Next Step

Welcome home photo by THE Betsy Lackey =) 

Well folks I have been back in good o’ West Texas for almost three weeks now! It has been so good hugging those I have missed the last 6 months, sharing and catching up on all that I have missed. New jobs, weddings, engagements, babies, graduations… man o man life is good =) 

Going through a DTS (Discipleship Training School) was absolutely life changing. It is hard to sum up in just a few sentences. I would love to hang out and share more of how God changed my heart and used me to change others’ hearts as well. More photos on my blog will soon come.

But as far as the next step, God definitely used this experience to allow me to dream big and in this season built up my faith to be able to take steps toward the dreams and visions He has placed inside of my heart. Growing up I remember my dreams consisted of being a collegiate athlete and earning a degree. I have been blessed to be able to achieve both, but heavily relied on my own strength. After this season in DTS God has transformed my heart to stop thinking so small and so self focused and invited me to allow Him to open my eyes and dream with Him for His glory.

So after much prayer and really thinking of what I am passionate about and what gets me excited, I have chosen to commit to full time missions with Y.W.A.M. Herrnhut (Youth With A Mission). I love pouring into others and stirring them toward Jesus just like others cared enough to do for me. I love the influence art, media and sports can have on this world. I love pursuing God whether it is in Ralls, Texas or across the world in Herrnhut, Germany, but I feel like the next step is to go back to Herrnhut, Germany. Right now I am in the middle of praying and raising funds to attend what we call a “secondary school” Secondary schools are schools offered after you complete your DTS to further invest and grow in your relationship with Christ. There are many different secondary schools with specific focuses. The one I have chosen to be a part of is the School of Intercessory Prayer (http://soip.ywamherrnhut.com/) The school will be in Herrnhut, Germany where I did my DTS. I feel like this school will allow me to grow even further in intimacy with God and give me more vision for what is to come.

After SOIP (School Of Intercessory And Prayer) I hope to join the Y.W.A.M. Herrnhut staff in the United States. Y.W.A.M. Herrnhut is starting a satellite base in Florida and beginning discipleship training schools in January 2014. As a staff member I would help with logistics around the base as well as disciple students who are in DTS and lead outreach teams to different parts of the world.

Another thing I feel like God has put on my heart is how sports are such a huge platform to share the Gospel and disciple believers. There may be an opportunity for me to help in pioneering a discipleship training school focused on sports through Y.W.A.M. Herrnhut. That is just a dream right now, but I know God loves for us to dream big with Him.

Thank you so much for reading my updates and praying for me throughout this journey! It is so beautiful how prayer is a way to be a part of what God is doing in each others’ lives. I hope you will continue to want to be a part of what God is doing in my life and partner with me in bringing His kingdom =)

Welcome home photo by THE Betsy Lackey =)