Ever meet someone who changed your life in less time than you ever thought possible?
Yeah, me, too. Her name is Corrie Jo. World Race alumni. Word smith. Creative mind. Adventurer.
Corrie and I met back in September, through a mutual friend who was one of her squadmates. Jesus used her to tear a lot of walls down. Or rather, took a wrecking ball to the life I thought I had and needed/wanted.
Corrie has an incredible life story, but that’s for her to share. I’m going to share with you how God used this character, Corrie, to chang my story.
I had wanted to do the Race for several years. But I had all the reasons not to apply, or even think about applying. Money was a big one. Student loans. The ministry I’d been a part of for four years. #allthethings
Then I met Corrie. The second time we had coffee, a week after I met her, she asked why I wasn’t applying for the Race. She knew it was on my heart, and that I was being called, but also knew I was holding myself back.
“Well, I have three years left in Manhattan. My Young Life girls have three years of high school left, so I’ll apply after they graduate.”
“I left my girls’ senior year.”
…so much for that one.
“But student loans…”
“Put them in deferment.”
“I don’t have the money.”
“God will provide.”
Two days later, I drove Corrie to the airport for her next adventure. We had life talk on the way there and I was floored by her redemption story. She was gone for six weeks. By the time she got back, I had applied, interviewed, and been accepted, and put a deposit down. What the heck was my life? I felt called, and I had this whole list of reasons, and Jesus just shot every single one down in 20 minutes or less through this one conversation with this one girl, who I’ve known for a week.
Corrie has a boldness that is rare to come by. She isn’t afraid to call you on things like fear or ignoring things you know you need to do or change. But she does it in a loving way. She’s bold and brave, and shines light in dark places. She speaks truth into lies. Shines for Christ everywhere she goes, and has no fear in speaking his name, spreading the gospel. She has a lion’s heart. If she’s in your life, you’re lucky to know her.
She’s currently in Spain at a leadership academy, G42, and is raising funds for her time there. If you want to give to a very much worth cause, and give to someone who has supported me, inspired me, and pushed me to be brave, you can give here:
http://generation42.org/donation-details?d=16
Corrie Jo:
You changed my life. In wild and most definitely unforeseen ways. I will never be the same after having you in my life. I never thought I’d know someone for 5 months and get matching ink, but here we are. Now 13 hours apart, still loving, praying, and encouraging each other from afar. Life is wild.
Next time we’re together, so much will have happened. So much will have changed. I already greatly look forward to hearing about the next chapters of your story, and share my next chapters with you. The characters, the settings, all the things. 🙂
Thanks for pushing me closer to Jesus, calling me out, and being bold in broken places. I thank God every day that you became a character in my story when you did, because from that point on, my life has so very radically changed. Stay wild, my dear traipsing troll. Mucho love to you.
“Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.”
–Isaiah 43:19
