Hi! My name is Andrea and I live in beautiful central Oregon. I have amazing parents, a younger sister and two beautiful nieces that I love soo much! I also have some really great friends and will miss our girls nights!
Starting in January I’ll
be living out of a backpack, surviving on a limited budget (no more retail therapy for me!), and finding myself in situations where faith is the only reality to choose from. I can’t wait to be able to put my heart into something that is going to make a difference in the lives of others, that won’t only be life changing for me, but for all the people we come in contact with.
January 2011: 11 countries: 11 months
India, Nepal, Romania, Moldova, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, and Malaysia.
I accepted Jesus into my life in 2nd grade and knew He loved me and what it meant to be a Christian. But as I got older I started being enticed by worldly means of fulfillment and I drifted off from Jesus to do my own thing. I tried using worldly possessions and actions to fill that God-shaped hole, which only left me unfulfilled and broken. Jesus was always there in the back of my mind, and I knew He was what I needed but I ignored Him as I continued to conform to the ways of the world.
Finally, the things of this world I had been chasing after left me completely and unbearably broken hearted and hurt. I decided that I couldn’t continue on my own path anymore. I needed something more, something real.
I spent a lot of time reading my Bible and Jesus became so real to me, I knew that He felt the pain I was feeling and that He longed to be close to me. That He loved me unconditionally.
I had loved Jesus when I was younger, but in the last year I actually fell IN love with Him, and I haven’t been the same ever since. So when the desire to go on a missions trip fell on my heart again, I couldn’t ignore it. There’s nothing I want more then to get as close to God as I can and let Him use me to bring hope, love and everlasting life to others, just like He healed my broken heart and made it new.
O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray, so I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, “Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.” Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. – AW Tozer
Some random things:
-I love Mexican food!
-I love listening to music; I would choose music over T.V. any day!
-I usually start my morning with cups of coffee and creamer, a pinch of splenda and whip cream. (I’m going to miss that!)
-I think it would be awesome to travel along the west coast living out of a hippie van!
-I hate bugs. Especially flying ones.
-I like sunrises/sunsets and thunderstorms
-I love being an Auntie
-I’ve never been out of the country!
-I’m really excited to go to Australia, I’ve been wanting to go for years!
