Full Circle

Behind every No  is an even bigger  Yes

The first time I ever left the U.S. was on a mission trip to El Salvador at age 16 (pictured above). I fell head over heels in love with the people and culture, and I knew that La Libertad would always hold a special place in my heart. Their heart for serving the community and sharing the gospel ignited a passion in me that I carried with me into college and prompted me to study Spanish, so that I could one day go back and really get to know the people who'd had such a profound impact on me. 

Early in my college career I started thinking about the Peace Corps, which seemed like it would be the perfect combination of my passions for people, service, and Spanish. I spent the next few years working at making myself the perfect applicant; tutoring, going on medical brigades, being a PC Campus Ambassador, even moving to Columbus to do an AmeriCorps program. Finally, a few months into post-grad life, I decided I was ready to apply to the Peace Corps. So I applied, interviewed, and two weeks later I got the email with the job offer, pending medical clearance. 

But God had a bigger plan for my life.

Denied the medical clearance necessary to continue with the path of the Peace Corps, I prayed fervently that God would clearly show me His plan for my future. Through conversations with trusted friends and family, the Holy Spirit guided me towards involvement with international missions once more. This is when I found out that my church in Columbus was a partner church to the Iglesia Grán Comisión (Great Commission Church) in La Libertad, El Salvador, the very same one I had visited 8 years prior that had captured my heart. I joined a missions team to La Libertad for a week of serving, and after praying and talking with the pastor and friends in the church, felt that God was affirming His call for me to be in La Libertad, El Salvador for full-time missions work.

Every little decision, every big chapter, and every closed door, He was leading back to where He first ignited my passion to see His kingdom grow.  In July 2019, I returned to La Libertad to spend 6 weeks experiencing life and serving alongside the Iglesia Grán Comisión in the Children’s Development Center, followed by a week-long training with Reliant in Orlando, FL in August. I am now back in Ohio support raising to do full-time ministry work in El Salvador!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to every person that has poured their prayers, wisdom, and love into me as God was revealing this path to me over the last few months. I’m so grateful for the incredible community He’s given me both in the U.S. and in El Salvador.

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.