first week in Germany... six months ago.

got some old film developed today

at the beginning of the journey...

Herrnhut Germany // Graduation

So after over 20 hours of traveling we arrived back to Germany for the end of our DTS (Discipleship Training School).

We had a week of lectures and debriefs just preparing us for re-entry and going back home.

Then we had our graduation.

The last two weeks in Germany was a very bittersweet time with my new family.

I've lived with, cried with, laughed with, and learned with these people.

We became a unit that I'll never forget.

Now that my DTS is over, looking back at these six months seem like a dream.

I'd like to write something extremely insightful, something embodying how much I've grown and changed during this DTS but words fail me at this moment.

No words can explain what has happened to me...

If you want to know, I guess you'll just have to do one for yourself all I can tell you is it was the

BEST TIME OF MY LIFE!

But also is just the beginning...

something that launched me into this new future I'm embarking on with a right mindset, strong foundation and so much encouragement and support and the realization that with God, i really can change the World

and then my life was changed, forever. No big deal

Lecture phase of DTS (Discipleship Training School) is coming to an end bright and early Saturday morning.

I have been here since early April.

As I watch new DTS's starting and more people come in to start their lecture phase I cant help think, you have NO IDEA what you are getting yourself into.

I have learned that DTS does not stand for Discipleship Training School... at least not to me.

It stands for Die To Self.

Before I came here I was a selfish person. I came here wanting to change the World, but not knowing what it takes.

It takes someone completely unselfish, someone willing to lay down their comfort and sometimes even their own life to make a difference, even if they don't ever get to see the fruit of it.

I could never have done that in March and if you told me that is what I needed to be willing to do to really make a change, I think I would've plugged my ears.

I liked who I was.

The bratty girl I enjoyed being.

The one who didn't see the point in offering a helping hand.

The one that only dreamed of changing the World but was too comfortable to actually do anything about it.

The girl who let fear make her decisions for her.

That is who I WAS!

I wish I could tell you the exact thing that changed me.

The exact word that one of my speakers said or a moment or revelation...

but I cant.

I have become exactly who I wanted to be.

I don't have to fake caring or put on a fake smile.

I am the happiest I've ever been.

Whether I am hanging out in the slums in Romania with the gypsies, or in Germany and walking around this beautiful little town I have been living in since April called Herrnhut.

My life has changed for the better, I have changed for the better.

And all because I was willing to die to my self.

to my own ambitions and say, God this is who I want to be. Change me. i am willing.

and he did.

It was that simple.

Its that INSANE!?

I have wasted so much time knowing who I wanted to be and trying to make myself that person.

Pretend to be happy, pretend to truly care.

and God made me who I wanted to be, and gave the life I used to only dream about.

I would love to share more about that, but I think I will wait until after outreach.

Saturday morning I leave to go to Ethiopia.

I will be living there for two months, putting everything I learned into action.

I could not be more excited for this.

I'm going to Ethiopia!!!

Me, just a poor little girl from Texas, who was struggling with school and how to take care of herself is now living her dream.

Let that forever be my testimony to how good God is.

If you say "stay tuned" one more time....

the last few days..

well since I blogged last have had some fun points.

allow me to share

• I had a fun photo-shoot with my besties bestie friends. It felt so good to take pictures again.
• I took a four hour nap in the prayer room
• I ate a cricket.. Yes I gave in to pure pressure and after years of vegetarianism I ate a little buggie bug... But I wont lie, it left me feeling so brave... like I could jump off a bridge or something... stay tuned... maybe I will..
• someone gave me 200 euro. No idea who its from. Just my name and money inside. I am one step closer to getting the money I need. YAY GOD!

I know their were other highlights but I cant remember them now.

This week has proven so far to be my favorite week of lectures, knowledge wise.

We are discussing Justice and Worldviews.

what we believe, & why we believe.

My kinda subjects.

also me and my friends here are making a list of things we are going to do before we leave DTS.

I guess this is what becomes of boredom...

Stay tuned folks, my life is starting to get a bit more interesting...

