Spindler, David & Stephanie
Missionary News
David (from Michigan) and Stephanie (from PA & WA) learned about the ministry of Teen Missions through Brio magazine in early 1994 when their daughter, Heather, decided to go on a team. They attended the 1994 Super Boot Camp Commissioning and had no sooner entered Boot Camp property, than God began calling them to join the ministry staff of Teen Missions. Stephanie was ready almost immediately to obey the call. David, however, was not, and for 7 months argued with the Lord about it. Finally, in February of 1995, he surrendered his will and all his arguments to the Lord, and in April of 1995, they arrived in Merritt Island with daughters, Heather and Jennifer, ready for whatever the Lord had for them.
They were full-time volunteers until after attending First Step Staff Training in November of 1995, and upon completion of that training, were approved by the Governing Board as staff. They remained on staff until December of 2001, Stephanie as receptionist, and David in a variety of positions over those years. They led mission teams to a variety of locations. In 1999, they were asked to lead the team to the Ukraine and run a national Boot Camp there. That summer, God blessed them with a big surprise! He brought their youngest daughter, Olga, into their lives. She came with a group of orphans from Russia for the Ukraine Boot Camp and God made clear to them that He wanted them to adopt her (and her younger brother). The process took a year and a half, but it was well worth the wait; Olga and Azzie (Azamatdzhan) have been a great blessing to their family.
At the end of 2001, David and Stephanie left TMI when David accepted a ministry position at a church in Indiana. That didn’t last very long, and in the summer of 2002, they returned to TMI briefly. They were back only a matter of months before moving to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where they have lived since April of 2003.
For the last 6+ years, they have lived and worked in the town of Ishpeming, MI. However, their love of ministering to and with teens never diminished, and beginning in 2008, God renewed His call on their lives. Two of their grandchildren attended The Lord’s Boot Camp that summer, Brice on a Peanut mission team, and Tayler as a Mustard Seed. David received permission to go as a Boot Camp volunteer, and felt “right at home” from the moment he arrived. The Lord’s call to return started becoming clear.
By 2008, Olga and Azzie were grown, and in October of 2008, Olga was engaged to be married. David and Stephanie applied for approval to lead a team as volunteer leaders for the summer of 2009. Olga’s wedding took place in March of 2009, and “the ball was in motion” so to speak.
From the time they arrived at the Lord’s Boot Camp in late May of 2009, God made it clear that He wanted them back on staff. Throughout the course of the summer, the call intensified. Upon returning home to the U.P., however, the devil began doing his utmost to dissuade them from obeying the call to staff, and convinced them they should just take the staff training and then become Area Representatives. God just waited….When David and Stephanie arrived for First Step in November, He pulled out the proverbial 2×4 and whacked them upside the head with it! They were here less than 48 hours and KNEW they had to obey, or live with the consequences of disobeying God’s call.
“We are very excited to be back on staff and look forward to what the Lord will do in and through us. How long will we be here? Truthfully, only the Lord knows the answer to that question.”
PRAYER REQUESTS
Sensitivity to the Lord in all we do.
Quality daily quiet times.
Wisdom in our leadership and staff responsibilities.
BIRTHDAYS
David – February 14
Stephanie – May 16
ANNIVERSARY
October 12, 1974
