It’s funny how a year ago this week I was flying to Hawaii for the very first time, embarking on my first DTS adventure. Now a year later, I’m living in Hawaii and staffing the January 2017 DTS!

This past week has been filled with many airport pickups and getting to know our 20 new students from across the globe! Thursday night was the traditional Aloha Night filled with laughs, pictures, friend making, and yummy food! Friday evening each student gave their testimony to the school, talking about what they just came out of, how they met Jesus, and why they chose to do this DTS. The hearts of these students were so evident as they got up and let themselves be vulnerable as they shared their personal stories.

During our week of DTS staff training, we took an afternoon to pray about this school and a theme for the quarter. We were all getting such a strong sense of words weighted with great potential and impact, resulting with the theme of Power. Freedom. Victory. A theme is something that you can speak over a school yet it is the students that create the initial feel and culture. These three words have become so incredibly real over the last few days. There is such an atmosphere of confidence amongst the girls here, confident in who they are and who they’re made to be. They encourage and uplift, they inspire and live real. My heart for this school and these students is growing every day as I get to know them more and more and can already see the potential God is going to work with.

Be praying for us all as we officially start with lecture on Monday. Pray for unity amongst this entire community, pray that students and staff alike would be open to growth and challenged in their faith. I’d appreciate your prayers for continued energy and wisdom as I step into this new season of leadership. I’m stoked to see where this quarter takes me!