I’m not sure about you, but I’ve never felt like living a mediocre life would satisfy me. My DTS was the furthest thing from mediocre.
It’s hard to look back and remember exactly what little-er me was thinking back when I decided to do it, but I wanted a change in my life. NEEDED it, even. Coming out of high school, I wasn’t where I wanted to be. Bored, a little lonely, and not very confident. The most important thing I knew was that I believed in God, but I also knew I wasn’t really involving him in my life. I wanted to, and a DTS seemed like the perfect opportunity to start that. It definitely was.
And let me tell you, my DTS was the farthest thing from mediocre. It was an all-out Aussie adventure, alright mate?
I chose to do a ‘Trekking’ DTS, which meant that our leader Helen led us on some pretty (extremely) intense workouts a bunch of times a week to whip us into shape for the pack hiking we eventually did on our outreach (And to be honest, the thought of getting super fit and buff was secretly one of my biggest reasons for doing the DTS – but shhh, don’t tell anyone).
I got to fly in a helicopter for the first time, hike through the untouched jungle of Papua New Guinea, play frisbee with some very hyper liklik pikininis (little Papua New Guinean kids), and so much more. But even better than that, I knew the whole time that it wasn’t just an experience – I was learning about God along the way, and learning to love and appreciate other people.
I learned so much on DTS, but the 3 biggest things I learned from my DTS are these:
1 – Following God is NOT lame.
God will change your life for the better, and the lives of those around you.
2 – A life lived for God is a life full of adventure.
It won’t be boring – that’s a promise that God himself makes in Jeremiah 29:11.
3 – Going outside my comfort zone is hard, but it will always be worth it.
Doing hard things is… hard. It’s also how you grow and learn!!!
For the sake of something bigger than me, I took a step out into the unknown, and through that God revealed himself to me and I also learned a lot about myself. I knew I needed a change, and I did change. My love for God and others grew, and my faith now has a good foundation. God showed me passions I never knew I had, and talents I never dreamed I could have either.
The foundation of faith my DTS gave me is the confidence I have to live out my faith in day to day life. The exciting part is, no matter what part of the journey you’re on, greater things are still to come!
No matter where you’re at in life or in your relationship with God, know that whatever you do, you CAN live a life of adventure, one that’s far from mediocre. God’s plans for you and me are bigger than anything we could possibly imagine. A YWAM DTS is a different experience for everyone, but as most things in life, it’s “About 10% circumstance and 90% how you react to it.” (Charles R. Swindoll). I kept an open mind and an open heart, and all of my expectations were blown away. MILES away. I cried a whole bunch – Men, that’s not a bad thing, I promise. I touched a kangaroo’s butt. I camped on an island with some of the coolest people I’ve ever met. I even overcame some HUGE fears, although I am still afraid of the dark…
So, if I could pose one question to you, it would be this: What’s holding you back? What’s stopping you from going out on a limb and doing something radically different, maybe even something that other people would look at as a bit out there?
I have a lot of trouble jumping into new things, but I can say with total sincerity that while taking that first step into the unknown isn’t exactly the easiest thing, it is definitely the most worthwhile thing. The best part is, all it takes is that first step!
Jared Weiss
Jared just completed his Discipleship Training School (DTS) recently and is from Canada! Jared really enjoys hiking, skiing, campfires, and spending time with friends. When he was here chose to be on the Trekking elective for DTS and has so much to share about his time here!
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