i’m moving to GEORGIA?!

yup you heard it here first! i’m moving to georgia!

due to travel restrictions and the ever present COVID-19 my squad will not be able to launch in september. luckily, our leadership is the absolute best and has been working tirelessly to make sure our gap year is still an amazing journey. the possibility to not being able to leave was always a thought in the back of our minds, but we remained hopeful all the more. instead of travelling internationally right out the gate, i will be moving to gainesville, georgia for 3 1/2 months for in-depth discipleship, leadership training, and outreach ministry. 

i like to think of this as a route change for the squad, instead of africa, 3 of our months are in america! my own country is a mission field as well, so i’m excited to serve the people around me just a few states away. 

of course hearing the news that some of our travels will be cut short was hard to hear, and some may even say disappointing, but i just know the Lord has something incredible in store for me, and my entire squad. recently i’ve been learning about expectation of the Lord. if we have all these plans and ideas of how life, and how gap year will be, you could honestly be setting yourself up for disappointment. if it doesn’t go your way, you feel that the Lord didn’t do what He promised. but ultimately He did not promise me MY plans, but for His will to be done. so in this season i’ve simply been expecting God to be God. and that is something He always is and does. 

more logistics will be released in the coming weeks and months, so be on the look out for updates about my time in GA! our everyday at the AIM missions base will look like devotions, messages and lessons, outreach/ministry in the local area, team time, squad bonding, worship, and much more. we will also have lots of freedom with personal time and space to get out and about. 

when it comes to travels, we are planning on launching in january and continuing with our original mission of children’s ministry, elderly care, and community outreach internationally. leadership is doing what they can for us to keep our route and original countries, but it’s simply up to government and travel guidelines. they are very hopeful about swaziland, south africa, and ethiopia. 

with this being said, our fundraising amount is staying the same, mainly due to the high cost of living in america as compared to somewhere in africa. leadership is being super gracious and we have more time to fundraise and deadlines have been pushed back. i can currently about $4,000 from being fully funded!! 

with all these changes it is so easy to get stressed and worry about the future, but we must follow the Lord into the uncertainty. i’ve had to ask myself personally, will i still say “yes” even when the plans change? as i spoke with one of my amazing team leaders, leanna, we really got to talking about the Father’s will for our lives. even when the plans change the purpose doesn’t. and no matter where we are, as long as it’s in His will, we get to live in glory and see it in every corner of our lives. GLORY TO GLORY. if i’m in africa, quarantined to my room, or living in my sleeping bag in georgia on the floor, His glory rests there. 

before ending the blog i want to leave you with this scripture that has been on my heart through the process:

“A Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.”

Matthew 4:18-20

as i read this scripture i imagine myself, and all gap year racers, working to fundraise, prepare, and get ready for travel in september. then jesus walks into the mess of our lives and says “hey, would you take up this opportunity?” and we get to say yes. we can put down our nets and follow Him to something even better than we were all expecting. 

this group of racers is so so special and the Lord is doing something crazy amazing with these young adults. please be praying for me, my squad, our leadership, AIM, and all other racers who are embarking on this journey! we need em!

feel free to reach out if you have any questions about my plans, want to give financially, or have any prayer requests. i appreciate y’all more than you know! 

all the love, 

gretchen 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ACTXhOJ70Y&feature=youtu.be

^^ video explaining a bit about the changes made to gap year!