Update

Hello friends and family!

Lecture phase here in Biarritz is almost at a close, very bittersweet for all of us. We are excited for our outreach and getting on the road, but we know it's going to be so hard to be separated! Some have started packing already, and as soon as we leave, the next DTS' students will start arriving, so we will have to pack up all our rooms and everything! It will be weird!

Last week we had a powerful week of teaching on spiritual authority with Mariette Lowe from South Africa! It was a great week and I learned a lot! This week we have another African actually, speaking on Missions! He has worked with different rebel groups in Africa and has pioneered Ywam bases all over Nigeria and other parts of Africa. Hearing some of his stories has been so amazing- stories of how God has turned around many young rebels' lives for his kingdom, rebels and cannibals who have killed and raped too many people to count, but no one is past the point of the Father's love and affection, and it's beautiful how God transforms lives such as these in Africa, as we are hearing about.

So, despite the terrible weather outside, we are doing are best to enjoy the last week we have together as a DTS and hoping that it goes slowly. ;) It's so cool to look at everyone and how much we have changed since the beginning of DTS. I personally have experienced so much change in my own life. At the start/before I came to DTS, I felt as if God was not speaking to me, and nothing was changing. I was going through the motions and I felt stuck. Why does being a Christian seem so hard!? Why is it worth it!? But since then I have had so much revelation, through the Holy Spirit and through teaching. I came to realize that this isn't about me and when I experienced the love of the Father, everything changed. We aren't just slaving away for some God who commands us around and forces us to serve him, but God sent his son for us to be in relationship! We aren't trapped in a religion, but we are set free in this relationship. When we seek God with all our heart, we will find him. That's a promise that I held on to, and I've been changed. Jesus did it all on the cross, and surrendering my life to him and his will for me, is the best thing I could ever and will ever do!

Psalm 16:11, "You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever."

Now we are definitely excited to see the ways God will move in and through us as we head off this weekend into different parts of Europe. Sunday afternoon my team will be taking a train to Marseilles! Your prayers are appreciated, just for safety, a smooth journey, and for the team to get along well. I can't wait to see all the ways I am going to be stretched and challenged during the next 3 months. I will try to update as often as I can, and put some pictures and stories up!

Thank you all!