Briefly Tell us about yourself:
I am an artist, a teacher, a community believer, a kindred spirit, an adventurer.
I am an artist. Growing up in a creative family surrounded by generations of artists, art was not only something that I was taught, but also to embrace fully. I have loved making things with my hands as long as I can remember, but my first love is paint. Painting is therapeutic and inspiring for me. More than that, I would say that it IS me. It's inside of me. I was created to paint. I believe that the Lord has blessed me with eyes to see the beauty all around me and the ability to capture it. I do not want to live one day without putting these gifts to use.
I am a teacher. I have the greatest job in the world. I get to spend my days with elementary school children expanding their minds and encouraging their creativity. Through the arts, I have the amazing opportunity to share with them parts of the world they may never experience outside our small, rural community. Yes, it is a little messy--okay, a lot messy, but it is also one of my greatest delights. As a teacher, I continue to learn from my students every day. They show me some of the greatest lessons of life. They demonstrate grace and mercy, all the ways to love people, and the importance of being exactly who you are. Possibly the most significant lesson I have learned: that every day is a brand new, fresh day.
In my new community many people have often asked, "What do you like to do?" At first, I found this a difficult question. As I stopped to meditate on my response I found that, truthfully, the answer is I like to be with people. I value authentic community. I have had the fortune to be with incredible friends through the years; I have learned that it does not matter what you do, rather who you are with. Building and maintaining authentic relationships is so vital in the lukewarm world we live in. I like people. I like loving them, serving them, serving alongside them, learning from them, and being transparent. There is such freedom in that. And I love freedom.
I am an adventurer. Experiencing exotic and eye-opening destinations through God’s plan is exhilarating. Each of us can become engulfed in comfort, our home, which is just a tiny part of the world that is full of beauty and glory, multitudes of dreamers, creators, and inventive minds waiting to share love. Traveling near or far, I am reminded how very small I am, and how I serve such a big God.
I am many things: a patchwork that is being pieced together each day through my relationships, my work, my passions, my dreams, and fulfilling God’s plan.
I am an artist. Growing up in a creative family surrounded by generations of artists, art was not only something that I was taught, but also to embrace fully. I have loved making things with my hands as long as I can remember, but my first love is paint. Painting is therapeutic and inspiring for me. More than that, I would say that it IS me. It's inside of me. I was created to paint. I believe that the Lord has blessed me with eyes to see the beauty all around me and the ability to capture it. I do not want to live one day without putting these gifts to use.
I am a teacher. I have the greatest job in the world. I get to spend my days with elementary school children expanding their minds and encouraging their creativity. Through the arts, I have the amazing opportunity to share with them parts of the world they may never experience outside our small, rural community. Yes, it is a little messy--okay, a lot messy, but it is also one of my greatest delights. As a teacher, I continue to learn from my students every day. They show me some of the greatest lessons of life. They demonstrate grace and mercy, all the ways to love people, and the importance of being exactly who you are. Possibly the most significant lesson I have learned: that every day is a brand new, fresh day.
In my new community many people have often asked, "What do you like to do?" At first, I found this a difficult question. As I stopped to meditate on my response I found that, truthfully, the answer is I like to be with people. I value authentic community. I have had the fortune to be with incredible friends through the years; I have learned that it does not matter what you do, rather who you are with. Building and maintaining authentic relationships is so vital in the lukewarm world we live in. I like people. I like loving them, serving them, serving alongside them, learning from them, and being transparent. There is such freedom in that. And I love freedom.
I am an adventurer. Experiencing exotic and eye-opening destinations through God’s plan is exhilarating. Each of us can become engulfed in comfort, our home, which is just a tiny part of the world that is full of beauty and glory, multitudes of dreamers, creators, and inventive minds waiting to share love. Traveling near or far, I am reminded how very small I am, and how I serve such a big God.
I am many things: a patchwork that is being pieced together each day through my relationships, my work, my passions, my dreams, and fulfilling God’s plan.
