Quick update

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to let you all know what the current situation with Thailand looks like.

Our team found out on Friday that we will probably have to order our plane tickets within the next two weeks! I've raise a little over half so right now I need right around $700 to purchase my right of passage! If you are interested in helping send me to the mission in Thailand send all checks/money orders to YWAM Northwoods W14580 County Highway D, Weyerhaeuser WI 54895.

Please call/text or email me! I would love to talk with you all. 612-247-9437 lukieneraasen@yahoo.com.

Fall News Letter!

Hello everybody!

I am sitting in my office on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon looking out at the changing colors of the trees across the lake. It's amazing how fast time goes by! Just a couple years ago I was a student in the DTS not knowing what I was going to do with my life. Wondering what my future looked like and praying that I would allow God to change my heart, my mind and my life.

Today I am in the third week of the third Discipleship Training School that I have been involved with and the second Training School that I have staffed. God answered my prayers and persistence, He has changed my heart, my mind and my life. I am so happy with where my life is right now and looking forward to what is ahead! (I'll get to that later).

I now know so clearly what to live for and what I want my life to be about. I am a fallen person but I want my life to be a light for Christ through Him. The things of this world that I considered important have become dim in comparison with serving God and preaching His grace, love and justice to the hurting and searching.

This is me “getting to that later”. So what is next for me? I will write about the short term first seeing as that is definite.

I am planning and preparing to go to Thailand again in late December. I can't wait to get back there. The people of Nahong and even of Chiang Mai are so on my heart. Sometimes even certain smells will trigger a longing in my heart to go back to the hurting people of Thailand that need to know the love of Christ so badly.

I am in great financial need for this to happen. If God lays it on your heart please contact me and I will let you know all the details about the trip and the mission. I do NOT want our relationship to be a one way street. I want to know you more and be able to pray for your needs as well. I am not the only one with great needs so I would LOVE to stand with you in prayer with any need that you might have. I will also get you hooked up with my more personal updates of what is happening with the DTS and especially Thailand.

After the trip to Thailand I am still in contract with Youth With A Mission until the end of August and after that is not completely clear at this point but it is becoming more clear each day. I know that I want to remain in ministry both locally and internationally. I don't know if that is going to be with YWAM or not but I believe it will be something big and I wait with excitement and anxious anticipation for what is next.

Thailand is something that is very strong in Cheyenne's and my own heart. We want to be involved in what is happening there for at least the next season in our lives and again, we don't know what that will look like in terms of what organization/ministry that will be with but we know that is is part of what we will be doing. We are also praying about the future timing in our relationship!

Prayer needs: FIRST, I want to know if YOU have any prayer needs! I want to stand with you in encouragement and prayer for whatever you might be going through. Please do not be afraid to use the relationship we have. Even if I do not know you that well the point of this invite is to know you more and encourage you!

- Pray for the people in Thailand! Cru Nit, Cru Taweeb, Cru Dang, Cru Nung and Mr Ankahn to name a few. Mr. Ankahn is the principle of the school and is a man of influence. Please pray that he finds Jesus soon, (Cru means 'teacher' in Thai)

- My friends Pii Taa and Beer (bea) they are both Thai Christians.

- Pray that the students of this year's DTS would come away with a picture of Christ worth dying for.

- My back is getting much better (thank you for your prayers) but it has it's flair ups and I am definitely not at 100% so pray that the improving trend continues.

Other needs and ways you can help:

Finances, I sorely need finances in order for this trip to Thailand to happen this year. We are planning on getting airline tickets by the end of this month. Airfare to Thailand runs right around $1,700-$2,500. You are along side me in the mission field because without you there isn't a way that I could be there. I have to ask for your help now.

Supplies for outreach:

A sleeping bag cold meds, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes. Bug spray, peanut butter, protein bars soap and shampoo. Basic needs.

