As people inquire about Discipleship Training School, a common question I hear is, “Am I too young?” To say it simply, no. In fact, in Youth With A Mission young people are our specialty. We want you. We want your passion, your pursuit, your questions, and your enthusiasm.
Young people are our specialty. We want you. We want your passion, your pursuit, your questions, and your enthusiasm.
I went through my own life changing experience in DTS, and one day, one of my leaders passed me a note during worship. Opening it and reading what he had written, I could simultaneously feel fear and excitement in my stomach. Written on the piece of paper was this, “I know your plans are mostly set, but I have something for you to pray about.” He was right, my plans for after my DTS were mostly set. In part, they were set because I assumed that as a young person my only option was to go to college and then hope I figured out my purpose in the unfolding of the next 2 years.
All the fears that could answer the question, “Why me, I’m too young?” didn’t stand a chance against the hope and excitement that came with knowing he believed in me…
As he and I sat and talked through what he thought I could bring to the staff team for the next DTS, I was humbled. The same fear and enthusiasm found its place again in my stomach, but this time for a different reason. As he shared and talked, his trust in my walk with the Lord stirred within me. His enthusiasm over my desire to see my peers engage in missions stirred within me. His intent to champion my goal to educate stirred within me. All of it was exciting, but also humbling. I realized as he was talking that all the fears that could answer the question, “Why me, I’m too young?” didn’t stand a chance against the hope and excitement that came with knowing he believed in me, knowing he would do this journey with me, and knowing that my age actually didn’t limit me. Instead, my age should inspire me to incredible possibilities. Possibilities that would take a lifetime… a lifetime I so happen to have in front of me.
Written by Jen Dorrough
