So it is officially, official. I am moving to the United Kingdom for two years to do mission work! I have known for months that this was my plan upon graduation, but for the longest time I have been pushing off the fact that I was moving, trying to focus on graduating college and living in the moment. Pulling all-nighters trumped the nerve wrecking thoughts of moving. Now that I am here at GoWeek training, it is all becoming very really. Two whole years of sharing the Gospel, building relationships, traveling and growing in my faith. Two whole years of living in another country and another culture. Two years of being away from my family and friends and everything I know. Two years... In the grand scheme of things, two years isn’t long at all, but right now it kind of feels like I am never coming back. I am so very excited for this next chapter of my life, but as I am processing it all I am realizing there are a lot of changes and growth that are about to take place.
This week I flew to the grand city of Minneapolis, Minnesota for training to learn the ins and outs of support raising. Right now I am sitting in the airport waiting on my next flight and honestly I don't know what to feel. I was expecting to go to training and learn about support raising, and like always, God blew my expectations out of the water! This week I made some lifelong friends, was encouraged in my Faith and was prepared mentally and spiritually for the months to come. But what I was most surprised about was how much I saw God this week. In every conversation I saw the way our God has been shaping and preparing the hearts of my new friends to go and share the gospel to some of the most unreached areas of the world! I have had a desire to do mission work for a long time, but to be surrounded by people who shared the same vision and same heart gave me a new found sense of passion and excitement for what is to come.
This week I also got to meet some of my new teammates and my roommates! As I have been telling people about moving the most common question I have gotten is do you know anyone who is going? I can now happily say yes, and they are some pretty rad people.
With all that being said, I still have a long uphill hike between me and my departure date. This entire summer I will be raising support to fund me while I am living abroad. A part of me is ready to give up already. It is pretty daunting to think that I have to meet with people and talk about money. Not my strong suit. Although I think it is going to royally suck, I am excited to see how the Lord works in my life and how He provides! I want to grow closer to God and learn to lean on Him and trust Him in everything, big and little.
So, I am writing to invite all of you to join me as I process through all the changes and learn to trust the Lord who works all things together for the good of those who love Him! I can’t promise that my writing will be eloquent or riveting, but if you are interested, hop in and come along for the ride!