teaching!

Julia, Me, JiYe, Steph-at the Christmas Party
Here is just a quick update of this past week and few days to come.

Firstly--i will be home in a week today and i am so excited to come home!! Yesterday was a wonderful day, we had a Christmas party in the evening-the classroom and we each have a stocking and get to take it home with us for Christmas. We also had gingerbread house making contest--it was bible themed-Yes i am a Bible nerd i think. We did the red sea, it was really fun and then later on in the evening a bunch of us watched free willy--what a classic.

I am really enjoying today, i have my coffee, the Word and i am working on 2 Timothy. On Monday each of us students have to do a short teaching on the book. We take a theme, or a few verses and we have to inductively teach it for 25 minutes to our small groups. I still haven't picked exactly what i am going to talk about, but i figure that when i am done charting i will look back and see what impacted me the most and speak about that. I am a bit nervous--and we are getting graded on it, but i think it will be really good, lots of fun, and interesting. Tomorrow i will spend most of the day studying, reading commentaries and books for my teaching.

Tonight a few of us are going into town and are going to go look at Christmas lights--should be fun, and its nice to get away from the base.

I still cannot believe that in a week i will be finished 1/3 of the course. Time has flown by, and i am enjoying it so much. Don't get be wrong-i do have my struggles, and times where i just want to give up but God has given me so much grace and endurance for the Word that i just want to keep reading it, applying it and potentially teach it. Yesterday the Titus teams shared about there experience overseas teaching and it made me want to do that so much. What Titus is is 3 months course that is really encouraged for people to do after they completed the SBS and it runs from sept-dec. So for the first month you study here in montana--learning how to teach the bible-doing bible overview, teaching the inductive method and then for 2 months you go somewhere overseas with a team and teach. There were three teams, two went to south american and one went to mongolia. It was so encouraging to hear what they had to say and how God used them so much. I know for me-i really feel called to be a teacher--i am not sure if that means like a school teacher--or more of a bible teacher and i have always felt really inadequate for teaching the bible. If you would want me to teach english then i would have no problem but i have always been nervous with the bible--i don't want to be a false teacher, i want to say the right things, and i want to know what i believe and be able to answer the questions. And hearing the peoples testimonies from the teams were so encouraging they all felt that way-inadequate, some of them even said that they didn't receive the greatest grades in SBS and therefore they weren't sure if they could do it but they did! and they taught pastors, did church seminars, taught in other SbS' and dts' at ywam bases and God used them so much and it was amazing. The whole time they were talking i know God was like Breanne..you need to do this. And then i would be like..no God i cannot-i don't have the time, the money, the experience, or the knowledge and God is like Breanne--you can do all things through me. This was just so encouraging and i am going to be praying about this and see if I am going to pursue it.

Here are a few prayer requests:

--teaching on Monday-that i will have clarity, confidence and that I will speak truh

--this next week is busy--with teaching, one more book to do (James), and we have a test and just getting everything ready for leaving

--Coming home--just pray for the border, two girls from Korea are coming with me and the border shouldn't be a problem but just pray that everything works out.

Thanks so much everyone..miss you all, see you soon:)

i'll be home for Christmas

I will be home so soon for Christmas, 11 days i believe and i cannot wait. This week is going to fly by, I am doing three books, Colossians and 1 &2 Timothy. And then next week i am going to teach a bit of 2nd Timothy and then we do James...and on Friday we have a test and my 930pm i will be on my way home for Christmas! Two girls will be coming home with me-they are from South Korea and are wonderful, i cannot wait for them to meet my family and we will have to explore vancouver and find some good korean restaurant--they have been waiting for good korean food .

