First of all, thank you so much for taking time to visit my blog!
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I was born and raised in Massachusetts. I was brought up in the Christian faith and attended a myriad of different denominations throughout my lifetime. Through it all, I’ve depended on God in all stages of my life. I thank my parents for providing that strong foundation as a child and I thank God for the faith He’s given me (Eph. 2:8-9). But as a maturing Christian, I desire more and more faith, which is what I’m looking forward to on the Race.
Surprisingly or maybe not, I never felt called to missions as a child or as a teenager. Even when I heard about the World Race for the first time, I looked at all that it entailed and thought it was crazy and something I would or could never do. Well…here I am!
During my college years, one thing I did know I wanted to do after graduation was to travel. I had a couple ideas how to do this, my favorite included a working holiday visa to Australia. But as I later found out when I studied abroad my junior year, alone, my dreams of travel could not satisfy me. I realized that God had to be my one desire in life. To fulfill the Great Commission is the only true purpose we as Christians have to “worry” about.
I know that through the World Race He is bringing me to another amazing experience full of amazing people and I’m so excited!
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So what is the World Race, you ask? I should probably pause in this About Me and tell you!
First of all, it is not the Amazing Race, the reality tv show. It is not a race. It is a group of Christians that don’t want to settle for the American Dream, but want God to use them in a way that they could only imagine! The World Race sends out hundreds of young adults each year on different routes consisting of 11 countries. The duration is 11 months. And the purpose is to spread the Gospel and the love of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth!
Racers live among the locals, with whatever we can fit inside two backpacks. They partner with churches, organizations, and ministries that are established in the countries and work alongside them to help in whatever way they need. Racers have taught English, preached in front of churches, played with orphans, prayed over the sick and elderly, ran VBS camps for children, befriended prostitutes, served the refugees, built and painted churches, dug holes for wells, and other manual labor, and so much more, so many other little things that God sees! One Racer would go to 1 Corinthians 9:22b-23 to describe what being a missionary on the World Race is like. “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”
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Some random facts about me:
- I studied abroad in Milan, Italy in fall 2014.
- I love working out (Crossfit, HIIT, weightlifting).
- I love to sing and worship. I also think the piano is the most beautiful sounding instrument and wish I could play better.
- I’m a small group leader of 9th grade girls at my church
- I love airports and flying in airplanes. I find the hustle of airports exciting! All these people from all over the country and the world, meeting in one place, is so cool! I also love looking out the window and imagining that’s how God sees our world, and I feel so small. Similarly, I love watching videos about how huge the galaxy is, all pointing to how big and mighty our God is!
- Reading books is my favorite pastime. (as Jefferson Bethke says, books are my love language! Actually I receive love with quality time & give love through physical touch, for any of you who know what I’m talking about and are wondering…Look up Gary Chapman, if you are curious!)
- I’m a planner and I love making to-do lists. I TRY to follow through on them…
- The Enneagram is the best personality test! I’m a type 9. Where the Myers-Briggs focuses on your outer personality, the Enneagram goes to the core, to your inner personality. It’s really interesting to learn about your friends & family and how your types relate to each other. https://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test.php
- Jesus, authentic relationships/community and experiencing the world are what I’m about!
- My life verse is Isaiah 54:10 “Though the mountains shake and the hills be removed, my unfailing love for you will not shake and my covenant of peace will never be removed, says the Lord who has compassion on you.”
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Please keep me in your prayers since 2017, and as I prepare in 2016 to leave, is going to be a very challenging year for me. Spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. It’s going to be worth it, but I still need prayer warriors!
Also, please prayerfully consider partnering with me and becoming part of my team of “senders” that financially support me! You are NOT just giving money to me. You are investing in God’s kingdom!
