the story.

this is the story of how

i found out about YWAM's DTS.

be warned, it's nothing fancy.

in fact, it's quite boring and long.

just the ramblings of a farm girl

(yes, i live on a farm).

okay...here goes!

last semester i was enrolled full-time at our local community college.

everything was going well, 

it was what i wanted to do.

i had everything all planned out.

i was going to go there, 

get my 2-year associates degree,

then jump full-time into building my photography business.

haha, it's quite funny how i thought i had it all figured out.

(i didn't have a clue).

so there i was, last semester.

taking 12 credits, working part-time on the farm,

working part-time as a photographer.

full-time student. 

busy,busy,busy.

anyway, about 5 or 6 weeks into the semester,

something in me changed.

suddenly, i didn't want to be there.

i dreaded the 45 minute (one-way) drive to the college.

i hated that i was spending so much time alone.

i didn't want to be majoring in "art education."

i'm not going to be an art teacher (unless it's with photography).

fast-forward, past the depressing facebook statuses.

and me bawling my eyes out on my way home from school.

and the tantrums i threw on my way to school.

to the part when my mom, unable to stand my attitude any more,

googled "Christian photography schools."

i know i'm supposed to do something with photography.
preferably in a Christian environment.

the google search came up, and we found this thing called "school of photography I"
i started reading about it (it's a 3-month intense photography school that focuses on using photography to glorify God), and decided that i wanted to do it.
but there was a catch.
to be enrolled in the "school of photography I,"
you have to complete a 6-month school called a
"Discipleship Training School."

three months of training, then three months of outreach/missions.
at first, i wasn't so sure about it.
but then, i found a DTS called PhotogenX.
their mission? use photography to be a voice for the voiceless.
to bring light to a world lost in darkness.
the training? three months of Bible classes and photography classes.
the outreach? anywhere in the world, reaching out to people using photography.
my next thought: when/where can i sign up for this????

my parents heard where the training was (hawaii),
and said, "uhh, no way."

i prayed and prayed,
asking God what He wanted me to do.
the longer it went, the more i felt called to apply.
finally, i got the "go ahead" from my parents.
they said, "we can't stop you from doing what God wants you to do."

overjoyed and nervous, i applied.
a few weeks later, i got an email saying i was accepted.
i leave for the training in hawaii on april 5th.
i am so stoked for this!
i feel like it's where God wants me.

stepping out in faith,

i dropped the community college classes i was registered for (this semester).

i'm praying that God will provide the funds for me to go on this trip.

i need about $7,500.00 before may or june.
please consider supporting me.

i am willing to do whatever i can to raise the $7,500 i need.
i'll babysit your kids.
wash your car.
clean your house.
take photos of you. (see this post for details).
anything you can think of, i'll do it.

please keep me in your prayers as i'm raising my support.
and as i prepare to leave maryland and head to hawaii.
i'm nervous about it, but i've never been more sure of anything.
~Valerie