Hello friends, family, and supporters!!! I am so excited to announce that in 23 days I am moving down to Gainsville, GA for 5 months to be apart of a discipleshi/leadership program that I applied for and was accepted into!
A little bit of back story to my decision; I had been battling with myself and The Lord with what my next semester should and would look like the last 2 or so months of my race experience. I had pursued team leading and going back out on to the field for 1-3 months but the door to that was closed and the door to CGA was opened. CGA stands for Center for Global Action and is all about empowering missionaries who have gone out on the field and want to continue that way of life in America or overseas with practical ways to immerse yourself in what God has called you to. By truth, scripture, study, community, worship, and much more.
When my squad mentor and leaders introduced me to CGA and asked that I pray about it I was not about it. I didn’t want to move again and so soon after being home and wasn’t sure that it was for me. But I prayed and sought The Lord and got no direct answer (seems to be a common theme in my life) so I figured it was just a no or not right now.
So continuing home and figuring out this transitional period and what life in America was to look like for me personally I had completely put CGA on a back burner and it wasn’t even running through my thoughts any. But as I attended PSL (which was a week of debriefing with my squad along with the 5 other gap squads that launched in September) I spent some time on the grounds of AIM and in Gainesville and immediately felt an immense peace with everything.
Some of you may know but most probably not because I haven’t shared too much, but being home has been extremely hard and I’ve been going through a lot of changes and shifts, physically, mentally, emotionally, and situationally. Things are way different here than they ever were a year ago. I had lived 18 years as an American and now I’ve lived a year as a foreigner and things have completely shifted.
Soemthing The Lord has spoken over me is Peace, more specifically, His Peace that I carry heavily. But since I’ve been home I’ve had no peace and I’ve had wars raging on inside of my mind, heart, and soul. When I felt His Peace in Gainesville I knew that that is where He would call me for this next season of my life. And since that moment the door for the opportunity, program, and support has been swung right open, wider than ever and I know this is where I need to be.
With all of this being said though I know I’m going to face challenges and things will be hard. I’m investing me and my relationship with The Lord to make me stronger spiritually and satan does not like that. The biggest way I know he is going to try and trip me up is fundraising. 1 because I struggle so much with humbling myself and asking for help financially and 2 because funding for the world race was not a walk in the park and it took hard work so I know reaching out and asking again will be difficult. BUT The Lord has been so so extremely faithful in that way on and off the field so I have no doubt that He will provide for what He has called me to. And I just need to state my needs plainly and have the faith she has asked me to have.
The total of the whole program is $5,950
which seems like a big number but I’ve raised way more than that before and I know it’s possible. This will include the cost of the program and my housing for the next 5 months!
How this breaks down;
I will need $2,000 by August 17th which is in 30 days!
Then once I reach that I will need another $2,000 (putting me at $4,000) by October 1st!
and lastly I will need the remainder of my money $1,950 by November 5th!
I know its a lot but our God is so much bigger and I’ll leave you all with this;
a lot of times people are so eager to donate and help overseas missions and that’s FANTASTIC! You all rallied around me and supported me and helped me to raise over $15,000 and I am SO thankful!! But what most people don’t realize is that once you leave the field (especially from such a long period of time) there is a lot that you have to walk through. And I am taking time to invest in walking through that in the most healthy way. In a community with other believers who are going to love and support me well, learning, studying, and practicing out all the things I’ve experienced the last 9 months, and devoting time to my personal walk with our sweet Lord. So please, come along side me and help make this time of transitioning and hardship something beautiful and unique to my story.
I love you all so much and I’m stoked for what the next 6 months will bring!!!!
