“God, you want me to do what?” This was the only question I could ask just a few weeks before I would take a leap that would change the course of the rest of my life. Now, I am in Abante International. However, the story of how God brought me here is perplexing. The process that brought me here was incredible, and only God could have done this the way He did.
Not even two weeks before I embarked on this amazing journey, I was signed up for a wonderful trade college called Ranken Technical School. This is a school in St. Louis which is my home town. I planned on becoming an electrician. This school is a wonderful school, and their electrical program is top-notch. However, God had a different plan for me. I decided that I was “definitely” going to become an electrician during a rough time in my life that eventually passed as well as my plans did. I decided I wanted this because the schooling would be quick, and the money would be good. However, I had a rock in my stomach that wouldn’t settle properly over this particular decision.
While visiting my brother in TN, I woke up one morning and realized I had been trying to make a path for myself instead of leaning into the plans God had for me. I absolutely panicked . . . Here I was 2 weeks before school was going to start deciding that I needed to lean into Jesus and let him take care of the rest. I remember hearing about this crazy program that involved leadership and discipleship training while doing mission work. What was this program called? Oh yeah, “Abante International”!
I knew this idea was crazy, but so am I. Therefore, I made the call, and filled out the application. When I was accepted, I had just one week to get ready to leave and go from my little home town East Alton, Illinois to Cleveland, Georgia. Thankfully, I had the BEST support team anyone could ever ask for. The moment I told people what my new found plans were, so many people supported me! This was just confirmation of what I already knew to be true. That I was suppose to go with Abante International to do mission work.
God was gracious to this mess of a kid to lead him on this amazing journey to not only use him to reach people, but to grow this mess of a kid into a mess of a man of God. I am so excited for what God is doing here already. I will be writing another blog about what has happened the first month of Abante really soon!