I am Kelly from California and I had the pleasure of being a part of the re-pioneering of YWAM Maui’s School of Worship program. The program hadn’t been active for over 10 years, but our God is the God of resurrection and it was brought to life once again for the Fall 2020 trimester. After doing my DTS with YWAM Maui back in 2018 I didn’t anticipate coming back anytime soon, until this school was brought to my attention and the Lord tugged me back to Maui. Uncertainty arose when laws were strict due to COVID and I found myself concerned about how this was going to look. How do you re-pioneer a school in these conditions? And Father, why must I go?
God always hears. God always answers.
Throughout the twelve weeks of lecture, we learned how to in depth study the Bible, sing the Word, put together a killer worship set, pray with authority, and to get used to wrestling with the Lord (it’s not a bad thing). We as Christians are walking and breathing tabernacles, and everywhere we go is an opportunity for God and man to meet. What a privilege it is as a worship leader to be able to bring others in the presence of God!
“…for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
But the most beautiful things that I experienced during this School of Worship were the five other students I sat next to in class and lived with. My school was a school full of firey and incredibly contrasting women. Tim Song, our school leader, was so patient with us! I gained head knowledge from our speakers, but I learned so much more about the heart and the different sides of God’s face that we see through these girls. In the spontaneous worship nights, prayer battles, pancake filled mornings, vulnerability, and unique expressions of worship towards the Lord I began to see what living a life of worship is and what it can be. In those moments of laughter and tears I would whisper to Him, “Oh…this is why. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” We were all hand picked to be there at that time and for that School of Worship to bring Him glory. God’s sole desire in everything He does is to bring glory and honor to His name. He created the earth and mankind for His glory, He performs miracles for His glory, and our salvation is for His glory.
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.” Isaiah 12:4
This School of Worship experience was unlike any other and through that, I feel a greater responsibility to see God rightly and to worship Him appropriately with reverence and love.
Thank you to the women I walked with, thank you to YWAM Maui for hearing the call to do this program again, and thank you God for being sovereign over it all.