I am a farm girl living in northern Minnesota who is always up for an adventure and loves God, my family, friends and my animals. I was born into a loving Seventh-day Adventist family 22 years ago and grew up in the church, loving Jesus.

When I was 10, I was baptized, fully understanding what I was doing and wanting to serve Jesus for the rest of my life. In my teenage years, though, distractions and temptations came, and I began to lose sight of the Lord and His purpose for my life. I was so focused on what I wanted to do, who I wanted to become. My plans for my life consumed my thoughts so much that I didn’t have space for God’s plans. Nor did I want to make the space. I “followed” God but didn’t allow Him to lead me.

When I was 18, I realized I wanted a deeper relationship with Him, to know Him and His will for my life. I believe God has led and guided me through my whole life, even when I wasn’t asking Him to. But when I truly sought Him and asked for Him to show me His will for my life, He did in ways I can’t even explain.

I was homeschooled through high school, and after finishing, I attended Uchee Pines Institute in Alabama for six months to complete the Lifestyle Educator program. Those six months were both challenging and rewarding. Away from everything near and dear to my heart, I learned to rely even more on God. Throughout those months, He taught me about Himself and His perfect way. I then took their advanced one-year Lifestyle Counselor program. I learned so much and wanted to be a medical missionary for the rest of my life.

Throughout my time at Uchee Pines, I prayed and asked God to show me His next step for me. The answer didn’t come right away, but looking back, I can see God preparing my mind for what was to come. When I was at Uchee Pines, Kyle Tumberg gave a presentation on the 10/40 window and how Adventist Frontier Missions sends missionaries overseas. I was shocked to hear that the two-thirds of the world’s population in this window have never heard of Jesus. It was heartbreaking to hear.

In all my life, I have always known that I could call on God, and He would hear and answer me. I always knew His love for me. I knew of the surrendered life, the victory over sin and the promise of eternal life. I couldn’t imagine living without knowing these truths. What a sad and hopeless existence otherwise. I didn’t know then that God was calling me to missions, but I prayed for direction.

After my time at Uchee Pines, I decided to be rebaptized. I had learned so much over the past three years, and I wanted to rededicate my life to God publicly. At home, I continued praying for God to show me what He wanted me to do. I wanted to share with others, I wanted to tell someone about my Lord, even one person, to tell them about God’s great love for them and the life they could have in Him, a life free from sin and guilt, a life committed and content in Jesus. This is the life I had received. This is the life God had shown me.

The next year (2025), while visiting ASI (Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries) for the first time, I prayed for direction. I was inspired by all the stories from different missionary projects from around the world. After a moving appeal, I felt a desire placed upon my heart, and I knew it was the answer to my many prayers, a longing to dedicate a few years of my life to foreign missions. God’s call was clear. I didn’t know where I would go or what I would do. But I knew I would go.

Not long after returning home, I applied to be a student missionary with Adventist Frontier Missions. I was accepted for the Buddhists of Southern Thailand Project in Thailand, and I answered the call to engage in friendship evangelism, offering free English and Bible teaching services to people in the Surat Thani province for the 2026-2027 term. God truly had His hand in this process, even choosing this call for me. There is no other way I can explain it.

With much anticipation, I wait, preparing for this mission to reach the unreached and share the gospel with them. I am not worthy to go, but I know God is sending me, and He will be with me; of that I am confident.