First let me start with the fact that I have always been very strong headed and strong willed, so listening to God’s plans for me when they were opposite of mine has been a struggle of mine for as long as I can remember. That being said, this is the story of how I actually listened to His plans for once and how I am now going on the greatest journey of my 23 year old life to date:
9 months ago in the blink of an eye God told me to move to Gainesville Florida, for a few months leading up to that moment a friend and I were planning to move to Orlando, when that fell through I figured I would just stay where I was, but God had other plans.
I had no idea what I was going to do in Gainesville or why that was where he wanted me to go, I had no idea where I was going to live, and I had no idea how I was going to support myself but I took a leap of faith and I LISTENED to Him and in the span of 12 hours, got accepted to school in Gainesville, found a job and found an apartment within my budget. I had no idea what his plans were for me to move here but decided to Trust in him and on August 18th I moved into my apartment.
I didn’t really have an idea what I wanted to go to school for I just knew I needed to get my degree in something, because that’s the thing to do. So I started taking classes in subjects I found interesting outside of the classroom setting, going to work and attending church. But after going through the motions for a few months something was still missing. I felt like I wasn’t doing enough, I felt like I should be doing something MORE, something bigger and with a larger impact. I felt stuck. I was going to school for a degree that wasn’t my passion and I was stuck in a job that I didn’t really care for.
So I started asking him, what he wanted from me, why he told me to move to a town where I only knew 2 people at 23 years old.
And missions abroad came to mind. Africa is where he set my heart first. I have never been to Africa, I have never met an African nor was my church involved in any ministries in Africa, but I figured there must be a reason for it.
Along with being strong headed I am also very impulsive so I started doing research in careers that go to Africa and the Peace Corps popped up and decided I’m going to do THAT for the next two years, after a phone call with my Mom though she told me I needed to spend some more time in prayer and make sure that’s what I was really supposed to do. It’s a huge commitment after all and not something I should jump the gun with.
So I asked again, why Africa, why so far away, why something SO big, for someone so small as ME?
Then I heard about The World Race, and realized Africa was just his way of telling me the World was much larger than just the United States and that I should be branching out abroad to reach those who may never be able to hear of his glory.
So I asked him once more if this is what He had planned all along, and sure enough it was.
It is so incredible to realize the plan he set in motion for me almost a year ago. He knew the works he had planned for me when he told me to move here and thankfully I listened and followed, so now I’m going to follow his plans once more, but instead of two hours away from my home town I’m going half way across the world to share His name and His glory with all His people.
I can’t wait to see what he has planned for me this next year abroad, I know what he has planned is way better than what I can imagine, he’s already proven that much by getting me here.
