And oh, the places I'll go!

As I watched the small shadow of our 15-passenger van move along the bushes outside my window on our way to Mt. Eagle earlier this week, it really sunk in to me: “I live in Arkansas now.”

It is absolutely unbelievable to me when I start to think about the places God has taken me over the years. Almost a decade ago now, I convinced my parents to let me sign up for my first mission trip to Detroit, Michigan. Prior to that I hadn’t been much of anywhere outside Cincinnati or Buffalo, New York, so I wanted a new experience in a new place.

Of course after spending a week in Detroit doing service I appreciated the mission trip for more than just seeing somewhere new. And a new mission experience in a new place followed each summer after: New Orleans, Louisiana; Camden, New Jersey; Lexington, Kentucky; St. Louis, Missouri; and Ft. Apache, Arizona.

During college I took a break from service, but resumed this summer with a place I had never expected to go in my entire life: South Dakota. I still miss the beauty of the Black Hills that I got used to seeing lots of week in and week out. Now here I am in another beautiful place appreciating the new experiences. In one week I got to see Mt. Eagle and the Heifer Ranch in Perryville (go check out www.Heifer.org).

So, in a nutshell, while part of me might desire to just be comfortable at home in Cincinnati, I am embracing and appreciating the amazing new places and people God is introducing me to throughout all of these experiences. And I am also working toward embracing those He might have for me in the future.