Hi friends! Welcome to my first blog on my new website! I’m glad you’re here! Before reading this, you should click the “about” button on the top right corner of the page. There I share some specifics of my heart behind why I am continuing to blog. I feel it’s important you know before reading the rest of this.
I recently embarked on my next big adventure with the Lord, and am currently sitting in the first few pages of a new chapter in my life. Three days ago I packed up all my belongings, said my “see you later’s” to the people I love, and drove from my hometown in Texas to live in Colorado Springs, CO. “Why” you may ask...Well, the simplest answer to that is because I’m radically in love with Jesus!!! The “how” is a longggg story that big-time displays the faithfulness, goodness, and perfectness of God. Buckle up.
In December of 2020, I slowly began to think about what was next for me after the World Race and the Lord put Colorado on my heart. I thought it was randommmm, but I hung on to it...just in case. Over Christmas break, I stayed with one of my best friends Lydia at her house in Ohio. We were dreaming a bit about what it would look like to have another season living together after the World Race. I ended up telling her about God putting Colorado on my heart. She remembered a couple we met while serving in Louisiana with Samaritan’s Purse a few months prior saying that we could come and stay with them anytime (they live in Colorado Springs). Thinking it would be a long shot, we reached out to ask if they’d be up for us staying with them this summer...they said yes! This was also a huge confirmation for them and us because it was something they were already praying into. Lydia and I were PUMPED and this became our plan for after the World Race.
I was excited but still thought Colorado was kinda random. I’ve been to Colorado 2 weeks out of my life, both times for a summer church camp. I asked God to let me in on why He was bringing Colorado up…I love that about God. He knows the plans for our life’s and if you ask Him, He’s open to letting you in on them. He’s so kind... Anyways, He brought to mind FUNDAMENTAL seeds that were planted in my heart both weeks while there. Things like adventure, missions, community, worship, but the biggest being HIM. Both weeks I experienced His presence and His heart for me (love) which wasn’t something I was very emersed in knowing/experiencing. Y’all… there is something special… life-changing... in experiencing the love of Jesus. I thought that was interesting, and realizing the planted seeds, stirred up a deeper excitement in me with wanting to go back. I was completely on board with going. I was EXCITED. I felt in my spirit that God was working something remarkable out with the plans of Colorado. Mannnnnnnnn He sure was!!!!!
My squad headed out for the mission field in January. We left for Guatemala and the Lord begin to STIR my heart...In every kind of way. For a long time, I’ve had this small dream(that I thought was big) of opening up my own coffee shop. As I learned what it really meant to partner with Him and count it all as loss for the sake of the Gospel, God slowly began to speak deeper and deeper into my dream; creating this HUGE vision of bringing heaven down to earth through coffee. Y'all….I’ll talk about the dream that I have in a different blog...It’s so FULL! As this was happening, I was receiving confirmation after confirmation about moving to Colorado. It was pretty legit.
A few weeks into the month of March, Lydia comes and says she needs to talk with me. We sit down and she shares with me that in worship a couple of days before, she got a vision of her in Ohio at her home church. She shared that after praying into it, she felt that God was actually calling her home this summer. She began to share allllllll these words that the Lord gave her regarding going home, and it was pretty evident that Ohio indeed was where He was calling her. I was SAD. A big part of me giving my yes in this was doing it with her. I prayed into it, and still reallyyyyyyy felt like Colorado was where God was calling ME.
Now hear me loud and clear...God was NEVER demanding or forceful with me about going to Colorado. While praying into it, I felt as though I very much had a say in where I went after the race. I simply asked God, “where is that you want to take me” He spoke, “Colorado”. When I said, “God, but what about Texas?” He said, “where ever you want to go, I will be with you.” This was a huge moment for me and my heart in making decisions going forward. I found myself in a posture of worship and surrender saying, “God, I give you my ‘yes’ now and forever… where ever you’re leading me I’ll go.”
I knew that big picture vision, my next steps were opening my coffee shop. As I stepped into Costa Rica (my last 2 ½ months on the race) I got serious about looking into coffee shops to work at in Colorado Springs. My plan was to work, save, grow/learn, figure out logistically what came next, and have lots of fun adventures while doing it. I became a bit discouraged when no jobs were coming up. I was doing allllllll the right things, and nothing was working out. Going back and forth with everything, I still hung onto going to Colorado. (my parents raised me to be a woman of my word...God definitely knew that...the next bit of this story gets WILD!) All throughout my time in Costa Rica, I learned ALOT about walking in Faith and completely trusting in God. This was a crucial lesson for me and my life...especially going forward.
We’re now at the last week of the World Race (debrief week). I’m in the middle of processing, grieving, celebrating, and getting ready to be back in the states. Randomly, I get a message from the couple in Colorado Springs saying I can’t stay with them anymore because of some family health issues… not what I was expecting AT ALL!!!!!! At this point, I’m like “God, WHAT THE HECK!?!?!?!?!?”
I end up deciding to go home for a month...making time to wait, abide, trust, rest, and enjoy the slow and unknown places with Abba. Little did I know God had HUGE plans for my month at home...Promises I have been holding onto for YEARS were being fulfilled...like WHAT!!!!! Who would have thought!..and Colorado...God began to work it all out! Another “walking by faith and trust” journey of open doors… then closed doors...and then even bigger opened ones. AND Him literally providing me with every detailed thing I needed both while at home, and in preparation for me leaving.
The original plan I had was GOOD...but the God we serve is GREAT...And the plans He has for me are GREAT ones. Colorado is a testimony of that.
Me packing up to leave for Colorado was a hugeeee step of faith. 3 days ago, I was moving into a house with COMPLETE strangers and no job. Walking into it with a lot of uncertainties/unknowns. What I did know...God was calling me and He was providing. I trust Him with my whole being. I know that He loves me and that His heart for me is good. I simply walked because Abba was leading.
I am now living in Colorado Springs with an AMAZING family that loves me so well, in a house that so easily feels like home.
I am working as a barista at Starbucks (getting my foot in the door of the coffee industry and saving for my coffee shop), in an amazing atmosphere with people that also feel at home (My bosses are absolutely amazing...It’s an HONOR working under them). Also, my new job is another testimony of God providing not a good thing, but a GREAT thing for me.
This season is a SWEET season where Jesus and I are running WILD!
As I sit here and type this blog, my heart is FULL and excited, BUT...my heart was FULL and excited while at home too...No matter where or what I do, Jesus is tenderly walking right alongside me through it all. He is the BEST provider, leader, comforter, and friend. Moving to Colorado in itself was a radical adventure, but following Jesus with a fully captivated heart is an even radicaler one! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!!!
“I have one desire now – to live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all my energy and strength into it.” -Elisabeth Elliot
Thanks for reading and following along on my journey! Tomorrow I fly out to Chicago to road trip with my girlfriends to Project Search Light in Gainesville Georgia. This will be a time to reconnect with my squad (Gap-C), play and laugh with them, rest and decompress, and to be encouraged in the body of Christ. I'll be there for a week and then will be back in Colorado doing life full time. The adventure keeps on coming! Don't forget to subscribe at the bottom of the page so you can be emailed when I post a new blog. Love y'all!