Why CGA?

My Adventures in Missions journey started in August 2017 when God called me to go on the World Race. This began a year of fundraising, training, preparing, and experiencing faith in a whole new way. After a year, I went on the World Race 11 month mission trip in August 2018 and returned in June 2019 with a heart completely transformed by the encounters I had with God on the trip. These last few years have turned everything I have ever thought about God, His Kingdom, and this life on earth on its head. My eyes were opened to a truly limitless God who does everything for His glory and for those who love Him. He will stop at nothing in pursuit of His people, and when His love finally grabs a hold of you all of your fears begin to fade and a Kingdom vision begins to grab a hold of you. At least, that’s what happened to me.

In the last few years I have witness God reveal Himself and His Word in so many indescribable ways. In my personal life He has provided food, shelter, community, strength, and for specific needs in miraculous ways on a daily basis. I’ve come to see how He answers the smallest prayers with tenfold blessings. I’ve been overwhelmed and overjoyed by these experiences that have proven time and time again that God is who He says He is, and does what He says He will do. I fell head over heals in love with our God on the World Race, and as a result I want to make sure that I lived the rest of my life in this kind of all consuming awe and surrender of God. I have decided that I want to go all out for Jesus and live my life as a living sacrifice, doing whatever I can to follow the Lord with all of my heart, mind, and soul. After being set on fire for the Lord on the World Race, coming home had more challenges than I thought it would. Going from a lifestyle of having to daily rely on faith to walk into the unknown to the “normal”, structured and predictable life that we live in the United States has proven to me that I don’t have a full understanding of how to bring what I learned on the mission field back home with me. I learned countless things about the character of God, His Kingdom, and about who He created me to be, and what I was learning was just the tip of the iceberg. There is a need to go deeper, to uproot old habits, to seek more after God, and to figure out how to practically use the lessons I learned on the WR in every day life here at home. This is why I am joining the CGA (Center for Global Action) Program. CGA is a leadership and discipleship program that will help me to dig deeper into understanding who God is, who I am, and how to lead myself and others into building Kingdom. 

I will be attending the 5 month long CGA 2020 Spring Semester starting January 17! From January to May I will live in community with fellow CGA participants, as well as work a job in the Gainesville, GA, area. The program will look something like this: Mondays from 9 am-5 pm we have worship and class, and then Tuesdays through Fridays 9 am-noon we have classes. During sessions in the ‘classroom’ we will be taught and discipled on topics like holistic living, gifts, knowledge of God, knowledge of self, discipleship, leadership, communication, and other Kingdom skills. Outside of the these sessions we are expected to maintain a part time job where we put to use the things we are learning in the program. Afterwards, we will gather back for feedback and reflection on how we were able to use these skills practically. There are also CGA events we attend for worship, discipleship, and outreach. I have already moved down to Gainesville to begin working at a job that the Lord lined up for me. Coffee shop ministry was something the Lord put on my heart while I was on the WR during my time in Nepal. As God opened the doors for me to move down early, He also opened the door for me to begin working at a Dunkin’ coffee shop (1 of only 2 coffee shops in the area). It has been incredibly life-giving to work with fellow alumni racers and see where the Lord is already beginning good works. My move down has continued to be a confirmation of God’s hand and blessing in what He is preparing me for with CGA.

I believe going through CGA will be a 5 month investment into a lifetime of ministry and missions wherever I go. The program will give me a chance to refine and finish processing some of the lessons and tools that I learned on my World Race journey. My hope is that I can walk away from the program with better understanding of the gifts and callings God has given me, as well as teach me how to practically live out the Bible and teach others to do the same. I’m looking forward to being challenged and discipled in a personalized environment. I’m also really excited to be reunited with some of my squadmates who will be attending CGA too. 

Please feel free to subscribe and share my blog, partner with me in prayer, or support me through donating towards my CGA funds. Doing any one of those three things will  encourage and empower me in my journey to follow Christ and build Kingdom. The amount that I am fundraising goes towards everything except for my food and gas while attending the program. The funds will cover things like my housing, utilities, required books, any classroom tools, and professional/expert speakers. 

Thank you for your love and support!