These last few days have been awesome, i finished Hebrews on Saturday. It was such a great book-really understanding about suffering and persevering. A big theme that i noticed in Hebrews is endurance and how both Jesus endured so much suffering for us and then us as Christians are called to persevere through life and the difficulties. Specifically in during the time of when Hebrews was written Nero was ruling and he persecuted the Christians so much-hearing what he did to them is so disturbing. And the author--who is unknown-we had lots of good discussions about regarding the author--if it was Paul, Apollos, Barnabas, Aquilla--was writing to the recently converted jewish Christians. There is lot of repetition in the book, which sometime was a bit difficult to chart but i feel like it really was engraved in my mind what the author was saying. And part of the charting process is application and i decided to write out my fears, and things that i worry about and then just pray into them. I still working on it but it has been so good so far-so much peace and reassurance that God is so good and help me through anything.

So something else interested is yesterday i took a spiritual gift tests and these were my results. 1. Missionary--i don't really think its a spiritual gift-but more of a lifestyle choice in bringing my spiritual gift to a different culture and sharing the gospel.

2. Mercy

3. Hospitality.

So i have been praying into that and seeing what i can learn from it--and it did definetly confirm my desire to be a missionary and be overseas sharing the love of God with others who are hurting and bring them hope.

A few other fun things that i have done this past week

--my roomate and i decorated our room :)

--a bunch of us watched Elf-such a good movie--Bye buddy

--Lots of us have been playing in the snow--there is an endless supply but its so cold so it doesn't pack the best but we still manage to make ice balls, and go sledding.

Today was such a great day, we had lecture on Colossians and there was a really powerful illustration at the end that really brought the book to life. Firstly a big theme in the book is that Christ is sufficient and he is in everyone--we don't need to work our way up to Him but he comes to us no matter where or who we are. The illustration was-Jeridan-the staff that was teaching the book brought to the front a huge plate of double chocolate cookies and everyone was eyeing them, and then he called up another one of the male staff members who was just standing in the front of the classroom. Jeridan went to the first student and asked if he would like a cookie and of course he said yes-and then he said to the other staff guy to do 10 pushups and once he completed them they received the cookie....this continued for every student even if the student said no they didn't want a cookie he still did pushups for them...he did over 200 pushups by the end. And by the end he was so tired, so weak, it was so painful for him to the pushups and he was just weeping. This showed how much Christ did for us, even for the ones that say no, Christ died for them, for everyone. The illustration might sound silly but it was really emotional-seeing him doing the pushups and struggling so much, and see the pain and this is so small compared to what Christ did. I am really looking forward to charting this book tonight.

Well thats about all that i can think about. I am so excited to come home, it will be great to see you so many of you!!!

3 weeks!

Aaron and I went to the airport one snowy night at midnight to pick up some friends, we decided to make some signs :) and embarrass them a little.

i will be home in less then 3 weeks...17 days actually. I am so looking forward to being home with the family, celebrating Christmas, sleeping in my bed, seeing friends, going to the christmas eve service..i am so excited:) This last weekend was American Thanksgiving and it was so great to celebrate and just have a time of rest before the end of quarter. I played guitar a lot which was really awesome, watched movies, went into time, read hebrews--which i am working through this week, played in the snow--so much snow, oh my word with icicles that are 4 feet long! It was a really great time to reflect on the past 2 months and what God has been teaching me and what he has been changing in me.

This week has been awesome so far. Ron Smith is speaking on Hebrews-him and his wife Judy were the ones who started up the SBS many years ago. He is so knowledgeable and really enjoyable to listen to. Yesterday my small group and i went into town to a mongolian grill for lunch, it was so good and then went to target--(target is a exciting outing in montana:). My roomate and i decorated our room--we have a little tree and wrapped our door like a present, its really cute:) Today we had another great lecture and I am just enjoying spending time outside, walking in the snow, and just taking in the beautiful creation.

Also on an exciting note i got my test scores back and i am doing really well, and i just feel like my hard work is paying off and that God is just teaching me so much. I have never been an amazing student that gets all the great grades, i have always really had to worked at it, and i just feel like my hard work is paying off--its so rewarding. God is just so good and a verses that i have been meditating on is 2 Corinthians 12:9-But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

hope you all have a wonderful day and i look forward to see so many of you soon--i cannot wait.

winter has arrived...

