Finish the task

 
          So after our week of Spiritual warfare we were able to go to Ohio and be apart of Dts conference called: Finish the task.
We had a lot of different DTS students coming together from all over the United States.
Our journey there was longer then we expected. About 10min into our trip, early in the morning, our bus broke down and we had to wait for about an hour before we were able to get back on the road again. It was fun because half of the time we just stayed in the bus and the other half we decided to take the little van and group-by-group take the students back to our base. Afer everybody got back to the base and settled down, some ate their breakfast and some thought about taking a shower when we found out that the bus was fixed and ready to go again. It was funny to see how people started running around and getting ready for another try. We got passed the spot where our bus broke down and felt like we can do this. Our bus ride was long but a lot of fun. Good for me cause I was able to talk to one of the Northwood dts Staff members  (another dts 2h away from us joined us for the journey) on our way to Ohio.
      The night we got there was a happy moment. The minute I noticed my dear friend Nicole, I ran to her and didn’t even care about the ongoing konference meeting that was happening, I just hugged my dear friend and told her how much I had missed her. I realised I had missed a lot of people so It was so nice to re-unite with all of them.
The conference was one challenging experience for me. Having all the people around me and getting out of my comfort zone, while sharing a big gym floor with about 100 girls, having no privacy while taking a shower in a basement where the shower water was up to my ancles, having to sit with new people while eating my breakfast/lunch/dinner. But I must confess, it was nice to meet other DTS students and hear all about their program.

We didn’t just meet new people, but I also spent time with God, and taking part of different sessions.

Some of the things I learned:

During the conference they talked about different topics,
I really liked the thought of my identity.

„Your greatest identity is to be known as the Child of God“

I want my identity not to be in what I do, where I go but in what I know - Jesus Christ, my saviour.

I loved that they touched the topic about Passion as well.
One of the questions during that session was:

What is it for you?

One of the students answered: Fuego, another one said that in greek „passion“ means „suffering“ . God’s passion for the people can be put into suffering.. He suffers for us.

One of the things I learned about passion was that passion is not about emotions. It is the work of Christ on the cross!!

But how do I get the passion?
Intimacy with God, I need to ask for it, exepting God’s love, receiving it. Also getting around people who are passionate.
So I also cant let the enviroment around me change my passion, I am not a thermometer, that changes in the enviroment.
So I know now, that it is not about my emotions, I can feel happy, sad, cry, not cry and still be passionate, because I know what Jesus did for me on the Cross and it makes me passionate for this world to know about my Jesus.

During the conference I heard God speaking to me while hearing the topic about Justice.
We were in the middle of talking about biblical justice and how the people are so much more important and how we need to seek for the Lord for solutions, when I got this understanding in my heart:
    I can never go back to normal!!

Basically I came to the understanding that I can never go back to what I did before dts. It was so sudden and so real. It was almost a bit scary to think that my life will be changed forever but exiting as well!

I want to be passionate for God and for His people, for the rest of my life!

One of my fav sessions was hearing about Muslim culture.
it was so very exciting to hear how this family lived among Muslims in India and in Thailand. How they lived amond the muslims. They learned about the culture and language and how to become friends with them and love them. And not forcing Jesus on them but letting the Holy Spirit work through them. Because we are not the Holy Spirit, He will reveal himself when it is the right moment. And he will give you the opportunity to witness to them. Not judging them would be a great start already!
Knowing also that the discipleship proces is not fast, it will take time.

Something that I learned about muslim people is that they have a great power of shame and honor in their culture – at times it is so strong that it can lead them thorwards killing their own children if needed. Why he said that was when a muslim becomes a follower of christ, and is no longer a muslim it is a great shame to the family.

I also learned that I as a „white person“ will be labelled into a „christian“ group, and the group is an overall statement, but in their culture it is not about you declaring you are a christian, but you showing you have a relationship with Jesus. It is personal and never a religion.

I believe I am called to missions, I don’t know if full-time, I don’t know where, but I know that I will never go back to my old life again. I want to give my life to god. It is life-for-life desicion. Jesus gave his life for me, and now I give my life to Jesus and let him use me where I am needed.

I really enjoyed my time in Ohio, and learned new things about this world, about God and how to continue my relationship with Jesus and being confident in who God created me to be!