My Bio

 

I was born in raised in a small north Texas town surrounded by lots of trees. All of my family lived on the same road so I was never bored as a child. We always found some kind of mischief to get into from chasing cats to catching frogs to setting things on fire. My parents divorced when I was young so I grew up in a single parent house and my two older sisters. Not too long after my parents divorced my mom, sisters and I got into a car wreck. The only person hurt was my mother who had sustained many injuries. After months of rehab she was finally able to return home. As the years went by, the stresses of caring for my mother and younger sibling(s), both sisters ran away. I was still very much a mama’s girl and was determined to finish high school.

 

While in middle school I met another girl in my science class and we became lab partners. Through the years our friendship grew and she invited me to church camp with her youth group. I asked my mom and she was fine with me going. One night our youth group met in a conference room to talk about camp, how things were going and the like. I remember feeling overwhelmed as so many thoughts were racing through my head. The thought of leaving this beautiful land and amazing friends and returning to life back home wasn’t all that appealing to me. I began crying and one of the lady sponsors came over and asked if I wanted to accept Christ. I told her no. A few moments later the youth pastor’s wife came by and asked if she could pray with me. I accepted. I went home but didn’t tell anyone about my decision. I think I was afraid that I had done something wrong. After that summer I began going to church with my best friend. In my mind things were going to be great. I wasn’t ever going to have problems again because I had become a Christian. Was I in store for a rude awakening.

 

By the time my senior year came around I had figured out that life didn’t get easier for a Christian.  I moved out of my house and in with my youth pastor and his wife. I couldn’t handle situations back home any longer. I finished high school and was preparing to go to college the following semester. I knew for sure getting out of Granbury would solve my problems. And again I was wrong. From my senior year on into my sophomore year of college I had gone into a deep depression. No one knew, I had ways of masking my pain. I began to seek out ways to numb the pain that had become so intense in my life and before long I was stuck in a cycle of destruction. I had found a church to go to and things were beginning to turn around. 

 

I went on my first mission trip with my college group to Ireland May 2004. God began to open my eyes and heart to a world outside of America. I had always dreamt of traveling and ministering to people, especially in Africa, but didn’t think it would ever be possible. The Lord continued his renewing process in me and I had finally been able to experience joy again. I went to Mexico a few times with my church and on one of the trips the Lord confirmed His calling in me. I remember laying in my 1 person tent writing a letter and hearing, “This is what I have called you to do.” I wasn’t really sure what to do with that so I didn’t do anything. The summer of 2005 I went to Israel (with my church) then Kosovo (with AIM). During the time in Kosovo my leaders who were on staff with AIM and living in Georgia invited me to move in with them. My first response was “no.” After all I had my future all laid out before me. I was already registered for my fall classes, I was going to be a music major and biblical language minor. I was happy with my church and didn’t ever want to move out of Texas. They told me to pray about it and let them know by the end of the trip. Needless to say, I ended up in Georgia about a month later. I returned to Texas, talked with my family about my plans and packed my life into my car.

 

After spending a year working two jobs and volunteering in the AIM office, I decided to apply once again for a First Year Missionary (9 month) trip to Africa. The first time I applied I ended up going to Kosovo. After taking the weekend to pray about it the news came and Africa was once again not on the agenda. I did however spend the next 9 months in New Zealand. That summer I accepted a position to be a leader for an Ambassador (1 month) team, I just didn’t know where I was being sent yet. When the news came I was in tears, they were sending me to Swaziland! I spent a month in Swaziland learning how to lead a team and minister, as well as so much more. I returned to school that fall and struggled to get reconnected with life as a college student. All my friends had graduated, my church was in transition and not living in community was a huge struggle.

 

I returned to Swaziland again in June 2008 and the Lord continued to wreck my world and turned everything upside down. He confirmed callings in my life and called me into a deeper relationship with him. The following September I joined the FYM leadership team in South Africa for 9 months. It was once again a time of learning, growing and teaching others along the way. I met many new friends, Americans and African alike and was thrilled to be back in the land my heart longed after.

My team left in May and I remained in Swaziland, moving out of the city and into Nsoko, a very rural area but one that held a special place in my heart. I lived the next few months with Pastor Gift and his family, assisting in whatever way possible and learning even more about the Swazi way of life. I returned to America in August, trying to finish up with a Bachelor’s degree. I’m in the process of coming on staff with AIM and moving to Swaziland for two years, helping out at the carepoints as well as in the office. I’m excited about this opportunity and I can’t wait to get back to my Swazi family!