If you had told me 6 years ago that I would be taking my fifth trip to serve in the mission field in Africa while simultaneously beginning Nurse Practitioner school, I would have driven you to the hospital myself convinced that you had completely lost your mind. I remember so vividly, telling Mrs. Juliette (my Kenyan immigrant coworker and superior) about my whole 5 year plan leading up to my dream of getting to Africa to “save babies.” I had every year laid out in the hopes that by year 6 I would make it to Africa.
I had ZERO intentions of ever returning to school.
“We can make our plans but the Lord gives the right answer”-Proverbs 16:1
I literally laugh out loud at the raw reality of this verse. I hoped, planned, and prayed to get to Africa to “save babies” by year 6 post graduation. This year.
In 3 weeks I leave for my fifth mission on that beautiful continent.
In fact, if you doubt God pays attention when you pray specifically..My first trip was a year after graduation on a research trip to Zambia. By God’s beautiful design I somehow found myself the only nurse on a team of doctors working on a labor and delivery ward attempting to implement interventions on none other than decreasing infant mortality rates. Literally saving babies yall. That trip, a switch flipped and God showed me that this wasn’t just a dream likely sparked from watching way too much Lion King, this was my calling.
Continuously He pushes me, molds me, reminds me who I am when I am not quite sure it’s in me. It was while serving in Togo that He showed me that I was meant to be a Nurse Practitioner and to be honest I was like.. “AWAY FROM ME SATAN!” Haha! No way was I going back to school, that’s not in the cards for me! Me, the first in my family to go to college. Me, the girl who worked her butt off just to get through undergrad with a 2.97 GPA. Me, the girl who was knee deep in student loan debt. Me, the terrible test taker, the one who has to study harder, work harder, push harder..yea, no. I’ll sacrifice, fly clear across the world, take cold showers in bacteria infested water, ride a bike 3 miles in the rain and eat boiled eggs every day for a month straight but I am NOT going back to school.
But God.
Man. Most days I can hear the Lord speaking to me as loud as my alarm clock and just as persistent. I can press the metaphorical snooze button all I want but He loves me so, that He keeps calling. I couldn’t ignore Him so I applied to the University of South Alabama’s program last fall. They have a great reputation and don’t require the GRE, Score! I worked hard on my application and felt sure I would get in with the Lord’s provision. But when my letter came, rejected. You know what happened though? I wasn’t distraught. I had built my foundation on solid ground, my faith was in Him and His plan and if this door was closed, I was sure He’d open the right one as long as I kept knocking. I prayed and I waited. He told me to wait in the “hallway” and to try a few masters classes, so I did. Then that masters program announced they were starting a Nurse Practitioner program the following semester and the Lord said to me..“Go knock on that one.”
Today the door opened.
Today I got into Nurse Practitioner school at my alma mater (ROAR LIONS). Today God said to me, “I made you for amazing purpose, now walk through that door and make it happen.”
Today I have been a blubbering mess.
As I’ve looked over the course of the last year and noticed every detail of God’s provision, direction, and intervention in my life. Things that can only be explained by Him. Can I tell you how unbelievably overwhelming it is to know you are exactly where you are meant to be on the path that God uniquely designed for you before you were ever even born?
I am so unworthy.
This life. This path, my husband, my mission work, my career, all of it. It is such a beautiful, beautiful life pouring over with blessings and I am so unworthy but yall I am floored with thanksgiving. Who am I that the Lord of all the Earth would care to make this beautiful life for me? Not because of who I am but because of who He is, I give it all back to Him. I will continue to follow where He leads because His plans are always best and I couldn’t have gotten here with the most strategic of five year plans on my own.
So here I am halfway through year 6, the unplanned year.. (I graduated in May) I married my soul mate this year. I got into NP school this year. I take my fifth mission trip to Guinea this year. I gained 2 new nieces this year (and another by marriage!) I am blessed beyond measure.
Here’s to beginning NP school onboard a hospital ship off the coast of Africa! haha! Yall pray for me..