Flathead Lake

Well the snow has officially arrived-there is so much of it, it has snowed for like a week straight and doesn't compare to the little bits of snow we get at home, and because its so cold here it actually lasts. I really enjoy it a lot, even though we don't leave the base that much in this weather i still am able to go for walks, and sledding of course. So right now it is American Thanksgiving so over half the base is gone, so it is really empty and quiet here, which is lovely. After 9 weeks straight of working its such a blessing to have a few days off just to relax, sleep in, spend time with friends, and just enjoy beautiful montana.

On Thursday me along with 15 other people went over to a couples house for thanksgiving. They have a beautiful home right on flathead lake-(i will put some pictures up) and we visited, played games, ate a lot of food, watched a movie, it was just such a nice day, and felt like home. Speaking of home, i will be home in three weeks today, and i cannot wait. I am taking the train along with 2 girls that are coming home with me. They are both from Korea and are looking forward to coming to Canada and spending Christmas with my family!

So i have been leaning so much and have officially completed 13 books and am working on Psalms (Each week we go through around 6 Psalms)-so that by the end of the year we will have completed them all. Our last few books were 1 and 2 Corinthians-which i really enjoyed. 1 corinthians was probably one of my favorites and then 2 Corinthians-which is really different then first but still i learnt so much. One of the things i like about doing each book is that we do applications--and these are not things that we are going to do in a year or two, but things that we can do now and here. So it has been really encouraging seeing everyone apply their applications, and for me to, its been a real blessing to take what i have learnt from each book at put it into action.

God has really been speaking to me about my future and what he wants me to do. To be honest i don't know what exactly he wants for me, but i know that he has been saying Breanne you need to let go of everything and give it over to Him. I having been working on giving everything to Jesus-my future and i have always had a picture in my head of where i want to be in the future but God is just like breanne dont worry i have everything under control just trust me and give it all to me. I feel like i have reached the point where i can give God my education and if i meant to go back to University i will, but if not i am really ok with that. Just over a year ago God has said so clearly to me that im going to do missions and i feel like being here is helping me with that, knowing God's word and learning how to interpret.

Reading 1 Corinthians was a bit difficult just because it has lots of hard scriptures that are so often misinterpreted and abused. passages about women-head coverings, marriage, women being silent....things like that. BUt i feel like now i have a much better grasp of those things. It still baffles me as to how much i can learn from just reading about the history and what was happening back around 55AD.

I am so excited that my hunger to read God's word has not gone away, i get so excited and feel priviledged to read the word, to observe, interpret and apply it. It is amazing how each book is different and i learn so much more about God's character. A major theme in 2 Corinthians that i noticed were that Paul was writing about the marks of a true apostle. Ultimately Paul was an amazing apostle and even in his weakness the Lord gave him so much strength and that is my prayer, for me that i will strive to be like, to humble myself completely and when i am weak=because i am weak God will strengthen me so much and i will be able to do good works for Him.

God is just so good, and has and is blessing me so much as I am here with amazing teachers, staff, students, and just his beauty. It is snowing a lot again-as usual i think i am going to take a walk and then later a few of us have volunteered to ring the bell for the salvation army.

Have a great day..miss you all, love you

Lakeside Montana

View of Flathead Lake-really close to the base

Gyulnara and I, running buddies.

It is so beautiful here and I am just really enjoying God's creation. The weather is similar to home and i just love it. This lake is huge, its called Flathead lake--its super cold though because the glaciers melt into it.

buns by the lake

there is a really cute coffeeshop that is a logbuilding that is right on the lake. I have gone there a few times to study and its so beautiful just watching the sun burn off the fog on the lake. i love it here....oh and the first time i was talking about this place i called it beans on the beach..but its buns on the lake. They have such good cinnamon buns

...desire to be a humble servant

It has been a really long time since i have last posted a blog, i really am going to try to do a blog weekly but i am not going to promise. These past three weeks have been really intense. I have completed quite a few books: Mark, Luke, 1,2 Thessalonians and currently i am working on Philippines. These two gospel weeks of Mark and Luke were really busy, lots of charting because they are such huge books and so many revelations and realizations, its been amazing and really overwhelming. This week has been better =its called small book week, 1,2 Thess and Philippines, so that has been quite refreshing.

