I admit I’m one of those people who have to study some thing before they feel justified to participate in it. For months, I read triathlon books, websites, and magazines, volunteered at a few events and meticulously purchased just the right equipment before realizing that the best way to gain triathlon knowledge and experience is actually participating in one. Silly how that happens. Needless to say, sometimes my pursuit of wanting to be an expert makes me realize I have to put ambition and caution to the wind and just jump in without looking back.

Joining this January DTS has really helped me understand how futile a sideline-approach to life can be and how rewarding a life of jumping in is. For a few months previous to coming to England for my DTS, I was absolutely looking at my faith from the sidelines as a lot of people in the U.S. do. Far too often, it is our Christian way of life. Talking about our faith, going to church, going to Bible study, feeling all Christian-y, or what have you. I didn’t quite know how to connect my faith with every aspect of my life.

For me, this DTS has helped me begin to understand how to develop a true discipleship of Jesus in my life. Christianity isn’t all about reading the Bible or going to Church–it is applying what you’ve learned from these important resources and living like Christ in every aspect of your life and this DTS has helped me begin to understand what that looks and feels like. Sometimes it takes a huge leap of faith to dedicate 6 months to God in order to understand. It feels awful right before you take the leap of faith, but, oh, how rewarding it is!

In fact, this DTS has been so much more rewarding than I expected. Our school’s Bible verse is Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This verse has been incredibly encouraging. But more importantly, participating DTS has helped us begin to realize the love God has for us and just exactly how God is equipping us for doing good works. It really is a privilege to be here to grow closer to 10 other people as we all grow closer to God together.

I recently started a new hobby by purposely diving head-first. It’s a lot like scrap booking–making websites with only XHTML. It has been such a riot to learn as I go. I’ve made dozens of mistakes–alright, countless mistakes–but, wow, how sweet those mistakes make my success when I finally get it right! I think God asks us as Christians to dive into our faith head-first, and fully immerse ourselves in Him. The strength, experience, and success we find in Christ is so very sweet!

Heidi, USA