to make a donation to Tyler, there are two ways to do so.

Here is how you can donate:

~By Check~

Make check payable to:  YWAM (Do not write Tyler Dean on memo line - due to tax purposes)

*Attach a note (sticky note, piece of paper, etc.) indicating it's for Tyler Dean.

Mail Check To:

YWAM Pismo Beach

791 Price Street #119

Pismo Beach, CA 93449

**After your check is processed, you will receive a tax deductible receipt from YWAM Pismo Beach

~By Credit/Debit Card~

Go to:  http://www.ywampismobeach.org/donate.html

*Follow step-by-step directions on website.

**You do not need a PayPal account to donate online.

***After your donation is processed, you will receive a tax deductible receipt from YWAM Pismo Beach.

All donations are tax deductible and greatly apprecaited!

Life After Pismo

Life after Pismo

Just over three years ago, I came on staff here at YWAM Pismo Beach in California. Throughout the last 3+ years, I've grown so much in my walk with the Lord. I've been able to learn from so many awesome people, and the Lord has let me do so many amazing things and serve and share the Gospel with many amazing people here in America and around the world!

Well, my time in Pismo is coming to a close. The Lord is leading me on a new adventure, one I'm very excited for!

My Next Step

As you probably know, I'm going to Switzerland in January to do a Leadership Training School (LTS) at YWAM Lausanne for three months (if you haven't read about the Leadership Training School, CLICK HERE). After the LTS, I won't be going back to Pismo Beach (well, I hope to visit of course!).

I feel like the Lord has said to me that He is going to open up a door through the LTS in Switzerland for where and what He wants me to do next. Secretly, I hope the Lord leads me to move overseas to a third world country. I feel at home and love being overseas and absolutely come alive.

It would be really easy for me to just decide to go and live in a country and I'm sure it'd be amazing and the Lord would use me greatly but I don't want to jump the gun. God is in control. I'm pretty sure He knows what He's doing.  :-)  I feel like He has something very special for me at the leadership school and that some puzzle pieces will fall into place as I obey Him one step at a time.

My personality wants to make plans for after the school, to take control and organize everything but the Lord continues to remind me that He's pretty good at making things work. I'm continually giving everything up to Him and just asking Him to send me wherever He wants me and to use me however He wants to use me.

One word that keeps coming to mind as I pray about things is "pioneer". I would absolutely love to pioneer a ministry/YWAM base overseas. I often times catch myself vision casting, day dreaming and imagining what we could do to further the Gospel to people who don't know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

I could go on and on about what I would love to do, what I'm passionate about, etc. But for now, I just wanted to let you know what's going on so we're on the same page.

Although I'm leaving YWAM Pismo, I am still a missionary with YWAM, but am just taking these three months to do a Leadership Training School at YWAM Lausanne to develop my giftings and leadership abilities. Therefore, this doesn't change the need for monthly financial support and special financial gifts for my ministry.

For those of you who donate financially towrads my ministry already, please continue to send your checks to YWAM Pismo Beach as you always have. They are going to continue to process and send me my support. If you have any questions regarding finances, please give me a call or shoot me an email.

With that being said, feel free to be praying for me as I am transitioning out of California to head over to Switzerland and wherever the Lord leads me after my three months in Switzerland, whether it's to Madagascar or Mississippi or anywhere in-between!

I would love to hear from you, whether you have a question, a comment or maybe you just want to chat about life. Give me a call or shoot me an email!

I love you all and am so thankful for you all. I am buckling up for the upcoming journey. I feel like God is going to take me for a fun ride!

In Christ,



Tyler Dean

Off to Switzerland!

I hope your summer has gone well thus far! My summer has been great! I apologize for such a long time in between updates. I was waiting to write once I heard back from a school that I applied to. Now that I have done that, I have exciting news to share with you!

Leadership Training School
For the past 3 1/2 years, I've wanted to do a Leadership Training School (LTS), one of YWAM's top schools. I've never had the opportunity to set aside the three months to take the course. Well, that time has come! A handful of weeks back, I applied for the next Leadership Training School, which is located at YWAM Lausanne in Switzerland. I recently heard back from them and they informed me that they've accepted me for the upcoming school in January of 2012! I am extremely excited about this opportunity to grow in my leadership giftings and to continue to learn how to lead like Jesus lead. This LTS will be a great tool for my tool belt and will really equip me for future ministry. The three month school is taught by internationally renown leaders on various topics, such as: leadership styles, integrity as a leader, faith & finances, communications, decision making, servant leadership, and a lot more.

What's my next step?
My next step in the process leading up to the LTS in January is support raising and applying for a Swiss Visa. I am starting this now because I need to raise $6,100 above and beyond my monthly financial support before the school starts. I want to ask you to prayerfully consider partnering financially with me specifically for this Leadership Training School. Setting aside this three months to grow in my leadership giftings will greatly benefit me down the road in full-time missions. If you would like to partner with me financially, there are a few different ways to go about that and there is info on the right side of this page.

Local Outreach
Our base has been doing various different outreaches in our local community. Last month, we were able to partner with a very cool gleanings ministry. Basically, after farmers finish harvesting their fruits/vegetables, they contact this ministry to come in and pick all of the leftover fruits and vegetables. We were able to help them pick artichokes, and that we did! We picked well over 2000 pounds of artichokes in 6 hours! We were able to distribute them directly to needy families in our community, to local churches and a majority of them to our local food bank. We'd like to continue to partner with this ministry as it can really bless people that need food but don't have the finances to purchase it.

RescueNet US
Communications

I've also recently started helping with some communications for RescueNet US. You may be wondering what that looks like. Well, a lot of different things to be honest. Some of the different things I've been doing recently have been spreading the word about the upcoming training course in October to YWAM bases around the United States, working on our social media, researching disasters worldwide, working on forming a team to work in the communications department, and much more.

RescueNet Training Course
During the month of October, I will be at YWAM Salem in Oregon, staffing the 2011 RescueNet US Disaster Relief School. I have been asked to teach on Disaster Preparedness so I am currently preparing my teaching. Please pray that I will be able to clearly communicate what needs to be taught and for the Lord to help me gather all of the information and resources that I need.

Personal Stuff
God has been doing a lot in my life lately. I am really growing in my intimacy with Him on a daily basis. It's been fun to spend time with God. He is teaching me how to give everything, literally everything, up to Him. He wants us to give him our struggles, difficulties and just plain old surrender to Him daily. I've been digging into the Gospel's and am currently in John. It's been awesome read about Jesus' life and all that He did, whether He's healing the sick or feeding 5,000 people.

Thank You!
Lives are changing because of your prayers and financial support so I want to thank you for that. It's such a huge blessing to me and many others around the world - thank you!

God Bless,



Tyler Dean

Prayer Requests

Hey!

How are you today? I just wanted to let you know a few prayer requests I have, and wanted to ask you if you'd be willing to partner with me in prayer!

• Tomorrow, I will be heading to Las Vegas for a ResuceNet gathering with all of our North American team members. Please pray for safe travels, no car troubles, a great time of learning, and a great time with my teammates!
• Clarity & direction for future ministry
• God's continued provision
• God's wisdom in leadership

I also wanted to ask you how I could be praying for you! Please do not hesitiate to email me back and let me know a few of your prayer requests!

If you haven't had a chance to check out my last update about my recent travels, you can read it on my website at: http://www.tylerdeanmissions.com

Once again, thank you so much for being so faithful in prayer for me and my ministry, helping me financially and loving me! I'm so thankful for you all!

May God bless you!



Tyler E. Dean

April Update - HE HAS RISEN!

Greetings,

I hope that you had a blessed Easter on Sunday! The past month has been quite eventful. I went from California to Mexico, then to Nevada, North Carolina and back to California. Oh, and in two days, I will be back in Nevada again!

Mexico
You may recall me telling you about the Grassroots News training seminar that I participated in at YWAM Tijuana, Mexico (if you weren't able to read it, click here). The training course went great! It was an awesome time of learning, growing, seeing old freinds and meeting many new friends!

