A Life Lived in True Obedience: Tatum

Leading youth mobilization event

I don’t think I realized how radically different my life would be when I surrendered a year of comfort to the Lord. When all distractions from back home were gone, the Lord opened my eyes. My days were wholly devoted to Him and He moved. He moved my heart. I spent intentional time with my Heavenly Father, being still and being active in sharing the gospel. He gave me a joy for missions. His love became my love and more of His heart was revealed to me. I had my own plans and my plans made me anxious. The Lord has given me peace and excitement for the seasons to come because He will be there. 

I will continue missions wherever the Lord places me. I desire to train these feet of mine to run with the lost in mind. To be urgent and to be love as Jesus is love. 

I wanted to take a year and realign my heart and mind, allowing myself to be humble before God who would be the only one on the throne of my life. I don’t only want to give Him a year. I want to give Him every year that I am able on this side of heaven. A life lived in true obedience to the call that He has given each and every person who follows Him. “Go tell the world about Me”

-Tatum

AOT International participant

I Can't Wait: Brielle

This chapter is officially over! We have had our highs and lows but we have also learned so much. God has shown His great love in many different ways. Our time in AOT has truly given me peace about continuing in missions and has truly opened my eyes to the need for missionaries.

God has revealed to me ways that I could go into the mission field. He has put a heavy burden on my heart to GO! God calls us all to missions whether that’s at home or overseas. He calls us to step out of our comfort zones and to bring glory to Him in all that we do. God has worked on me through each and every one of the leaders we have had and through their faithfulness to God and their selfless sacrifices to us.

I truly can’t wait to see where God takes us and what God does next with each of us. I can’t wait to see what God reveals to us about who we are and where we are called to serve. God gave us the command to go and tell the world about Him. I am thankful that I can follow His command wherever I may end up and that He has been with me in all that I have done. I am thankful that He calls me and that He knows me by name. Lastly I am thankful that He died for me on the rugged tree.

-Brielle

NT365 participant

Burden for the Lost: Will

I have learned and grown so much during AOT. The lessons progressively went through core scriptural truths. I have greatly enjoyed the valuable fellowship with peers who are actively pursuing Christ. Because of this fellowship and study, I have grown in my relationship with God. Our study of God’s Word has given me a burden for the lost. 

I regret how I have been unfaithful in soul winning and I pray that God would give me boldness in sharing His love. Please pray that God would use the NT AOT students for His glory.

-Will

NT365 participant

What I've Learned: Kaesi

During my time at AOT, I have learned so much about sharing the gospel and studying the Bible. God has shown me who He is, and how to listen to Him. I’ve learned how to seek Him, and how to hear Him, through His word, or even through people around me. 

Outside of classes, I’ve also learned a lot. There have been a lot of ups and downs. I’ve learned to be slow to anger, and to be kind even when people aren’t kind back. I’ve also learned that I don’t have to fight battles alone. God is always there, and all I have to do is pray and He will answer. I have also been shown that I need to have fellowship and be united with fellow siblings in Christ. Without unity and love for fellow Christians, how can we show love to people we are sharing the gospel with? 

Before all of this, I had planned on being a teacher and staying in Tennessee my whole life. I’ve always been fairly shy around people, so I never would’ve thought I could fly across the world with 13 strangers, live with them and share the gospel to other strangers with them. But after being here with them, I wouldn’t imagine doing anything else. 

There may be some rough points, but I have learned so much from these people, and have learned to love every one of them. After learning all that I have from AOT, my path for the future has changed so much. I am going to listen to what the Lord has planned for me. I will continue to share His word and teach others to do the same.

-Kaesi 

NT365 participant

God's Heart--My Heart: Shealee

God has revealed so much during such a short time in AOT. Through classes, weekend ministry and time of fellowship I have seen God’s heart, His power and His love. God has shown me His heart and desire for the lost people in the world. Not only showing it, but giving me a heart for the nations and lost in this world as well.

Going forward, I plan to continue sharing the gospel with a deepened love and urgency. This will forever affect my life decisions as I pray to God for direction upon returning home. I know I won’t be content going back to life as before but will be more intentional with sharing God’s love. At the bare minimum, that means I will be sharing the Gospel to people I meet and finding people to help disciple as well as someone who will continue discipling me. I’m also considering full-time ministry. Even though it’s not always the easiest, it’s very rewarding to see God working and to be used by God to love on and help bring broken and lost people to Him.

Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it.'   -Luke 9:23-24

-Shealee

NT365 participant

Trust & Obey: David

AOT was the beginning of a new life for me. The past I've squandered in fruitless living. Inspired by the change visible in my older brother Samuel through the Nehemiah Teams program, I signed up for the same. I have not regretted it. 

Jadon, David & Will

In Advanced Operations Training, I was able to experience a closer walk with God. My prayer life improved as my faith grew through conscious reading of the Word. Classes armed me with knowledge for the field. Best of all, the many opportunities to reach out to communities opened my eyes to the need of the people around me and my heart to love them. Serving in the ministry let me see the Spirit at work. The entire AOT experience taught me to trust and obey. Trust in the Lord's guidance for the next step in life, no matter how small and unimportant it seems. Boldly take that next step in obedience. 

I pray for strength to continue this walk, for alertness to never take my eyes off Jesus, and for humility to remember He's still there to take hold of me when I do. AOT has ended; I have graduated; but I have yet a way to go with the Lord of my life.

-David

NT365 participant

Solitude & Resting: Brooke

During AOT the Lord taught me the importance of solitude and resting in His presence. I often take on tasks and obligations with urgency and impatience. Being here, I have been stripped of most technology and common distractions from home. I’ve been able to make way and time for reading His word and speaking with Him. 

It’s amazing how much my patience has grown and the answers to prayers that I’ve noticed. 
It’s painful and heartbreaking to realize how much of my life was wasted not setting aside time for Him. 

I was living in defeat when victory was so near. I’m so thankful for the structure and discipline that AOT has given me. It’s very easy to set goals and have desires, but actually diving in and experiencing giving up strongholds assures me that I can implement this kind of structure in life outside of AOT. I can’t wait to see the Lord give purpose to my time in the future. -

-Brooke

NT365 participant