God has been teaching me so much and healing my heart a lot and renewing my mind. I feel like my faith is so much real, i know what i believe, and i really just want to share it and that is so clearly what God wants us to do. The story in Luke 10 when Jesus sends out the 72 really hit home for me and i was able to relate to it so much, and i feel like my heart is in that. The Lord appointed 72 people to go out before him and said that "the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few" and Jesus sent them out-with nothing, no money, no sandals, nothing--Except the power of Jesus to heal people, and cast out demons and they had authority. I just felt so convicted reading this, I want to be like them, to leave everything, to be completely humbled and serve Jesus and do mighty things through his name. To be bold and proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth.

I was asked to share at the community meeting last week and i shared about what God has been teaching me here and while i was preparing for that I did not know how to narrow it down to just one or two things. So i decided to talk about fears and how fear had really ruled my life for sometime-the fear of being along, the fear of not having money, fear of not knowing my future..and more. Two weeks ago I broke down and was weeping and crying out to God to free me of this things and he did, it was so amazing--before i was feeling so tight and bound and after i felt so free and i had such confirmation that God is going to do some amazing things through me and it was wonderful. I had a major sense of peace. I shared about this at the meeting as well as the fear of my future and i feel like i have been able to give it up to God and i will go wherever he leads me-no matter where that may be i want to do whatever he asks of me and i know if i am obedient he will make everything work out and i have no need to fear but i must trust and hold onto him for strength.

This past week was a bit frustrating, i got a letter saying that i need to start repaying back my student loans because ywam isn't one of the eligible schools so that was really hard. I do not have money to pay them back, and with me being in the states communication is hard as well. I called and have emailed and i think i will be able to get it down to only paying interest while i am here so that is a bit more doable. I am still not sure how that will all work out but God has really been telling me that i am here in montana for a reason and that he is going to work it all out, i need to trust and seek him, he will be my strength and i don't need to fear or be filled with worry.

There is so much more that i could talk about but i need to start writing weekly so that i can include all these things. Ultimately i can say that i am being changed so much, i am learning to be a servant, a humble servant and in being that--it involves suffering which is a bit scary to think about but its true-persecution and suffering will happen and that is part of being a Christian. Another huge revelation that i have had when reading 1 and 2 thess is the whole idea of the end times and what that looks like. I feel like before coming here i really feared the end times-especially those left behind books and movies that i have watched but by reading Thessalonians it is so clear that we are not to be scared, it will happen fast, we will not know when but its a good thing and we are to encourage people with this and it should not be something to fear at all. Paul wants to encourage the church because they had thought the 2nd coming had already happened but indeed it had not. Everyday new revelations, its so amazing.

To change the subject completely-i have started to run everyday, its so nice here but its going to snow soon so i am trying to get in a routine before it comes. I go with a friend-a girl from the Ukraine and it has been great just to talk and run with her, discuss things, struggles, pray with each other and enjoy the nature that surrounds us. We run to the lake which is gorgeous and often we see deer--no bears yet, and i hope that won't ever happen. BUt it has been so nice to get outside after being inside all day studying and reading God's word.

Also i have been a bit homesick, the people here are amazing, it really feels like home and family but its still hard and i miss people at home and comforts of home and sometimes i get a bit overwhelmed with people everywhere and it is difficult to find and places just to be by myself and reflect on what im learning and what God wants to teach me.