RescueNet
After my time in Mexico, I drove straight over to the RescueNet US headquarters, which is located at YWAM Las Vegas. It was a great couple days spending time with a few of my teammates. This coming Friday, I will be heading back to Las Vegas to meet with all of the North American team members of RescueNet. We will be bonding as a team, sharpening up on some of our medical skills and doing some planning for the upcoming training course which will be held in Salem, Oregon, in October.

Leadership Conference
I returned home from my latest trip last week, which was in a small town called Flat Rock, North Carolina (near the "larger" city, Asheville). I had the amazing opportunity to be at a conference there with all of the leaders in YWAM from North America. We had two main speakers throughout the week (along with many breakout workshops). Fred Markert spoke first, who is a YWAMer that has been to over 150 countries in the past 30 years which has opened up doors for him to speak all around the world. Dan B. Allender, Ph.D, psychiatrist and author of over 10 books, spoke second. Dan Allender spoke about leadership and how we should lead in a loving and Godly way by being humbled and having a servant attitude when we lead. God calls us to lead like Him, which is opposite of how a lot of leaders in the world lead. Usually the leader is trying to get more power and leading to bennefit themselves. God wants us to lead with humility, a loving heart and with a servent attitude and to help those you are leading to succeed in what God has called them to do. This is how I want to lead!

God has really been teaching me a lot in the past month and He continues to equip me for what He has called me to do! It's such a blessing to be able to learn from the perfect leader and teacher, Jesus Christ!

Thank you to everyone who helped me go on these trips financially and of course for all of your prayers - I really appreciate it!

Blessings to you,



Tyler Dean

Amazing Footage

I am currently at a seminar in Tijuana, Mexico with Grassroots News International and I want to share with you the amazing news they are sharing from around the world, including a highlight from a rescue that was made in Japan nine days after the earthquake and tsunami. Feel free to browse around their website (I'm sure you could spend hours watching amazing videos):  http://www.grassrootsnews.tv
Enjoy....

UPDATE: RescueNet Deployment Information for Japan

Greetings,

Where do I start…? It’s been a crazy past few days for me and the RescueNet team. We at RescueNet have been tracking a number of global situations around the clock with Libya & Japan being the highest profile cases. Libya is still too dangerous for RescueNet to deploy but we have not stopped monitoring the events that are happening there. When the fighting dwindles down, the needs will be enormous. The United Nations estimates 1,000,000 people will need aid in the days following the end of fighting there. We may be able to serve then. For now, it is far too unsafe to enter.

Japan, however, is a much more stable situation. News coverage is ubiquitous so I am sure you have seen some already. www.bbcnews.com has some of the best. The images and videos are staggering and surreal. It looks like a movie only more intense. The latest reports put the number of fatalities around 10,000. It is very tragic.

RescueNet has 10 team members on standby but NOT on active deployment as of yet. We are in the process of communicating with the Japanese embassy to get an official invitation to help. RescueNet team members want to be there to help save lives and stabilize people’s emotional health. At this point the country of Japan has not issued an open call for aid, but rather accepted a few specific offers from international groups. Without an invitation any aid group, including RescueNet, is unable to render assistance within another country. The same would hold true for any foreign entity wanting to help in the US, Canada or any western nation. You can’t just drop in because you want to help. You have to go through official channels. So we wait.

We are not at a standstill though. We have two individuals on the ground in Japan to team up with some colleagues. Through these preexisting relationships we may be able to get better information of exactly what the damage is and where the help is most needed. The news is not the most reliable source. We can also possibly receive an invitation for our team to come and assist.

Please be in prayer for us as we seek information, relationship and a clear sense of where our resources can best be used. The damage is great, but that does not mean it is the place for us to be. Many of you know the mandate for RescueNet is the developing world; places that don’t have the availability of resources that the US and other first-world nations have access to. While Japan was hard hit, they were also very prepared and capable of responding. If this had happened almost anywhere else, the damage would have been magnitudes worse. Japan is arguably the most prepared nation in the world to handle quakes and tsunamis. After all, tsunami is a Japanese word.

