January 2022

It has been a minute since I have last posted a blog, and a lot has happened in that period. Like I have finished the race, summer happened, I said no to plans of going to CGA this fall, I got a second job, I am a small group leader to a bunch of amazing 6-grade girls, it has been over a year since I started the race, and so many more things. The purpose of this blog is to explain my next steps in life. But, before I do that, I feel as if I should explain my current position in life. Some preface to, explaining, where I am at currently is in order. At the end of the summer, I planned on going to CGA, which is a 5-month discipleship school AIM offers, and learn basically how the Lord made me and what gifts he has given me so that I can lead better in his Kingdom. I was very excited to go this fall and planned everything out then the Lord asked me to stay home. The bottom line staying home was seriously the absolute last thing I wanted to do. I did not have too much community there, I felt really alone and isolated, and it was just so busy at home. So yeah did not really want to stay home. But my number one goal in life is to follow and become more like Jesus, and well Jesus followed his father even when he did not particularly want to. So I was doing the same, and that is how I ended up home this semester. So without further, ado where I am currently.

Like I stated before, I work two jobs right now in lew of schooling. I am a manager at a custard shop, called Ritter’s frozen custard, twice a week, and then the rest of the week I am at Ulta Beauty as a prestige beauty advisor. My two jobs could not be more different, but they have opened me up to amazing opportunities to meet so many kinds of people and become friends with them. It has definitely been an adjustment to get back into the business and culture of America. I have not always done the best coming home, but the Lord has shown me a lot of grace where my shortcomings have been. I have loved being a small group leader to my 6-grade girls and have found some really sweet community among the leaders and staff at my church, which has been a blessing. I have definitely struggled a lot with taking time to rest and sabbath. As well as just meeting with God daily. Even before the race started, I struggled with taking time to slow down every day and stopping once a week to rest with the Lord. You do not realize how important this is until you start burning out, then you are forced to slow down, and I have definitely hit those points of exhaustion several times since being home. But, again, the Lord has so much grace for where our shortcomings are! So, as a whole, my time at home has been so incredibly needed. I have really learned, and am still learning, how to apply what I have learned on the race and overseas here in everyday life. Once again, proving God knows WAY more than I do and knows what I need even when I do not see it. So now unto why I even started this blog… CGA

“Know yourself, lead yourself, lead others.” This is CGA’s motto, but what is CGA? Well, let us start with what CGA stands for, Center for Global Action. CGA is an Adventures in Missions discipleship program that lasts about five months. In, this time I will be really diving into who the Lord has made me, walking through healing and being disciplined, learning how to walk others through the same processes, and just how to create kingdom culture wherever my feet are. Why is this important? You see the Lord has gifted me the ability/ opportunities to lead others to him, but I want to be able to do that well. That is why this class is important to me. Because, how do you do something well? By learning and living it, and that is what this program does. It gives you tools and teaches you how to steward God’s gifts well for the benefit of his children, both lost and saved. So, yeah, that is the next step in my life! I want to thank all of you for your consistent support and prayer throughout the adventures and endeavors the Lord has brought me through! I will be leaving for Gainesville, GA, again in January 2022, so prayers are very much needed! For this whole process, I will again be fundraising. But this time around, I will only need 2,000 to be fully funded. The whole amount is about 6,000, but God has been so gracious and has already raised 4,000 of that!! So if you want or feel led to support what the Lord is doing in my life you can donate above just like the race! I am excited to step into this next season with total expectance that the Lord will show up in massive ways, and I am excited to bring you all along with me! Until next time, Esther Collins.