God willing on September 1st I will be in Herrnhut, Germany beginning my first day at the Y.W.A.M. photography and discipleship training school. A couple of years ago I didn’t really have any idea where I would be after college, but I definitely did not think it would be out of the country. It really does baffle me how much greater God’s plans are than ours. I have learned so well and I know I will continue to learn that even when I don’t understand at all I will choose God. So how did a girl from Ralls, Texas get the dream stuck in her heart to go to Germany? Here’s the story:
My childhood best friend, Amanda, asked me to be a
bridesmaid in her wedding in January 2011. Now not to be rude or
unappreciative, but it was a pleasant surprise! We grew up a few houses down
the road from each other and were inseparable until her family moved away right
before junior high. We grew up and only really kept up with each other through
our moms, so naturally we grew apart.
The wedding was wonderful and she was as beautiful as ever! I was so
blessed by Amanda asking me to be in the wedding. Not only because I was able to be there for my friend, but
also because the photographer capturing the day was a high school friend of Amanda’s
named Betsy. Being interested in
photography of course I observed the way she directed, how she interacted with
the wedding party and what kind of camera she used etc. In the least creepy way
possible I was very captivated by the photographer. There was something about
her, something very genuine and inviting.
Now I know that, that something that was drawing me and
pursuing me was Christ. His love
and light was written all over her and her love for photography. So, after the wedding the next night I
looked up Betsy’s blog and checked out some of her work. That same night I sat
in my parents dinning room journaling. I remember asking God if He wanted
photography to be a way to glorify him. If my passion for photography was going
to be a part of the story He had planned for me, and if it was, I wanted to
shine for him through it like Betsy does. A few days later I was back in Canyon
in my apartment as I opened my laptop to check my Facebook. I was excited to
check out the photos I was tagged in from Amanda’s wedding taken by Betsy.
Which led me to somewhat stalk her blog and look at a lot of her work. Haha.
The same genuineness and simplicity that originally captured me about the
photographer was evident in her photos as well. I noticed that one of the schools she attended was ‘Y.W.A.M.
Photo-DTS Herrnhut’. So naturally I did some research and was in complete awe
when I realized what Y.W.A.M. Photo-DTS was.
I had never heard of Y.W.A.M., which stands for Youth With A
Mission, and I literally did not know that anything like a photography and
discipleship training school existed! Y.W.A.M. is an organization dedicated to
missions and sharing the gospel with people all over the world. The Marriage Of
The Arts (MOTA) program that I will be attending is a school of youth from all
over the world to study about their specific art interest and learn how to use
that passion to share Christ with others. Different “tracks” include anything
from photography to dance to graphic design to music. The heart of Y.W.A.M. is
such a bold and passionate love for Christ that I never could imagine would be
something I would step into. Last
summer I submitted my application and at the beginning of this school year I
received my acceptance letter.
Since then I have been saving, earning money and putting
together fundraisers here and there. I still have a ways to go. The journey of
preparing for September 1 2012 has been a journey in itself. I have
struggled with doubt and fear, but the joy and excitement of knowing that I am
being obedient in what God has set before me and that He is so good to allow me
to serve Him by using a passion of mine is incomparable to the struggles. I have grown more than ever in the past
year and cannot imagine the amount of growth and struggle I will experience
actually in Herrnhut at the DTS, but I can’t wait to embrace everything that He
brings my way. Smiles, joy, peace, hurt, struggle, sacrifice. Whatever it is,
it will only bring closer to Him, and that is all that matters.
For more info about YWAM or the Marriage Of The Arts program
check out these links!
Prayer Card I sent out along with donation letters.
This is the "Water Castle" where I will be staying in Herrnhut, Germany.
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