Just another update...

G'day mate! How are ya? It's been great! Koala.


I think I am bold enough to say that those set of phrases accurately sums up my DTS. They are lyrics to a fun song writing contest we had here! You can hear them in the video below.


This week has been so amazing. It has been filled with laughter, tears, inside jokes, and LOTS of coffee.  I can't even describe how much I love the people in my DTS. We grow closer and closer which is SUCH a blessing. I have heard a few stories of some bad DTS experiences. God is so good. We officially have 36 people in our DTS. There are so many different instruments and a range of different talents among us.


This week brought many new things. It was our first full week of a normal schedule. We also began band practice, small group, one-on-one's, and prayer chain. In my band, we are performing the songs "With or Without You" by U2 and "1, 2, 3, 4" by Feist for a fundraiser for outreach in week 9. Also, we have to write a song which should be interesting considering I have never written a song in a group. My one-on-one is Eden. She did her Music DTS last july and is now staffing my DTS. Because she is new, Arielle (another girl staffing my DTS) sits in with us, so technically it is a two-on-one. We meet together for about an hour a week just to chat and see what I'm learning and how I am. Arielle and Eden combine their one-on-ones together and we have small group on Tuesday nights. There are seven of us girls plus Eden and Arielle. One of the things I love about YWAM is the different levels of intimacy we have with different people. It really gives you a chance to become close to so many people. On thursday nights here, we have evangelism. Evangelism is something that YWAM Perth is known for. The whole base gets together and goes on in small groups to evangelize in Perth. Then of course on friday nights we have Friday Night Meeting (YWAM church). 


Something that started for us this week is Prayer Chain. For the last 14 years, there has been constant 24 hour prayer at YWAM Perth. My DTS has a shift from midnight-7 AM on saturdays. So our DTS splits up into smaller groups and we all take an hour. Of course, my shift is at 3 AM. Yeah 3 AM people. So there are four of us that gather at the wee hour and intercede together for a variety of things. Whatever God puts on our hearts.


Week Two's lectures were on the Nature and Character of God. And wow was it amazing. Initially I was not super pumped about this week, not that I was dreading it, but I was looking forward to other weeks more. But that changed. I learned so much. there were so many things that God revealed to me. Mainly about his goodness. I always have known things about God's nature and character, but it wasn't until this week that I really began to BELIEVE it. Fridays here are "Application Day". For week two, we had an intense time of worship. Our speaker Josh, challenged us to really focus on who God is and worship Him for that. Another thing Josh had us do was picture a time in our life that we had trouble and to look at it like a photograph and imagine WHERE God was during that time that we may not have seen before. He also encouraged us to journal during the time of worship. Again, God really revealed Himself to me. There was such a sense of freedom and direction during the morning. Many people got words for others and there were many chains broken and walls smashed. God is so good.


We have had other great times of corporate worship too!


PRAYER REQUEST:
Please pray that God will reveal himself to me and give me direction for after DTS. Please pray that God will begin to break my heart for the nation He wants me to outreach to. And please pray for a continued smooth transition into my new home!


Week three, this week, is on Forgiveness & Repentance. Every YWAM-er I know says this is the most pivotal week during DTS. Hard during the week, but such a sense of breakthrough and closeness with the other DTS-ers after. So get ready! I'm sure I'll have a lot to say next week,


Until then,
I'm Grace.... 
and this is "Grace Talks"




hehe.