Leaps of Faith

As my birthday approaches later this week and I reflect on the past year of life, the one word that seems to reappear is the concept of growth. I have grown in so many ways this past year. I've grown through moving to Indiana Wesleyan University, quickly switching my major once I got there, learning how to live effectively with someone from another culture, finding a home church in Marion, and through figuring out all of the ins and outs of college life. I've grown in my self-awareness and knowing when I just need to be still and take a moment away from people, something that I would have never done for myself a year ago. I have grown in knowing what I want vs. what is best for me, such as feeling so much freedom from shutting off all notifications from social media. (If you haven't done this, I encourage anyone to do it!!) I've grown through hardships in my family life, having to learn to extend more grace than I wanted and learning to be extra patient (which is defini...

For the past three years, I've been traveling to Memphis, TN with my youth group to serve at Street Reach Ministries. While we are there, we serve the children of Memphis specifically during morning Bible Clubs. These are similar to Vacation Bible School, however they are outside and we walk door to door to pick up the kids, instead of them being dropped off by their parents. In the afternoon, we serve in different community projects such as visiting nursing homes, playing with kids at community centers, doing yard work, or cleaning the facilities we live in for the week to serve the other missionaries who are serving during the same week as us. Because I have been going to Street Reach for multiple years now, I was worried that it would become routine and mundane, however the Lord is faithful and always has something new to teach us. I was in awe of the way I grew spiritually while in Memphis, even just for a week's time, so I thought I would share just a hint of what I expe...