I have said for a while now that I would never actually start a blog. But, as I have learned throughout my life, God tends to lead me right down the exact paths I said I would never walk. For instance, I said I would never ever go on a summer project with Campus Crusade for Christ….and yet I proceeded to spend 6 weeks on a project in Zambia, Africa just last summer. Another path I said I would never take was the one that led to joining Crusade staff in any capacity which would either leave me in Ohio, or cause me to spend an extended amount of time raising money. However, right now I am in the midst of raising support for my year long internship with Crusade, which will start in August on Miami’s campus in good old Oxford, Ohio.
So why does the Lord choose to send me into these places, when at the start my heart is so hardened to them? Is it because serving God is not supposed to be easy or enjoyable? To be honest, I don’t really believe that’s it at all. True, following where God leads is often hard, and many times it can hurt along the way. But I’ve come to find that as I begin to walk down my most dreaded paths, God does something amazing. He changes my heart, in a way that leaves me thankful for His amazing love and patience. I begin to find joy in the things that I once rejected, and I grow in humility realizing the depth of my sin and the extent of His grace. If you would have asked me a year ago where I would be after I graduated, Oxford would not have even been on my radar. But, thankfully, it was on God’s radar, and as I raise support to come back to Miami in the fall I am growing more and more excited to see how the Lord is going to work in the lives and hearts of students on campus.
As I share with people why I decided to intern with Campus Crusade, I’ve been asked a variety of questions, from “So what exactly are you going to be doing next year?” to “Do you really think it’s possible to raise all of your money by August?” Mostly, I give a succinct and practiced answer, though I never feel as though my explanations are quite sufficient. And that is why I created this blog. I want to be able to share with others my experiences of raising money, as well as my internship itself.
As much as I once resisted the idea of blogging, I am actually very excited to write about how God is taking this time in my life to grow me in character and to change lives, including my own. So, for the next few weeks I will be updating this blog with how my support is coming and with stories of how God is proving faithful through one of the most interesting and difficult tasks I’ve faced yet. I am excited to see where this new path takes me and how God will change my heart along the way, making me new and alive in Him!
