Hey everyone, it’s been a while. I haven’t forgotten to post. I just haven’t felt like I’ve had much to put here, not until after training camp happens. Which is just over two weeks away. It’s hard to believe it’s coming up so soon it felt like it was a lifetime away when I first applied back in September last year. But training camp starts July 10 and I’ll be gone for a week so I can be better prepared for the World Race. I’ve gotta say I’m super excited but also nervous and anxious. I’ve been working on surrendering control of how this is going to go to God. Because I know ultimately no matter how much I prepare and want to be in control there will always be some sort of curveball that just can’t be accounted for. Surrendering control of this has been difficult. Every time I try to give control to God I immediately want to take it right back. So I’ve been having a lot of anxiety about it. But slowly but surely I have given God more control recently and it definitely takes the weight off my shoulders. I am so grateful that he wants us to depend on him in everything. That we can know we will never be alone.
Then there are other fears that keep popping up that have been hard to give to God. One of them is that I’ll be unliked and just tolerated by the people I’m going with and that I’ll ultimately be more of a burden than a help. I know it’s a lie and I’ve been constantly trying to give it to God but the fear is still coming up. Also, there is the fear that I’m packing for this trip all wrong. That I’m forgetting to bring something or something I do bring isn’t working out and I should have got something different instead, things like that. But I know even if I packed perfectly, and I got everything right I could end up losing my luggage at the airport or something and it wouldn’t matter anyway. I know in my head that God is in control and I can trust him. I just need it to work its way into my heart. One thing I’m glad about is that one of, if not the, most clear things God has told me in the last year was that he wants me to go on the World Race. Once I committed in September there was no doubt in my mind that God wanted me to go and he would provide the way for me to go. I wasn’t afraid about him providing the funds that much but yet packing has just been a real hurdle for me.
But some good news is that last Friday we got told our first official country we are going to, Romania!! We don’t know what we are going to be doing there yet but I’m looking forward to it nonetheless. I leave Michigan on August 6, and I fly down to Georgia where I’ll be for a few days before we all fly over to Romania together. Some of you might remember that my original semesters trip with AIM was going to be to Romania and Serbia last summer. Of course, covid happened so that didn’t happen and I went on the domestic trips I’ve written about instead. But I love that God has redeemed, I guess is the best way to put it, my original trip by letting us go to Romania. Something else I’m looking forward to but is completely unrelated to my mission trip is that I’m leaving for Georgia, where training camp is, a few days early to spend time with my friend who moved down there three years ago. I’m so excited to spend some time with him since we haven’t seen each other since the end of 2019. That was a huge blessing from God because it seemed like we wouldn’t be able to meet up at first but we’ll get to spend a few days together before training camp and I’m so grateful for that.
Finally, here is a few ways you can be praying for me:
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That I can truly and fully trust and surrender all my worries to the Lord and that they’ll be replaced with Him
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That I’ll have an open heart to what God wants to do in me
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To be able to love my team well when we actually get to meet
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Please be praying for the people of Romania
If you have any prayer requests I would love to be praying for you. Leave a comment here or message me.
