Family Portrait: How many days has been the longest Dan and Carole have been apart?

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How many days has been the longest 
Dan and Carole have been apart 
in their 4.5 years of marriage? 


Clue #1: It was March 2012. 

Clue #2:  Dan visited his brothers and their wives, Grant and Sarah in NY and Kelby and Rachel in NC. He also made a visit and met the team at YWAM DC. 

Clue #3: It was planned that I would go to Nicaragua and do Spanish school but due to my infected root canal stayed in Costa Rica recovering. But the last week of the of the month, I got to go home and visit my family in Chicago!


Clue #4: As a way to love me through words of affection, which is one of my love languages, he wrote a letter for each day that we would be apart. I still read those letters when He is away. :)


 The answer is . . . 30 Days

The night Dan left for Kyrgyzstan

This trip is a total of 16 days and we only have 2 more days to go. 
As Dan will be arriving in DC Wednesday night! 

During the last 14 days, I have had the opportunity to catch up and see many people! It has been a joy to do so!  Below are some pictures of friends and family saw! 

Mom and Dad McClelland at the farm! 
Got the van fixed in PA and got 3 relaxing days with God and nights of great fellowship!

Me, Amanda, Anna and Liz! For an early B-day gathering for me!

Bible Study in MD, seeing old friends and made some new ones. 


Laura Penrod and me on the train! I love this girl! 

Sleepover with Mariah and Laura! We talked until 1 or 2 in the morning! 

Then the next morning, Mariah made Gluten-free pancakes for us! Yum!

Catch up dinner and beautiful walk with Shani and Jessica, two amazing staff at YWAM DC. 

Blessed to catch up with Heather twice and once meeting her parents after church! 

Sharla, a breath of fresh air, always!  Hanging out sharing what God has been teaching us!

Up Close and Personal: Girl Time-Botanical Gardens

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Quick Update on trips:


Dan and the team are made it to Kyrgyzstan.  They are doing well. The team there is very international and Dan loves it.  He is roommates with a man from Germany.  They are having some awesome breakthrough in prayer for countries in Central Asia, praying for a different country everyday. Above is a picture of the mountains in Kyrgyzstan, Dan sent me. 

The team left this morning to RIT/NTID in New York.  Last night they were all excited and ready to go! Kimberlee, the kids and I leave tomorrow morning for our trip to New York for the base directors meeting, where we will share what has been happening at YWAM DC! 

(Carole, Liza, Kari, Renca)

 At the start of the year, we started discipleship groups at our base, where once every week or two weeks a smaller group of woman (or men but not woman and men unless you are in the married couple discipleship group) get together for a connection!  So the ASL girls get together and the ASL boys get together. We call it girls time or men time!


During the past season of Breakthrough 45, we lived and prayed in the same building. So, we have been excited to have our girl time out of the building and do something more active.  The girls decided that we would take turns planning a time out with each other.  Last month, I got free week-long gym passes for the girls and we went to the gym.  We all got to work out and spend time in the gym's Jacuzzi. 

 
The boys have been going out as well.  They usually go to a coffee shop or take a walk outside, processing what God has been doing in their lives and encouraging one other.

During the first week of March,  Liza planned a day out for the girls at the Botanical Gardens in DC.  It was amazing to walk around beautiful nature and flowers and see all the different displays.  Some time we spend sitting on a bench and reading in beauty, chatting and catching up with each other, and just walking around in awe of the beauty. 

Below are some pictures Liza took while we were there!




Setting Focus: March

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Praises: 

-Breakthrough 45 is complete!  It was such a stretching and growing time for each of us here, doing deep to the core of who we are and from that place praying for the nations! Every night was awesome and different, but the night 42 were were prayed for the blood of Jesus to cover every nation by name was so awesome!  We had a glass bowl and everyone that day got in a line and just picked a country name from the bowl and said a three sec prayer for the country and then got back in line until we prayed for all the countries in the world, plus Puerto Rico!



-Brandon has joined our team once again in DC, we are so grateful for this amazing man of God and his radical child-like faith! Our team is now complete! 
ASL ministry men: (Dan, Gabriel, Brandon, and Jonathan)

-Our team got a camera for video updates and trailers for future events. 
Thank you for all to give support for us to buy the camera!  Dan is very excited about it! 
Check out the video and webpage, Dan made with our team's new camera,
about the Burning Embers Tour http://www.asldts.com/BE/


Prayer Points for the March: 
-Smooth transition into the next season of trips for our team
-Sending out month: Just like Jesus sent out the 72 in Luke 10, he is sending us out on three trips during the month, at the end of the month just like Jesus we will come back together and debrief and testify what God did.  Please be praying for each trip!


