As I prepare to leave for training camp this coming Thursday, I flash back to my 14 year old self sitting in my 8th grade bible class and confiding in a friend, “I think I am going to be a missionary when I get older.” Flash forward and I am now 22 years old. As I reminisce on this memory, I am completely humbled at God’s faithfulness, provision, and all the battles He fought for me in these 8 years in between. I am in awe that he would stoop down to a 14 year old girl who wasn’t even quite sure that she wanted to be all in for Jesus at this point in her life. I’m taken to my knees at the beauty of His love that knows our future and past mistakes, and overlooks them all to have a relationship with Him. Above all else, it teaches me more about God’s reckless love that loves us at our weakest moments and loves the worst versions of ourselves. It shows me that God never wanted perfect people to follow after Him, but that He came to give dead people life and to invite them to follow after Him and take part in the abundant life that He offers.
It has been a little over a year now that I have been preparing and waiting for the day to come to leave for Africa. I remember being frustrated that I couldn’t leave sooner, and that I had to wait a little under a year until my launch date. Thankfully, God allowed me to hear a great sermon that was titled, “Every Season Needs a Great Preseason.” Playing sports my whole life, this phrase stuck to me like peanut butter and jelly (if you know me you know I love food references ha!). It was as if God was speaking directly to my heart and allowed me to take a different perspective in this waiting season. As I look back on this past year of waiting, it has been the most productive preseason that I have ever had for a season. God has led me through many hills and valleys, but has never left my side. He has given me amazing leaders to disciple me and surrounded me with the most amazing friends that have sharpened me, encouraged me, and allowed me to become a better version of myself. I am so thankful for the gift of my internship at Church of the Highlands and being able to learn from such great leaders. I’m so thankful to have been a part of leading a freedom small group under Alex McCune and to be able to learn from her heart and love for the Lord. She taught me the beauty of prayer and the importance of deep devotion to prayer. In these past months my family has been the biggest support system as they have rallied around me in constant prayer and given me most of my support that allowed me to go. It has been such a beautiful thing to receive prayer from my family as my mom has laid hands on me countless nights, along with my immediate and extended family at our last family gathering tonight. Most of all, I am completely humbled at how many people have supported my trip and all the many prayers I have received. I’m so thankful to launch fully funded and to have raised the full amount that was needed for the trip. Through it all, I have discovered the most beautiful parts of Jesus’ heart and have been overwhelmed by His goodness and provision.
My goal is to post weekly while I am in Africa in order to update my friends and family while I am gone. I am beyond thrilled to embark on this journey to Africa for the next 3 months and kindly ask for your prayers! Please be praying for safety for my team during travel and throughout our daily ministry, for a bountiful harvest of souls that we may encounter, and that I would truly die to myself in serving my team daily and those that we encounter. Please pray that I would fall more in love with Jesus and that my heart would be expanded as I meet the amazing, life-giving people of Africa!
Much love,
Hannah xoxoxo
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.”
Isaiah 61:1-3