Mini Outreach

Aww.... Herrnhut! I've been living here for six weeks! Can you believe it? I cant! Isn't Herrnhut such a cute town!? Europe is so beautiful... at times sketchy but always entertaining! Its so fun how even walking to the grocery store can become an adventure. Like today me and Rachel decided to take a new way home and ended up lost in the woods and found this little hiding place deep in the woods that was... really creepy but extremely awesome at the same time. It was like a petrified forest... This is completely off the subject of why I wrote this blog.. I get distracted so easily.. ANYWAYS! Tomorrow I leave for my mini outreach! I am going to..... (drum roll please) ROMANIA! I'm very excited! My group definitely is the best group of people to spend a week with, I would say. we have Josh, the comedian. Becca, the photographer/ artist who collects dead things and is one of the most awesome/interesting people you will ever meet. Julian, the World travel from New Zealand. Simon, the Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonator. Lydia, the gorgeous German headbanger. Mich, the fact finder.. and the one who loves to prove anything you say wrong. & then we have our leaders Kaci & Caleb or are awesome and laid back. Talk about an awesome outreach :)

We are going to be working in children hospitals and with sick and poor children.

I'm so excited!

But I wish time wasn't flying by so fast!

I want to live in your lens

Like I said, I did a fun photoshoot yesterday with the lovely Dorien Scheltens.

I wish I could take pictures like she does....

"can I take your picture?"

I love living in this community of Herrnhut, Germany.

Most of the staff here are extremely artistic and sometimes you may have a girl walk up to you that you've never met before and ask you if she can take your picture.. which is what happened to me on Friday.

I ended up getting to do a fun photoshoot yesterday with the super talent Dorien Scheltens.

She is from Holland and is just fun to talk to and super fun to take pictures with.

I'll post more pictures from it soon but for now I have to rush and get ready.

One of my new friends from New Zealand who is also a student here at YWAM is having her birthday party!!!

and I can never turn down cake and food that's NOT from the castles kitchen

Remember that one day it snowed?

I woke up to snow the other day... Oh yes. I did. I think its so funny cause they say how bi-polar Texas weather is but I'm pretty sure like a week or so ago it was so hot I had to go put on shorts and sandals & then snow!? How crazy!? But it was fun to have snow ball fights :)

heavy

This week has been crazy.

The second week of school.

We've been drudging up a lot of emotional issues.

Things we haven't forgiven others for.

Things in our past.

Needless to say I'm emotionally exhausted.

I need a hug.

but on the bright side I love spring

when it is gloomy I dream of sun

this picture is from a few days ago when it was sunny & warm.

Today it is not sunny & warm.. it is gloomy & cold.

Lecture today was intense & for some reason my spirits feel gloomy today as well.

I need a hug, some uplifting words & some hot cocoa

Easter Brunch

Yesterday afternoon, after a well deserved nap we had an Easter Dinner/ brunch thing.

About six of my roommates cooked & put together this fantasic mexican feast!

It was awesome cause I definitely missed my mexican food!

We had it in the courtyard of Jesus House, a local church & also where a lot of YWAM staff live.

It was a lovely picnic outside, & an amazing way to spend Easter.

Just fellowshipping with new found friends, & laughing & smiling & sharing stories of back home.

Making flower headbands & talking about how much we love it here, where we've been & where we want to go on outreach.

After eating & all pitching in to help clean up, we walked across the street to the ice cream stand & all got some desert.

it was a beautiful day.

Then, because of the beautiful day, we decided to have a photoshoot outside....

I'll show you those pictures after lectures though, gotta run!

I'm late

My New Home/ Update

(my new home. I totally took this from someone elses flickr though because I'm too lazy to go take my own)

Internet, Oh internet, how I love thee!

Been at the "base" a.k.a. my new home a.k.a. The water castle in Herrnhut Germany A.K.A. my school

for seven & a half days!

WOOT WOOT!

I love it here.

I love how all our lectures have translators & so you are really listening to

a lesson in German & in English

I love the castle!

Its beautiful, amazing, awesome, the coolest building EVER!

Seriously, does your home have its own recording studio, instruments you can play

all the time, its own dark room to develop film, an awesome old attic

a boutique where you can give away stuff you don't want anymore & you can also get stuff FOR FREE!!!!

A community of staff! Cleaners, workers, teachers, music players, dancers, preachers, EVERYTHING!

That are all just family & all friends & treat you no different than they treat each other?

Does it have a camp fire & a cute little town you can walk to to do all your shopping

or its own cafe?

I didn't think so.

I love my new home.

I've been working on my German.

I've been trying to learn three words a day!

Hopefully when I get really good I'll be able to translate my posts in both languages every

once in awhile.

That'd be cool.

Its sucks because it seems like the students that I'd get along with the most only

speak German! So that is definitely inspiring me to learn as well.