Contact info:

Mailing Address: W14580 CTY HWY D, Weyerhaeuser Wisconsin, 54895

Email: lukieneraasen@yahoo.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lucasRSN

Personal phone: (612)-247-9437

Work phone: (715)-353-2280 (Ask for Luke)

Also I have a paypal account that will soon be available for quick easy donations.

You can make out all checks to YWAM Northwoods. If my name does not appear on the check it will be tax deductible to you.

As the wind blows - Ministry Update

Hello there guys!

I realize that it has been some time since I last let you all know what I am up to!

The crazy summer is quickly coming to a close. It has been a great summer filled with incredible heat humidity and good times.

Our next Discipleship Training School begins in 3 1/2 weeks and so we are working on scheduling the school, organizing all that needs to happen and processing applications. There is still time to apply so if you know of someone or yourself are interested in DTS please let me know!

The summer began with a lot of recruiting for the DTS which meant a lot of travel. We traveled all over Wisconsin going to different churches and organizing events

from the Soul Garage to the terrifying "Hodag" (which you can see to your right).

I also spent a lot of time working on our new Summer Camps but unfortunately we had to cancel but we're putting the work into next year's camp!

Recently I just helped organize and event that we call "Set Apart". A two day conference that we offer for free where many youth groups and locals come to experience teaching, worship and discipleship. This was our largest Set Apart event to date, with over 150 people in attendance. I was one of the worship leaders and the sound engineer for the event.

I have also been leading worship a few times a month

at a church in our area. Last year I was the full time worship leader until I went on outreach last winter. I hope to be working in worship ministry throughout my life.

God is good and I continue to be amazed as I learn more of His character and His heart for people. The harder I try to grow a heart after God's own heart I realize how amazing He really is. When it is hard for me to love, to serve and to sacrifice I understand more of how Holy our God truly is.

My girlfriend Cheyenne Clark and I are also doing very well! We have big plans for our future together and we are excited for it! God has truly blessed me to have her in my life working with and supporting me.

Prayer Requests: That I will have a heart to learn. That I will serve God well during our upcoming school. That our students will experience something truly life changing in the coming months. And that as our Thailand outreach in January approaches, that my back (I have a herniated disk) will be strengthened and ready and that God would provide the funds to continue His work in Thailand.

I love you all,

Thank you for taking the time to read this update and also to continue to pray for me. I would love to hear from you for reals. How you are doing and how I could pray for YOU! Send an email to lukieneraasen@yahoo.com or find me on www.facebook.com/lucasRSN

For funny singing cards, or financial support send it to W14580 County HWY D, Weyerhauser, WI 54895. Or if you would like to come VISIT! Just put "ywam northwoods" into google maps.

God bless

Lucas

New Videos

Hey, check out some of my videos on my new youtube channel!

http://www.youtube.com/user/LukeNeraasen

If there is a song you want me to try and cover, let me know!

You're The Hope To The Hopeless

Another Year A Comin'!

Hello all,

Well, another year has ended and a new one has begun.

First I want to thank you all for your prayers and support over the last year and while I was in Thailand. Thank you for standing beside me in bringing the gospel of hope and life to Thailand. I can't thank you enough. I felt your prayers with me over this last year.

We left for Thailand on the 31^st of December and now I am finally resting. I just want to tell you guys some of what happened this year in Thailand and in my year with ywam.

Thailand: If you remember, last year there was a girl named Lamud, who came to Christ. We have been praying for her throughout the year and hoping that she would be a part of our team. This year when we arrived in Nahong, we found out very disturbing news. She had lost some of her memory and was not feeling well. Her mother had taken her to the temple and to 'wise men' who told Lamud that when she gave her life to Jesus it was not her but a spirit that had come into her. Lamud was fooled by the wiseman and believed it. She forgot all of last year and her conversion to Christ.

