For DTS, we have to turn in a journal every Sunday Night. Part of the first weeks journal is giving it a name. I was really struggling to think of what to call it when all I could think of were the countless journal entries I have turned in over the last three months. Then it hit me... "For such a time as this..."
Never in a million years did I imagine I would be completing my first week of a Sports DTS having already completed lecture phase of a DTS. For such a time as this. Re-doing all the lectures I have previously sat through but learning just as much, if not more than I did previously. For such a time as this. "Jamming" during the week which in fact does not mean sitting around playing music, but instead kicking around a soccer ball. For such a time as this. Retelling my story, beginning new relationships and starting work duties all over again. For such a time as this.
For such a time as this.... God has something really big in store for me, I can feel it in my bones and in my heart. No, this is not what I envisioned for myself, God is turning ashes into beauty. Joy is continuously coming in the morning. Yes, there are times when all I can think about is what it would be like if I was on outreach with my team who I have come SO close to and love SO much, but I think it's all part of my consequence.... But I know there is hope. God doesn't want me to dwell in that sadness, but instead learn from this experience.
With all that said, we are officially in our second week of lectures. Last week was full of orientation (reorientation for me), registration, getting to know you games, and lots of junk food. There are 23 people in my DTS. The majority are from North America - the Canadians over took this quarter - but some from Europe and Asia as well. There are 11 girls, and we all live in a house together with our two girl staff, Bridget & Erica, about a ten minute walk from base. The age of our DTS ranges from 18-21 with one 22 year old, and one 26 year old. Most are soccer players, but there are a few volleyball players in the mix. Our lectures for the week were on Hearing the Voice of the Lord and our speaker was Trisha Hooper. Trisha pioneered the Sports DTS here in Perth. It was really cool, because she is getting ready to go to Chile for a year and pioneer a new school, and we were able to pray for her and commission her off.
During last weeks lectures, God really convicted me of things in my relationship with Him that I need to work on. One being my one-way relationship with Him. All the time I am asking God to bless ME with things, making it all about ME, when really, I need to be more God focused. Another thing that God revealed to me was His place in my life. I realized that yes, God has always been something in my life... and mostly a big something, but He has never been my everything. And that's what I need. I need God, I'm hungry for Him. I'm hungry for Him to be apart of every aspect of my life. I never want to be satisfied with where I am at in my relationship with Him, but instead always pursing Him. I want to pursue Him in the same way He pursues me. Even though there was a lot of conviction, there was also grace. God is not a harsh God, and he NEVER sets me up to fail. Praise the Lord for that!
With this new week, we are in full swing with work duties (yes, I am on lunch dishes again), morning excersize (yeah, I ran 16, 40 m sprints the other morning), morning chores, DTS sport, sport league (I am on a volleyball team, and our first game is tomorrow night at 10 PM), and more lectures. This week, we have Joe Moreno speaking on The Nature and Character of God. Joe is head over the youth ministries here on base, the same ones that I hope to be apart of if/when I come back to join staff. With one day down, God is already affirming His character to me.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
- My wallet was stollen this morning. My ID/Drivers License, Credit Card, Bank Card, Cash, American Health Insurance, Australian Health Insurance, Train Card, and Working With Children's Check card were all in there. So pretty much my whole life. -- Please pray that whoever took it will feel convicted and return it here to base.
- With that said, I have no money, but I am still trusting God for finances. I need $1,370 for my lecture fees. They were due last Friday, but I am believing that they will come in soon
- My team in London is going through a bit of Spiritual Warfare, and I would love for you to join with me in praying for them
If you would like to donate to my lecture fees, please send me a message, or go to https://www.ywamperth.org.au/007/payonline.asp
