Missionary

Anna Shirley

The More You Know

Hi, my name is Anna! My heart is simply to bring the gospel message to least reached people, whether near or far. I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and growing up, I always had a thought in the back of my mind that I would one day get to live like the missionaries I heard about in stories. But I never would have guessed that I’d actually be going to some of the hardest and darkest places. I’ve been in missions for seven years; serving at YWAM Lancaster for one of those years. Thus far, I have primarily been a part of working in training schools and our frontier department, making plans to reach unreached people in difficult regions. I am so thankful to be a part of YWAM Lancaster and the story God is writing here. Thank you for your prayers and support!

What is your favorite book of the Bible and why does it hold particular significance to you?

What translation of the Bible do you prefer to use in your missionary work, and how does it help you connect with the people you serve?

What is the most exciting place you have been while serving as a missionary, and what made it so memorable for you?

What inspired you to pursue missionary work? Was there a specific moment or experience that led you down this path?

When did you complete your DTS (Discipleship Training School), and how did that experience shape your perspective on missionary work?

What YWAM bases have you visited throughout your missionary adventure, and how have these experiences impacted your work?

Can you share a story or experience from your time in the field that has particularly impacted you or changed your perspective on your work?

What is your favorite book of the Bible and why does it hold particular significance to you?

Honestly don’t know that I have an official favorite. Luke holds a special place in my heart because I did a WBH school 🙂

What translation of the Bible do you prefer to use in your missionary work, and how does it help you connect with the people you serve?

I bounce around. NLT is an easy read, but challenging myself to read more ESV.

What is the most exciting place you have been while serving as a missionary, and what made it so memorable for you?

Working with refugees in the Middle East. I love hearing peoples stories. Sometimes they just need a listening ear and some hope.
Hiking the Himalayas was also pretty cool

What inspired you to pursue missionary work? Was there a specific moment or experience that led you down this path?

My older brother, initially. My mom always read us missionary books growing up, so I’m sure that played a pretty big role. 🙂 DTS changed my life and I knew God had more nations to take me to

When did you complete your DTS (Discipleship Training School), and how did that experience shape your perspective on missionary work?

Summer 2015. I never wanted to go to Africa, but I became a “mom” on that trip. God gave me a greater heart for the orphan and those in need. DTS opened my eyes to a lot of injustices in the world and made me want to be part of the answer for some of those things.

What YWAM bases have you visited throughout your missionary adventure, and how have these experiences impacted your work?

Lots. All over the place. Every base has a different culture/way of functioning. To function in teams we have to be flexible and learn from each other. There’s not just one way of doing things/one base who is always right. So I try to stay open-minded and flexible.

Can you share a story or experience from your time in the field that has particularly impacted you or changed your perspective on your work?

Being sick several times in the Himalayas made me want to quit missions altogether. One day, I had a raw, honest moment with God in the middle of a random village that felt like “nowhere.” I was sick, cold, and miserable. But God gave me a revelation of the cross and how much further he would go for the lost… even just one. So I pulled up my bootstraps and kept going. After that, God continued to open doors for our team to disciple the church and share with those who had never heard the gospel before. People would come from hours away because they heard we were in town and could offer some form of hope for them. It was truly a life-changing trip for me.

Support

Anna Shirley

No matter what you do, just start.

Seek God. Get Sent

About YWAM Lancaster

YWAM Lancaster is dedicated to fulfilling the Great Commission by empowering and equipping individuals to share the gospel with people in hard to reach places. Our mission is to help you live your life boldly and catalyze movement across the face of the earth. We aim to be a catalyst, an instigation, and a spark to ignite your way into living your life on mission, while being radically in love with Jesus.

Contact

1932 W Main Street
Ephrata, PA 17522
info@ywamlancaster.com
(717) 721-6724

Missionary

Anna Shirley

The More You Know

Support

Anna Shirley

Seek God. Get Sent

About YWAM Lancaster

Contact

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