Post-Lockdown Update

Ashley & Jaco Diederiks

Jun 16, 2020

6 min read

Post-Lockdown Update (well almost post)

We would like to start off by apologizing that it has been so long since our last update. I think we can all agree it has been a bit of a chaotic season full of the unexpected. For some of us, this season forced us to rest or pull back from our “usual” schedules. Others of us have been in zoom calls morning till noon and definitely look forward to the day of in-person interaction again. On top of the chaos created by COVID 19, America especially is also facing a lot of challenges with the recent death of George Floyd and the public outcry since then. This season has had different things in store for all of us, but through it, all God has been faithful. We wanted to write an update to talk about the following things. 1. What has this season looked like for us, 2 What have we learned during this season. 3. What does our immediate future look like right now. 4 How you can engage with what God is doing. We will also be writing a separate post telling some of the testimonies of what God has done in this last year and in this season through YWAM and some of the ministries we are connected to.

What has this season looked like for us:

March 13th the decision was made by YWAM Leadership to cancel all of the DTS outreaches. Essentially this meant almost 500 students could not go on outreach and had to go home. Revival and Reformation (the school we staff), is a second-level school, so at first, it looked like we would still be able to complete the last quarter of our school. However, March 20th the announcement was made to shut down the campus completely. This resulted in our school’s final quarter being cancelled as well as almost 900 people having to move off of campus. This came as a massive hit for all of us, however, we knew God was wanting to do something in this season. In crisis times like this or when our plans get thrown out of the window we learned a valuable lesson: God was not surprised by what happened, he wasn’t caught off guard, rather it was an opportunity for us to align with his redemptive plan for this season.

For us, this redemptive plan looked like being allowed to stay on campus in our role as building managers and helping to keep the campus running and ready for an eventual re-opening. This looked like spraying down the buildings with disinfectant twice-a-day as well as helping out with campus maintenance, security and operational running. In this process, we definitely felt the need to see this too as worship to the Lord and not just the ministry or training that we were doing. A verse that kept me going during this time is Col 3:23 “ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” We just realized again how easy it is for us to agree with the narrative of the world and only see “church” or “missionary” work as holy. When instead every day is a chance to live like Christ and give Him all the glory.

On top of our campus work, Ashley has been going strong with her Online Bachelors in Christian Leadership, which she has been crushing. Jaco has been taking part in various online Bible Studies and Leadership courses. As well as this Jaco has been helping staff and facilitate a 6 week Christian worldview course via zoom. These courses have been extremely lifegiving for both of us and have helped us grow in depth with Jesus as well as having opportunities to lead and teach in various aspects.

As I am sure many of you have experienced this season is one that has provided a big opportunity for growth but it has required some intentionality. Here are just a few of the things we felt we have grown in and are still growing in in the midst of this season.

Ashley:

For Ashley, this has been a season of intentionality. That’s the word the Lord has been speaking to her throughout all the quarantine craziness. In the moments when there isn’t anything to do, no ministry schedule established, no small group to lead, and no worship nights to attend, the Lord has been teaching her how to intentionally cultivate a depth with Him and a lifestyle of intentionally pressing into His presence. It’s been a season to practice and apply all the things she’s preached which has been humbling and challenging as the Lord has pruned and led her to even greater breakthroughs and growth. Conquering fear and learning to trust the Lord in even greater ways, this season has brought Ashley even closer into the arms of the Father as she has grown in such deep confidence that Jesus truly is Immanuel, God with us, even in the lazy moments watching Full House. We have both learned to practice the presence more and invite Jesus into and recognize His presence in the big moments and the mundane moments. This season has been such a gift.

Jaco:

My biggest challenge throughout this lockdown has really been to stay focused and dedicated. It has been a constant wrestle but one thing that I have learned through it is the value of daily and weekly rhythms. However, these can get mundane and become hard to stick to if they are not God-initiated. What does this mean? For me, it means sitting and praying and seeking God before making a schedule or routine and asking Him what He wants to fill it with. Busyness isn’t in and of itself a sin and doesn’t have to drain you but only if you do it right. When your busyness is driven by Christ, for His glory and out of constant obedience to Him it will be the most life-giving thing you can do. My cry in this season has been; “God find me faithful.” I have been journeying through the scriptures what a life of faith actually looks like, and I definitely have not arrived yet or know the solution. However, my desire is to walk in greater faith and be faithfully obedient to what God calls me to day by day. There are rhythms of prayer, intercession and worship that have been cultivated in this season that I will for sure be holding onto going forward.

So What’s next?

Over the next few weeks and months, there are a few exciting projects and courses that we get to be a part of. Jaco will be continuing to help facilitate the worldview course until end of June as well as continuing in his online leadership course. Ashley has a small break between courses from her college degree which she is excited about. This is because it gives her the chance to be part of some middle-school and high-school summer camps focused on teaching, equipping and activating the youth of our Island to know who they are in Christ, to Love God and learn to live a whole-heartedly missional lifestyle. We believe that there is no junior Holy Spirit and we see throughout scripture and church history how God loves to use youth and you revivals to spark big moves of God. Ashley will be helping head out the middle-school age-group section for the first two weeks of July.

Also in July, Ashley will continue with her incredible degree and we will together with the Revival and Reformation team start praying into this next year. At this point we are still planning on running a full 9-month Foundations for Revival and Reformation starting in September to see another group of hungry young people; learn about God’s word, His World and how to communicate his word to his world. We will definitely appreciate your prayers that this school will be able to go ahead in full capacity. We are trusting and expectant for God to move in a mighty way in this next year as we continue to dream about planting a Revival and Reformation school in South Africa in the coming years. We believe that it is God’s heart that this school can be used as one of many tools to not only wake people up to become citizens of the kingdom but also teach and equip them to live life as citizens of the kingdom.

Thank you for your prayers, support, love and encouragement, stay tuned for some exciting news that we will be sharing soon.

We wanted to give you guys some tools and resources as to how you to can get trained, equipped and activated to live a missional lifestyle right where you are. Below are some links to some incredible courses and resources that we highly, highly recommend and believe in. Please remember to check out our testimonies blog and let us know if you have any comments, questions or feedback.

Once again thank you for your love, support and encouragement, we could not do what we do without all of you.

Blessings

The Diederiks

Tools for getting engaged and activated:

How can you get involved/trained equipped over the summer: