summer mexico 2022

summer mexico trip 2022 - the trip that started it all

this trip brought life change in a season of life that i needed it most. it brought clarity in the middle of confusion. and it altered everything i knew in the most unexpected of ways.

my heart was set on something, and God had a different plan. a closed door became redirection that i despratley needed

in june of 2022 i went on my first immersion trip. i walked into it doubtful, not sure what to expect. not sure why i was there, and not sure how i could make any difference at all

the truth is, i may have made an impact in that small community, but i was impacted far more than i could ever return

i had the opportunity to build a home for a family who was in need. i saw friends light up in pure joy as they laughed with little kids. i watched in awe as some of our team members used their gifts to glorify God. i cried with a mom who had just gained somehting so much more valuable than four walls and a roof. my heart was touched with every second we got to serve this sweet family

i got to witness the powerful ways in which God can work to restore brokeness. i had the opportunity to hear story after story of how people had been brought to life from dark places. i joined in worship at a recovery center and saw the joy of Christ light up those who had nothing else to rely on. i learned so much from the people of la roca

i made breakfast for some sweet families and was deeply impacted by a woman who gives of herself daily. i watched as estella loved and served so intentionally, and i was challenged to do the same.

i could go on and on about the ways this week changed my heart, perspective, and everything in between.

because of this trip rosarito, mexico became home away from home, and gave me soemthing to miss like i never have before. and because of this trip, i surrendered my life to the missions field.

i will never forget this week, or the weeks that followed. immediately upon arriving back home, i had a longing to return. i felt like a piece of my heart was left in mexico. it was all i could think of, all i could talk about, and all i wanted.

i knew my time in mexico wasnt done, and i felt convicted to do something about it

and that’s really where this story begins. this week in june.

proving to me how God uses every unfavorable circumstance for His good

proving that His plan is so much greater than mine.

straight out of my missions journal, some thoughts from this week:

• wealth goes far beyond materialistic needs, God provides through inner traits and peace

• commit yourself to authentic community - iron sharpens iron, stop trying to get closer to God alone. we are called to a place of community with believers.

• part of being alive is confessing sin!!!!

• what we are called to as Christians isn’t normal within culture, but it needs to be normal within the church

• we don’t need commonalities to love people.

• poverty - lack of access to social network, it’s not always about a material approach

• we see a problem and only treat the symptoms instead of getting to the core issue

thank you God for a beautiful begginning to this story, more to come.

peace + love