Thanks for checking out my blog and following along with me as I continue on this journey! I cannot wait to see what lies ahead and see how God will move in the coming months.
I was born and raised in Colorado and was lucky enough to grow up in the little mountain town of Estes Park, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. I have an incredible family that is amazingly supportive and loving, for which I am endlessly thankful.
My parents are going on 30 years of marriage and have been a wonderful example of love, hard work, sacrifice, and what it means to follow after God whole-heartedly. Their support and encouragement is the foundation of my pursuit of God!
My older sister, Amy, and her amazing husband, Adam, are parents to the two most precious girls in existence: Madilyn Iris and Kaylee Rose. They are some of the most dedicated, attentive, and loving parents in the world and take care of everyone around them!
Anne, my younger sister, is one of my best friends and biggest supporters. We have lots of adventures together and she is growing into an amazing woman with a pure heart for God.
My younger brother is also growing into an wonderful young man, and I am so proud of him and all he does. David is incredibly smart, hard working, and dedicated, and is going into his Sophomore year at Baylor University where he is studying neuroscience.
I began my love affair with travel when I moved to Europe after graduating high school in 2004. I attended Capernwray Bible School in England and Tauernhof Bible School in Austria for a year and had the opportunity to backpack around much of the continent. I met some of my best friends during this time and came to know God in a new and revolutionary way. My life was forever changed during the months I spent abroad. The year spent studying the Bible gave me a deeper understanding and longing for a growing relationship with the Lord, but it also placed into me a love for travel and adventure.
When I returned home, I had a difficult time settling in and thus began what I call my "wanderlust years." I attended four different schools, declared four different majors, and traveled to Canada (where I lived and attended school for several months), Peru, Chile, Argentina, back to Europe, Afghanistan, and Ghana. I also began working as a park ranger for Rocky Mountain National Park and discovered a passion for hiking, camping, climbing, and fishing that continues to this day. I am never happier than when I'm miles into the backcountry, sleeping in a tent, and surrounded by God's creation.
Now, I am a 27-year old graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder with my bachelor's degree in International Affairs. I was on Second Generation B squad, which launched in October of 2011 and am now Squad Leading W Squad! God has taken me on an unforgettable, and oftentimes painful, journey over the past few years. In the process I have fallen more in love with my Heavenly Father and He is slowly changing me into the woman of God that He is calling me to become. He has been preparing and equipping me for a life of long-term missions and I cannot wait to see where He leads me!