You may be asking, “What does this mean for you? Are you going?” The answer is NO, I am NOT going but I have been and will continue to help with details of the deployment. I still have to complete one more training phase before I can deploy to a disaster. Please click here to read my last post about RescueNet and what my next steps are.

If you are able to help financially to send our RescueNet team to Japan if we do deploy, that would be a huge blessing to the team since we are an all-volunteer team and we have to pay our own way and purchase our own gear. If you would like to donate, click here.

If you have ANY questions at all, please do not hesitate to email me back or call me. I will update you as more information comes in. Also, be sure to read my previous update on my involvement with RescueNet(click here to read).

In Christ,

Tyler E. Dean

Back To Mexico I Go

Next week, I will be going to Mexico for about six days. I will be attending a training course with Grassroots News International on journalism, field skills, camera work, mobile video editing and more at the YWAM base in Tijuana. Grassroots News International is a ministry within YWAM. It is a network of news gatherers around the world, who are committed to reporting the news as it happens, from where it happens. Content comes from the people on the ground where the news is happening. The course is designed to equip participants to gather news, and share it with the world. If you want to know more about Grassroots News International, click here!

 

I want to ask you to be praying for me throughout my time in Tijuana. Please pray that I can retain everything that is taught, for new friendships to be built, for the Lord to be glorified in all that we do and for save travels. Thank you in advanced for your prayers!

In Christ,



-Tyler Dean

I've been accepted to....

I am very excited to tell you that I have been accepted onto the RescueNet team (an International All-Volunteer Emergency Disaster Rapid Response Team), which is a ministry of Youth With A Mission. You may remember that I took a RescueNet training course in October of 2010 at YWAM San Francisco.

A badly damaged intersection in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Photo taken from a member of the RescueNet
team during their deployment to Haiti in January of 2010.
http://www.rescuenetus.org

What is RescueNet? 
RescueNet is a rapid-deployment disaster response team made up of trained volunteers within YWAM. We aim to be on a disaster site within 24-48 hours of it's outbreak. We take medics, trauma counselors, childcare workers, logicsticians. technicians and more to meet the need of those impacted by some of the worst situations imaginable.







What does this mean for me?
Since I have just been accepted onto the RescueNet team, I am not able to go on a deployment to a disaster zone -- yet! I have to complete a probationary period (since I'm new to the team - to make sure I know my stuff), which means that I have to staff the upcoming RescueNet training course, which will be in Salem, Oregon, in mid-October. So if a disaster hits anytime from now until October and RescueNet is called on to deploy for the relief efforts, I will not be deploying with the RescueNet team. After I complete my probationary period (after October), I will be "deployable".

Are you still a missionary with YWAM?
Yes, I am still a full-time missionary with YWAM Pismo Beach. RescueNet does not replace my role here at YWAM Pismo Beach but it will be an addition to the ministry I am already involved with.

What I Need for RescueNet
I need to raise additional finances on top of my monthly financial support for RescueNet since I have to purchase my own personal protective equipment (which is VERY important), training courses and deployments to disaster zones. I am currently in the process of raising $2,200 (If you want to see the breakdown of that amount to see exactly where the money will go, please let me know) for my initial personal protective equipment I need along with the cost of going to Salem, Oregon to complete my probationary period in October. There is information below on how to partner with me financially to help me start up with RescueNet.

My Heart Behind The Ministry

Patient in St. Marc, Haiti

I have always had a heart to do outreaches geared towards disaster relief and I now have the chance. When I went to Haiti in January right after the earthquake, it opened my eyes so much! It is such a special thing to share Jesus and to help people when they've literally lost everything. Now I will be able to help these people and share Christ's love with them through serving with RescueNet.

I want to help financially. How do I do that?
There are a few different ways that you can help me financially to raise the $2,200 that I need. 

OPTION #1 - DONATE ONLINE WITH YOUR CREDIT/DEBIT CARD
Go to:  http://www.ywampismobeach.org/donate.html
Follow the simple steps to safely and securely complete your donation using Paypal.
**You do not need a PayPal account to donate. After you click donate, you will see "Don't Have a PayPal Account?" Under that, it says continue and you can fill out your information.

Option #2 - DONATE BY CHECK
Write a check made out to YWAM. (Attach a note indicating its for Tyler Dean for RescueNet).
Mail the check to:
YWAM Pismo Beach
791 Price Street #119
Pismo Beach, CA 93449

Thank you in advanced for your prayer and financial support. I am so excited about the adventures to come with RescueNet and am excited to share that with you!

Blessings To You,



Tyler E. Dean



**Every year there are over 350 disasters around the world. 80% of the victims are left without first aid, medicine, child care, shelter and help finding loved ones. They need you like they never thought they could. Learn how to meet a crisis with the Love of Christ."

"Because you can send us we can go; because we go they can live."

A daughter and mother reunited!
Photo taken from a member of the RescueNet team
during their deployment to Haiti in January of 2010.
http://www.rescuenetus.org

RescueNet Website:  http://www.rescuenetus.org

What Is A "DTS"?

Since some of you may not know what a "DTS" is, I wanted to explain it to you!

A DTS is also known as a Discipleship Training School, which is Youth With A Mission's (YWAM's) main training school they offer. A DTS is a requirement for applying as YWAM staff, and serves as a prerequisite to all other training programs within YWAM. The DTS is offered at YWAM locations ALL over the world. Some schools have a special focus on particular areas of ministry or nations.

Similar to the DTS is the Crossroads Discipleship Training School (CDTS) that focuses on the needs and concerns of students over age 30, such as second-career people and families with children.

The Discipleship Training School (DTS) is designed to help you understand God more deeply, live more like Jesus and identify your unique gifts and purpose to use in missions. DTS is an intensive, residential training course which begins with an 11 or 12 week classroom/lecture phase, followed by an 8-12 week outreach phase. DTS emphasizes cross-cultural exposure and global awareness, preparing students to answer the call to "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations" Matthew 28:19.

You may be asking, "Where can I do a DTS?"

There are 300+ locations around the world (in over 150 countries) where you could potentially do your DTS. That does not include the bases that don't run training schools. YWAM has over 1,600 bases around the world with over 22,000 full-time missionaries (I think those numbers are correct...?).

I suggest that if you are interested in doing a Discipleship Training School (DTS), that you check out YWAM's main website at: http://www.ywam.org. Here you can search by regions or specific countries in the world as well as the time of year you'd like to do yours at.

My DTS Experience

In January of 2008, I took a leap of faith and did my DTS here at YWAM Pismo Beach, where I am now a full-time missionary with YWAM.

I arrived in California on January 4, 2008, not knowing what the Lord had in store for me. I went to college for one semester in Minnesota but did not like it and didn't know what I wanted to do and I knew that there was something better for me to do. The first week of my DTS, I knew that I was in the right place!

Throughout my DTS, I got grounded in the Word and my relationship with Jesus absolutely exploded. I went to southeast Asia for my two month outreach, which was absolutely incredible.

I recommend a DTS to anyone who isn't sure what he/she wants to do or is called to do. My DTS helped me figure out what I was passionate about, what my strengths were and helped me get rooted in the Word of God.

Once again..."Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations" Matthew 28:19.

God Created You With A Purpose

Throughout the day today, I felt the need to write another post. And again, I had no idea what to write about so I wrote three different rough drafts for posts but none of those seemed right. Let's hope this one does.

This afternoon, a friend stopped by our office and we talked for a while. I asked my friend, "If you could do anything, what would you do? What are you passionate about?" She replied with something like, "Well, I love what I do (she is a hairstylist), but I also love doing women's ministry."

Immediately, the missionary in me came out. I told her of a few ministries that do women's ministry here in the States and around the world.

Then I thought, you can do women's ministry as a hair stylist. You can share about Jesus to your co-workers and clients.

I often remind myself that wherever and whatever you're doing, you are a missionary, even if that's not your official job title.

Now I am NOT saying to not go if you feel like the Lord is calling you to give up everything and move to a third world country. If that is the case though, you better go! Have you ever given it thought? Have you ever prayed and asked the Lord if you are supposed to go?

