When you’re a little kid, someone always questions, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" There’s the popular options of firefighter, policeman, or cook, but for me it was a forensic scientist. It wasn't a popular choice amongst young people, but I always knew what I wanted to be. After graduating high school, I went to college at Sam Houston State University in the fall of 2018, full of dreams and plans for the next four years of my life.

If you've been thinking of taking a semester off or even a year between high school and college or college and career, you are not alone. Taking a gap year is a hot topic, and since we've talked to students from all over the world who've chosen to do YWAM for their gap experience, we want to help you plan your gap year the right way.

MOVING. I couldn’t believe it when my parents told me we were moving. My family and I were living in a beautiful, mountainous valley in North Carolina at the time. The view of the Smoky Mountains from our house was breathtaking. Relocating to Texas with my parents did not sound like a good idea to a stubborn eleven-year-old like me - especially when I heard we were going to be missionaries and live in tight quarters for a season.

I was living in Tennessee as part of a very small church when my heart began to stir for missions. One day during Sunday school, a missionary came to our church and heard me share how I would love to do foreign missions someday. I was on fire and ready to go! 

Do you ever wake up and forget where you are?

This happens to me often, particularly when I find myself doing crazy things, things I never thought I would have the time, finances, or abilities to do. I'll think, “What am I doing here?” “How did I get here...ME...here doing this right now?!?”

I cannot believe it’s been five weeks since the Multicultural Discipleship Training School (MDTS) started. All I can say is that GOD IS FAITHFUL!

During my Discipleship Training School (DTS), God really showed me His heart for America. I’ve always dreamed of being the missionary that traveled to faraway lands to preach the Gospel where it’s never been heard, but God showed me that He cares as much about the people of America as He does the ones in far off lands. God cares about every nation tribe and tongue, including my own!

So you've been thinking about a Discipleship Training School (DTS), but you're still on the fence with jumping in and doing it. Hey, I get it. There's a lot to think about and huge transitions to consider when carving out space and time to get to know God better. 

GOD IS SO GOOD...Isn’t He? 😁 Since graduation, I had been praying about where God wanted me to go for college. After a few mission trips, God spoke to me about an organization called Youth With a Mission (YWAM). I arrived in January to begin a Discipleship Training School (DTS) here at YWAM Tyler, and it has rocked my world!

Carving out space and time to get to know God better is a desire for many of us. A Discipleship Training School is a great way to actually do it too! It's so cool to see hundreds of people every year experiencing newfound faith in Jesus. 

"Go Now!"

While in Mexico on outreach, my team did all kinds of ministry in different places for three weeks, but my favorite experience took place the last days of our trip in the Purepecha indigenous village. We were stripped from our normal daily comforts, forced to wear long skirts, and slept on cold cement floors, but it was in that village where God gave me my joy back.