How do you increase your faith? Former student Sarah Horan shares her heart on how God revealed His truth to her during a Discipleship Training School (DTS). Growing in your faith is a constant learning process. Discovering the reality of who He is will strengthen and solidify who you are and what God created you to be.If you are considering enrolling or are about to attend a Discipleship Training School, here is my advice: open your heart to the Lord and get ready for your world to turn upside down. The God you thought was passive is about to move, the God you thought was quiet is about to speak to you very intimately, and the God you thought was absent is about to reveal Himself in new ways and show you where He was in all the moments before. My Discipleship Training School has impacted my life since the day it began.
In January 2021, I left home full of wonder and ready to receive all God had for me. I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life or even that God had been dreaming about my life, too. And boy, did He show up!
I did not learn what God had wanted me to do before DTS, and I didn't get a detailed itinerary for years 19 through 85 either. Instead, I learned how to hear God’s voice and to hear it well, and that knowledge has only been built upon since my DTS.
In my heart, I hoped for a to-do list from God to bring me into a vibrant and meaningful life, and I had no idea such a deep day-to-day, minute-to-minute conversation with God was possible. Recognizing this, I found the sincerity and vibrancy my heart was expecting.
DTS and the YWAM Tyler community also helped shape my worldview. I learned the biblical reason why cultures and people do the things they have been taught to do. I understood the broken heart of human nature, as well as the broken heart of God. I learned how God‘s love and the word of God can restore and lead in every sphere of influence⏤Family, Religion, Education, Government, Media, Arts, and Economics. I have grown in wisdom, and my love for God, and I have grown more compassionate for people.
When I joined YWAM, I saw things through my own lenses of rules and religion. But I left seeing with the lenses of the Gospel and a biblical worldview to answer questions for myself. Discipleship brought the knowledge in my head down into my heart, which is still teaching and helping me grow.
The seeds planted in my heart during DTS did not necessarily make sense at the time. Now, I understand aspects of God’s love that I didn’t before, God is giving me the grace to see them today, all building on the foundation that he laid for me in 2021. What the Lord built in DTS shaped who I am today.
DTS was the best decision I ever made! The knowledge I gained gave me a foundation for the rest of my life. This knowledge isn't just textbook knowledge that I robotically repeat. Instead it is a lifestyle of seeking the realities of God's Kingdom. It has been three years since my DTS, and because of this foundation, I feel like that makes this knowledge classifiable as wisdom.
Are you eager to know the Lord? Discipleship Training School is a great tool to determine where you are at and will help take you where you want to be in your relationship with Him. Let Sarah's story encourage you to take action so you can know God for yourself. Allow Him to teach and transform you into a new person. Your next steps toward God will lead you to a flourishing and fulfilling life.