Condensing my life to a few paragraphs is not easy for me to do. But here is my attempt:
When I was about seven years old, I first heard of adoption. It really sparked my little brain and that night I drew a picture of what I thought an orphanage would be like. I named the picture “my orphanage”, although I butchered the spelling.
I knew from a young age that God had a plan for my life that was unusual. Through the years, I have gone on many short-term mission trips to Haiti, China and Guatemala; and each time, immediately after I got back from each trip, I was reassured that God had plans for my life that involved missions. But each time, after coming home from a mission trip, once the initial shock or transition back to my comfortable life in America took place, the longing for living my life on the mission field would slowly fade away. Its not that I forgot how much I felt God tugging on the strings of my heart to serve Him in that way, but life in America was really nice and moving to another country seemed totally unrealistic.
Directly after high school I decided to look for something different to do with my summer, rather than babysit, like I had done every summer before. I ended up running across the most amazing camp in Ohio. The camp serves underprivileged kids, both kids with medical limitations and kids in the foster care system. I spent summer 2012 loving on each of the kids I came into contact with through Camp Joy. Camp helped me realize how much of a mission field our own back yards can be. I realized that God wasn’t limiting my heart of serving him to overseas mission trips in orphanages, but that I was able to impact girls and boys in my own community, and in surrounding areas. Although Camp Joy is not a Christian camp, I learned more about myself, more about others and more about God that summer then ever before.
After that amazing summer, I went to Western Kentucky University for my freshman year of college. I learned that God chooses the strangest ways to teach us about ourselves. While at WKU I struggled in the beginning. Choosing not to party with my friends was one of those decisions that began to make me stand out more. Finding a church to go to on the weekends was the best decision I made. For the first time, I was seeking God because I wanted to, not because it felt it was expected of me in any way by my parents or anyone else around me. This was truly the first time that I felt my faith was completely my own. That year away from my family and friends back home was a huge growing experience for me spiritually and emotionally. God continued to show me how much he loved me and was looking out for me in every aspect of my life. He provided exactly what I needed each day.
After that year away, I transferred to the University of Kentucky in order to be closer to my family. This year at UK and being so close to home has been really wonderful! My family is my biggest support system, and I am blown away by the way that they love and encourage me each day. Although I will miss them greatly while I am away for nine months, my parents are so on board, and amazing at helping me to be confident in this big decision I am making for my life.
I will continue blogging and keeping you all up to date on how my fundraising is going (hint, hint). I so much appreciate everyone’s encouragement and prayers for me as I take this step in my life, following God’s plan for my life.
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