Trip #1: Dan to Kyrgyzstan  
March 10th-March 26th
Prayer and fast for revival for countries in Central Asia

The team ready to go! (Jason, Dan, Abigail, and Bailey) and they left Sunday, March 10th, night.  
They arrived safety and are joining the crew already there praying! 

Prayer Requests
-Gods heart to be poured out on Dan and the team for the people in the countries in Central Asia
-Safety of airplane trips to and from Kyrgyzstan 
-Ability to learn all he can from pioneers in YWAM and bring back to our team 


Trip #2: Carole YWAM Base Directors Conference 
March 17th - 20th 
Gathering of YWAM base directors of the Northeast region 

Kimberlee and me!

Hershey kids: Anthem, Cadance, Blaze and Avella 

Prayer Requests
Safety for driving with Kimberlee and her kids to PA, then to NY and back to PA and then DC
Continuation of strong long-term relationships that Kimberlee (and Jason) have at the conference
Base directors being refreshed and encouraged through each other's flame of God
A time of blessing and fun with Kimberlee and I on the road

Trip #3: ASL team to Universities 
March 16th-23rd 
Investing and pouring out into Deaf students at East Coast Universities

A picture of our trip last Fall to RIT/NTID of
some of the amazing friends the team will see again at Hands of Fire 

Prayer Requests:
Wisdom and guidance from God for how to encourage people they see and meet 
Divine Appointments for sharing Jesus and the gospel 
Provision (housing, food, finances) for the trip 
Fun team bonding time

I LIKE GIRL SCOUT COOKIES

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I Like Giving is about experiencing the joy of giving. 
We all have something to give. 
Giving goes way beyond money or things. 
It can be a listening ear, a touch, or simply the gift of time.
 Giving is living. 

-Back cover of I Like Giving by Brad Formsma


I have been reading called I Like Giving by Brad Formsma.  The book is filled with stories of people giving to others in fun creative ways.  Check out www.ilikegiving.com for videos and blogs about people who have been a lifestyle of generosity.  I have been so inspired by reading this book that Dan and I are looking for opportunities to give generosity in unique ways, the story below is one of those opportunities. All of Brad's videos or blogs start with I Like . . . so thus the name of our story. 

 I LIKE GIRL SCOUT COOKIES

Girl Scout Cookie season has officially begun! As, Dan and I were walking to Barnes and Nobles for a relaxing, fun, reading date, we saw the famous boxes of cookies and young girls scouts selling them at a stand!.  Girl scout cookies are great but I saw it as an opportunity to spread the joy of giving to others.  So I asked Dan if we could buy a box of cookies and then ask the girl who sold it to us to give it away.  Quickly a smile formed on Dan's face and I knew he was in!  

So we walked up and meet Tonya, a girl scout about the age of 8, selling cookies.  We paid for a box of cookies, but instead of taking the box, I asked if Tonya if she could do us a favor.  I explained that we personally did not want the box of cookies but would love if she would take her favorite kind of cookies and give it away to someone!  Tonya's whole face lit up with excitement and shouted "I want to give a box away!" She grabbed a box of Samoas (my favorite kind too) and ran off!  Dan and I smiled and walked towards Barnes and Nobles for our date.  

We do not know the end of the story.  We do not know who received the free box of Samoas but we do know that it was the highlight of our date, seeing Tonya, an 8 year old girl, catch the joy of giving!

Simple obedience changes history.  
I love simply obeying and seeing history change, one moment one person at a time. 

Panoramic View of 2014

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Breakthrough 45
"From the Core to the Uttermost"
Jan, Feb and beginning of March


Currently, our team is joining with the whole YWAM DC team in "Breakthough 45". We meet 3 hours a night for a corporate time of worship and prayer.  As the ASL ministry team, we have been also meeting together daily to share what God has been doing and pray for various Deaf ministries around the world and the Deaf community. 

 Below is a summary of this season written by Jason Hershey.  It is such a joy to have this time with the whole community, allowing God to heal the deepest parts of us and praying for the nations as our inheritance! 

Psalms 2:6-7 encapsulates the heart of this upcoming prayer season. "I will tell of the decree of the Lord: The Lord said to me, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will make the nations your heritage and the ends of the earth your possession." 

God has been speaking to us about going to the core with Abba. This is about inner healing in the depths of our being, where the Holy Spirit is given full reign to bring us into our full destiny as sons and daughters of God. This means nothing is out of bounds for God to come and begin to expose and confront, but ultimately to forgive and to heal. This journey to the core for each one of us, will change the whole world. It is about developing the House of Prayer, Abba's House, in our inner man. 

