HAPPY VETERANS DAY and thank you so much to all who have faithfully served our country and brought the freedom that we have today!! I am so thankful for your service!!! To the loved ones of our current and past military, thank you for your dedication and support to your loved ones so that they can love our country in the best way that they know how. It takes a great team of support at home when you go away and you are absolutely necessary!!
Along with today being Veterans Day, it is also WORLD RACE Day!! 11/11 is kind of a big deal in my life and the lives of many of my friends. I am so thankful to have been able to live my life for 11 months away from home in so many different cultures and countries. To all of the people who supported me whether it was financially or prayerfully thank you, thank you, from the depths of my soul I thank you. I would not have been able to go on this crazy and wonderful journey if you had not been there supporting me. I am extra thankful for you!! Your stories from your side of this journey are just as important as my stories from my side. I am so thankful for all the times I called or skyped or facebooked that I was able to talk to and encourage/be encouraged by you. I would not have made it through my race without you.
I have been home from my race for almost a year!! I can’t even believe it. One year ago, I was in Malaysia in month 11 of my race. My team was doing great, our ministry was okay, but I was tired. Then my friends threw me a surprise Twilight themed 24th birthday party!! I don’t know if I have ever felt so known and loved by people who were not genetically related to me. I wrote a blog about it once, so you can read that HERE if you want to. I turned 24 in Malaysia almost exactly one year ago and I am so blessed to be back in an amazing community to celebrate my 25th birthday on Sunday.
I am not gonna lie, I really, really love my life here. I love what I get to do every day. I love that I get to spend time with the Lord and seeking after His plans for my life. I love that I get to live in a house with amazing women who challenge me. I love that I am being mentored and equipped to explore my dreams while still making sure that my heart is focused on the Lord in all of those things. I am learning so much and finding out how to use the gifts the Lord has given me to impact the Kingdom.
I know that I have unique things that the Lord has blessed me with that I can use to impact the world. He is speaking tenderly to my heart about what He intends to use me for and I am 100% open to it and super excited for it. But, right now it is just an idea, a thought, a dream. In order to stick with it and see my dream come to life I need to be rooted in a place where people can challenge and stretch me and encourage me to actually live out the dream that God is calling me to. While I work all of this out, I get to come alongside Adventures in Missions in my apprenticeship to foster and environment of spiritual growth and worship throughout the whole organization.
I believe I am in the right place for all of this to happen, but in order to stay here I need ministry partners who are going to come alongside me to help further God’s Kingdom on this earth. I am behind in my funding and if I cannot catch up soon, I will no longer be able to stay here to get to live out this dream that God has begun stirring inside me.
This Sunday is my 25th birthday.
Would you please donate between $25 and $125 ($25/month for six months) for my 25th birthday to further what God is doing in the Kingdom. God continues to humble me through the people who are giving and I would love to add you to my ministry partner team. God is doing big things, He will use you even if you think it isn’t worth it.
I am super excited for my 1/4 century birthday. Thank you for being a part of my life and a part of my story. I love you all so much. Again, NONE of this would be possible without you, my supporters, my blog readers, my friends. You’re great.
With much Birthday girl love,
-A
