Following His Lead

In March of 2012, something was planted in me that I put up on the shelf out of sheer disbelief.  It was at a DTS Gathering in Coventry, England and it was the last night before we would all go our separate ways and I would head back to Harpenden.  That night, during a time of worship, a lovely lady from the YWAM base in Milan, Italy came up to me with a word from God.  I didn't know her and she didn't know me but she took the bold step to tell me what she felt God wanted her to say to me.  She said that God wanted to raise me up as a leader.  Maybe even school leading.  (In reference to a DTS)  The first statement I resonated with greatly and could definitely see how God had already been doing that and wanted to continue in that process.  Great.  The second part, I shelved immediately and didn't tell anyone else about.  How could I possibly be a school leader?  There was no way.  I didn't believe it and part of me didn't want to believe it.  Part of me didn't want to get to that point.

Two short weeks after the Gathering, I made my first visit to s/y Next Wave, where I was challenged even more in this process of becoming a leader.  I didn't realize then how big a piece of the puzzle that was to be.

In December 2013, I felt God ask me to lead the next DTS on the ship.  It was more than just a passing thought.  Every piece to the puzzle came together in my mind that moment, showing me how God was leading me towards that.

It is now October 2014 and I am leading a school.  I'm leading a DTS.

On a ship.

God kind of left that last bit of information out...that's just a bonus.

I guess God was right.

It's been a hard journey, one which I never expected to go on and could never have imagined.  There were times of wanting to give up on everything and run away.  But there was something stronger in me pushing me forward, urging me to keep going no matter how much it hurt.

I gave in.
I kept going.

And here I am, ready and willing to take on the challenges set before me with so much excitement for what's to come, learning from all the difficulties in the past to become even more confident in who I am.  With only 3 short months left spent on a sailing ship currently located in the Mediterranean Sea, I'm committed to making the most of this and finding joy and life in it all, knowing that this is exactly where God wants me to be and what He wants me to be doing.

It's gonna be a good one.