The Summary

Todays forecast:: rain on the Sunshine Coast of Australia. It is a good summary of my emotions as of lately. This DTS has come to an end and all 23 of our kids have dispersed among multiple countries, some traveling and some reuniting with their families. It is a very bitter sweet time in my life. God has rocked my world over these past 5 months and I will never be the same. All the people that told me staffing is a totally different experience and you will learn even more were actually right! One of the questions they asked us during staff debrief is how did the students impact your life personally. To answer that question truthfully I can say.. I've never been more challenged in my spiritual walk with God.. challenged with my personal beliefs on things.. challenged me to the 10th degree to live to a higher standard and take EVERYTHING back to prayer. I can honestly say I have the best relationship with God than I ever have in my entire life, and I owe it all to these students!

I won't lie there were many sleepless nights and many, many non-stop days (you know the ones where your not quite sure how you are going to make it through but you always do.) A lot of driving people around and feeling a little like a taxi service. Oh and do not let me forget the cleaning, the reminding people to bring this, bring that and basically feeling a lot like a mother. Then on outreach I got the pleasure of cleaning up vomit, holding hair while my girls where over the toilet. Its funny really thinking back of how my mom did the same thing for me and always thinking I guess moms just don't get sick. Out of the entire outreach I can proudly say I was the only ONE that did not get sick (if you include Joel chugging liquid ice cream and it coming right back up, sorry Joel I think that counts as vomit.) However looking back I would not change one of those things. God has done so much more than this for me. Serving others is a simple sacrifice in comparison to what our God did for us! The most awesome thing about this is God gave me amazing friends out of this sweet deal as well. I am walking away with a few people I will never loose touch with! I am so thankful God gave me this opportunity. Through the success and the failures I have made it and learned so much from this experience.

I have been praying a lot about my future and what God is calling me to do. As of right now I feel like God is asking me to serve on the July DTS 2010 as school leader. (Don't worry family I will be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas 2010!!) I will have to take two different courses on leadership both are 2 week courses here in Australia. They cost about 400 dollars a piece but if this is what God wants from me then I know it will happen. I am coming home at the end of March to spend time with my family and work for a month. Hopefully earn enough money for a plane ticket back over seas. When people ask me if I have a heart for a country or a group of people my answer is this... 2 different things, God has laid on my heart to serve young woman who desire to know more about God, then on a totally separate spectrum autistic kids and children with special needs, I could see me working with them at some point of my life.

I love working in a salon and truthfully I miss it so much. It actually hurts to walk by a salon and smell THAT smell and know that right now that's not what God is calling me to do. The money is good and it is easy for me, it's what I know. But God asked me to give that up for him, so with a little bit of a fight I said yes. I want to encourage you to say YES. After all it is the best hurt I would never ask for! Serving God for every person is different. I just encourage you to serve God and be a part of furthering his kingdom, it's an AWESOME place!! =)