About Me

Hey guys, I wanted to share a little about myself and my journey with the Lord as well as how he led me here to the World Race. 

 I grew up as a pastor’s kid, the third of four children. I was raised in a loving home with incredible parents who modeled Jesus and what a life in pursuit of him looked like. I had a great idea of who God was from an early age and fully believed in the Lord but it wasn’t until I joined a discipleship group at about 14 that I truly understood what it meant to follow God and give over my life. 

As a freshman in high school I began to grasp what it meant to really be a follower of Christ. I understood that God had a purpose and calling for my life. It finally clicked that my life as a follower of Jesus wasn’t meant to look like everyone else’s. The essence of Romans 12:2,  “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this World, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” became more apparent in my life.

And I’d love to say that I took the narrow road and pursued Jesus fiercely from that point on, that I embraced Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” But that is not the case. I wrestled with this new found knowledge, I didn’t want to be different or stand out. I didn’t want to choose the difficult road, I wanted to be accepted by my peers, I didn’t want to miss out on what the world had to offer, I knowingly opted for the gate that was wide and easy. 

Matthew 7:13-14 

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

My three years on the wide path consisted of me trying to find my worth and identity in any and everything that wasn’t Jesus. I sought to find it in my achievements, the approval of others, and in relationships. Needless to say I was unsuccessful and left so broken. It wasn’t until my senior year in highschool that I decided I was no longer interested in living according to the world, I knew I would never be whole or satisfied without Jesus. I rededicated my life to Christ, and I now find my identity and worth in him. 

Before Jesus I was… Seeking the approval of others, living to serve myself, finding my worth in relationships, ashamed and living in sin, insecure 

Now that I’ve found Jesus I am… Living approved by him, secure of my worth and identity rooted in him, living to serve a holy and perfect God and his people, healed and made pure, redeemed, a child of God, free, unashamed, joyful 

While this was a huge turning point for me I didn’t change overnight. The next year after this decision God brought so much healing from the wounds I acquired while I was running from him, and more growth than I could’ve imagined. The Lord put Godly friends in my life who push me towards him and encourage me in my walk. I have stumbled in my pursuit of him, and I don’t anticipate that ending anytime soon; but I continue to choose him everyday.

Jesus put the World Race on my heart about a year ago. I was exposed to this mission program through friends who had done the gap year program and semester program. I recall listening to their experiences and thinking what a neat opportunity for them and quite frankly assuming it was a great program for everyone else. But there was something about the idea I couldn’t shake. So I began to think it through logistically and that led to “well this isn’t the correct order of things”, “I’m not great with change”, or “I am undeserving of such an opportunity”. Whatever excuse I had built up in my mind the Lord slowly broke down. People spoke into my life, the holy spirit prompted, and eventually I was at a place where those excuses became the very reason I chose to take this step in obedience. Ultimately I want the plan and order God has for my life, not the second-rate one I had created. Change may have frightened me a bit but seasons of change are when I have grown the most with the Lord, why not seek that out? And I didn’t feel deserving or the most qualified, and that is because I am not, I am flawed and weak and imperfect and God chose me anyways. He chose me because. 

2 Corinthians 12:9  But he said to me “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

The Lord has already taught me so much through this preparation season, I can’t even imagine what kind of growth and stretching he has in store for this trip. I am beyond excited for what God is doing through this program and am thankful for all those who choose to follow along and support me with this journey!