new beginnings

Welcome to what in my professional opinion will be the greatest blog of all time! Today I just want to tell everyone a little bit of my story and how I ended up here!

Right now I am getting ready for what will be the craziest adventure of my life. In September, if all goes according to plan, I will be leaving for a nine-month mission trip to Costa Rica, Guatemala, Thailand, and Eswatini, South Africa. During this time I will be learning what I can’t in a classroom, meeting new people, going on adventures with some of my best friends, and most importantly following the path that God has layed out for me. I will be growing and helping others grow in their relationship with Him while showing his love for every. single. person. as best I can.

Now back to what landed me here going on a mission trip instead of back to UGA’s campus this fall. Throughout high school I said, “I am not going to college. School’s just not my thing and I don’t want to”. Nearing the end of my senior year I was still saying this but it seems that God looked down and laughed at me trying to make my own plans instead of following his. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to defy His plan but let me tell you IT DOESN’T WORK. Soooo as you can imagine I moved into a dorm and started my journey at college a few weeks later. 

I spent the past year making some of the best friendships and memories of my life but I always felt like something was lacking. I wanted purpose and I didn’t find that at college. I wanted to do something where I was actively making a difference instead of sitting in classes so I can make a difference in four years when I graduate. The first semester and a half I settled into the routine and almost gave up hope that I would be able to do anything like that. I thought about it for weeks on end and almost dropped out of college in the middle of english class one day because I was so over the monotonous routine where I sat and did nothing that made my heart feel full. Thankfully, common sense kicked in and I didn’t do that. Instead, I called home and told them I wasn’t going to college next year. I didn’t know how I was going to do it but I knew it was happening. 

Coronavirus hit in full effect a few weeks later sending me home to do online classes. I spent this time thinking about how much I wanted to do more with my time than taking math classes where I don’t learn anything. I had been praying for clarity on what I should do because I just had no idea what the right decision was. I knew God had something in store so I was just waiting and listening hoping to hear “DON’T GO BACK TO COLLEGE” and this time I did. My mom brought it up one day when we were walking the dogs. We knew about this program because I’ve had multiple friends go on it but we hadn’t talked about it in months. That day she reminded me of it and so we went home and started researching. Deciding to apply was the first time in a long time I had felt fully at peace and I knew that this is what God was calling me to.

Throughout the application and interview process, I prayed that if this isn’t what God had in store for me to get denied and if this was then vice versa. Although this seemed like such an amazing opportunity I didn’t want it if it wasn’t what was in God’s plan for me. I knew I would only feel really peaceful, purposeful, and heart happy if God was in this with me. ANNNND it looks to me like he is!! I’m taking this one day at a time now and finding new excitement each day from watching other people’s old vlogs to zooming with my team. This is going to be a crazy crazy crazy time in my life that will be stressful at times with fundraising and coronavirus but as Matthew 6:34 says, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own”. Where God guides He provides and it is all in his hands.

 I would absolutely love for all of you to follow along with my trip from preparation for leaving to the day we fly home next May! You can subscribe to this blog for updates over the coming months to find out what I am up to and how God is moving in my life. I would also greatly appreciate prayers as this is going to be a wild ride! Finally, if you feel let to donate any amount you can do so through my blog or through venmo @sarahhicks0321! 

all the love.

S