Abby

Howdy! My name is Abby, and I am so excited to introduce myself to you! I am originally from Nacogdoches, Texas, and I have been living in College Station (or Bryan, depending on the year) since I started my undergrad degree at Texas A&M. Since then, I finished my degree, later started and finished a masters in Higher Education Student Affairs, and now, I work full-time in the Department of Student Activities at Texas A&M, where I am able to work with college students on a daily basis -- advising their leadership and decision-making for large student organizations. It is mostly fun and sometimes stressful, and I love being able to make an impact in the lives of others!


I have a wonderful and supportive mom and step-dad and one older brother. I also have a super cute and mostly charming five year-old nephew, as well as some friends that are as close to me as family. In my spare time (if I can ever find any), I love scrapbooking and being crafty, and I enjoy reading and working out and being outdoors. Cooking and baking (and trying to make healthy food choices) are other interest areas of mine...and ones that I wish/hope to get better/more adventurous with (again, if/when I have time). Finally, I have two sweet pets -- Lexie (my adorable pup) and Tucker Ann (my persnickity gray tabby cat).

My mom and step-dad with flowers from their recent anniversary. This was taken in a nursing home's rehab unit, where my dad is temporarily staying while he rehabilitates from a stroke he had in February.

My adorably sweet nephew Bradyn! I still can't believe he's already 5!



Lexie -- she's definitely a sweet heart!



Tucker Ann -- she looks sweet...but she has a mean streak at times!



Here I am...with one of my favorite kids ever!


Now, to share a bit about how I came to be a member of this fabulous team! It all started at the end of last fall when my church Brazos Fellowship announced that one of our own BF families would be leaving in just over month to become full-time missionaries in Uganda. That night, at our monthly First Wednesday service, they showed a slideshow explaining what the Segners (Kari and Jason and their four beautiful children) would be doing with their ministry Healing Faith Uganda in Africa. The Segners were at the service to talk to us so that we could support them and pray for their journey ahead, and as I watched the Segners' slideshow, a thought filled my head and heart, "our church should plan a mission trip, and if they do, I need to go".

Soon after that evening, and as the Segners' date of departure approached at the beginning of January, our church made a BIG announcement that a local non-profit -- Imani Tumaini Upendo, which was co-founded by some of the members of Brazos Fellowship -- would be putting together a mission trip to assist the Segners in their work. I was thrilled and a little surprised, and found myself asking God, "is this what you have planned for me?" As I prayed and thought about this wonderful opportunity to determine if it was, indeed, the direction God intended for me to go, all the spots for the trip filled. Even though I still had several questions and wasn't sure if this was where God wanted me, I was a bit disheartened that the door had been closed.

Over the next month or so, I began praying for God to help me to be sensitive to His leading. I prayed specifically that if He wanted me on this trip, I knew that He would open up spots that would allow me to serve Him and the people in Uganda by joining the team. As the weeks passed, it appeared to me that this was not where God wanted me. However, while I was in Colorado in mid-February for a work conference (I know...tough life, right?), I received an email from Rachel, the trip leader, letting me know that 2 spots had opened up. I told her I would continue praying about the opportunity and let her know if I would be joining as soon as I could.

During the next few days, several things began to fall into place which led to me texting Rachel to tell her that I would join the team, if spots were still available! I was and am still a little nervous about this opportunity to serve, but more than anything, I am so excited for what will surely be an experience in which God will do BIG things. I know He will help our team assist the Segners, serve the people and children in Uganda, and follow through on new and unexpected directions in our lives for 2012.

Thanks for reading...and feel free to check out my blog (http://livinmybeautifullife.blogspot.com/) if you're interested!! God bless!!