I've Had A Change of Perspective!

I found out about LLI almost a year ago, when my SU Latvia colleague Zane was preparing to go to LLI Transform summer training in Croatia. Zane came back to Latvia refreshed in her vision. She joyfully shared with our team how she had experienced a wonderful summer. And although it all sounded amazing, at the same time, I had this funny feeling that I actually had no idea what she was talking about.

Right after Zane came back, I had an opportunity to take part in hosting LLI Discover Training in Latvia. It seemed that I was finally going to experience what LLI means practically.

Unfortunately, not everything in life happens as planned. Training lasted 4 days and there were 32 participants from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Without a doubt, everything went great and the participants were delighted with the program.

​However - as I was part of the SU Latvia organizing team, I kept focusing on all of my responsibilities of maintaining the training location so everything would go smoothly -  my heart was closed to the spiritual aspect of the training. After the training, I felt like I had missed something. Everyone around me was happy and inspired but, for me, a smile just did not come as a natural response. At the same time my life was getting much more complicated and I started to feel spiritually empty.

Then came the second opportunity which I call – God’s miracle. I went to Croatia for a week and experienced LLI Discover training dedicated to sports ministry. God’s miracle came at the moment when I was facing problems such as money, time, etc. Basically, things we always need a little bit more of. God provided everything and even my skepticism and complex life situation disappeared at that moment.

This experience changed my mind and my previous picture completely! Finally I could just go and dedicate myself to what was prepared without thinking of practical background tasks. This training gave me the right focus not only for our SU Latvia mission, but also for my personal and spiritual life. One quote that I still hold to my heart from that week is this – “Don't let your thirst for direction shadow your thirst of knowing God better!”

Also, LLI team and their impact throughout the years really motivated us (SU Latvia team) to start our own outdoor education project called “Sava Daba”, which in Latvian means – Your own nature/Self nature. It is an amazing way to discover God’s creation through nature and to understand our unique role in it.

I would say that LLI Discover not only provided me with an impulse to start realizing ideas, but it also gave me the right mindset and basis so I could manage to stand strong even when the storm comes.

I invite you to try to fully understand what I am writing about and experience for yourself  what LLI offers!