Well, hello there. You'd like to know a bit about me? Well…
I was born in the summer months. And I'm a child at heart, always.
I adore things like reading, photography (film all the way), exploring, traveling, good music, stained glass, pretty nail polish, sparkles, star-filled skies, Peter Pan, watercolor paints, cute baby animals, cream soda, the sun, trees, being outdoors. I think I'd be perfectly happy being outside…all of the time. Sometimes I think the only reason I'd ever have a house would be just so I could have a yard to sleep in out under the stars. I'm actually really pumped to be able to carry everything I need for the next year in my two hands.
I'm always up for a good adventure, and love experiencing new things.
My passion, simply put, is people. I want to know them…to hear their story…for them to know they are loved and understood. Let me rephrase that…I want to know YOU…to hear your story…for you to know that you are loved and valued and understood. That you matter, not just to me, but to our great God. Yes, I want you to know that no matter where you've been or what you've done or what people have done to you or what's happened to you (and believe me, crappy stuff happens, but even so)- no matter what- God loves you and cares for you and nothing could ever change that.
I'm a firm believer that there is beauty to be found in everything, you just have to be looking for it- and this is never more true than when said about people.
During my freshman and sophomore years at Asbury University (the best college tucked away in the sweet little town of Wilmore, KY), I was convinced that God was calling me to missions overseas after graduation. Fast forward to the summer before my junior year, and I met some incredible people whose stories absolutely turned my world upside down. These are some of the strongest people I've ever met, and they had been through so much. Their stories absolutely stuck with me in a way that no one else's had, and in doing so, completely changed my life. This was when I realized what a huge need there was here for social work type ministry…and I knew this was what God was calling me to.
I feel like I must have had almost every major at Asbury at some point…well, all of the best ones, that is. 😉 I started out freshman year as an English major, then tried out Education (because, let's face it, I love kids of all ages), then Photo-Journalism (because I love people and their stories and photography), and finally ended up graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with the intention of working with a non-profit Christian ministry in an inner city area.
If you've noticed, so far I've mentioned key phrases such as "non-profit ministry," "passion for people," "love of traveling,"- now enter The World Race….
The summer before my senior year of college, I found myself on Asbury's Summer Ministry Team with four other fantastic individuals, traveling around the northeastern part of the U.S. for eight weeks straight, serving as camp counselors, VBS leaders, volunteers at various urban ministries, leaders at revival services…you name it, we probably did it.
Well, one of the families who hosted us had a daughter named Laura Meyers, who as some of you may know, was not only an Asbury and SMT alumni, but get this- she was also a World Race alumni. My team and I met her on our first day at that particular ministry stop, and I just remember sitting there for hours as she shared all about her experiences on The Race with us, just soaking in all of what she had seen and experienced God do in herself, in others, and even through her. Laura has such a passion for God and a faith in him that is absolutely contagious, and the way she spoke about God, about how absolutely powerful and life-changing and life-giving he is- as she spoke, I realized that this is what I wanted. That conversation lit a fire in me, and I knew God was calling me at some point to do The World Race.
Fast forward two years later, and here I am! I'm less than a month away from launch, a week fresh out of Training Camp, and have never been more confident that The World Race is exactly where God has called me to be.
I'd love for you to follow along with me on this journey of a lifetime. Simply subscribe to my blog by clicking the "Subscribe for Updates" on the top left of this page. Doing that will ensure that my updates are sent straight to your email inbox.
Please join me in praying. This endeavor is far too big a thing for me to do, and it's so exciting to be in a place of such dependence on God. Our lives as we know it are about to drastically change, the culture from month to month and even day to day will change, the only real constant will be God. I just cannot wait to see what he has in store for this next year, I can already feel that it is a lot…much more than we could ever think of or expect.
I do have to raise $15,500 in support to participate in The World Race, so if you would like to partner with me in this ministry, you can click the "Support Me" link on the top left of this page to donate online or send a check by mail to Adventures in Missions at PO Box 534470 Atlanta, GA 30353-4470. Your donations are tax deductible, just be sure to make out your checks to "Adventures in Missions" and specify "For Susannah Bretz" in the memo.
Thank you in advance for your prayers and support, and also for taking the time to read my story and follow along on my journey. It's such an honor to be able to share with you about our experiences and the incredible things God is doing.
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