If He hasn't called you to live in a hut, that is OK! He can and wants to use you with whatever you do, whether you're a hair stylist, a business man, a mechanic, a teacher, a carpenter, a chef, a secretary, a doctor... you get the point.

There is one thing I do know for a fact: God has created you with a purpose and I am truly excited to see how He uses you!

A Man Of God

Last week, I felt like the Lord was nudging me to write a few blog posts this week. My first thought was, "a few posts in ONE week?!" I thought that was crazy. It's hard enough for me to write a few posts in a months time. So this morning, I still had no idea what to write about but then the Lord put something on my heart to share. I want to tell you about a man of God, how he's shaped my life and how you can pray for him!

Tim Ramey is the father of one of my best friends. In October of 1998, he received a call as a first responder and volunteer firefighter to a house fire. Just as the crew was finishing up and getting ready to leave, the chimney of the house collapsed. It fell on Tim. He should have died that night, and multiple times in the following weeks.

I remember waking up from the sound of an ambulance late that night, or should I say, early that morning. This was weird for me because I rarely woke up during the night and I am still like that to this day. I remember laying in my bed that night, at 10 years old, praying for whoever was in that ambulance. I later fell back asleep and woke up later that morning around 8:00. I walked downstairs to see my father sitting on the couch. I knew something wasn't right. My dad told me what had happened. Tim was the person in that ambulance who I was praying for. I was devastated. I couldn't imagine what my best friend, Jonathan, and his family was going through.

Tim was in the hospital for roughly the next two years.

Ti has had to battle a lot since the accident but the Lord has used him to impact so many peoples lives. He has most definitely impacted mine.

I'm sure Tim began to impact my life before I can even remember. All I know is that it started at a young age, whether it was him paying Nerf Basketball with Jonathan and I in the living room at age seven or teaching us how to be kind to others. As I got older, I could see more and more of a person striving to be Christ-like.

During Tim's recovery from his horrific accident, I could even see it then. That is amazing!

When Tim was finally able to leave the hospital after about two years, his brother-in-law (also known as Uncle Joe to Jonathan and I) drove him from Minneapolis to our hometown of Grand Marais, Minnesota, in an ambulance with Nancy (Tim's amazing wife) in the back with Tim. When they arrived to Grand Marais, hundreds of people were lining the street, clapping, cheering and holding signs, welcoming Tim, Nancy and the rest of the Ramey family home. How cool! Do you think Tim is an inspirational man of God? I think so!

I remember the first time Tim went to Sierra Leone, Africa. All I can say is wow! Tim, a paraplegic, going to one of the poorest, if not the poorest countries in the entire world! He didn't just go to Sierra Leone once either. He went multiple times. That truly inspired me. Even though I was young, I really wanted to go. I wanted to be like that...sold out for Heavenly Father!

Tim has and continues to play a big role in my life. When I was younger, I believe Tim was one of the people who planted that seed in me to be a missionary, even if I didn't realize it at that time. I thank you, Tim, for planing that seed then later watering it and encouraging me to be a full-time missionary. I wouldn't trade what I do for anything!

Currently, Tim is in the hospital. He had to go in for a few surgeries to try to take out an infection that is basically trying to take over his body. There have been a few complications with blood clots, which isn't good but overall, I think it's going alright. He's hoping to be home in a weeks time.

Here is where you and I come into play. Here is our role in this situation. We pray! We can pray for a quick and safe recover and that all of the infection would be gone. We can be praying that Tim would be encouraged and to find joy in this difficult situation. We can also be praying for Nancy and the rest of the family. The power of prayer is incredible - I have seen it first hand in my own life. Let's partner in prayer together and pray for this man of God and our brother in Christ.

Thank you, Tim, for planting those seeds in me and watering them. Thank you!

Coffee & Dessert Night Info

I just wanted to remind you that the Coffee & Dessert Night is on this Sunday, January 9th at 6:30 PM at the Grand Marais Evangelical Free Church (120 East 5th Street). I will be sharing about what I've done this past year with YWAM as well as what next year holds. We will finish off the evening with good ole' fellowship, having coffee/tea and tasty desserts.

 I hope to see you there!

Tyler Dean