the end of dbs :(

Hi friends,

We’ve officially finished DBS! (Nearly a month ago, I'm sorry, this update is late!) These past 12 weeks of reading the entire Bible have been rich and life-changing.

We concluded with a final Bible overview presentation, during which I shared God’s redemptive story, His character, my personal revelations, and how we can apply His Word. Seeing the full story unfold was eye-opening. This isn’t just ancient history—it’s our story. God has been moving deeply in me, and I’m excited to share what He’s been teaching me.

A few key reminders from this journey:

• God is good, sovereign, merciful, and constantly pursuing us

• We can learn from the failures and also the faith of those in the Bible

• Our ‘yes’ to God can impact generations

• God’s timing is perfect- like with Abraham and David, who waited years before promises were fulfilled.

•  God is way more committed to our restoration than we are!!

  
  

These are some things I learnt in each week:

Week 8 - JESUS WEEK (Matthew, Mark, Luke)

• We often miss Jesus because of our own expectations of who we think He should be -> the Pharisees missed their Messiah; how many times do we do the same?

• Jesus’ baptism wasn’t about repenting- it was a humble act of identifying with us, showing His deep humility in fully stepping into our humanity.

• In Mark 14:36, Jesus prays, “Abba, Father… take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine,” showing us that radical submission to the Father includes honest wrestling, proving that struggling with God in pain is not sin but part of true surrender.

• His humility, submission, and compassion reveal what true leadership looks like.

• "The gospel is good news, not good advice."-Tim Keller

Week 9 - CHURCH WEEK (Acts, James, Peter, Jude, Hebrews)

• Persecution fueled the gospel (Acts 5:41-42) - rejoicing in suffering!!

• Romans 12:2 calls us to stop conforming to the world and instead be transformed by renewing our minds. This renewal helps us understand and want God’s will, making obedience a natural response- not optional but a result of a heart shaped by God’s truth.

• Moral excellence means consistent, courageous living that reflects God’s holiness.

• The more we know Jesus, the more is required of us.

• I love Peter’s story. After denying Jesus three times out of fear, Peter was forgiven and reminded of his calling. Jesus called him the rock on which He would build His church. On Pentecost, filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter boldly preached, and thousands were saved. He didn’t let failure define him- he stepped into his calling by grace, secure in who Christ is and who he was in Him.

Week 10 - PAUL WEEK (Letters of Paul)

• Paul gave up everything to know Christ!!

• His sufferings (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) were embraced as participation in Christ’s suffering!!

• In Colossians 1:24, Paul rejoices in his sufferings because they help build up the body of Christ, showing that our struggles can have purpose and contribute to God’s work in others.

• He was committed to making disciples, not just converts!!

• Paul entered heaven to the cheers of those he martyred -> that’s how the gospel works

• Our rights are not as important as our obedience to God 

• Reading Paul’s letters filled me with fear of the Lord- realising that reading the Bible isn’t just for me, but for those I’m called to. 

  Fear of the lord over:  

  • Who I am and who I am becoming.  

  • What He’s called me to 

  Paul was fully surrendered and faithfully served the people God put in front of him, taking responsibility for this and walked out in true freedom.  

   Just like David, Paul had full confidence in the Lord- he knew who he was, who God is, and the calling God had placed on his life. 

Week 11 - JOHN WEEK (John, 1-3 John, Revelation)

• True love isn’t just a feeling- it’s shown by obeying God’s commands. 1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” Obedience proves our love is real and helps us grow closer to God.

• God’s heart for His church revealed in Revelation - a call to holiness and endurance.

• God, we don't want to hear more facts about you; we want YOU first. If facts were all that were needed, Israel would've been just fine. We first need a fire for YOU, then the fire produces a longing for the knowledge. YOU are first.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In the last week of doing DBS, as one of our final things we did together, we shared to the whole class what God did in our lives in DBS- how we came in and then how we are now, how we’ve been transformed.

I was the very last person to go, and I think I rehearsed it like three times in my head before it was my turn, and every single time, it was different.

The backbone is that I came in with such a disconnect to the Word- having so much love, devotion and value for worship, prayer, intercession, missions, intimacy with Jesus, etc, but not so much for the Word. And now, I have such Fear of the Lord over reading the Word and being deeply rooted in it:

1. First, because the Word is truth, and nothing can shake me if I’m rooted in the Word.

2. And second, having fear of the Lord, I’ve been reading not just for myself, but for my friends, family and the people that I’m called to- the people that God puts in front of me. 

And I was thinking about how I could choose whatever I wanted- I could choose the easy, or the simple, or the worldly, or whatever I wanted. But then, as I was thinking about it more, I realised I actually couldn’t.

I couldn’t choose to be disobedient to God. I couldn’t choose to believe lies about who He is. I couldn’t choose easy.

I could never choose anything but Him, because I KNOW who God is. And I KNOW the call of God on my life.

Because He is so good, sovereign, merciful, loving, and He is in constant pursuit of His people He loves, in a context they understand, for a relationship with Him. To love and dwell with His people. 

No matter how distracted or swirled out I get, I will always know this truth to my core. 

And that is the beauty of reading and knowing the Word- and receiving revelation from God through it. But it’s also through living life with God: being obedient, making mistakes, not understanding, seeing fruit, being disappointed, praying hard, and trying to trust Him with all of your heart through it all.

It’s in that journey that the Word becomes alive- not just something you read, but something you live.

What’s Next?!

I flew home July 4th for a couple of months of rest, fundraising, and seeking the Lord before heading back into missions. It's so bittersweet, I’m sad to leave this base, this nation, and these friends, but I’m also excited to see family, rest, and prepare for what’s next!!

Prayer Requests!!

I would so appreciate your prayer!!

• To walk in the fear of the Lord daily, not just in theory, but really truly.

• For boldness, courage, and confidence in Jesus and the calling He’s placed on my life.

• For deep and beautiful friendships and a strong community, wherever God takes me.

• For continued financial provision as I fundraise for my next season!

Thank you for standing with me, for praying, for giving, for encouraging. Your support means more than words can say!!

“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Philippians 3:8.

He is worthy. He is faithful. He is sovereign over all things. And He invites us, weak, human, imperfect, to partner with Him in His redemptive story. What an honour.

Please reach out if you have any questions, comments, prayers, testimonies, etc!! I would love to talk!

Love Olivia <3

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