I cannot wait for Thanksgiving, i am going to a couples house on the staff--they live on the lake and we will have a big dinner there in a few weeks so that will be really nice, and christmas cannot come fast enough. I do really love it here, but i just continue to be a bit overwhelmed with everything. Here are a few specific prayer requests:

---Clarity and retention when reading the bible

---sense of peace and not fear for my future, wherever that may be

---that everything gets worked out with my previous student loan

thanks for taking time to read this and i hope it brought you encouragement to read God's work and to make your faith so personal and real.

love you all

Bre

Birthday Time!

Blessed...

Sorry it has been a while since i last posted, lots has happened in the past few weeks. I have now completed 5 books, just finished Acts yesterday and we are starting on Luke tomorrow and we are having a guest speaker that is apparently amazing-so this should be another great week. These past few weeks have been pretty crazy, lots of reading, charting and exploring God's word. Before come to SBS i was so nervous as to if i was smart enough, or if i would get my work done and amazingly and only by the grace of God i have been learning so much and retaining what i am reading--its so awesome, like i feel like the Bible is coming alive and that I am able to myself into the reader and hearers point of view-learning about the history and what was happening back then and really understand what the speak meant, and what God means. The bible is so easily taken out of context if you don't look at what is happening at the time, it has really blown me away.

I have also been learning a lot about distractions and i have really been trying to put aside things that consume to much of my time. I really want to be here and be devoted to getting to know myself and knowing who i am in Christ, and know his word so much better. As a result i have deactivated my facebook account for a while. So if you would like to contact me either respond to the blog or email me at breclaassen@gmail.com. And i love getting emails so if you have time to write, i wanna know what is happening back at home, if there is anything that i can pray for and yeah its good to hear about what is happening-i kind of feel like i am in a bubble here a bit-just because i am not close to home and we don't leave the base too much.

God has really been teaching me about the Holy Spirit-especially in acts-the story of Stephen and him being stoned and then the Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. I found myself getting quite emotional when reading Stephen's speech and plea, and then how at the end when he is being stoned he says "Lord do not hold this sin against them"...i know sometimes i think being a christian is easy and when really we are to stand up for what we believe in and we are to proclaim the gospel even if that means suffering and persecution. God will never leave us nor forsake us and we have the Holy Spirit will grant us power to stand up, and stand firm in what we believe. The story of Philip and how he is so sensitive so the spirit and goes up and leaves on the road towards Gaza--which from Jerusalem is a really long road-and listens to the prompting of the spirit and goes and talks to the Ethiopian Eunuch-who just happens to be reading Isaiah and Philip is able to explain things to him, share the gospel and then amazingly he was baptized!! I really want to live like Philip and do whatever the spirit tells me, even if it seems crazy or scary. I need to get over the fear of what others will think and i need to live by faith, walk in the Spirit and proclaim the Gospel in boldness and confidence.

God has just been so good-i feel like i have been able to rest in his spirit and the whole idea of overflowing with love and blessings--knowing that God want to fill us with the Spirit and no matter how much we give away he will keep filling us...which is so amazing :) i think i can be so selfish sometime and only think of myself and my needs but really i need to have the mindset of giving, unity and a community--like the church in acts 4-and how they have everything in common and there is not a needy person amongst them because the give of what they have-just so amazing!

I am really loving it here-the people are so awesome, living in community is so much fun, my roomate is a sweetheart, i have a great small group and everyone is just wonderful. Christmas is going to be awesome when i come home because two girls from Korea will be coming home with me-they are pumped to see Vancouver and experience Christmas in Canada.

Oh and also i was able to have a great thanksgiving last week. One of our staff members is from Canada and his family is living on the base right now and his mom made all the Canadians a great thanksgiving dinner--so good turkey, mash potatoes, yams, cranberries...pumpkin pie--so good :) such a blessing and it was really refreshing to be with a bunch of canadians and celebrating-was a bit like home :)

Well it is sunday morning-i am finished my work duties for this past week-so starting tomorrow i can actually get up at 7 and not 530, which will be great :) Today is a girls birthday-so we are going to decorate her room, and we are going shopping for some of her favorite things-she is from Nepal, this is her first time to north america and its so awesome to get to know her-she bring so much joy. I love how the school here is so international with people from literally all over the world. We had an international day last week-where we had a room filled with a bunch of tables and each country had a different tables, it was so cool. We did have a canadian table with tim hortans coffee and nanaimo bars:) everyone loved it.

