I have a wonderful mother, the most amazing friends, and a supportive God alongside me always. This past year has been a year of growth for me, however I always trusted that God would bring me through it like always. This past summer, I ended up moving back home in with my mom. It was very difficult finding a job, so I babysat, worked retreats, even caught fly balls at a softball tornament for money just to get by.
I was asked to cook for Adventures In Mission’s Ambassador’s Training Camp. I had no idea what to expect there, but I thought it would be fun to cook and it was a job. What I found there was much more than I ever dreamed possible. Not only did I serve 150 people 3 meals a day with just one other helper, but I was served immensely. Those teens were some of the kindest youth I have ever met, and the love of Christ was shining through them. It was a blessing to be around them and to see that My God is still moving and active in my life and the lives around me. My God was not dead or distant, just because that is how I might have felt at one point. I was also surrounded by many spiritually mature adults who have been on the World Race.
This whole past year, I have felt a discontent with life. I knew that God called me into ministry a while ago, however I was not sure what that meant anymore. For the longest time, I thought that meant going to Seminary and becoming an Ordained Elder. Then later I thought maybe I was supposed to be a Youth Minister. Then, a College Chaplain. And now… A Missionary? I still am not sure. That is a crazy, foreign word to me. I always thought that my mission field was “my own backyard” and God was not calling me to go overseas and leave my blackberry and hair straightener at home. I LOVE both of those things!! But in my heart, I know that God wants me to be here. He wanted me to cut ties with a lot of relationships I was thought were important. He wanted me to not place importance on material and earthly things, and to place a higher importance on Heavenly, Godly things. He wanted me to focus only on Him. And while I am crying as I write this, because it was a long, long, hard road to get to this kind of clarity and peace about my life, I am here. This is where I am.
I am preparing for the trip of a lifetime. I am putting all of my trust in God to provide the $14,300 for me to go on this trip. The world is now my mission field. All the people of the world are now my peers. I am not just called to minister to the people that I do know, I am called to minister to everyone I ever meet. Jesus asked his disciples to leave everything they knew behind, to take up the cross, and follow Him. I do not think I have ever done anything scarier in my life, but I am doing just that. I am leaving everything I know behind to follow Christ.
It would not be possible for me to leave and minister to the world without financial support. It has always made me uncomfortable talking about money, especially asking for it. However, this is not done in vain. This is for the glory and honor of God! This is our way of tithing to a greater cause, therefore I do ask you to prayerfully consider supporting this World Race adventure through your thoughts, prayers, gifts and service. Trust me, God will bless you tremendously just as he is blessing me!!
