Hi everyone! My name is Makenna. This fall, I’m planning to attend a Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM in Kona, Hawaii.

Over the past year, I’ve felt a growing desire to deepen my faith, grow as a person, and step into something that challenges me in new ways. After spending a lot of time praying and thinking about what direction to take, I truly feel like this is where God is leading me. It’s definitely a huge step outside of my comfort zone, but I’m really excited about everything I’ll learn and experience through it.

For those who don’t know, DTS is a training program through YWAM that focuses on spiritual growth, discipleship, community, and outreach. The first part of the program is lecture phase, where I’ll spend time learning through worship, biblical teaching, mentorship, and living in community with other students from different places and backgrounds. The second part is the outreach phase, where students travel and serve in different communities through mission work, ministry, and outreach opportunities. The whole process will be about 5-6 months long.

One of the reasons I feel so drawn to this program is because I know it will challenge me to grow in confidence, independence, leadership, and faith. I’m excited to learn more about serving others, building relationships, and being part of a community centered around faith and purpose. I also think it will give me a lot of opportunities to grow personally and step into experiences I wouldn’t normally have.

The total cost for tuition, travel, outreach, and living expenses is approximately $10,000. Over the next few months, I’ll be working as much as I can, saving money, and doing different fundraisers to help make this possible.

I mostly just wanted to share this journey with the people in my life and invite anyone who wants to be part of it to support however they feel led. There are so many meaningful ways to support me through this process: praying for me, encouraging me, sharing opportunities or advice, coming to fundraisers, or financially supporting me if that’s something you’re able and wanting to do. Every bit of support truly means so much to me, and I’m incredibly thankful for the people around me who continue to encourage and believe in me.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for being part of my journey. Your encouragement, prayers, and support means more to me than I can express. I’m incredibly excited to see where God leads me through this next season and all that He will teach me along the way.

If you feel led to support me financially, I would be deeply grateful. Every contribution, no matter the amount, will help make this opportunity possible and allow me to focus on growing, learning, and serving during my time in DTS. If giving financially isn’t possible, your prayers and encouragement are just as meaningful to me. Thank you for taking part in this journey! I look forward to sharing updates and everything God does throughout the coming months.

With love,

Makenna