I'M MOVING OUT OF THE COUNTRY.... WHAT????!

I’M MOVING OUT OF THE COUNTRY??? WHAT??

I’m sure a lot of you are wondering what led me to this decision and let me tell you, it was one of the easiest decisions I have ever made ONCE I realized I needed to make this decision.

Alright, so here’s the story. While at school this fall, I was doing all things that someone should do while being a senior! I was working (just put in my 2 weeks, see ya later EP+cardiology, nice knowing ya!) and working wayyyyyy too much to help get hours to apply for PA school. I was also taking horrible classes like biochemistry that was the death of me. Volunteering with my church weekly (love it but also like a part time job putting hours in) and doing student leader things in my RA role! Oh, and did I mention trying to maintain friendships? Yeah, so definitely not all the things a senior should be doing. Because I was working myself so hard, I became super burnt out on everything. That is when I knew I couldn’t go straight to grad school and needed to take a break. So, I began praying that God would guide me and lead me to what He was calling me to do, and that He would open doors that need to be open and shut doors that need to be shut.

I knew I had always wanted to go back to Zambia since the first moment I stepped out of the van at base camp. I remember looking around and feeling so much peace and like I was at home, while being in a place I never knew before that exact moment. I felt like I should have asked to stay for a month without even knowing much about Jack and Amber and the impact of the ministry work I would be doing just a few days later.

Because of this ~burnout~ feeling I had, I decided I needed to start going to counseling to just talk with someone who doesn’t know me and can help me with all these big decisions I knew I needed to make. So, I started seeing someone, who literally was a God send. Little to my knowledge at the time, she was also a missionary for two years prior to being at GCU which plays a part into my story later. The first time I talked to her, I remember I kept saying “there is so many amazing opportunities I just don’t know what is for me.” I knew I could go back to Zambia, but I could also apply for an assistant RD position (ARD) at school (I felt confident about this one from being an RA for 3 years + having the best RD and mentor, too) or just staying with my scribe position that I didn’t like much but could gain hours to apply.

I decided I was for sure going back to Zambia even if it was just for two weeks, but then I started to play with this idea that I could stay for a month and still do the ARD position, so I was getting the best of both worlds. But, within a week, I had three separate mission opportunities present themselves. The first being Zambia, and the opportunity to leading my own team back which seemed amazing. I loved Zambia so much and knew leading a team would be so life-giving and I have leadership experience, so like why not? And then, speaking with our young adults pastor at my church, told me so nonchalantly that he and his wife are moving to Ecuador and that I would have an open invite to come anytime and do missions work and have the opportunity to help with medical stuff. And another opportunity with a really close friends church who were going to Nepal. Like, are you joking?? God, you’re so funny. So, I continued to pray for doors to be open and shut and discernment for what is best for me.

One day, I just knew that I wasn’t going to apply for the ARD position, and I didn’t want to work as a scribe anymore. It was a job that was the same old same old, being relied on way too much for someone who was part time and putting in hours outside of work to get things done. Walking in the hospital seeing tan walls and writing the same thing time after time. So, I was like okay God, I see it. There were some other instances like church services and friends asking me about mission stuff that just made me realize I needed to be obedient to God and what was next. Oh, and my word for the year was obedient. What a coincidence.

So, here I am. Getting ready to graduate in three weeks. Moving away from all I know, to pursue what the Lord has put on my heart! To say I’m excited is an understatement. I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store, and I will grow but most importantly, how I can spread God’s love and grace to my brothers and sisters.

This is just the beginning of my journey and I know it is actually going to be the best and most challenging time of my life. I love you all and I will probably write again once I am in Zambia. Until then, please continue to pray for safety and protection over my flight and for the hearts of those who don’t know Jesus to be open and receptive to the Word!