Journey Gap Year 2023

So, here's the abrasive update as to what's happening in my life recently.

I shared earlier this year that I was accepted to do a DTS (Discipleship Training School) in Whitsunday, Australia in the fall. I was completely set to go and just had a few loose ends to tie up this summer while I served in Montana at Camp Bighorn. While serving, my plans were interrupted.

I'll start by saying that if you don't already know my history with Bighorn, It's somehow both brief and extensive. I wound up at camp in 2018 as a middle schooler with Cascade (my home church) and I accepted Christ while at camp. Since 2018 I've served work weekends with Bighorn, come back with cascade a few times, and stayed in close relationship with a few staff. This summer, I agreed to come serve for 4 weeks on summer staff to be able to pour back into the ministry that has greatly supported me.

As the summer began, I started to work through some of the things I needed to finish up with YWAM Whitsunday (Such as my VISA application) I ran into some road blocks that were increasingly frustrating. I couldn't continue with my plans due to difficulties that were out of my control. This led me to a point where I needed to be in prayer, and in that time of prayer -God put Journey on my heart.

I've known about Camp Bighorn's Journey program for years, but never took it into consideration. It's an 8 month program that gives students the opportunity to learn about God in an intentional and supportive community. Journey also gives students the chance to learn outdoor and wilderness skills like kayaking, backpacking, rock climbing, and much more during the 8 months we're here. There's opportunity to pour out into others, and immense priority in getting poured into.

Knowing what I did about Journey, I thought was that I'd never do it. I wanted to go into ministry directly after high school and do missions. So while fully leaning on my own understanding, I applied to do a DTS with YWAM about a week after I turned 18.

While there's nothing wrong with doing a DTS, in these past couple of months through wise counsel from family and friends as well as much prayer- it is not where God is calling me in this season. These past couple of years have been very straining on me and my life. While I consider myself to be a joyful and positive focused person- getting away from home and processing some of the things I've gone through made me realize that I may need to give God time to invest in me and not just use me in others lives. A friend here gently reminded me that it is okay to invest in myself and that was something that was greatly impactful for me.

After communicating with my family, YWAM Whitsunday, and my supporters I can now say that I am doing Journey gap year starting on the 16th of August.

The 4 weeks I originally committed to Bighorn turned into 9 and I've been enjoying ministry here deeply. God is moving in incredible ways here at Bighorn and I can even see His handiwork in the simple conversations I get to have with campers.

I'll be staying here until April with a six week break for the holidays. I cannot wait to see how God moves in this upcoming season.

While most of the friends and family I've spoken to have been very supportive with this change and my call to follow God in Plains, MT- there was a question that was brought to me that I'd like to address here:

Australia would be a great experience, why are you staying in Montana?

In short, I agree that living in Australia for 5 months and getting to do a DTS there would be a great experience. However my purpose in life is not following an experience but for experiencing Christ through following Him. I have prayed time and time again the simplistic "Here I am Lord, send me" prayer. Being obedient to His response to that is to listen when He tells me to stay.

As I move forward in this calling, I still need to support raise for this program. If you feel called to support me in this, my donation link will be below.

Some prayer requests

• That the summer here at Bighorn would finish well

• That the transition from staff to home/Journey would go well for the summer staff here at camp

• That the last group of campers we have would have open and receptive hearts