Well i should get going-i am going to take some pictures of the base here and post them soon hopefully :)

--Bre

3 down...63 to go

well as you can see by the title i have completed 3 books!! woot woot-we are told to celebrate when we complete a book. I have done Philemon...Titus...Ephesians and i just started Galations-read it out loud and am currently working on paragraph titles and doing horizontals (main idea charting). It feels so great to be accomplishing these things. Tonight as my friend and I read Galations out loud by the creek, and it was so awesome reading it. I feel like i am getting to know Paul-learning about his character, seeing him upset, excited, proud and disappointed with the churches. While reading he mentioned Titus-and my friend and i both were like--ah we know Titus (cause we already completed the book). And as i was reading i found a great verse and shouted ah that should be my key verse-i love it! I love how everything is starting to coming together and once SBS is completed it will be like a complete masterpiece!

This last week was pretty overwhelming-with a few minor breakdowns and crying sessions-but its good. There is no way i could do this all...without God. He is my strength, i continue to pray for a hunger for the word and a mind that can stay clear and comprehend. I pray that i will be able to apply everything that i am learning to my life-my relationship with God, friends and family.

I feel so blessed..i went to the office to ask how much i still owed for the school, and the lady was like wow well actually we owe you money! so many people had helped me out with paying for the school that i had overpaid when i brought in my money order, how amazing is that! thanks to everyone who helped me out financially, i appreciate it so much, and feel so blessed. its so good to not have to worry about school fees for the rest of the year. I love how God works out every tiny detail. Currently i am still figuring out a few things with student loans that i had taken out last year for school-i am just trying to prove to them that i am attending school-YWAM is an accredited university so i am just working on some paper work-if you can just pray that it all works out.

Another thing that i am learning is to be quiet before God and listen. Sometimes during worship i always felt that i needed to sing every word out an move around but i am realizing that God wants to speak to me and i need to listen and be sensitive to his prompting whatever that may mean. In Ephesians while i was reading about the armor of God some things came to my mind. Firstly i know that whenever i thought of the armor of God it was like oh if i am going through a difficult time i need to put on the armor of God and ask him to cover me-not that that is wrong but i am realizing that in order to put on the armor of God i need to know him. In order to have the sword of the spirit i need to know God's word and read the bible often, to have the shield of faith i need to have faith and trust in God....and so on. I think the armor of God is something that i am striving to have, for we are in a constant battle with evil and in order to stand up against it we need to know God, understand his works, his word and go for it! Also the major theme of Ephesians is unity and realizing how we need to work together as a body-all with different parts none not more important or less than another. God uses us all. And of course we covered the wonderful verses of wives submit to your own husbands....and i have a better understand of that chapter and what Paul is meaning.

I could write so much more but i really need to concentrate on Galations now, i cannot wait to see what God is going to teach me in this book!!

miss you all....

...fall in love with Jesus

I have been here for only 10 days, it feels more like a few months. It is starting to feel at home, my dorm is cozy, i am getting to know all the people in my program, i have a routine, and am already swamped with work. So far I have completed 2 books of the bible-philemon and titus and a currently working on ephesians. Yes they do start with the smaller books, just so that we can understand and grasp the method easier. Method includes: Observation--> Interpretation--> Application.

Last week was filled with orientations, workshops and Montana night!! We had lots of fun getting dressed in our best Montana outfit, ate outside and enjoyed some square dancing-followed by a huge bonfire. Last Saturday we headed to Glacier national park and hiked up a mountain and ended up at a glacier lake-i posted some pictures of it on facebook.

This past has been crazy, finishing up Titus, starting work duties (Dreaded 530am) not that fun but o well. I am also pretty sick right now-my sinus', fever and bad cough, if you can pray that i will feel better and recover fast that would be great!