Equally, last fall, God began speaking about the destiny of all nations to know Him. A jealousy for America's apostolic call to preach the Gospel to all nations began to rise in me. Is this not part of the revival we are praying for America? That America would be a blessing to all nations, especially Israel? 

Similar to the Nazi regime and communism, there will come a day when the power of the deception of Islam will be broken. There will be a prayer movement that will tip the bowls of intercession to these ends. This will result in a harvest of incomparable magnitude. Breakthrough 45 will lean into this worldwide breakthrough. God is Father. Jesus is His Son. There is an inheritance.

Short-term trips: Stepping Out and Pouring Out
March

The month of March is an month filled with short-term mission trips developing relationships, stepping out of our comfort zones, learning from the wisdom and experience of others and investing in others! Below are information about the three trips we have planned!

 
Trip #1: Dan to Kyrgyzstan  
March 10th-March 26th
 21 day prayer and fast for revival for countries in Central Asia

Dan will be joining Jason Hershey and two others on our team with others around the globe for a 21 day prayer and fast for the countries in Central Asia.  Jason had it in his heart to go, and asked the team to pray about going and asked Dan specifically to join the team.  We prayed as a couple, and sensed a YES in both of our spirits for him to go! Dan is excited about spending more time learning from pioneers in missions such as Jason Hershey and other leaders who will be attending.  They will have a full schedule praying for revival in a Central Asia countries, such as Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan,Turkey and more. The conference starts March 1st and goes until March 21st, however our team will be arriving 10 days late due to Breakthrough 45 ending on March 8th.  This will be Dan's first time to Asia and this part of the world so he is very excited! 


Praise Report! 
God moved on one of our supporters hearts, and Dan's trip to Kyrgyzstan is fully paid for!  Dan's airplane tickets, housing and food for the 16 days is fully covered! This was completely unexpected but a HUGE blessing! Our Dad is a good Dad! We are so grateful for each one of our supporters! Truly would not be able to do what we do without you! 

Trip #2: Carole YWAM Base Directors Conference 
March 17th - 20th 
Gathering of YWAM base directors of the Northeast region 

When Jason Hershey and Dan are in Kyrgyzstan, there is a base directors gathering of all the YWAM base directors in the NE region of the United States.  Jason usually attends this gathering however as he will not be in the US. He asked Kimberlee, his wife and me, to attend to represent the YWAM base in DC.  It was a such honor to be asked to go and share what God is doing in our community in DC.  

I am also so excited about spending some time with Kimberlee!  Kimberlee and I will be driving to PA to drop off her amazing children with their aunt and uncle and cousins for the 4 days and then driving to the gathering in NY. Since, Dan and I have moved out of the Hershey house into base community living, I have had the opportunity to see Kimberlee about once every two weeks but I am super excited about having an extended amount of time with this amazing godly woman and great friend. 


Trip #3: ASL team to Universities 
March 10th-23rd 
Investing and pouring out into Deaf students at East Coast Universities

During Dan's two week trip to Kyrgyzstan, our team (with newly added Brandon, who is joining us in DC again at the start of March! YAY!) will be prayer walking, continuing and building relationships with Deaf students at East Coast universities.  The team will be going to Gallaudet University, here in Washington DC as well as making a trip up north to RIT and VFCC during Gallaudet's spring break March 15th-23rd.   The plans for the trip is still being finalized but the team is so excited to see old friends and meet new ones at these universities and share what God has been doing with them! 

Ready, Set . . .
 April and May

During the months of April and May, we will be preparing for our summer coast to coast road trip! It will be a season of developing, creating and practicing dramas, messages, songs and more to share on the road trip! As well as finalizing the plans of places we will visit and homes we will stay in! We are excited to spend time encouraging and igniting God's fire in the states! 

 . . . GO!
"Burning Embers Tour" 
June and July 


(website page coming soon)
We will be on the road for exactly two months, traveling coast to coast across America connecting, imparting and igniting!  Keep your eye out for the trailer of the road trip that Dan filmed and editing now! 

Prayer Requests
Logistics and finances for the tour: Transportation, Food and Housing 
Specifically we need a 12 passenger van to transport all of our staff (8 including Dan and I) and our luggage
Holy Spirit guidance in preparing our presentations and teachings for the tour 

Sept 2014 ASL DTS Lecture Phrase
Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec 


After the tour, we will have 2 weeks off before starting staff training for the second ASL DTS held in Washington DC (For more information and link to apply go to www.asldts.com)!  We will have 3 weeks of planning, training and preparing for our new students to come!  Arrival day for the ASL DTS is Sept. 19th.  The lecture phrase will be to the end of the year, giving the students the opportunity to go home for a short time for Christmas and then jump into outreach phrase at the start of the year 2015!  Graduation day will be Feb 27th.  We are so excited for the next group of students that desire to know God and make him known! We have accepted one student so far and there are a few that are in the process of applying! Thank you Jesus! 

