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Hello! Today, I want to share a little bit about myself, my journey in faith, and how God has led me to serve as Beautiful Feet International’s (BFI) Regional Coordinator for Eurasia. In a fiction book that my husband and I enjoy, a phrase that one of the main characters finds strength in is “Journey Before Destination”. My journey is one of trusting God’s guidance, even when the path seemed unclear. While I’m not at the destination yet (that’s heaven!), I hope my story gives you a glimpse of how He works through life’s twists and turns.

I was raised in a Christian home in Florida, where my faith was foundational. I became a Christian and was baptized at a young age, and over the years, God continually led me toward ministry. I was fortunate to volunteer as a teenager with Melissa, the founder of a pregnancy ministry here in Central Florida, and pregnancy ministries remained part of my life wherever I went. I never anticipated that this calling would be so significant, but it set a bridge to what I do now.

A Shift in Direction

In college, I thought my career would be in developmental psychology. But during my senior year, God had other plans. I felt a calling to international missions. Although I had envisioned China, my heart remained open, waiting for God to reveal the specifics.

That year, I went on a mission trip to Zimbabwe, where I met my husband, a fellow believer from Pennsylvania who also felt called to be a missionary. We started a long-distance relationship and eventually got married. His heart was set on Japan, a country with less than 2% Christian population—a place desperately needing the hope of Christ. With prayer and God’s guidance, Japan became our mission field.

Life in Japan: Challenges and Growth

After seminary, we moved to Japan with the International Mission Board (IMB). I was pregnant with our second child when we arrived, and adapting to life in Japan wasn’t easy, especially with the language barrier. Japanese is a challenging language, and I was constantly learning throughout our time there.

Our work in Japan focused on church planting. Japan is a spiritually difficult place, but we saw lives touched by God’s grace and experienced His faithfulness in our efforts. Six years later, however, we felt God was closing that chapter, leading us to return to Florida. It was a hard transition—we had envisioned spending our lives in Japan—but God was guiding us toward something new.

Returning to Florida and Joining Beautiful Feet International

Back in Florida, I felt called to become involved in pregnancy ministry again. At that time, Beautiful Feet International was operating as its own nonprofit, not yet part of the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE). I felt God urging me to serve on their board, something usually reserved for those invited. I prayed about it, asking God for a clear sign, and soon after, Melissa invited both my father and me to join the board.

Over the years, my role at Beautiful Feet grew. I saw God’s hand in every step, preparing me to serve more deeply. In 2020, we planned a family mission trip to Japan, but COVID postponed it. Finally, in 2023, we returned. This time, because of my years with BFI, I had a richer understanding of how the organization worked, and God used that trip to open new doors for ministry in Japan.

Pregnancy Ministry in Japan: A New Partnership

During our 2023 visit, we connected with a couple running a pregnancy ministry in Tokyo called Life Baton. They were incredibly receptive to BFI’s model and mission. After learning about our approach to pregnancy ministry—offering resources, training, and even ultrasound machines—they eagerly became partners with us.

Within months, we conducted training for Life Baton and other Japanese individuals through Zoom. This past April, they met the requirements to receive an ultrasound machine. Witnessing this convergence of efforts—a culmination of years of ministry in Japan and my involvement with BFI—was a profound reminder of God’s orchestration.

Reflecting on the Journey

Looking back, it’s clear that God has been guiding each step, even when the path seemed unclear. We thought we’d be in Japan forever, and leaving was heart-wrenching. But God used our time there to plant seeds that He’s now growing through partnerships like Life Baton.

One of the verses I held onto during that transition was Isaiah 55:8-9: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways.” God’s plans often don’t make sense to us in the moment, but they are always better than we could have imagined.

Continuing the Journey: Balancing Family and Ministry

Now, as BFI’s Regional Coordinator for Eurasia, I feel a renewed sense of purpose. God continues to lead me, even in the small, daily choices. There are things I need to let go of to focus fully on this calling and to balance my roles as a mother and ministry leader. My family remains a priority, and I trust God to help me steward these responsibilities well.

Each day, I’m reminded to lean not on my understanding but on God’s. Looking back, I can see His faithfulness through every twist and turn. I’m grateful for where He’s led me, for the people He’s placed in my life, and for the new partnerships He’s creating.

God’s work is ongoing, and I’m excited to see what He has in store. If there’s anything my journey has taught me, it’s that God’s plans are always worth trusting, even when we don’t fully understand them. And as we move forward with BFI’s mission under ABWE, I look forward to seeing how God will use us to bring hope and life to Eurasia and beyond. Thank