big things! life update !!

dear friends !! Wow, just wow. These past few months of confusion have now come to an end! As most of you know, I have been raising money to be apart of a 3-month long missions training program in Perth, Australia and then another 3 months of travel to different countries putting all that I learned into practice. I am here now to happily announce that I am FULLY FUNDED for my trip!! My goal was to raise about $8,800 which covers all my expenses and I ended up receiving $13,860. Are you kidding me?! God provided fast and in abundance! I want to thank all who donated and made this trip a reality for me. All the prayer and support has meant the world to me. Now that I am fully funded and able to go on this trip, I would like to share how this all started and what God has shown me along the way! Stick around if you'd like to hear :)

This July while I was serving in Detroit Michigan as a summer staffer, the Lord placed a new desire in my heart. I had previously been attending Nyack College in New York and was excited about my school's relocation into the heart of New York City. I was attending school with a major in elementary education but my heart came alive in my bible classes. I would wake up each Monday of my second semester with a smile because I new I got to go listen to David Emmanuel, my brilliant (he's British so I has to use the adjective lol) Old Testament professor, dive into God's word and teach us the history and language of it all. Because of this, I began to question if I should I continue studying elementary ed or switch to a bible major. I wasn't sure what that would mean for me long term but I still considered it because I felt like there may be a calling from the Lord. So this summer as I was serving in ministry, I began to seek counsel from those around me about what it would look like if I took a year from school and decided to pursue missions overseas. My thought was that maybe doing full time ministry in a whole new environment would aide me in my decision of what to do long term. I went back and forth, weighing the pros and cons and talking it through with just about everyone I was close to. In all honesty it wasn't a fun time waiting on the Lord. I was ready for Him to speak and it just wasn't happening. But then God...(how all the best stories start) laid a strong call of missions on my heart during worship one evening in Detroit. I didn't know what program to choose or what country to travel to, but all I knew what that this year I need to go and make disciples of all nations. After a few weeks I had finally picked my program and country (YWAM Perth) and I was ready to take the next steps. I started a GoFundMe, created this blog, and was in communication with the director of the program I had selected. I was praying big, expecting the Lord to provide in this. But throughout the fundraising process, I was wrestling with when to go. I was watching the money come in from the most generous people but yet I didn't feel ready to go in October (which was only a couple weeks out). I received a card from two dearly loved people that brought me to tears one Sunday and it reads, "You may not feel strong enough, brave enough, or battle-ready enough for this. As if anyone ever does. But this is no surprise to God. He'll go before you, make a way for you, and be with you every step. We know you know that. Sometimes it helps to say it again. Praying...trusting...believing in you." That was seriously the perfect card. It really encouraged me to go in with full faith and trust. But it had seemed I had begun to let the stress of making the right decision on time consume me and strip me of all my excitement. I wanted to wait and go in January because I had become so discouraged that wouldn't be going all in on this trip. I would have to start the program a week late due to my brother's wedding, I didn't have my visa yet, and I had some medical logistics that remained unclear. I was afraid that those who had donated would be disappointed in me for waiting a couple months before going and I felt like I had wasted a whole semester because I wouldn't be doing anything until January. Then one day as I scrolled through instagram, feeling beat up, I stumbled across a post from account that I don't even follow which said "Your waiting season is not a wasted season." This was what I need to hear. Just because I need a little more time and I needed to wait a bit longer, does not mean I wasted a portion of my life. I began making lists of the things I hope to do while staying in my hometown and all the ways I can become more equipped for this trip. I have officially decided to attend YWAM this January for a total of six months. I am still doing the same discipleship training school (Young People's DTS) but under the direction of different leadership. Both directors have prayed with me and been so gracious throughout this process and I am so incredibly grateful for that. This is still a strong need for faith as this is a year of complete unknown but I am not fully prepare and excited for what's to come. So all this to say, God is so good. He has provided and been with me every step of the way. He has put me on mountain tops and walked beside me in my valley lows. Although these next few months will be spent at home, I still hope to share all the God stories that are leading up to my trip and then when January 12th hits I will begin sharing al that the Lord does on my trip. Thanks for reading and thanks for supporting!! I love you all!!

-jos :)