A Season of Transition

Coming home on November 23, 2021 from The Semesters Central America Trip, I wasn’t sure fully what to expect. I had just spent three months in Costa Rica and Nicaragua with some of the most amazing people, had a million beautiful experiences, grew much deeper into my faith walk, learned a lot about myself and what it meant to serve others from an outflow.

Yet still, coming home felt like a strange mix of exciting and terrifying. Was it possible to come back after being so changed? How did this go by so fast? Was it real? How do I just jump back into normalcy after feeling so different? How do I set healthy boundaries in toxic relationships yet STILL love people like Jesus? I had about a million questions circling my thoughts and I felt about a million emotions all at once.

If I am honest, coming home was simply overwhelming—no less during the Holiday season. But as every moment was leading up to an eventual departure with my squad, I can say with absolute confidence that I would do it all over again.

It has been almost a month since being home, and as I have had a chance to process the trip, I have been doing my best to take what I learned and apply it to my everyday life.

Some of these takeaways are:

• Relationships should not be 50/50, but rather 100/100
• You need to be willing to forgive first and take ownership over how you make people feel.
• Yes, Jesus loves us… But he also LIKES us. He desires to spend time with you because He likes being around you. He is your friend and He thinks you’re pretty rad. I love this thought.
• People here in the States need the Truth of the Gospel and JESUS just as much as people over seas.
• Intentionality is everything.
• There is grace for me and others. It’s okay to mess up and get it wrong. We are human, and that isn’t an excuse to hurt people or be unkind. Yet, what really matters is not how hard you fall, but your willingness to stand back up and take ownership over what you CAN change—to love others, and yourself better.
• There is a difference between rest and laziness

This is a small in comparison to everything I learned, but as I move into the next season, these are all lessons I have been leaning into evermore.

As I have been praying about what God has next for me, I have been presented with the opportunity to grow my faith even deeper through a 5-month program called CGA—Center for Global Action, run by the Adventures in Missions team. This is a leadership and discipleship program that has a focus on community and equipping missionaries with biblical tools that empower them to walk with the confidence of Christ. This is done by restoring biblical foundations through daily classes, one-on-one discipleship, and ministry opportunities. CGA is designed to challenge the individual to do what they say they are going to do and to stand firm on the truth of the Bible, despite the swaying opinions of this world and our country.

Although I am looking forward to continuing this journey of internal healing, growth, and learning how to steward the gifts the Father has given me, there is still a little voice in my head telling me to run away—oh, fear. SO, I am choosing to ignore that voice and tune into the Fathers, because it is then when I feel peace over this decision.

I want to say thankyou to all of my supporters and everyone who has been praying for me before, during and after the Semesters trip; and as I move into another season of fundraising, I am asking you to please keep me in your prayers. I know the Lord will provide, and any support would be deeply appreciated. All donations are tax-deductible and none of them go unnoticed!

Lastly, I am deeply thankful for every single one of you and would love to know how I can also be praying and supporting you! If you would like to know more about this next journey, my email is [email protected], and would love to hear from you to set up a time to chat via phone/video chat. Much love!

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Key Verses:

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. 2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 2 Peter 1:5-7 NIV

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19 ESV

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 NIV