(This is part 4 of my journey to the Mid-West. Read part 1, part 2, and part 3)
Tuesday morning came and I realized I had to re-evaluate what I was taking. Moving from an SUV to a sedan was a huge shift. I started going through boxes from Franny and everything I picked up, I would ask the Holy Spirit, "Yes or no?" He was faithful in replying, albeit it was no to almost everything. I went through my books and my crafting supplies and my mementos. Most things were easy to leave behind. The hardest thing may seem silly, but it was a ceramic, blue electric tea kettle. Having to re-organize my possessions and deep cleaning my new ride before I hit the road meant that my side kick was left at the airport by herself for a couple of hours. There's a reason she is my soul sister though, and I thank her from the bottom of my heart for traveling through this journey with me.
When I finally picked Sarah up and we hit the open road for New Mexico, I could hardly believe it. All the things I had been praying for months about had come together. Our first stop was Las Cruces - on a small little horse farm outside of town. It was perfect. I had planned a day off at the beginning of our road trip, because I figured I would need a buffer day emotionally and physically after leaving Phoenix. I was right. Sarah helped me organize all of my earthly possessions and we explored a little bit. Everywhere we went seemed to be guided by the Lord that day. Sarah and I had always talked and dreamed about road tripping across the U.S together in high school and college. We were so excited.
Thursday we headed for Waco, Texas to stay with my grandparents and an aunt visiting from Alaska. It was in the Walmart parking lot in Abilene, TX that I realized I hadn't even thought about my job search and the promise the Lord had made me. Seriously. Normal Katie would have been freaking out to the max. But trusting Jesus and traveling the globe a little has loosened some of my anxious tendencies. I checked my email and there it was. A job offer in Minnesota. I texted Hannah and told her the news and half an hour later I had a place to live with her big family outside of Blaine. My road trip now had an ending destination.
We made it to Waco and spent a wonderful evening with my family. It was refreshing and just what my soul needed. It had been way too many years since I had seen them all. I love how God works. We said goodbye Friday morning and drove to Garden Valley, Texas - home to YWAM Tyler. They were having a worship conference that weekend and I had signed us up. I knew that if I was this close to a YWAM gathering and didn't take it, I'd be a fool. And there was something deep inside of me that cried out to start this new journey worshipping Jesus. What else could I do?
The conference was amazing. The speakers, the worship, the people - everything. It felt like home. God showed up and did incredible things and lit a fire in me for something deeper. Being apart of that conference was a catalyst for my time in Minnesota.
After the conference, I put Sarah on a shuttle to Dallas. I completed the last leg of the journey alone. My original accommodation didn't pan out, so thanks to some quick AirBNB searches, I found a place to stay in Tulsa, OK. Folks, I hadn't ever spent real time in Oklahoma, but it was strange. The people that I stayed with though were precious. The husband helped me out with some car troubles - he went above and beyond. I got to share Jesus with them and then I was on my way, this time to Kansas City, MO.
When I was in middle school I did missions during the summer. One summer I spent 2 weeks in Kansas City. It's a place that I could see myself exploring more. I got to stay in this amazing downtown loft where lived a cat who was so ugly you wouldn't believe it. And he shared a name with my best friend from Phoenix. Oh, the irony.
Everywhere I turned though, there was Jesus. His provision and guidance through the whole journey was beyond belief. Monday morning I left for Minnesota. I decided to bypass the Twin Cities, so I took farm roads. It added hours to my time that day, but something about being back in a place with some trees scattered here and there and farm equipment made it feel like home. When I finally pulled up to what would be home for the next 6 months, I could hardly believe it. 6 days, 7 states, and 2,300 miles later I had arrived. None of it would have been possible without God. It was through Him that I was able to lay everything at His feet and let Him take the reigns. He was faithful in the teeny, tiny things as well as the large things. He stretched me and grew me and I am so honored and thankful that this gets to be my story.
Until next time,
Katie Jean