I got my cleaning duty Monday. I got to pick it.

I have to sweep the entire stairs & shoe room (yes.. we have a room just for our shoes. We are not allowed to wear them upstairs. Crazy rule but it works)

The weather is perfect right now. A little chilly the later it gets but today its probably in the 70's

Everything is so green.

Everything is amazing here I truly love it.

One of the staff members name is Julie & she told me where to get some yarn so I got plenty of that, I'm going to play around with some new patterns & see what happens.

Maybe some new stuff in the shop!

Also I will be raising the shipping price because I now would be shipping it from German BUT! I also will be lowering the price cause I feel bad! haha!

The only thing I don't like here is occasionally the food kinda... sucks! haha

but what can ya do!?

I'm craving some burger king though! They have these spicy cheese sticks here! They are also way cheaper than McDonalds here, I kid you not!

Everyone is so awesome here.

Everyone wants to help, everyone wants to be your friend.

I have certainly never experienced anything like it, I love it.

Well today is Easter, & we are about to have a Easter Feast so I'm going to go get ready for that!!!

I love you guys, ya'll are awesome

*hugs*

questions!

Brooke! I'm new to your blog! Why are you in Germany!?

I just moved here! I came to Germany about two weeks ago tomorrow & last Saturday I arrived at school. I am doing a DTS (discipleship training school) with YWAM (Youth With A Mission). I'm living here for a few months & then I'll be doing an outreach for a few months.

How long will you be away from the states?

6 months... maybe longer ;) Who know's, I may just move haha.

Brooke! You've been at school for a whole week!!! Why haven't you at least shown us where you are living???

That's going to be in the next post ;) but I will say, its in Herrnhut Germany & its a little place called The Water Castle.

if any of you have any more questions just let me know!

Write them in a comment below or email me.

I love questions & I love my followers to be able to know me.

Easter

Were you up all night because there literally were these noise makers that sounded like bombs going off every 20 minutes since midnight?

(Yes, I seriously thought they were bombs... & I seriously thought I was going to die. But the sad part is I was too tired to get out of bed to even phone my mother to tell her I love her before I went)

Did you get up at 5am?

Did you walk into town & watch the sunrise?

Did you see an awesome Easter parade through the streets of Germany?

Well I sure did!

Now... after eating some yummy Nutella bits with my roommates,

I'm going back to bed until easter dinner is ready he he he.

Happy Easter everyone.

Remember what today's all about

Grocery Shopping & British Day

what a relaxing day.

My first day off since getting to school a week ago..

well thats not completely true but it is the first day off since school started & it was amazing.

Most of our roommates put on pretty dresses & made plans for today but as soon as I got up this morning I made the proclamation that I was staying in my sweats all day!

& I didn't break that promise.

Although I wanted to stay in front of them computer all day, & for the most part did talking to my good looking man piece, against my will I still had an fun & slightly eventful day!!

I was in desperate need to go grocery shopping but due to the fact the only way to get there is a twenty minute walk, & up a hill called "slow death", that would've totally ruined my lazy theme I had going.

But my friend Lydia (from Germany) said she was taking her CAR into town to the grocery store & her & Masha (from the states) were going to get groceries for tomorrows Easter Feast!

A chance to go in a CAR!?!? You never realize how much of a luxury that is until you cant & you have to walk everywhere.

Anyways it ended up being a fun trip with Lydia, Masha, Rach, & Louise (from London).

We learned it was British day, & talked in British accents. I think Louise thought we were making fun of her, but it was a lot of fun.

We then help picked out all the things we need to make the school Easter Dinner tomorrow & then took it all over to "Jesus House" where we are having the dinner, & then treated ourselves to ice cream.

Lydia also backed into an EXTREMELY expensive sports car on the way home... the owner was sitting on the street watching her...

they told her it was fine & let us go.

Talk about awesome huh!?

The best part of the day was definitely when Louise say "darnit I forgot my bottles" & I honestly thought she said she forgot her buttholes.... I was so confused...

Oh what a day, what a day!

Now I hear its bean burrito's for dinner so I'm going to grab one!
a post is coming telling you how my first week went soon!!!

looking toward the future

So I'm thinking about having a giveaway.

Who would be down?

I don't completely know what will be in it yet but I think it'd be fun :)

p.s.

I'm settling into life here in Herrnhut!

A update post will be coming soon