Meet Jeremy! He is one of our current Winter DTS students. We had a lot of fun asking him a few questions on how he came to do a DTS and what God has been teaching him so far. Here is what he said:
Q: What made you decide to do DTS?
A: I always had a call for missions but never had any schooling or any clue on how to do it or pursue it. I knew a few people that had already come through YWAM from my area that I had talked to and a group from YWAM Louisville came to my church last spring. After the group came the idea of doing missions wouldn’t leave my mind. I asked God to make it super clear if that’s what He wanted me to do. That week, two friends texted me telling me I should do it, and I felt God was using this as confirmation.
I always had a call for missions but never had any schooling or any clue on how to do it or pursue it.
Q: Were there any things that could have stopped you from being able to come?
A: Money, that’s a big one. I was under a 2-year work training contract with my job and in order to end it I had to pay twice as much as the original cost of the training, so, I ended up paying 3x more than I would have had to pay, to get here. I also had to let go of the whole job opportunity. I’ve never lived without an income so having to rely on other people is different. I had also only been away from my family for two weeks before so five months is a big deal.
Q: What did you learn through the process?
A: I learned that God is a provider. I didn’t think getting all the money I needed to come was possible but He gave me almost twice as much as I needed in a matter of four months. He’s also way bigger than I thought He was.
I didn’t think getting all the money I needed to come was possible but He gave me almost twice as much as I needed in a matter of four months.
Q: What have you learned so far in DTS?
A: I’ve realized Christianity is about having a relationship with God first. This creates my identity. Then through that relationship creates obedience. Now my obedience to God isn’t so that I can have relationship with Him, but rather, out of relationship with Him. I’ve also gained a greater understanding of how much God values me as an individual, how everyone is made in God’s image and practically how to value others because of this truth. But, the main thing I’ve learned is that I can’t earn my righteousness. I don’t have to earn my way back to God when I sin. God has already reconciled me to Himself through the cross.