“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” ~Colossians 3:9-12.
Everything changed from that point on. I felt on fire for Christ, like I was unstoppable, that I could overcome anything with His help. Motivated by my new found faith, I dove into the Bible, searching for Bible studies, anything to help me with my own growth in Christ on the days I didn’t have someone pouring into me at church. Stepping out my comfort zone began to get easier when a friend found out that I loved to sing and asked if I’d be interested in joining the youth worship team. Through this new opportunity, I not only became bolder in my faith but I also began to get to know some more influential people. It was hard at first, to fit in with them because they had been together for a while, but it became easier the more we were around each other.
A massive curveball was thrown when my best friend told me that she and her mom were moving to Pennsylvania at the end of our last year in middle school. I am thankful for the loving friends at youth group because without them and God, I’m not sure how I would’ve gotten through my feeling of abandonment (even though she didn’t actually abandon me, it was more a feeling of loss). I knew our friendship was strong, but because I had become so dependent on her, it was hard. Going out into the community with strong Christian leaders, serving, prayer-walking, it helped to focus on God and entrust my friendship with Kaitlyn to Him. She would still come on youth trips with us; we’d spend weeks together still, just a bit more spaced out than our usual hangouts. God helped me to focus on making more friends, finding who I am in Him, keeping myself occupied with my new responsibilities: SALT leadership in youth, the youth band, leading in the Landing (a CR/celebrate recovery program for teens) and of course, high school.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” ~Matthew 28:19-20.
I was called to go out into the nations for the first time when my mom came back from her first mission to Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The stories I heard, the miracles that God did, all moved me to the decision of going out and following God’s command: to find/train disciples to make more multiplying disciples like Jesus and His followers did so long ago. Low and behold, that decision sent me out into the nations multiple times, 3 international (twice to Santa Cruz, Bolivia :2014 and 2018, once to La Paz, Bolivia: 2016) and more than a few times either locally or within the United States, helping other youth groups, evangelizing, serving all of Christ’ people and so much more.
As for what happened after that, well, that’ll come within my next few blogs, all of them playing some part of coming to this decision to push my faith, push my comfort zone to a year-long missionary journey. I know full well that we are supposed to be on mission for God daily, seeking out opportunities to share with others the love of Christ, but I know that I need help with that. I fully believe that this is why God has called me to go on this year long mission, to live a full year knowing what it’s like to live alongside Christ fully so that my faith will grow immensely, that I can experience what He wants us to be like: devoted ambassadors of His willing to go above and beyond to do what He commands us to do. My comfort zone has been pushed exponentially, but I want it to grow bigger, I want to push those boundaries in healthy ways that will only grow me more so in Christ and into the woman He designed me to be. God is going to continue to do amazing, miraculous things and I’m looking forward to seeing how He does it!
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing Spirit, to sustain me.” ~Psalm 51:10-12.
