My Story

Well, great excitement is happening all around me.

But I should probably start from the beginning, because every story has a beginning.

So that’s where we shall begin.

I was born into this world about 24 years ago to two wonderful, God-fearing people. My parents raised me to love the Lord and serve Him with everything that I am and have. My dad taught me that serving Christ was more important than anything else in the world. From a young age, I took those lessons to heart. I knew God loved me and that He had a greater purpose for me in this world than I could have even imagined.

As I grew up, my love and passion for the Lord grew stronger. The Holy Spirit was at work in my heart in so many ways during middle and high school. Towards the end of my high school career, something happened in my life that I had to deal with for years. I was hurt, bitter, and very depressed. I didn’t know how to reach out to people in my life at that time, so I just got quieter. But even through that time, I can see how my relationship with the Lord was my saving grace. The Lord never gave up on me. He, slowly but surely, drew me back into Himself. He saved me from depression. He saved me from bitterness. He saved me from anxiety. He gave me joy, love, and hope. 

He reminded me of the lesson I had learned from my dad long ago: He has a purpose for me. That purpose is to bring Him great glory and to spread the great news of the gospel. 

With that purpose firmly planted in my mind, I moved to Wake Forest, NC, in August 2011 to attend college at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. I thought that going to SEBTS would help prepare me for the mission field–and I truly believe that it has, but not in the way I thought it would. 

You see, while I was living in Wake Forest, I found a church–Imago Dei Church. The Lord taught me so much through this Body of believers. I learned what true biblical community looked like. I learned how to love others through their hardships. I learned how to serve selflessly. My true learning experience happened in this Body. 

After two wonderful years of living in North Carolina with my family at IDC, I moved back home to Albuquerque, NM. In November of 2012, my dad was diagnosed of Stage Four Cancer of Unknown Primary. My mom, sister, and I battled alongside my dad for 8 months. He passed away in July 2013. 

So I lived at home with my mom and sister, loving them and trying my best to serve them for a year. We were all learning what life looks like without my dad here with us. But the Lord was so faithful to love us and comfort us. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Lord placed a passion and desire for missions in my heart when I was young. I loved learning about different missionaries, and I longed to take the gospel to the far reaches of the earth to proclaim God’s love to those who have never heard. 

I’ve had many opportunities over the years to serve the Lord on short-term trips. Each trip I’ve taken, the Lord has been faithful to change me and challenge me. He’s given me opportunities to share the gospel and love people in whatever stage of life they are in. 

I went to Amerika Samoa in the South Pacific June 2012. I was there for a month serving alongside a local church to love the locals. This was my first trip in a completely different culture, but I fell in love with the people there. I saw the Lord working in amazing ways. 

After my dad passed away, I knew that the Holy Spirit was stirring my heart to do something. But I just couldn’t figure out what He was drawing me to for the longest time. I thought it was traveling, but nothing ever worked out. I thought it was moving back to Raleigh, but after some prayer, the Lord was clearly saying, “No” to that idea.

So I was back to square one. Or so I thought. 

After talking with Rachel, a close friend of mine, one night, the Lord reminded me of this crazy 11 month mission trip I had heard about a couple of years ago. So I started looking into it. And I knew, I just knew deep in my heart that this–The World Race–was exactly what the Holy Spirit was stirring in my heart to do. I immediately started praying about it, seeking the Lord about it. 

And then, I applied. And about a month later, I was accepted!! 

So what did this mean? 

I left September 2014 to live in utter abandon to the call the Lord has placed on my life: the call to go and take the Gospel to those who have never heard. I went around the world with 3rd Generation L Squad. We loved hard. We sought after adventure. We dug deep. We left space for deep healing. We saw God do amazing things. 

While on the field, I felt the Lord say that my journey with AIM wasn’t over. I wanted to Squad Lead, but it wasn’t the right timing. And so I waited.

I waited to see what opportunity Jesus was going to bring my way. 

About a month later at Debrief, I had four different people talk to me about going to Center for Global Action (CGA) at AIM’s headquarters in GA. I felt in my spirit that this is what the Lord had for me next. CGA was my next step. 

So I applied, and was accepted. 

I’m living in Gainesville, GA, now for my apprenticeship with CGA. I can’t wait to see what the Lord has for me as I continue on this journey.