Leaving Everything for 6 Months: Can I Really Do This?

There are events that I’m gonna miss with my family and friends (even some of my friends’ weddings). Is it worth it? I mean I have a life back home.

Before my DTS I started to ask myself these same questions.

What was helpful for me was to shift my question from “How can I just leave?” to “Why am I making this decision?”

I started to write everything I was gonna leave or miss for the 6 months.

And then on another paper, I started to write why I decided to do a DTS in the first place. After writing for a while I was shocked to see the paper that had the why question was filled with so many answers and the paper with the things I’m gonna leave only has three or four sentences.

After coming to this realisation I had peace with leaving those things because I knew that what I am gonna gain from this experience is so much more.

Tips for stepping into any big decision:

1. Remember the reasons why you felt to take this step in the first place.

2. Write them out and keep them on paper or in a note. So that whenever you’re doubting your decision, you can reread what you wrote down.
   I also believe that when you pray, God will give you more reasons why: maybe it’s something He wants to work on with you during the season, a lesson that He wants you to learn during that time, or a dream he wants to spark through that time.
   God can be so personal and specific when we ask these kind of questions. So ask Him.

3. Ask God why He's leading you to take this step. And on the same paper with your reasons, write down God’s reasons too. I believe you’re gonna shape the nature of this adventure with God.

4. And remember you’re not alone, homesickness is real and it happens to every one of us. But when we’re homesick we’re also gaining new experiences, new friends, and new adventures.