Many would ask why? At first I asked myself why as well, because I didn’t know what I wanted to do specifically but I knew I wanted to serve.
My whole life I grew up going to a Pentecostal church and always new that God loved me and Jesus came to die on a cross for our sins. Over time my want to fit in to a group, grew. Once my high school career came to an end, I set off to college without really having a plan of what I wanted to do with my life. I was just following our culture and what I thought was right.
In college I struggled with anxiety for about half a year, while it only seems like a short period, it had a strong hold on my life and mind. The night I finally came in surrender to Jesus, I was instantly healed. Since that day I’ve never been the same. The fire that was lit inside of me began to grow at a tremendous rate. The holy spirit began to convict me to speak to men at my job and to other college students at my campus.
So this began to set me on a mission to witness to others. My view of life had changed from my lens to Jesus’ lens. This is what made me reach for the World Race. On this mission trip I want to be pushed further into my walk with Jesus. I want to use the gifts and abilities I’ve been given to love the way God loved me when I was broken. Being in an environment that will constantly humble me, will allow me to shift the focus from myself to my neighbor. I also believe that I have been blessed to grow up in a Spanish speaking household, which will naturally assist me in connecting with those in Costa Rica.
In a culture where we have so much going on, it can be easy to take our eyes off of our father who gives us the ability to live. Throughout this time in Costa Rica, Cambodia, and Swaziland, the humility of my day to day life will be a constant reminder of whose I am and who has given me everything. This takes me back to a verse that most know, which is Philippians 4:13- I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Just as Paul of the Bible experienced abundance and need, so have I. But no matter the season or situation, God has never fallen short.