God has been teaching me a lot, i don't even know exactly where i should start. Well firstly i have to admit that i have been extremely overwhelmed this week with all the reading, charting and hw to do. I feel like i am not able to comprehend everything that i am taking in so i am constantly asking God for wisdom, knowledge and a teachable spirit as i read these books. These three epistles that i have been studying have all been written by Paul to different churches and its hard to believe that these people were like us, sinned, made mistakes and God gave them grace. I honestly don't even know where to start....my brain is just jammed full with info.

Oh something happened yesterday that was really powerful. Last night at class, all of sudden two guys in black came into our classroom and yelled for everyone to get out and follow them (later to find out that is was all rehearsed) and we were forced to walk outside-through a whole bunch of people that were acting out to be Romans. Some were wanting us to buy meat that was killed for sacrifices to gods, some wanted to sell us charms and sculptures of different gods...we then ended up in a theatre room and there were actors that were dressed up as all the different mythological greek gods and it showed how the christians in rome were incredibly persecuted. At the end we sang and gathered together-it was incredibly moving and touching-i cannot really explain it except that i am so privileged to live in a time that i do not need to go through that much persecution. There is so much more i am sure.....but its late and i need to get some sleep.

Oh one other thing a girl at the base was born with one leg 11mm shorter then the other and yesterday a some people prayed over her and watched her leg grow-now they are even! Praise God! It is so amazing seeing her walking around with no limp anymore :)

love you all, miss you and i would love to hear from you :) oh yes, i have also realized that i need and desire to fall in love with Jesus so much more and learn about his amazing character!

Lakeside Montana

So i have been here for 3 days, have 1.5 days of classes and i am feeling really good. We have just over 40 students doing the SBS and there are lots of other schools running at the base right now as well. In total there are around 300 people at the base. Yesterday was awesome, we started our morning with worship with everyone crammed into the lecture hall. I loved it so much, it is always so refreshing seeing hundreds of people worshipping God and seeing praises. We then had orientation and met everyone and the staff, it so awesome. We have people from all over the world-Norway, England, Ukraine, Kosovo, States and Canada (quite a few canadians).

This morning we had more of an official first class and started with the book of Philemon (it is the smallest book) and there is a 12 step process of going through the book. I won't go in major detail but it includes reading the book over 5 times, making titles, color coating, charting, and a lot more :) let the fun begin. It is going to be really intense. Also when we read the books we have to read them in one sitting--so Psalms is going to be a good 4 or 5 hours!

Today we are enjoying our last few hours of freedom before the homework piles up. We each have work duties as well, i have morning meal prep so every other week i have to be in the kitchen at 6am to prep for the meals-oh let the early mornings begin! I have a meeting in a bit regarding what the duties fully include and then tonight we have another class that will be all about color coating and about "observation" when reading the bible.

I feel so blessed being here, i know God wants me here and that He has so much that He wants to teach me. Everyone here is so nice and i feel like i belong, i am so ready for this.

My prayer is that my heart will be open to whatever God wants to teach me, that i will be able to put away past teaching, assumptions, cultural blindness and my prejudices and that i can just listen and be ready to learn. I want to gain in my confidence and who i am in Christ, i want to apply what i am learning to my lifestyle and actions.

I love mail and if you would like to send me something my address is

Breanne Claassen-SBS

501 Blacktail Rd.

Lakeside MT 59922

United States

If you would like to call me ( we are one hour ahead and please don't call after 10pm) my dorm phone is 1-406-844-2401

arrived

i finally made it to Montana after a 14 hours train ride, what an adventure. Firstly i waited in the train station for a few hours before boarding and it was so interesting people watching.-It was quite entertaining actually with a cute little old man sitting across from me with short cargo pants, a wrinkly jacket and socks with slip in sandals. His hair was a mess and looked like the professor from Back to the Future.

