As August has arrived, I can hardly believe how quickly this year has gone. Somehow, I am only two days away from leaving to begin the mission trip God has been preparing me for over the past year. It feels surreal to finally be at this point. There are so many emotions that come with knowing I’m about to leave: excitement for what God has in store, nervousness about the unknown, sadness about leaving my family, anticipation for what I’ll learn, and moments of fear and doubt. But through all of these emotions, God has continued teaching me what it truly means to trust and surrender my life to Him.

It’s crazy to think that this journey began over a year ago. I started the interviewing process back in July of 2025, hoping the Lord would confirm whether or not this was the path He was calling me to take. And He more than showed up. He confirmed it through a women’s Bible study, through the incredible amount of financial and prayerful support I received from family, friends, and so many others, and through the overwhelming peace I had about going.

Looking back over this past year, I can see God’s faithfulness in so many ways. He has provided for me financially, surrounded me with people who continually encourage and pray for me, and given me peace when I’ve had every reason to feel uncertain. More importantly, He has grown my relationship with Him in ways I never expected. I have experienced His comfort, security, contentment, and joy like never before. I have already grown so much in Christ throughout this season, so I can’t even imagine how much more He will teach and transform me once I’m actually in training and overseas.

But this year has not been without its struggles.

There have been times when I’ve doubted, felt completely overwhelmed with anxiety, feared leaving my family, and experienced spiritual warfare like never before. There were moments when I questioned whether I was truly hearing God or if I was making the right decision. Yet even through those difficult moments, God continued to use them to strengthen my faith and teach me to depend on Him.

Genesis 50:20 says, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

This verse has reminded me that God can use even the things that are meant to discourage or hurt us for His glory. I believe He will use every difficult moment that has increased my strength and character throughout this past year as I go and share the Good News with others. None of those struggles have been wasted.

One of the biggest struggles I’m facing right now is saying goodbye to my family.

Over these past few weeks, I’ve slowly been saying goodbye to family members, and it has been emotionally overwhelming. I am extremely close to my family, and I have never had to think about being away from them for nine months. As I’ve said goodbye to the people I care about most, I’ve found myself wondering if I’m really doing the right thing, if I’m truly being led by God, and how I’m actually going to leave them. Sometimes, the thought of it feels unbearable.

But through this, God has been teaching me that following Him requires surrender. I’ve been going to Him in prayer more than ever because I know I need Him to give me the strength to let go of my own comforts, plans, and desires and trust His instead. To leave, I have to say goodbye to my family for a little while. I have to let go of the comforts I’ve enjoyed all my life. And I have to completely surrender control to my sovereign Lord.

That is incredibly difficult.

But when I think about what Jesus surrendered for me, my sacrifice suddenly seems so small. Jesus willingly humbled Himself, leaving the glory and privileges of heaven to take on human flesh and enter our broken world. He knew He would suffer, be rejected, and ultimately die on a cross for my sins. He gave up so much because of His love for us.If Christ was willing to give up so much for me, how can I not be willing to give up things I love to show my love, gratefulness, and submission to Him? He gave me life by taking my sins upon Himself, so shouldn’t I live every breath and every day for Him?

I know I can never fully understand the depth of Christ’s suffering or comprehend the agony He endured for me. But I am beginning to understand a little more of what it means to follow Him through surrender. Jesus gave up His comforts and privileges to walk this earth and ultimately lay down His life for us. Now, I am being asked to give up some of my own comforts and family relationships for a season so that I can better live for Him. I want to follow Jesus’ example, and I know that means taking up my cross daily.

However, I never want my family to think that leaving means I love them any less. I love them dearly, and I know I will miss them more than I can explain. They have been such an important part of my life, and leaving them is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. But I also know that I must go where my Heavenly Father is calling me, even if that means my family won’t see me for a little while.

Matthew 19:29 says, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”

Following Christ does not mean that there will never be suffering. In fact, Scripture tells us that we will experience suffering for His sake. But it also tells us that there is joy in sharing in Christ’s suffering because we know that our suffering is not meaningless.

1 Peter 4:13 says, “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.”

I want to rejoice in Christ, my Savior, because I get to follow Him. I get to surrender my life to Him, and I get to trust that the Holy Spirit is working in me to make me more like Christ so that I can serve His Church and spread His Kingdom.

As I prepare to leave, I’m realizing that God has been preparing much more than my finances, travel plans, and packing list. He has been preparing my heart. He has been teaching me how to trust Him, how to surrender things I love, and how to find my security in Him rather than in the people and comforts around me.

I know this lesson will continue throughout the World Race. I will have to surrender control over my plans, my comfort, my expectations, and probably many things I don’t even realize yet. There will be moments when I’m tired, uncomfortable, homesick, or unsure of what God is doing. But I want to remember that I have already seen His faithfulness so many times. If God has been faithful to lead me this far, I can trust Him with what comes next.

And somehow, I only have two days left.

I want to end by thanking every single person who has supported me financially, encouraged me, prayed for me, and walked alongside me throughout this past year. I truly cannot express how grateful I am for each of you. I know I would not be doing this mission trip without your guidance, support, prayers, and wisdom.

So thank you all for being part of this journey with me!

Prayer Requests:

• Please pray that I would have the strength and mind of Christ as I begin this journey and learn to continually surrender myself to Him.

• Pray that I would find God’s peace, comfort, and security as I say goodbye to my family, especially my parents, who will drive me down to Georgia for training camp and say goodbye there.

• Pray for peace over my family as well, that they would be able to trust that God is protecting me and holding me in His hands even while I am far away.

• Pray that my teammates would be unified with one another and that we would complement each other through the different gifts and abilities the Lord has given us.

• Pray that I would have a teachable heart during training and that the Holy Spirit would teach, correct, convict, and encourage me.

• Pray that I would continue to grow in my trust in God as I prepare to leave the country for the very first time.

• Pray for the missionaries we are teaming up with in Greece, our first country. Pray that they would have God’s wisdom and guidance as they prepare to host us and that they would continue to receive support and encouragement as they serve Him.

Thank you for continuing to pray for me and walk alongside me as I step into this next season. I don’t know exactly what these next nine months will hold, but I know that God does.

And I trust Him with whatever comes next.