I am currently 19 years old; living in Plainfield, Illinois. My mother and father raised me, my older brother and older sister in Joliet, Illinois. When we moved into Plainfield I experienced some bullying and a few hardships. I want to say that those struggles have given me a heart and a compassion towards others. I find myself going out of my way to focus on helping those around me. I realized that mentality was a God given gift after I came to know who Jesus is. As of now I am a freshman in college, I work two jobs, I have the intention of getting a degree in exercise science and I am already studying outside of school to be a fitness trainer. I love weight lifting, art, volunteer work, and I am highly involved two churches and several small groups. Busy busy busy!
Everything I am apart of and working towards will be put on pause as I pack up my bags and leave for nine months. Where will I be for nine whole months? I’ll be making my way across the globe to Guatemala, Lesotho, and Cambodia! Very recently God has really been working in my heart and turned my life around. I have developed a sense of a new perspective by God. My desire at the moment is not to get a degree. It’s not to start a stable career. I have no desire to settle down with a job, education, or anything else. God is giving me a desire to stop focusing on my future and to work for those in need that can not easily attain it. It is a struggle to put God’s reality before my own. The average kid my age sees their biggest life struggle as to getting through college and start a career that they are unsure of.
Why drop everything I’m working for and leave the country for almost a year? It seems as if I’m throwing off my path to a successful lifestyle; right? Not quite. I believe God is leading towards something amazing that makes a degree worth waiting for. My recent years have been full of the desire of missions. Putting others before me has been laid in my heart as well as stepping out into ministry. Before I was led to the World Race program by a God-sent friend, these desires seemed like over-the-top dreams. But now, as I write this blog to you, I can say it is a sure reality!
I am one of those who viewed college as a life obstacle to overcome. I had an idea of what to do, but it was never certain. The one thing I was certain about is that the Lord is my biggest focus, and He would never fail me. So I am putting all of my faith in Him. I know that He will guide me on the best path He has for me if I fall into Him with all of my trust. Doors for this journey are opening so He can change me. A journey that will break me and remake me emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
I am asking you for support and constant prayer. This is a big step of faith and a life changing event. I ask for prayer that this journey, from fundraising to traveling, will run smoothly. I hope that you will follow my amazing, faith-driven journey while I am gone and keep me in your prayers. As I drop everything, I find that my greatest challenge to conquer is to meet my fundraising goal! Support from you will be a great blessing to me. God bless(:
