I have never had more Iowan pride than I do right now after being away from home the last 8 months. Born and raised in the Hawkeye State, however let’s be real, it truly is the Cyclone State and I will rep my Panthers till I die. But being away from Iowa for the last 9 months I have a new appreciation and thankfulness for the last 23 years I was blessed to be raised there. The people and their work ethic, the sweet corn and home raised beef, and the simple way of living are all things that I find myself thinking about while out here abroad. Yeah it’s a little corny and cliche but it’s true. Living in Iowa I’m constantly surrounded by agriculture and farming but it has never been something that I have been interested in until recently.

A constant prayer that I have been giving to The Lord since the very beginning of the Race is for Him to reveal my passions to me.

Throughout my whole life I have always been subpar at a lot of different things. I’ve always been interested in a lot of different hobbies, jobs, and interests but never so passionate and driven about just one thing which has always bothered me. I’ve recently been able to find the beauty in not having specific interests or passions but it’s something I’m still learning.

However, until recently. I was riding in the back of a flat bed semi truck driving to another village in Africa to minister to for the week. As we are driving, I’m noticing just how much open land Africa has and the true beauty of it all.

And I can’t help but remember the countless woman I’ve met throughout the year who cannot feed their families because they have no food available and can’t afford it, and all of the children with constant bloated stomachs that stick out past their feet because of malnutrition and are never guaranteed a daily meal, and then men who have to leave their families for months and years at a time so they can go somewhere that will employee them for barely nothing. And I get upset and sad and confused all at the same time. Because I know that’s not how things should be. I know that if there is change, things can be different. In that truck ride and ever since then The Lord has given me a vision and a dream and a sudden willingness to step up and do something for these people all around the world.

I know that I can’t change complete cultures and entire continents overnight but I can change one or two lives for the better.

My vision and dream is to create a program and curriculum that would teach people abroad how to properly farm crops that would grow in their specific terrain. To give them knowledge on how they can self sustain for their families and can always have something to eat but also be able to sell or trade their crop for other necessary things. By teaching them practical ways to farm and garden crops I would bring the Gospel right into it. Time and time again Jesus talks about farming in the Bible. There are countless parables about seeds, the harvest being plentiful but laborers few, goats and sheep, ect. Not only would I be helping these people throughout the world with their physical needs but more important and honestly more urgent is helping these exact same people with their spiritual needs. For them to realize they need Jesus more than they need anything else in their lives.

It’s the same in all 4 continents I have been to. There is available farmable land, a need for jobs and labor, but there is not adequate equipment and they’re lacking knowledge. These are all things that can be fixed. Believe me there is a lot I still need to learn about farming, gardening, self-sustaining, ect. but I’m going to do it. I know that God is calling me to do this and I’m going to make it happen no matter what it takes.

So for now I don’t know if it’s going to be a full time career path I choose right after the Race, to possibly start a nonprofit, to go back to school and learn more, to partner with an already existing company or ministry with a similar mission statement, or to volunteer my time every once in awhile for this cause. But that’s why I am blogging about it. No matter what it turns into I want my supporters and followers to keep me accountable with this dream and to know that I am serious about fulfilling this dream inside of me and not stopping until I reach it.

I know that I know that I know that I know that The Lord has spoken this clearly to me and put these desires in my heart and I need to be obedient to Him. Not for me but to expand the Kingdom and to serve others.

Live a good story