A New Adventure.

When I came to college I thought the most significant growth I would experience would be intellectual knowledge. I started at Pitt with the intention of earning a degree in Rehabilitation Sciences and continuing on to graduate school for physical therapy. I had heard people give different statistics about how frequently students change their degree but I thought I was an exception having my life figured out. Well, God came, rocked my life, and turned it all around. I’m learning that’s a typical thing for His character. So instead of more book knowledge, it has been a journey in my faith that defined the past four years.

Freshman year I began getting involved with Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) and my faith began to grow slowly. I read my bible for the first time, got involved in a bible study, and began to experience Jesus in a personal way in my life. The stories I heard growing up were no longer about a man in the past but my Savior, comforter, encourager, leader, and best friend today—Jesus. This journey of faith then led me to taking a semester off of school and going to South Africa and Uganda for a five month Discipleship Training School where I experienced God’s faithfulness to His children in a whole new way. (That trip is how this blog originally began and what most of the previous entries are from). I heard stories of His provision for families caring for orphans in Uganda and the strength He gave a woman to share His love with prostitutes. I learned about God’s unchanging character and His ultimate goal to have a daily relationship with us.

When I returned from South Africa, my confidence in what I wanted to do with my life was changed. I knew I would be able to succeed in school and go on to be a physical therapist but it was no longer fulfilling. I experienced so much more of life from seeing God work in miraculous ways during my time in South Africa and Uganda that I was stirred to seek more. As I contemplated what scholarly path I should pursue, I became more involved with Cru too. The more involved I became, the more I began to see how God is working just as much on campus as I had seen in Africa. The more I leaned in to being part of what God was doing here, the more I realized where God was taking me next on my journey.

As graduation approached, I had to make the decision of what to do next year. After many different ideas, I had decided to return home and pursue a second degree in secondary math education. The more I thought and prayed about it though, I knew it was not using the gifts and passion God had given me fully. I become so excited about women’s ministry and can see how God is working through Pittsburgh Metro Cru. Movements are growing on campuses, more students are getting involved in discipleship and bible studies and spending their time serving God in unique ways. I knew the passion in serving was the calm and quiet leading of the Lord calling me to serve Him in full-time ministry.

So I have decided to spend the next year as an intern for Pittsburgh Metro Campus Crusade for Christ. I am excited to be right in the middle of God working by coaching student leaders, meeting one on one to mentor students in their faith, helping launch CRU movements on campuses, and helping plan retreats and other training sessions.

Before I start, I face the challenge of raising my financial support. Like many other mission organizations, Campus Crusade for Christ workers must raise all their salary and ministry expenses. My goal is to have all of my support by August 1st. I will be spending my summer building a team of people who desire to invest financially and through prayers to what God will be doing in Pittsburgh and around the world. My hope is that my ministry team would know the blessing of giving back to God what He has given us in order to expand His kingdom.