Background
I believe God has led us on this path of life for a reason. As I think back at events growing up, I can see his leading even when I wasn’t neccessarily tuned in. One of those instances was when I was a Freshman at Clemson as an Engineering major. I knew engineering wasn’t for me and was looking for another major when I ran into an old friend who said he was majoring in Graphic Commications (GC) and he told me to tour the building. I did and it peaked my interest. I ended up switching majors and graduating with a degree in GC. Even further back, I have always loved computers and remember creating greeting cards on Microsoft Publisher on Windows 3.2. God rekindled my passion even when I had forgotten it. I started my own design business, Design Smart, and love it! Art, design, business and technology is what I love to do.
Camille has always been in to health and fitness and after a semester at USC-Spartanburg in the TV Journalist major, all of her classes were canceled for the next semester because of a glitch in the system. As a result, she had to on a whim take some other classes. She took some time to rethink her major and ended up graduating with a certificate of personal training. She started her own business as well.
Transformation & Refocus
I believe God is always trying to lead us further into our passions that he created us for. I’ve seen a pattern emerge throughout my YWAM DTS experience. As I saw people pursue God, He brings them deeper passion for what they love to do. It happened to us too! He also does another special thing. He gives us a heart for what breaks His. I no longer want to go through life making money to spend on myself. I want my business to fully honor God. Camille and my skills are an offering to the Kingdom of God to be used for His glory.
Following His Leading
Here’s how we think God is leading Camille and I towards:
If you feel led to partner with us in prayer or monthly financially, click below:
God has given us a hunger and a passion to seek Him for the rest of our lives. While seeking God, we developed his heart for the lost and broken. We want to go tell others about the glory of His kingdom and spread His love to the sick, impoverished, hungry and hurting.
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20
We feel led to help fulfill God’s great commission that Jesus talks about in Matthew. Just as a school teacher needs training before he or she teaches, we felt the need to learn how to become a trained disciple so we are ready to effectively spread and teach the Gospel to others. The Youth with a Mission (YWAM) Community Transformations Discipleship Training School (DTS) was the perfect fit to train us and take what we learn in the classroom to the nations. Starting at the end of September 2009, we spent 3 months in Kona, HI and then spent 3 months on an outreach in Finland and Sweden. The school gave new understanding of how to transform people, communities, and the world.
From DTS to Staff t0 the World
With the DTS training under our belt, we want to spend some time teaching others what we learned and discipling them by partnering with God in what He is doing in their life! We also realize if we are going to stay long term in another country, we will need to learn leadership skills. After much prayer, we felt the best way to do this is to staff a DTS. We have been staffing the Awaken DTS 2010-2011 and lead an outreach to India and a yet-to-be-determined location. We ask for your prayers and partnership as we continue to follow Jesus!
While staffing we learned the importance of community on the field. We want to be launched to a location with a community of passionate believers. We feel a call to Spanish speaking countries (Spain & Guatemala) but are open to words that the Lord is speaking.
Please keep us in your prayers, as we discern the path that God has us on.