A great gift of being a disciple of the Lord is following in great hope where He beacons! I am honored to serve my third year of mission at Colorado State University in Fort Collings! You’ll probably find me somewhere hammocking, baking yummy treats, or curating my next favorite Spotify playlist. I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for this next year ahead of us… Go Rams!

“A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” ~ Ezekiel 36:26

I was raised a true Husker, loving the corn fields and sunsets of Nebraska! Born and raised the youngest in a Catholic household, we checked off the boxes of what it meant to be devout. In this fallen world, though, I encountered deep brokenness and sin within my own family. As I grew older and childlike wonder started to fade, I started to realize nothing and no one was perfect, including myself. A shell started to form around my heart as I was increasingly motivated by perfectionism and success. At least I could attempt to cover up the broken and imperfect areas of my story. This perpetuated a lie I believed that God didn’t want me in the places I felt so desolate. Sainthood didn’t seem possible.

I believed the lie I had to fix myself on my own.

I yearned for authenticity coming into college, all the while busying myself with scholarships, choirs, academic clubs. I sought to make my own identity worthy of praise from those around me. I let myself be ruled by deceptive expectations, slowly being constricted by sin and lies of the Enemy. I was so exhausted always trying be worthy enough, though never feeling like it.

At the start of my sophomore year of college, I finally gave into the invitation to attend a bible study. I found this phrase rise up in my heart as we dove into Scripture: ‘I just want to bring everyone to Heaven with me.’ Not long after, my FOCUS missionary and dear friend invited me into the Heart of the Gospel. I deeply encounter the person of Jesus Christ, Savior, Healer, and Redeemer through her friendship. No amount of anxiety, partying, or brokenness were ever too much for the Lord’s mercy.

My story is a story of redemption, and I am firm in the truth that redemption is for each one of us. He has healed and conformed areas of my heart to His Sacred Heart I never thought possible! There is never a better time to cultivate sainthood in the Church than now!

Following the Lord’s call onto mission means inviting others onto mission with me! Some are able to give their time, while others are able to give through their generosity. It’s in this working together that we build up the Kingdom of God, giving Him all the glory!

If you’re interested in supporting me, I’d love to get in touch, either by phone, 402-686-7605, or by email, [email protected]. Thank you for your generosity!