Men of Steel send their love . . . Happy Valentine's Day!

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Happy Valentine's Day!

 
This morning, the men had a rose for each girl and a bag filled with goodies for Valentine's Day.  They brought Men of Steel (Superman) Valentine cards like you do when you are in 5th grade and wrote encouraging notes to all of the ladies!  And there were some candies and temporary tattoos of animals in our bags as well! We all had a lot of fun putting on the tattoos.  Kari made an arm band of them! It was a lovely surprise from the men in our team!  As a woman, I was completely blessed by the words of encouragement and thoughtfulness!  I love the men of our team! Dan, Gabriel and Jonathan you are amazing! Thank you for loving us so well!
 
Last night, I secretly took a picture of the boys diligently writing Valentine's cards in our apt! 

 
After the meeting, Dan took me out alone for a Valentine date! We talked and found a field that no one had played in yet and had a snowball fight (Dan won, he got one right in my jacket-bullseye!), made snow angels (our jeans got really wet!) and made a mini-snowman!  Then he we walked to a new restaurant called Surfside in Glover Park!  His final plan was to go smoothie shop hunting and buy a small smoothie and share it at a bunch of different places to compare and try different kinds. But I was so full from the rice bowl and veggies that we only made it to one smoothie place.  It was a good one though, Banana Chocolate, yum!
 
I am so blessed to be married to you, Dan McClelland. 

 
 

Israel Testimonies: Clint, Georg, John and Karen

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Last Israel Testimony
By: Carole McClelland

Kari, Renca, Clint, Georg, John, Shelby, Kayla, Karen

After walking to Citadel Youth Hostel from the car rental place on Sunday Dec. 1st, everyone was tired. As Dan checked in the group, Brandon sat on a stone near the entrance exhausted. A man walked pasted him and spoke to him. I felt spirit on the man and approached offering to interpret. He asked Brandon if he was tired and Brandon responded with a head nod. He blessed Brandon with strength and spoke life over him. Brandon said God bless and the man asked if he was a Christian. Brandon said yes and he responded that I am your brother. He introduced himself as Georg from Germany and walked into the hostel. The interaction was sweet and I knew that God has more for the group and his man.

I took a picture right away to remember the interaction! 
It was encouraging for me and I was just interpreting. 

Later that evening, Renca, Kari, Liza and Shelby got into an hour long conversation with two men about Jesus and invited them to dinner with us. It happened to be Georg and his companion, Clint from Canada. Both of them came to Israel with the heart for sharing Jesus and the gospel and met each other three days before in Tel-Aviv and felt called to go to Jerusalem, Clint specifically this Citadel Youth Hostel. They did join us for dinner, and we talked boldly about Jesus in the hostel kitchen the whole time, many others were attracted to the conversation. Esp, a Russian man name Alex who joined the conversation about Jesus, we later learned that he is an Orthodox Catholic and had the opportunity to build relationship with him throughout our stay.
Kayla, our one staff that joined not knowing any ASL was interpreting the conversation! 

Clint and Georg were an amazing encouragement as we all went out during the day and came together in the evening to share testimonies, pray and minister to the people in the hostel together! On Tuesday, Dec 3rd, as we were cooking dinner, a couple started boldly talking about Jesus. John and Karen joined our group for the rest of week encouraging each other and ministering together. It was so amazing how God has placed each of us at the same hostel with the same heart for the week!

One day a group of us went to Garden Tomb and they bumped into Clint and Georg praying there!

Our group got into many deep conversations about God with them and had the opportunity to share Words for each other, life testimonies and pray for each other. One night, John got his violin and did violin ministry, where he plays songs for people as Holy Spirit leads. He explained it as God allowing him to join in and get a taste of what God is doing in the person's life. As John played, Clint would get pictures for the person and their life or prophetic. John played a song for Carole and Clint and Carole got the same pictures throughout the song and John's interpretation matched exactly. Afterward, they would share the interpretation and share Jesus with the person! It was glorious!
First dinner meeting John and Karen, who boldly started talking about Jesus! 

Kayla and Karen just talking in our Hostel! It felt like we were in a cave for a week!


 On Sunday, the day we were leaving, we had a brunch together to take communion, encourage one another and pray for the hostel. John shared communion and Clint lead in prayer and we lead in encouraging one other. During this time, Karen shared that a few days before going to the hostel, she had a dream of meeting a group of Deaf people and said that it was so right for all of us to met this week! And we all agreed! Divine appointments!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and financial support for us to go to Israel! God moved in each of our hearts and the hearts of the people we encountered.