Here are some things you should know about…
…me. I’m a 22 year old living in Madison, Wisconsin. I’ve recently finished my undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin, majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders (Speech Pathology + Audiology). I love listening to music, dancing to that music, and anything that makes me laugh. I love babies, eating chocolate, learning new things, and just being outside. I love quality time with close friends and sitting in solitude. And most importantly, I love Jesus. And if there’s anything you get out of reading (or skimming) these blogs, I hope you get a glimpse of the joy there is to be found in a relationship with the Lord. Because it’s pretty awesome, and I’d be doing everyone a disservice if I authored these entries without mentioning the Author of my life.
…World Race (and why I’m doing it). This experience has been in the back of my mind since sophomore year, when I first heard about it. The idea grew slowly over the subsequent years, and though my cautiousness, rationality, and love of comfort kept me fearful, I also felt a strange peace about it. I rarely feel a specific pull from God, but this is one of those times. I applied last semester, and officially joined in December.
The team and I will leave in August 2016 to live in 11 countries, one each month. One of the unique parts of World Race is the pure variety of work we do. In each country, we partner with a local ministry and do whatever that community needs. This could look like building a house, starting a youth ministry, visiting hospitals, or doing outreach to the homeless. It’s strange to not know what exactly I’ll be doing until I arrive, but it does require me to trust God with the unplanned. My goal for the 11 months is to discover more ways to share the good news about Jesus. I do know that it’s a message God wants everyone to hear, so He will provide the means.
…this blog. It will contain (hopefully) consistent updates on my preparation for and participation in the World Race. My goal is to steer clear of “preachy” sermons and diary entries, because frankly that’s weird and boring, and I wouldn’t want to read it. I do want these posts to be honest, thoughtful, and prayerful. They are meant to share what God is doing in my life and the lives of those around me. They will include stories, testimonies, photos, and other fun stuff. Disclaimer: I am a newbie–give me grace for incoherency, long spaces between posts, and cheesy jokes. Also, please feel free to comment or contact me in response.
