Rachel

     I did not grow up in a Christian household. My grandparents went to church, and I would occasionally go with them if I wasn't playing football on a Sunday. Faith in England is private and not expressed to others. I knew there was a God, but it wasn't clear that we were supposed to be in a relationship with Him. My life for the first 18 years consisted of school and football. 

     In 2015, I had the opportunity to go to America on a soccer scholarship. I went to Central Methodist University and had a very successful soccer career. The extent of my "prayer" life would be hoping to have a good game. During my junior year, I was invited by some freshmen to Chapel and one day I decided to go with them. I was mesmerized by the music. Who knew you could have a piano, guitar, drums and a singer on stage?! I was used to an organ and a choir. I started listening to this music in my free time, and it became my soccer playlist. This is the first time I began to feel "different". 

     Going into preseason my senior year, I was starting to think about the future and what I would do when I graduate. I prayed to God to allow me to meet someone. The last day of preseason was the last day I could eat in the cafeteria for free, the rest of the students would return to campus the next day. This guy who has caught my eye over the last few weeks came over to me and we began to talk. I learned so much through Geoffery, and what it means to live with Christ. He was kind, patient, loving, gentle and content- something I had not experienced with anyone else before. Thanksgiving that year, I went to Kansas with Geoffery to meet his family and friends. I went to church with Geoffery's family, and I saw what they had, and I wanted it too, I just didn't know how to go about this. 

     On May 11, 2019, I graduated from College and Geoffery proposed to me! May and June ended up being stressful for me as I was on a deadline to figure out if I could get a job and stay in the States or have to leave the country for good. I had no idea what I was going to do. I was waiting on an agent to see if any professional soccer teams were interested in me, but I was close to my deadline date. In June, God provided, and I signed my first professional contract and was leaving the country in a few short weeks. During this time, Geoffery and I were trying to decide if we should get married at the courthouse to start my residency paperwork. We met with the Pastor of his church for marriage counseling.  

     On June 21st, 2019, at marriage counseling, the Pastor asked me what my story was. I realized I did not really have a testimony, and it became clear that I was spiritually dead, having not yet accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. The pastor and Geoffery both prayed over me, and that was the day I became a Christian.  

     A week later I left the country and moved to Finland to play professional soccer. My game improved so much, I was less aggressive, less frustrated and was more patient and loving toward my teammates. I prayed before games and saw God provide in multiple ways. In November, I came back to the states for Geoffery's graduation, and my Baptism. We flew to England in December and got married in January 2020. 

     In March 2020, Covid hit and the government advised everyone to go back to their own countries. Geoffery left England and I was stuck there. Geoffery assured me that God has a plan in all of this. I applied at many schools to become a Graduate Assistant and ended up getting offered a job at Grace College, Indiana.  

Over the last 3 years my spiritual growth has been on a vertical incline. I began leading a bible study, I was taking seminary classes, we started attending church and jumped into bible studies. In 2023, I started taking classes with Ethnos360 and have loved every minute.  

     I didn't always see it at the time, but God was with me every step of the way and ordained all my steps. He placed me exactly where I needed to be with the people He wanted me to meet. God has constantly shown up and His goodness radiates in my life. Geoffery and I were blessed with our first baby boy, Roman James, in February 2024! We are currently in Missouri at Ethnos360 Missionary Training Center learning what it looks like to plant a church in a cross-cultural setting. We will be here until Dec 2026, Lord willing. We are also expecting our second baby boy in September 2025.