The thing that I love most about meeting new people is the fact that each person you meet somehow, someway, leaves you with something new. After meeting somebody new, even if it's just a brief introduction to somebody that you will never see again, the encounter leaves you with something that you could have never known, or never experienced, unless you met that person in the time and place that you did. I am so grateful that God is so intentional with His handiwork, and He shows me this with every interaction I have with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Many new people have been introduced into my life over the last 5 years. As a college student, an (ex) waitress, as new people were added into my family, and getting involved in my local college ministry, I've had the honor of meeting many people and developing those relationships over the years. Recently, my dad got remarried to my now step-mother Amy, and the thing that I've learned from their relationship is the phrase "take the yes." Whenever I didn't want help (even though I needed it) and my Dad wanted to give it to me anyways, I was always told to "take the yes." 

When the Lord called my name, and I started walking in a relationship with Him, I struggled with "taking the yes" from God. I second guessed myself, because I never wanted to walk outside of God's will for me. I'm pretty sure God could've literally been standing next to me with a bullhorn yelling at me to "take the yes" and I would've still been nervous to do so. If I felt called to do something, the possibilities of what could've gone wrong would flood my mind. It was in this season where I truly learned to lean back and trust God, and I learned what it meant to place my confidence in Him. I grew tired of second guessing everything, so He showed me just how reliable He was. He showed me that His callings weren't suggestions, but that they were commands that would glorify His name and bring blessings to His kingdom. I prayed for months over missionary work, and then when The World Race was introduced to me, I prayed over this organization and the Costa Rica trip specifically. When God gave me the "yes", I took it... and I have never been more glad that I did. I can't wait to see what The Father does with His "yes" in Costa Rica this summer.