DTS Updates

Things are going really well here in Jamaica.The last two weeks we've had a fairly relaxed schedule which has compensated for the intense teachings that we've been having. I have never been more mentally or spiritually tired(which in turn equals physical exhaustion!). But I know that all the hard work is only going to help me know our Father more.


My last couple lectures were on "Humility & Fear of the Lord" and "Identity in Christ & Plumb Line." The Fear of the Lord week was taught by Gayle Keaproth (Her and her husband are directors of YWAM Madison,Wisconsin). She was such a genuine and caring lady who had a lot of wisdom to impart on us. She even took the time to pray for all of us individually before she even met us! Since starting DTS, the fear of the Lord has been something that has been brought up quite often and I realized I had no idea what it meant. I obviously new it didn't mean being scared of God but I didn't understand the practical application of it or how to explain it. From Gayle's sessions I learned that fearing God has a lot to do with understanding the priority of the one we live for and very little to do with being scared. If we don't fear the Lord than we will be afraid of Him. Fear of the Lord is what makes us want to live the right way(willingly and intentionally putting aside our sin) because we understand who God is. It involves humbly honoring and valuing the God that we serve and respecting the position he is in and being in awe of who he is.


Last week was Identity and Plumb Line which was taught by Howard and Margaret Ellis who are from Canada(woo!) and have a ministry called Jacob's Well (http://www.jacobswellministries.ca/). It was an interesting week of learning the answers to the "fundamental questions of life"(Who am I? Where am I coming from?Where am I going? What has value to me?") and identifying the areas in our lives that don't line up to God's Plumb line and dealing with them. If you are wondering what a plumb line is (I had no clue either) apparently its what builders use to make their walls straight. Therefore God's plumbline is what shows us how to live our lives (or build straight walls). His unchangeable word has to be the reference point instead of man's if we don't want our "walls" crumbling.
Outside of class we haven't really been up to too much. The past two weekends have been spent lounging by the pool so I can't really complain! The weather has cooled down considerably and it rains everyday but I still managed to get my first sunburn! Me along with some of my classmates have started leading worship on Thursday mornings for our DTS students and staff. Its been fun to grow in that area in safe environment. Next weekend we hope to go to Negril and visit Rick's Cafe where we will go cliff jumping (weather permitted).


Prayer Requests
1) Please pray for Haiti and the Cholera outbreak (http://www.youtube.com/v/6FbWJRVQcYw?version=3%22%3E%3Cparam
2) Pray for wisdom as we prep for outreach 
3) Pray Paul's prayer for the Ephesians in Chapter 1 over me so that I will have wisdom and understanding during the lectures.


"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:17-19a

Sunrise this morning:)