I have spent 4 years reading the About Me’s of complete strangers. I got so many ideas of how I would do mine – even though I never thought I would actually get to be a racer! Now that it’s my turn… I see the struggle.
(For the story of how I got here click THIS LINK!)
My name is Meredith. I’m passionate about life, children, justice, and bringing the Kingdom to those who have not seen it. I am a nerd for all things Latin America, though perhaps I am really a nerd for all things international. I have a heart for more places than I can count.
I am a gypsy soul. I am easily impassioned. I am a writer. I live to take in the small moments. I enjoy life way too much, and I get along with small children better than most adults. I am a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a lover of all things food, music, sunsets, and Chick-fil-A. (I have Chick-fil-A pajamas. You will not win this one.) You will probably find out the things I am passionate within the first 10 minutes of a conversation with me, and that’s not a terribly short list! I am a classic type A introvert who somehow refuses to let anyone else stand in the corner with no one to talk to. I will get over my introvertedness for you. You’re welcome.
My biggest fear in life is being insignificant; to somehow live this life and die without making a difference in anyone else’s. I refuse to be insignificant. The world doesn’t have to know my name, but as long as my life has made a mark on some one else’s, I will not die having been insignificant.
I was home schooled 1st-12th grade (it can be done!) and then took a year off after high school and went to Chick-fil-A’s leadership training program called Impact 360. It taught me about community, apologetics, my relationship with the Lord, and who I am as a person. Part of that program was a month-long mission trip to Brazil where God wrecked my heart for the poverty I saw, I just didn’t know what could be done about it.
I came home, went to Southern Polytechnic State University and changed my major to International Studies. There God further wrecked my heart as He showed me there are organizations out there doing things about this – huge organizations – and maybe I just didn’t have to sell my possessions and move to the bush of Africa after all. My biggest fear growing up was that God would send me to Africa as a missionary (again, funny how God works, hu?) I had this big plan for my life and how I was gonna conquer poverty in Latin America by working for the UN or the World Bank, etc. – because “being a missionary wasn’t big enough.” In my mind it didn’t make enough of a difference.
Welp, careening my way towards that journey (working for the Governor’s Office, planning on Grad school, trying to stack internships, etc.) The Lord subtly whacked me in the head. My heart is for children… my heart is to love on orphans and make a difference. I am losing my mind sitting in an office chair all day. That’s not what God created me to do.
So, here I am. I’m leaving that job, leaving my career plans, family, and relative “security” and packing my life into a backpack to go love on orphans, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, build homes, bind up the broken, and bring the love of Jesus to the ones who have not heard.
I have been redeemed. I am the broken of the broken, but I have been forgiven. And I have been redeemed to carry His Name.
