Hello Everyone!!
My name is Carrington. I am nineteen years old and from a small town in Illinois (Morris). I am in my second year at Joliet Junior College and this October I get to travel the world for nine months and serve the Lord. I will be spending three months each in Thailand, Malawi, and Guatemala. On this mission trip there will be new adventures every day while I spread God’s love. I cannot wait to share this experience with my team and with all of you!!
However, this tab is supposed to be about me so where do I start?
Most people ask about school so I’ll start there. I attend JJC where I am a captain on the cheer team and studying biology. THE END. (: To really know me you need to know ART. I love art in all forms. I love to draw. I danced (ages 2-16) at Donna Mueller’s School of Dance. My mom taught there when I was younger so I was bound to take classes at some point. And now my aunt teaches there and her three daughters are amazing! YES, I KNOW. FAVORITISM. I play multiple instruments but mostly piano and guitar. And then there’s singing. It is my favorite thing along with guitar. When I am at a loss for words, music is always there. Music speaks volumes and connects people from all over. I cannot wait to see all of the different forms of music and worship while on the field.
I was always surrounded by family and friends but something always felt off. As we grew up, I had less and less in common with a lot of friends. I felt like an odd ball. I am probably the friendliest person you will ever meet and a ball of energy, but I felt like I had to be someone I was not. My freshman year of high school I joined the dance team. It was fun at first but due to not fitting in and so much drama, I closed up and kept to myself. After that year, my best friend moved across the country and I felt like I had nothing. I wasn’t happy. I would get home and go straight to my room. I slept all of the time. My mom thought I was depressed but didn’t press on the matter. I wasn’t someone that I wanted to be. More importantly, I wasn’t who God wanted me to be. My relationships with friends at dance were affected. My relationship with my parents was affected. But most importantly, I didn’t have God.I grew up going to Church every Sunday with my grandparents and going to bible study. So I knew God was real. But as a kid, I probably didn’t pay attention much and don’t remember a lot of what we talked about. But I still knew He was real. Due to things I don’t remember, I slowly stopped attending Church. I knew He would always be there and I prayed every now and then, but I failed to see that to live the life I am destined for, I need Him at the center of it.
August of my freshman year of college, I met a boy. Go Figure. But this isn’t some average “oh she met a boy” thing. This boy got my life on track. He constantly would slip God into conversation and I finally fell in love! With God. Not the boy. He took me to Mass with him. An experience I will never forget. I met his family and saw how their lives were with Jesus at the center and how involved they were with their faith. They weren’t shy to teach me either. I knew something had to change. I started attending Mass regularly and I could tell right away how better my life was. I was TRULY happy. And even when I wasn’t, I knew I could turn to God. I wanted to learn more. I NEEDED to learn more. I started taking classes in August to learn more about my faith. And unlike school where I had to go, this was me wanting to go. I now regularly talk with God about all subjects. And I thank Him every day for “that boy” I met and his family.
I had always thought that going on a mission trip would be a great experience. I had multiple friends that would go on one every year. It wasn’t until May of 2015 that I really wanted to go on one and make a difference. The World Race kept popping up on my Instagram. YAY SOCIAL MEDIA! At first I ignored it but finally I looked into it and was glad I did. I kept it to myself for a couple weeks and prayed about it. Finally, I told my mom with tears in my eyes that this is what I wanted to do. That this is what God is calling me to do with my life. And what better way to do this than with boys and girls my age who love God and want to share His love with the world?
I am so blessed and excited to be able to go on this journey God has planned for me. And thanks to this blog, I get to share it with YOU! By subscribing to my blog you will see first hand what I am doing on the field and how God is working through my team and I as we spread His love to the people of Thailand, Malawi, and Guatemala.
But in order for me to go on this journey, I have to raise a total of $13,805. YIKES! But I know that God will provide. This money will be used for transportation, food, lodging (when available) and my insurance for the full nine months. I only ask that you would consider donating what you could. Every dollar counts. Not only do I need funds for the trip, but I would really appreciate your prayers while I prepare for this trip and while I am away. You can make a donation by simply clicking the SUPPORT ME button at the top of my blog.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me and prayed for me thus far. It really means a lot.
God Bless,
Carrington Nicole
Instagram: Carrington2396
Twitter: Carrington2396
