Sarah Ristow, Support Ministry Coach

The Journey to YD

Page Photo "I hope God doesn't call me to be a missionary." That was my thought when I was 13 years old. Mostly afraid of having to learn an entirely new language and live in a culture I didn't understand.
"You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language" (Ezekiel 3:5a).

"Why can't we ever stay in a hotel?" Growing up my family went camping for our vacations and I would complain about sleeping in a tent, going cannoning, etc.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." (Psalm 19:1)

In December of 2000 I first learned about Youth Dynamics at Urbana (a huge missions conference) and applied to do a 15-month internship with YD Adventures. During the time I was an intern (June 2001 - Sept 2002) God opened the doors and I applied to come on full-time staff. In May of 2003 I began working as YD Adventure's provisioning coordinator, overseeing all of the food and gear as well as leading teens on adventure trips.
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20)

"What are the burdens God has laid on your heart and what are you going to do about them?" I asked the question to a group of bible college studetns as I was sharing the vision of YD staffing oppertunities. The question ended up challenging me more than the studetns! I was comming to realize that the growing burden and desire on my heart was to walk along side staff in their fundraising process. When I discovered that YD was looking to create a position to do just that my responce was "if and when this position is available I am very interested." In October 2007 I moved from working with YD Adventures to serving all of YD as the new Support Ministry Coach. I love the ministry of YD and can not imagian doing anything else!
"You have made known to me the path of life; you fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:11)