When I joined YWAM, I had no clue what I was getting into. I had no vision, no plan, and no clear “word” from God. I just had this tugging feeling in my stomach that I should join YWAM.
Growing up, I had told God that I would do whatever He wanted and go wherever He wanted me to go. That place ended up being YWAM.
I was 19 when I got on a plane to move to Germany. On the way, I told God I was willing to do whatever. I would serve in the kitchen, serve the underground church in China, or do whatever else He wanted.
But I had one condition.
I would not be part of a DTS staff team.
(Not sure what a YWAM DTS is? A Discipleship Training School is a five-month missions training program.)
The Conditions We Put on Our Yes
Why was I so set on not working on a DTS staff team?
I didn't want to mess up people's lives.
I am really good at making mistakes. Nineteen-year-old me knew that if I joined a DTS staff team, I would probably be given some kind of leadership responsibility. And I was absolutely certain I would make mistakes that affected other people.
So I made a deal with God. I would go wherever He wanted, do whatever He asked, and serve however I could, as long as I didn't have to do that.
Have you ever tried to make a deal with God?
Maybe yours looks different from mine. Maybe you're willing to go on a missions trip, but not to a particular country. Maybe you're willing to serve, but not lead. Maybe you're open to following God wherever He takes you, as long as it doesn't mean leaving your friends, giving up your plans, or stepping into something you're afraid you won't be good at.
Sometimes, we genuinely want to follow God while quietly deciding there are certain things we won't let Him ask of us.
We say yes, but with conditions.
Seven Days Later…
Let's just say that deals with God don't always work out the way we want them to.
Seven days after becoming a full-time YWAM staff member, I was on a plane to Hong Kong with a DTS outreach team.
I had given God my wholehearted commitment to go wherever and do whatever He wanted. But I had also tried to set the limits.
God lovingly challenged my desire to hold on to control over the life I had surrendered to Him.
Looking back, I'm so thankful He didn't let my fear make that decision for me. I was afraid I would make mistakes, and I probably did. But being afraid of getting something wrong wasn't a good reason to rule out something God might ask me to do.
Surrender doesn't mean we know what God will ask of us. It means we stop treating our yes as a contract where we get to decide the terms.
What Are Your Conditions?
It's easy to say we're willing to follow God wherever He leads. It's harder when following Him might mean doing something we never pictured ourselves doing.
So here's a question worth sitting with:
What conditions have you placed on your yes to God?
Is there a place you've already decided you won't go? A responsibility you've ruled out? Something you feel unqualified for, uncomfortable with, or afraid to try?
Of course, not every opportunity is our calling, and following God doesn't mean saying yes to everything. We still need to seek Him, listen, and grow in wisdom.
But it's worth asking whether we're genuinely seeking His direction or simply protecting the parts of our lives we don't want Him to touch.
You don't need to have everything figured out before you follow God. You don't need to feel completely ready, either. Sometimes, the next step is simply being honest with Him about your fears and being willing to let Him challenge the limits you've set.
A Generation Sent
I'm so thankful that God isn't in the business of making deals. His plans are better than the ones I could have made for myself, and I'm grateful He didn't leave me in control of every detail.
Imagine a generation of young people who have surrendered their lives fully to Jesus. A generation ready to go wherever, whenever, and do whatever He asks of them.
That's what we're praying for at YWAM Nuremberg. A generation that doesn't just feel inspired by God's heart for the nations, but is willing to take steps of faith and live out that calling.
So take a moment to ask yourself: What would it look like to give God an unconditional yes?
You don't have to know the whole plan. You just have to be willing to let Him lead.