Describe Your Relationship with Jesus:
I grew up in the church. Jesus was a name I knew just as well as my mothers. I prayed the prayer of salvation when I was about six or seven. It was clearly explained to me, and I understood about Heaven and Hell. I understood what Jesus did, and believed it. However, it wasn't until much later that I realized there was a relationship involved. I met someone in middle school that lived in a way that was so different. She was vibrant, alive, and full of something I could not figure out. The one thing I did know was that I wanted whatever it was that she had. In that first week of knowing her, she told me that Jesus had boogers. Gross, yes--but life changing. Up until that point Jesus was someone I had heard of, but did not know personally. Her life changing statement made me realize for the first time that He is REAL. Someone. Just like my family and my friends. Some one to touch, someone who cried real tears and scraped real knees. And all the things I knew at that point hit me so much harder. The cross. The resurrection. JESUS. He was brought down to my eye level. I could see him, and goodness, what an amazing sight.
That was the summer between my sixth and seventh grade year. It was an amazing realization and the Lord placed lots of Godly people in my life to disciple me and encourage me throughout middle and high school. Through those years I learned what it is like to have a personal relationship with Jesus, and I learned to love and adore him as a Father and a Teacher.
In college I dove deeper into what Jesus calls us to do. I have written in another essay how clearly Jesus says to go. Those years I spent wrestling how was the best way to SHOW people how much I love Jesus wherever I went. I learned that the mission field is all around. I also learned that your life is evidence of the overflow of your heart. In understanding that truth, I realized the best way to show Jesus is how you lived. Live like Jesus.
I once had a mentor who used to tell me that he never wanted to hear my testimony if it were a day old. I love that and still believe that. Those years growing up I was developing a relationship with Jesus that was a foundation. It was, and still is, only the start of what He is doing and building in me. Everyday is a journey. In reading the Word, praying, and being apart of a family of believers, I am figuring out more and more who I am. Some days I plunge in. Some days I wrestle. Some days it's hard. Some days it's unbelievably great. But in all those days, it's always beautiful.
So today, my testimony is that I am learning to really understand the will of my life the Father has. I am resting in what His word says. The will of the Father is for me to (a) Know Jesus, (b) Have faith in Him. What a glorious, peaceful truth.
That was the summer between my sixth and seventh grade year. It was an amazing realization and the Lord placed lots of Godly people in my life to disciple me and encourage me throughout middle and high school. Through those years I learned what it is like to have a personal relationship with Jesus, and I learned to love and adore him as a Father and a Teacher.
In college I dove deeper into what Jesus calls us to do. I have written in another essay how clearly Jesus says to go. Those years I spent wrestling how was the best way to SHOW people how much I love Jesus wherever I went. I learned that the mission field is all around. I also learned that your life is evidence of the overflow of your heart. In understanding that truth, I realized the best way to show Jesus is how you lived. Live like Jesus.
I once had a mentor who used to tell me that he never wanted to hear my testimony if it were a day old. I love that and still believe that. Those years growing up I was developing a relationship with Jesus that was a foundation. It was, and still is, only the start of what He is doing and building in me. Everyday is a journey. In reading the Word, praying, and being apart of a family of believers, I am figuring out more and more who I am. Some days I plunge in. Some days I wrestle. Some days it's hard. Some days it's unbelievably great. But in all those days, it's always beautiful.
So today, my testimony is that I am learning to really understand the will of my life the Father has. I am resting in what His word says. The will of the Father is for me to (a) Know Jesus, (b) Have faith in Him. What a glorious, peaceful truth.
Why do you want to go to kenya:
I think Jesus was and IS very clear in the Great Commission. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus says “Therefore GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” He has called us to our feet and to walk in the power of his Holy and Mighty Name. We have the power in that name to claim miracles, bring healing, and allow Heaven to invade Earth. He has called us to TO GO, TO LOVE, and TO DO.
What Gifts and skills will you bring to the team?
I know that God has gifted me in the area of the arts, so I believe I am very creative. However, I believe the greatest asset I can bring to the team is not just the ability to teach, but what teaching has taught me. In working with elementary aged children, I have learned the importance of effectively communicating, teamwork, and decision-making. I have gained the ability to handle difficult situations quickly and efficiently while working in a very tight schedule. I am not the most organized person by nature, but I have had to learn how to plan for my class, and how to plan for and allow flexibility.
