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When looking at my personal journey in seeking a relationship with Jesus, I am constantly in awe of how God has worked in my life. I came to believe in Christ toward the end of my high school career, and from that point I knew I wanted to devote my life to Him, no matter what that looked like.
Shortly after this pinnacle moment, my life was drastically altered in ways that I was unable to persevere through on my own. At the age of 19 I was diagnosed with a rare nerve disease that left me almost completely paralyzed through the extremities of my arms and legs, and doctors did not know if I would ever regain my strength. In the span of five years I had relapsed eight different times. Each of these occurrences left me questioning if I would ever be able to walk again, or if I would always be dependent on someone having to personally feed me, since I did not have the strength to do so.
The only thing that truly gave me the strength to get through this point in my life was my hope in God. Romans 5:3-5 became my personal truth that I held onto with everything I had. My hope produced the strength I needed to continue through with my college education, when at times I could hardly hold a pencil in my hand or had to finish my homework in the hospitals. My hope produced the perseverance I needed to not give up, when for so long I didn’t think I would ever see the light at the end of the tunnel from all of the trials I was facing. And this hope produced the character I needed to have the courage to truly offer my body as a sacrifice to Him in this faith He has called me in, even in sickness.
Through the work of God, I have been in remission for the past six years without needing to schedule my life around treatments and doctor’s appointments. To this day doctors have no answers to how I have regained all of my strength. My answer is God. There is not one day that I take my health for granted, and I desire so badly to allow God to use me in any way He calls me. The last six years I have given myself fully to coaching and teaching, working as hard as I could to reach out to my high school students to share with them the hope God has revealed in my life that can also work in their lives.
This past summer I had the opportunity to serve with Students International: Costa Rica for two months. Through this time God transformed my heart to return and become staff with Costa Rica, and He has opened the doors for me to partner with their ministry for a three-year-minimum commitment. I had never been open to even considering missions long-term, but I desire for God to continue to write my testimony, and use my life fully for His glory through sharing my life and doing God’s work with others in a new setting.
I have seen how the staff of SI-Costa Rica has sacrificed much in their obedience to His calling in their lives, and I have also been able to witness firsthand the power of their work to further God’s Kingdom. There is no greater honor to be able to do the same and share in this experience that God is so evident in. I fully believe I needed to endure my trials so the work of Christ could shape and refine my heart to be able to live in accordance to this calling, and commit to the work He has created for me. Looking back, I would do it all again knowing it has brought me closer to Him.