Saying ‘Yes’ When It’s Hard: Post DTS
Life goes through seasons = that’s not a shocker. It can feel like dry deserts turn into riverbeds with bountiful fields and back into dry deserts. For those who have completed a DTS, they know it to be a season of bountiful harvest. A season full of growing, breaking, making, and being made all at the same time. So what happens when the fruitful season is over and you return back home? How do you say “yes” after DTS? How do you say “yes” when it’s hard?
Re-entering into life after a fruitful season like DTS isn’t always easy. You may realize you actually have to approach the struggles you used to go through and grow through them all over again. But, we serve a gracious God that meets us where we are. You don’t have to face these struggles alone because Jesus wants to help guide you through them! I talked to a student from our Winter 2019 DTS about how the Lord has encountered him at home after DTS. It was not easy. But, he learned that there’s rivers in desert wastelands.
James’ Story
“Coming home after a DTS was exciting, yet terrifying. I was so excited to come home after 6 months of being away from family and friends. I was excited for what the Lord was going to show me, and how He was going to use me in this season. However, I was extremely scared as well. I was nervous about what people would think of this ‘new’ me, and that I wasn’t going to have friends when I got back. I didn’t know how the (GOOD) changes I made during my DTS would affect my home life.
It was hard for me coming back into the swing of things after being in Redding for half a year. However, people were nice and curious as to what I was doing. Most of my friends were really happy and supportive of me. Meanwhile, there were some people who were opposed to everything I was doing and had done. I started falling back into old habits I thought were long gone. Which resulted in removing some of the people out of my life I thought were my friends. The enemy continued his onslaught for weeks until I finally had a breakthrough.
Through a Sunday morning service, I had conviction rise up in me like a fire. A fire I had felt before, a fire I knew had to be the Lord. The Lord brought all of my failings and shortcomings to the light. In an instant, I felt relief on my life. Then there was this blissful peace that came over me, I repented, thanked the Lord, and gave Him all the glory!
Although I had a breakthrough with the Lord and everything seemed to go up, the enemy doesn’t give up that easily. Family troubles started to rise, along with financial struggles.
Our family has been under a lot of spiritual attacks; however, each day we grew closer and closer with each other, and the Lord. As I write this testimony, my family sat down for 5 hours and talked. Talked about our days, our stress, our hearts. Then we focused in on the Lord and what He wants for our family. We all laughed and had an amazing conversation.”
The Take Away
When we follow Jesus our struggles don’t just go away, sometimes they come back even stronger because we have opposition. Thanks to Jesus, we have someone to lean on and trust in to help us with our battles in order to help others walk in victory over their own.
Jesus calls us to “Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
You are not in this alone. We all walk through seasons of fruitfulness and of silence. For those in the YWAM community, you may be coming out of a dry season about to step into a DTS, or you’re getting ready to transition out of YWAM. Get this: our best days here on earth are barely a glimpse of what our time in Heaven will look like. The Lord doesn’t just use you in the season of fruitfulness like DTS. He will use you in any season you are in, if you’re open to letting him use you. We go through is a daily sacrifice, a daily practice of laying our struggles at the foot of the cross; because without Jesus, we can’t do anything in our own flesh.
I Say Yes!
Sometimes saying yes isn’t to a crazy adventure overseas, but simply just going back home to continue walking with Jesus. Saying “yes” to Jesus, means saying “yes” in ALL seasons. Saying “yes” when it’s easy. Saying “yes” even when it’s hard. Even when it hurts. Because Jesus is worth it and He will guide us to the promised land.
If you’re looking for a next step, check out our Discipleship Training School or our secondary schools. It just takes a yes, so say ‘YES’!!!