7 minute read
Hi friends and family, thanks for checking out our update! Here’s what you’ll read in this one:
- School of Worship Online was a success!
- Ministry Life
- Levi is 2! (photos of this cutie included)
- Baby is coming soon! (photos of very pregnant Abi included! Haha)
School of Worship Online was a success!
Thanks to everyone who prayed for us during this Online School of Worship! The SOW finished up in September and was a major success in the fact that we heard so many testimonies of what God was doing in individuals’ lives throughout the school. Not only were people personally blessed and challenged, but God gave opportunities to the students to apply what they were learning in their own locations all across the world. That means there was strategic worship and prayer happening in 6 countries at once (often simultaneously) over a period of 3 months! We’re sure students will continue to apply what they learned. Something else that was very exciting and fun was we had 3 Texarkana residents participating in the school as well, including Abi’s mom! God is so worthy of worship from everyone everywhere and this was such a special season to see this happen in a new format.
The school was certainly a challenge for us as a family, with funny hours because of time differences and Abi being pregnant, along with our very active toddler. We were often tired, but God’s grace was there and we count ourselves privileged to be a part of the first YWAM School of Worship to run online. We learned a lot and are really grateful for your prayers and words of encouragement.
Ministry Life
Something new for us in this upcoming season is that Abi has changed ministries. After being a part of pioneering and providing leadership in her previous ministry, Worship for the Nations, for five years, God has led us and given us opportunity to work directly together as a couple. Abi is now joining Joel full time in the base worship team. This ministry has a lot of applications and vision, but the main things include songwriting, worship team development (musicianship and leadership), and mobilisation (calling people into the mission field, particularly through music).
This has been a growing dream and ours for a couple of years now, particularly in the area of songwriting. We’ve been writing songs together for some time, however, things were pretty limited with what we were able to do since Abi was so heavily involved in Worship for the Nations. We know this change is God’s perfect timing, and we’re excited to see how God develops it. Abi is currently at the end of her pregnancy, so things will really start to get into the swing after baby comes and things are more settled.
We’d love to chat to you more about this! If you have questions or just want to know more, please send us a message and we can chat!
Levi is 2!
Our little adventurous boy is two! He’s saying lots of funny things, is very sweet, INCREDIBLY active and is excited to meet the new baby! He’s definitely a two-year-old with two-year-old ways (expressing strong opinions and throwing tantrums here and there), but for the most part he’s a happy little dude. We love our boy and it was fun having a small celebration with his Aussie grandparents and visiting the zoo! His great-grandparents in the USA gifted our family Perth Zoo memberships for the year, so we’re looking forward to many more visits!
Levi loves (and asks for) cake! 
Smile! 
Levi and our friend Jane hanging out 
Levi and his friend Koa off to the park! 
First time on a bus! 
This is us like… every day. 
Mr. Cool Jr. 
“Selling pies” to Mummy at the playground 
Walking Tiffy, Grandma and Grandpa’s dog 
Looking at Mummy’s favourite animal at the Perth Zoo 
He calls her, “Grandma Elephant”, because she’s the same age as Grandma (pretty impressive)!
Baby is coming soon!
Squish #2 is coming very soon! Abi is 38 weeks and 3 days pregnant today. We’re hoping baby comes any day now, as all is looking well and we’re very ready to meet our newest family member. We will find out if baby is a boy or a girl when they are born, so there’s certainly some excitement and anticipation there, too!
Prayer Requests
- Thank God for His work in the School of Worship, and that it would grow and continue in and through the students across the world
- God’s wisdom over us as we transition into doing ministry together and learning how to do that with two small children
- God’s blessing over Levi as he learns and grows as a two-year-old, and smooth transition into being a big brother
- Encouragement and strength for Abi as she finishes this pregnancy, labours, and transitions into postpartum
- Joy, wisdom and strength for our whole family as we welcome our newest little Gayton into the world
Thank you so much for your prayers, support, and encouragement. Currently the Australian borders are still closed, and we are missing you all. We are grateful for God’s leadership, provision and kindness in these unprecedented times in the world. We deeply appreciate you and pray that this wild year would end in joy and blessings for you all.
Much love,
Abi, Joel, Levi, and Baby
abiandjoelmissions 