As many of you know I am currently on the World Race serving our great Father in Chile. What many of you may not know is how I got to this place and the crazy way God’s plans work out so perfectly.
After I graduated high school I knew I wanted to go to college not necessarily because that’s what I wanted but because that’s what you do after high school right? I attended Texas Tech University (WRECK EM forever) and was in the middle of my second year when I knew I needed a change. I was at a place in my life I didn’t want to be. I didn’t like the person I saw in the mirror so I began to talk with my mom about what to do next and where to go. We discussed transferring schools, taking a year off to work, sticking it out, pretty much every solution but none seemed like the right choice. I felt like I had nowhere left to go and I was stuck.
Lucky for me I went to school just two short hours away from my dads side of the family in Amarillo and Pampa Texas. At this time my cousin Chase and his wife Lilly had just welcomed twin boys into the world and I hadn’t got the chance to see them yet, so I decided to make the drive up to Pampa, Texas. After I arrived I ended up meeting their nanny who happened to be a family friend. Her name was Kirsten Kuhn. We got to talking about college and she started to tell me about how she had just gotten back from an 11 month mission trip called the World Race. She told me about some of the work they did and how it was the hardest year of her life but also the most rewarding. As she was talking to me I was in awe of the experience she must have gained and how amazing it was that she could go serve the Lord for a whole year. For a moment I thought wow that sounds like something I should do, but immediately talked myself out of it. I didn’t think I would be able to do it none the less take a whole year off school. But what I didn’t realize was Gods plan for me was way bigger than my doubts. I went home that night and the first thing I did was google the World Race and looked up when the next routes left. I called my mom and we talked about if this was what I really wanted and within two weeks I was signed up for the Race, and a week later I got the called I had been accepted. My entire world changed overnight.
I thought this was the last of God surprising me, but it was just the beginning.
After the school year ended it was now time for me to get ready for my new adventure. We had training camp in July and I was nervous, but so excited to meet the people I would be doing life with for the next year. (Here’s where God really began to show me this was where I was suppose to be.) Two days before I arrived at camp I got a text from my Aunt and she told me that Kirsten had decided to squad lead and was going to be a leader for MY SQUAD. What???? The girl I met one time who pretty much lead me to the Race was now on it with me??? How awesome is our God!!!!!
If only the craziness was over.
Training camp for me was such a great ten days, but also some of the worst. When I arrived at camp I got placed with a team of girls I had become close to so quickly. They became family within hours. As the week progressed our joy turned to tears. Three of my teammates ended up leaving and going home. This was such a sad time, because now there was only three of us and we didn’t know what would happen next. The decision was finally made to split us three up into three different teams. As if this whole journey didn’t scare me enough, I now had to be placed on a new team with people who have already created a bond. It was then I was placed on the team now known as Priceless In Him. I was nervous at first to go from one all girls team to another, but I continued to trust in Gods plan for me. I got the next couple of days to bond with these girls and get to know them but there was still a lot of hesitation after training camp was over if this was still right for me.
The last months before launch flew by and before I knew it I was days away from leaving America. It wasn’t long before I was about to leave that I got an email about my team and who our team leader was going to be. I was so excited to see who was going to lead us and when I opened the email I was over the moon to find out KIRSTEN KUHN would be my team leader. Okay what?? As if God couldn’t have given me a bigger push that is was exactly where I was suppose to be. At this moment any doubt I had about this journey and this path was completely gone. I knew this was Gods plan all along.
It’s been four months since all that craziness and I now know why God placed Kirsten in my life.
So here’s to you Kirsten,
Thank you for being part of my journey here.
Thank you for pushing me into vulnerability these last couple of months, but never throwing me off the cliff.
Thank you for always asking if I’m okay and not stopping even when I say I’m okay because you know I’m not.
You have lead our team with such grace and the most caring beautiful heart.
You’re a light on this team that words can’t describe.
You bring a light to the darkness and a love to the world around you.
You don’t treat us like just your team, but you intentionally make each one of us feel like family.
You push us to the hard places, say the hard things, but you’re there every step of the way to walk us through it all.
You give us the wisdom you carry, but also push us to find the wisdom in ourselves.
You learn and grow with us, and continue to show us where God is taking you.
You fight for us as a team and especially as individuals.
We see the work you put into us and the love you serve us with
You’re there for the tears, the laughs, and everything in between.
I couldn’t imagine this journey without you.
You’re more than our team leader. You’re family and we wouldn’t be the woman of God we’re striving to be without you there to guide us.
I can speak for all 7 of us when I say we love you so much and don’t have the words to thank you for all you do!!!!!!
So,
Thank you God for giving me this life
Thank you Kirsten Kuhn for being on this journey with me and listening to the path God set out for you
And thank you Pampa, Texas for giving me Kirsten
********I am so close to reaching my final financial goal and I need your help to get there!!!! If you would prayerfully consider donating to my race you can right on my blog homepage. I would love to continue this journey with the amazing women around me and walk the path God has set out for me. Please help me get there!!! God bless********