That is when the praying started! Our team went to very hard intercessio

n for this girl and we began to visit her in hopes to pray with her at her house. Her mother gave us that chance! We prayed with Lamud and her mother. The next day Lamud told us she had never known such joy! The following day she remembered her love for Jesus and asked her mother if she

could give her life to Him. Mother approved!! So God healed her and she is holding bible studies with kids in Nahong while we are gone.

God did so much more and 8 other kids gave their lives to Christ. They are doing bible studies now and learning more about who God is. There are also a number of adults who have heard the gospel and are now considering the fact that Jesus is their savior. The church has started in Nahong!! Pray that it grows even str

onger!

I've learned a lot over the last year. So much that by the time I covered it in the letter you'd be bored to death (if yo

ur not already.. writing is not my gift). But the primary thing that I have learned is the importance of humility, unity and forgiveness. I have a long way to go but I know with God I will continue to be taught and learn. I've also learned reliance on God. There have been so many times in the last year that only reliance on God got me through. Through exhaustion, hard emotional struggles, financially struggles and hardships on outreach. I ran out of human strength so many times but God gave me what I needed to get through and handle the task at hand!

This next year: As of now I will be working at Ywam for another year. I am going to be doing a lot of student recruitment this summer as well as setting up the next Discipleship Training School which starts in September. I'll also be helping ou-

t our School Of Biblical Foundations whenever it needs help. I'll be very busy traveling to churches, concerts, conventions and camps doing recruitment for the school. I also am a worship leader at ywam and so my life usually consists of playing at a lot of different places and times. I'll be staffing the next DTS and helping lead the 2012 Thailand outreach.

I ask you to please pray and consider supporting me financially. I trust that God will bring in what I need but I am currently living on around $75 a month after paying rent and utilities. Please pray about supporting monthly. Even small amounts truly help me very much.

Thank you for your prayers. I really love you all! Please don't hesitate to ask me more questions if you have them. It's impossible for me to contain everything in this letter. I'd really love to hear from you. If there is anything you would like pray for please let me know. I know you're praying for me, I want to know how to pray for you! God bless,

Lucas Email: lukieneraasen@yahoo.com Facebook: Lucas Neraasen Phone: 612-247-9437 Ad: w14580 cty hw D weyerhaeuser, WI 54895

Hello from Chiang Mai Thailand!

I really can't contain all that happened or describe what emotions are going on inside me through mere words in this update. But, I must try to do my best.

First I want to thank you all for your prayers and support over the last year and while here in Thailand. Thank you for standing beside me in our effort to bring the gospel of hope and life to Thailand and to Nahong. I can't thank you enough or really tell you how much your prayers mean to me and have helped me.

Yesterday morning was a sea of emotion as we left Nahong. Even though I'm coming back next year I really did not want to leave. Here is a list of the people who came to a faith in Christ or are very close. They're all studying the bible. Keep them all in your prayers! Lamud, Baby, Pawn, Bob, Sam, Peem, Urt and Urt's mother. All of these people have either come to Christ or are at least studying the Word. Keep Urt and Lamud especially in your prayers as they are the strongest and will be attacked by temptation and persecution. Here are people who have heard the gospel and continue to process it: Kru Euw, Kru Taweeb, Kru Nueng, Urt's father, Pii Sak and Pii Lie.

I love the people of Nahong very much and it is hard to leave them. There is a small fire burning in Nahong and there are logs that are close to being thrown into the fire. But there will be great seas and winds to try and put the small fire of believers out. Pray protection for them and that our Lord Jesus Christ would cover them with His blood.

I praise God for all that HE did this year. It wasn't our team. We are not English teachers but God gave us what we needed to teach well. We ran out of human strength again and again but Christ strengthend us. To Him be all glory, honor and praise.

Now we have gone into our "debrief" time in Chiang Mai. The team leadership for debrief falls to myself and Cheyenne. Please be praying for us this week. We are noobs, haha.

I miss you guys and I am excited to see you and hear about what has been happening in your lives since I left two months ago!

Blessings from Chiang Mai,

Luke