Hello! My name is Heidi and I am so excited to be embarking on this adventure called The World Race. I am currently living in Phoenix, AZ and working in marketing, but I grew up in Minneapolis and I’ve also lived in Los Angeles for the past four years. Phoenix suits me though and I am fairly certain that I have no desire to ever live in a cold climate again!
I grew up in a loving Christian family comprised of my parents, younger sister, and two adopted younger brothers. To say I am close to my family would be a huge understatement 🙂 Growing up in a multiracial household has had a profound impact on my spiritual walk and worldview – and the very diverse church I attended growing up has given me a deep love for gospel music! My mom’s entire side of the family is involved in missions and my grandfather is a pastor, so I grew up reading Bible stories before bed and attending AWANA every week. I accepted Christ by praying with my mom when I was 11 after hearing a girl give her testimony during a baptism service at my grandpa’s church.
While I have loved Jesus for a long time, these past couple years have definitely been a test of faith. In June of 2006, my mom Cindy was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. My entire family was shocked but optimistic that it hadn’t spread anywhere else in her body. The next two years brought constant surgeries, endless rounds of chemotherapy & radiation treatments and, finally, the realization that God’s plan was for my mom to be with Him. While we were heartbroken that human medicine was failing, at the same time our Heavenly Doctor was strengthening my mom’s spirit and bringing our family closer together than ever before. Throughout my mom’s battle with cancer, she made sure that people knew that the God who made her was not the one inflicting pain on her, but rather the one getting her through it.
My mom went to be with the Lord the day after Mother’s Day in 2008. Losing her – basically one of my best friends – has been a huge wake up call for me. Specifically, what am I doing with my life, and what am I doing for God? Surely I can serve Him in my current job in marketing, but lately God’s been telling me that I’m way too comfortable with that role.
A second trial I’ve recently experienced was being diagnosed with Type I diabetes last summer. Who knew you could get “juvenile diabetes” in your 20’s? It’s been a major life adjustment with taking insulin shots everyday, etc., but God has been gracious. I wouldn’t be honest though if I didn’t say that I (and my dad!) am a bit nervous about managing my diabetes on this trip. I’ll be doing a lot of training, praying and preparing in the coming months!
So basically I’d say that these past few years have been about God stretching me – learning to expect the unexpected, to rely solely on Him and to trust that His plan is perfect. I know that He is going to stretch me even more on the race – and I can’t wait!!
A Few Random Facts About Me:
· I am all about being active – I like to run, dance (hurray for hip hop class!), swim and hike.
· I have been camping once before in my life!
· I have a Yorkie named Charlie whom I love to pieces and whom I will be incredibly sad to leave for a year.
· I LOVE ethnic foods – I could live on Indian, Thai, Mexican and sushi for the rest of my life.
· I hate bananas, tomatoes, sour cream and cream cheese.
· I love to write and have a deep appreciation for good grammar and spelling.
· I unashamedly love teeny bopper music and once skipped a day of high school to meet *NSYNC.
· I love to cook and bake.
· I was a Religious Studies minor in college and think we have a huge responsibility as missionaries to show Jesus to people through the lens of their own worldview.
· I once won a karaoke contest at the Mall of America judged by Donny Osmond.
· I led a mission trip my senior year of college to minister to Mormons in Utah.
· One of my lifetime goals is to run a marathon. I should get on that.
· I am all about women in ministry!
· I am passionate about breast cancer awareness and will pretty much buy anything with a pink ribbon on it.
· I believe that 20 years from now we will regret more the things we did not do than those we did, so when God says go, I will GO!
