In Preperation

My Team
This summer I will be working with one full time staff member from LeaderTreks and one other intern like myself. The trip leader’s name is Shane, and my fellow intern is Larissa. Here is a bit of what I know about them already. Shane is a recent graduate of Wheaton college in Illinois where he majored in Christian Education. This is his first summer with LeaderTreks, but he helped lead a few spring break trips to the same part of KY that we will be in, so he definitely knows what to expect! Larissa just finished her sophomore year at Milwaukee School of Engineering. She is majoring in Architectural Engineering and hopes to be a missionary. I have yet to meet these two, but I am getting to know them a bit by phone and facebook and I am really looking forward to meeting them in person and begin working as a team.

Packing
Overwhelmed!! Let me outline my summer for you. First I will travel to Chicago (LeaderTreks headquarters) to meet my team and begin orientation for the summer. Next, all of the interns will travel up to Wisconsin for a few days of intern training. Following that we will all journey back to Chicago, and then split up to our various destinations. In KY we will be living in a youth center and therefore sleeping on the floor. So on top of clothes, toiletries, and everything other normal thing to bring on a trip, I need a sleeping bag, air mattress, and pillow. I have so much to bring! I do not usually put much thought/planning into packing, but this has taken some effort. Well there’s a first time for everything right?

Spiritually/Emotionally
When I think about this summer and the journey ahead I am filled with excitement and some nervousness. I have some insecurities such as being the youngest on the team, but I know that God is sending me here for a reason! I have been praying that God will prepare me emotionally and spiritually for this summer, and I believe that He is answering my prayers. Before I switched to the KY team, my first trip leader, Julie, challenged me to come up with something I wanted to work on this summer. A theme for myself. I have continued to pray about what that might be and I have settled on the idea of consistency. I tend to be up and down and all over sometimes when it comes to my emotions and my relationship with God, and I want to smooth things out. I hope to develop consistent patterns of prayer, Bible study, and living out my faith. I hope and pray that God will grow me in these areas this summer.

Prayer Requests
Pray that God would help me step into a servant leadership role this summer. It is my first time on that side of a missions trip, so I know I have a lot of learning to do.
Pray that God would help me squash insecurities that try to creep into my thoughts. This summer I want my mind to be filled with God’s truth.
Pray that I will not forsake my personal devotions and prayer time. While my main task will be to serve others, I am still a child of God and I need daily time with my Daddy!
Pray that God could work through me in the lives of my team members, KY locals, the youth, and church staff that will be accompanying them. This is the very reason I am joining LeaderTreks this summer and I know that my efforts alone would amount to nothing. I must get out of the way and allow God to work.

Thank you so much for praying for me and supporting me! I am leaving this morning for Chicago, and I will arrive at LeaderTreks tomorrow afternoon. I am so excited! I should be able to update this blog about once a week this summer, and I very much look forward to sharing my adventures and experiences. I cannot believe that this much anticipated summer is here! Praise be to God.