Hey Everyone! Regardless of if I know you or if you happen to just come across my blog somehow, thank you for reading it!
I was born and raised in the 4 seasoned state of Illinois.
I was the kid who sat in the warm car with my seat heater on when everyone else was sledding. Anything with sunshine and heat I swear calls my name!
The Baby of three.
One brother and one sister.
I am a senior at Joliet Catholic Academy
JCA really is a family and I’ve come to love it. I’m surely ready to leave but I’ll miss it!
I am a vegetarian.
I don’t eat fish or meat but I L O V E cheese!
I’m a cautiously terrible driver.
Lets just say I’ve had a few cars.
I love a good adventure!
I never really listen or take someones word for something. I like making mistakes and learning for myself
^Those are all just some random facts about me but I suppose I should tell y’all a little bit about how I found God and how he’s working in my life.
I grew up in a relatively average catholic family. Every Sunday we used to attend religious education and then church together and afterwards we’d get brunch. I hated Sundays for those reasons but now I cherish those memories. In third grade I started attending Catholic school and all those somewhat Sunday traditions ended. I absolutely hated Holy Family. I was leaving my best friend to attend this super small, one hallway-ed, school. And now i had to wait not only 2 but 5 more years to get a real locker! I was a rebellious little child and didn’t want to conform to standards at Holy Family. I didn’t want to be anything like the kids there and therefor became an atheist at the young age of probably about 11 or 12. I wanted nothing to do with God and thought he was a made up thing. I constantly fought with religious teachers throughout grade school. Once I got to high school though I just shut my theology classes completely…Claiming the teachers were stupid and didn’t know what they were talking about.
Regardless of the fact that I was an atheist I always had this burning passion to go out in the world and help people. So Sophomore year I went on my first mission trip to Toledo, Ohio with my school. I absolutely loved it and perhaps for a very short time grew closer to God. But I was still an atheist. God didn’t help those people, we did. (hahaha-how I laugh at this statement now) Junior year I went on another mission trip with JCA to Mishihfsdfdjf (idk how to spell it), Indiana. And two weeks after that I was headed to Florida to go on a longer mission trip to Uganda with Teen Missions International! I was excited to go out internationally and help people but once I got to boot camp that changed fast! I still didn’t believe in God and although I was surrounded by all these people with great relationships with the big papa perhaps the devil still fogged my view and I couldn’t see him. That isn’t an excuse though because honestly I didn’t want to see God, I wanted to see my cozy, warm bed along with my flushable toilet and clean shower! I stuck it out though but for all the wrong reasons. I didn’t want to go to Uganda anymore to help people but instead so that I could come back and tell people I went. That I completed boot camp and then lived in a third world country.
Now that I look back God was probably cracking up at me throughout this entire experience. While in Uganda, sadly, I was probably the hardest person to lead and be a teammate to and I’m sorry for that. However if any of you are reading this thank you so much for putting up with me! (especially Lily, Sam, And Amy!) During my time in Uganda I was completely stripped of everything. I was in the middle of nowhere with only God and the people around me for protection and guidance. Slowly but surely while on this trip I began to find God. However, it wasn’t until commissioning(I think it’s call, probably not though…it’s like this week where we learn how to readjust to America and stuff) did I 100% find God and welcome him into my life. I was completely changed on this trip. I was supposed to go there and help change the lives of others, however the way God changed mine there is simple not explainable. I have had ups and downs and times since I’ve been back where I have briefly strayed from his path but I think that’s normal and have quickly got back on it. I will never go back to how I was before Uganda because it isn’t possible. I thank God every day for that trip and for all the people who donated and went on it with me. Without it or them I probably wouldn’t be the person I am today.
Now after reading that you probably know that….5 years ago if you would have asked someone, anyone who knew me, if I’d be going to church, or bible studies, or defending and loving God they would’ve laughed in your face. But here I am doing those things and hoping and praying that one day each and every one of you feels the love and guidance from God that I get to feel every day now because it’s amazing….GOD IS AMAZING!
I can’t wait to see everything The Lord has for me on this trip! I’m so scared, excited, and curious all at the same time!
Until the next blog,
God bless & Love,
Court!
