After 14 hours spent on a flight, I am feeling many emotions. Exhausted from timezones switches and new sleeping positions. I am feeling hungry from small portions of airline cuisine from a new culture. I feel stressed knowing I have another 8 hour flight ahead of me. However, if anything, I am feeling thankful.
So, So thankful.
As i sit in the airport here in Qatar, I can’t help but be amazed. It is 8:30pm here, while it is roughly 1pm back home. I think of all the incredible people in my life and what they’re doing at this time of day.
Then, my thoughts drift to what I would be doing if I was there with them. I quickly fix that thought and remember that I am here. I am here, about to begin the journey of a lifetime because of those people back at home.
I sit here and think about how blessed I am to have been able to grow up in an incredible community filled with kind and bold people. People of different backgrounds, families and races. People with different stories and people with different life experiences. Throughout my 18 years, I have encountered, been raised, and influenced by so many different people.
So many people have influenced me and encouraged me to get to the point I am at.
To my loving mom, Dawn- I can not thank you enough. Things have not always been easy for us by any means. Nonetheless, our relationship isn’t perfect and the pieces aren’t all together, but they are there enough. For as long as I can remember, you have always taught me to be bold. To be “me” and be head strong and do my own thing. You have never held me back from following my dreams or thinking outside of the box. The lessons you have taught me and your undying love for me, even when I don’t deserve it— will always stick with me. You are my number one fan, and my best friend. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
To my dad, Derek- There aren’t even words. It takes one special man to take a kid that isn’t biologically theirs and treat them like their own. As much as I have held onto what could have been, i am entirely thankful that The Lord put you into my life and decided that it would be you to raise me. I appreciate your willingness to help others and ability to make everyone around you laugh. You are the best dad in the whole wide world and your compassion for those you care about, and even those that you don’t know is truly an admirable trait.
To my grandparents- The amount of blessing you have put into my life is beyond words. I am forever thankful to have two selfless individuals in my life who are there for me whenever I need it, you make my days brighter.
To Michelle Kokalj- Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Since as long as I can remember, I was always lucky enough to have a second home right in the backyard to yell and make a mess in (Good thing for 10 minute tidy’s right?) You and your family have always been beyond welcoming and it’s almost like your my very own, The little things were sure appreciated but I don’t think I could ever be able to word how incredibly grateful I am for you to have pushed me and my family into an incredible church and into a place to pursue Christ. I was so very resentful when you put Delaney and I into the car and lugged us to MBC for youth group. For the longest time, I convinced myself that the whole God and Church thing wasn’t for me, but because of you I was able to experience something to prove me wrong. Without that forceful push out of the car and into the doors of Minooka Bible Church, there is no doubt in my mind I wouldn’t be sitting where I am right now, You are an amazing woman of God and I know that He placed you in my life for that very reason.
To my beautiful friends- you know who you are- thank you for being you. Each of you offer something beautiful into my life that no one else can offer. Each of you have your own talent, your own personality and own way of adding a zest into my life that no one else can. I think it takes a special person to put up with me and all my problems but I am sure glad that you have and will. I am truly honored to have such beautiful people inside and out in my life. I am blessed.
To every teacher- from Channahon Junior High to Minooka High School- thank you. Each teacher I have had has brought something into my life. From life lessons to the educational ones, I am thankful. I am so lucky to have grown up in a community with awesome teachers who truly are passionate about what they’re doing and love their students like their very own. Although school hasn’t always come easy to me, I am thankful for the of you who took the time to make it work for me.
A special shoutout to Mrs. Nicole Bolek- my sociology teacher from my senior year of high school. Although your class was only a semester, it was truly one worth taking, I have never had a teacher so excited about what they do and what they are teaching, You brought forth a new type of learning- a style that was fun and useful. Your lessons are ones that will stick with me forever. It is evident that you love life and the world and the people in it. Despite differences that may set people aside from the normal, you have beautifully demonstrated that different is okay and it is acceptable. You made your classroom a safe place. I admire your heart for your job and the world. You inspire to me do life better and take adventures every single day, no matter where I am at.
To Jason Domingo and the 360/MBC staff- You people are truly amazing. I dreaded coming to church, and I dreaded coming to 360. I dreaded everything and anything about church. The first day I came to 360, I was dead set on never coming back. I felt like I was never going to fit in. But I did come back and you made me feel welcome. You always took the time with me— to ask how I was doing, what was going on and if there was anything that I needed. Each of you demonstrate exactly what it means to be a man or woman of The Lord. The never ending encouragement, hugs and vent sessions were what I needed in my life. That space that I always felt I was missing, you filled it. You helped me along the way and filled me with The Lord. I have never felt so safe and loved in a place before and 360 and MBC each offers these things. You have installed a new sense of confidence in me and because of you, I get to go share the love of Jesus himself, the same love you showed me, around the world.
There are so many people in my life- so, so many- that I could go on to thank. There are people I don’t know to well that I would love to thank because each person in my life has impacted me.
I thank those of you who generously supported me, bought a t-shirt-, came to the fundraiser, prayed for me, or even hugged me and just simply sent well wishes my way. It means the world to me, and will help provide me with the strength I will need the next 9 months.
I thank The Lord for constantly pursuing me and calling me deeper, to places where I could never even imagine. You are my savior, the reason I love and the reason that I breathe. You called me here, and for that I am thankful to be chosen and build the kingdom for You.
Here we go, I am headed off to Thailand.