Once on the train, i was able to relax in the comfy trains, listen to music and enjoy the amazing scenery. It was absolutely gorgeous driving up the coast a bit as the tide was going in. Small little inlets with couples walking along the shore, a family flying a kite and almost every person had a dog. It was incredibly serene and calming watching the sun go down slowly. Once on the train i was able to fall in and out of sleep, but with the constant movement of people and the train's horn, it was difficult to get a proper sleep. Around 7am we pulled in Whitefish Montana, after waiting for luggage and talking to come fellow travelers. The ride from the train station to the base was just under and hour, and base is amazing. It i an old army base=so the buildings are all in rows and straight lines. I was able to unpack everything and get settled in and have a nap and shower before my room mate came. She is a total sweetheart and i think we will get along really well.

I am really exhausted with little sleep on friday and next to none on the train i should head to bed. Tomorrow breakfast is around 7 and then at 8 we have orientation. I am looking forward to meeting the people in my program because right now there are around 200 people at the base and i have no idea who is doing my program and who are involved in other areas.

Pray Requests:

-that tomorrow goes smoothly and that i am able to meet new people

-that i will feel like i am living in a community and get to know others

-that God will continue preparing me for this year-open up my heart, eyes and spirit to his leading

-that i will be able to manage my time well and prioritize because i figure i will have a fairly heavy workload.

tomorrow..

Wow, i leave in less than 24 hours. Bags are almost packed, still a bunch of errands to do, heart is pounding and my mind is going in circles, yet i am excited about this next adventure of my life. Tomorrow i will embark on a journey that will hopefully change my life forever. I will be fully immersed in God's Word for 9 months. I will be reading the scriptures, looking at the history, putting myself into the audience of when the bible was first written.

prayer requests:

-tomorrow i will be taking an overnight train to Whitefish-pray that it all goes smoothly and that i get to the school.

-pray for my family-especially Mom who is still in the hospital, pray that she has a fast recovery and that saying goodbye is not to hard (it will be though)

-pray that i continue to have a willing heart ready to learn and that i am open to whatever God wants to teach me

-pray for my roomate and schoolmates-i do not know any of them and i just hope i will connect with them.

Thanks for reading this, please let me know how you are doing and how i can pray for you. I love you all so much and look forward to seeing you next summer!

--Breanne

...5 days

So in 5 days I will be leaving for Montana to take part in the School of Biblical Studies with Youth With a Mision (YWAM). I will be gone till July, but coming home for Christmas.

After I completed my DTS with YWAM in 2007, I knew that I wanted to continue on with YWAM but was not sure what that meant-if I was going to staff a DTS, or do another school. While in England in 07 many of our speakers had completed the SBS program and spoke highly of it, and that always interested me but also intimidated me. This program is really intense and I will be reading through the Bible about 5 times in 9 months which sounds crazy!! Before I left for India this past January God was putting SBS on my heart and I asked God to be really clear with me on this trip if I was meant to do an SBS. And guess what-He did! I had a hunger to read the bible, many people were asking me questions about the Bible that i was not able to answer and i did not like that-i knew i needed more wisdom and knowledge-especially because i have a missions heart and would like to go into full time missions someday.

And now i am here, I leave in 5 days, taking the train to Montana. I am extremely scared and feel pretty inadequate and not sure if i am going to make it through-but at the same time there is this voice saying "Breanne you can do this, I am calling you there and have so much i want to teach you." God has been so clear that i am meant to go Montana. He has not closed any doors and everything is working out financially and with all the paperwork. These next few days are going to be really busy and overwhelming. I am learning that i need to take things day by day, and not be overwhelmed but at the same time i should not procrastinate.

My heart is very clear, but my mind is scared, i know i am meant to do this despite my worrying. I cannot wait to read and dive into the word with a whole bunch of others. I cannot wait for a fresh start, meeting new people, to see how God is going to shape me and form me. I want to truly encounter the love of God, through the wonderful gift (Bible) he has given to us.

I pray that God will calm and open my spirit, give me excitement and let me have peace of mind..