Hi, I'm Iris, and you probably know that by now. If you know me, you know that I have a heart for adventure and, more importantly, a heart for God. Ever since I can remember, I have loved being outside, and even more so, I loved exploring new places. Growing up, my favorite shows were Dora the Explorer and Wild Kratts. Using deductive reasoning, you can probably see where my life is headed. During many family trips, I got to experience God's glorious creation, and it only made me want to explore more.

When I think about my testimony, I often feel like it's not much of anything because I grew up in the faith. But the Lord reminds me that He is in it, and that this is His unique story.

So here it goes.

I was born the first girl and eventually became the middle of five children, with two older brothers and two younger sisters. My life was pretty hectic, and you may think that with all those siblings I would never get lonely, right? Wrong.

The boys had each other, and the two girls had each other. So where did that leave me? Kind of as the odd one out. That's not to say I didn't spend time with my siblings—trust me, I did. But during the everyday hangout moments, I didn't really have anyone. All that to say, it wasn't always easy.

One relationship in particular was really difficult growing up, and that was with my brother, Zack. Our relationship was mostly filled with strife and anger. In general, I didn't enjoy being around him because of some of the choices he was making that I knew I didn't want to follow.

During high school, we only attended the same school for a few months before his God-led transition back to public school. You would imagine that this would make our relationship even worse, but in fact, it helped. The distance gave our relationship room to grow, and as his faith matured, he became a better brother.

By the end of his senior year, we had grown incredibly close and had become great gym partners. He decided to spend the next year of his life with the World Race. Even though the distance was hard, I knew the Lord was continuing to work in his life. Through our many video calls, I watched his faith, maturity, and character grow. I could tell that this was exactly what he needed during that season of his life.

When he came home, I could see that transformation even more clearly. Now, whenever I see him faithfully spending time in God's Word, it challenges me to do the same. I think, "If he's making time to be in the Word, how could I not?"

I know, I know—this is supposed to be my story, not my brother's. But he's part of my story.

Moving on, I was blessed with amazing parents who love the Lord and love each other. In this day and age, that's becoming harder and harder to find. They laid a strong foundation for my faith and continually pointed me toward a life with Christ. I truly couldn't have asked for a better family.

On top of that, I was also blessed with incredible grandparents. Without their support, my parents wouldn't have been able to do so much of the ministry the Lord called them to. I am incredibly thankful for the family God has given me and the example they have set for me.

Rewinding a bit, when I was about three years old, my parents bought a retreat in Panama City Beach, Florida, after a seven-year faith journey toward it. For context, my hometown is Mequon, Wisconsin. Because of that, I grew up with a strong work ethic and spent countless hours on the road traveling back and forth. In a typical year, we would make two to four trips, staying anywhere from ten days to three months, depending on the season.

Even though I didn't spend half of my life there, my core memories were made there, so it feels like I did. Growing up in a camp setting, I was able to see how God could change lives in an instant. I got really good at making friends quickly and then saying goodbye because they were usually only there for a week. Even then, God was working on my heart.

Another important part of my story is that when I was nine years old, my dad bought a campground in the Wisconsin Dells. From that moment on, our family stepped into hospitality on a whole new level.

The campground was very run-down when we first bought it, and even today it's still a work in progress. But I've seen God's faithfulness through every step of the journey. While the campground itself isn't fully operational yet, the Lord has continued to provide, and we've been able to welcome guests through our Airbnb rentals. Over the years, I've helped clean, maintain, and care for the property, and it's become a place that's incredibly close to my heart. Even though working there can be a pain in the butt sometimes, those experiences have taught me the value of hard work and have given me confidence. Plus, driving motorized vehicles occasionally around camp isn't so bad.

As you can imagine, helping out at both the campground and the retreat while balancing school was just a normal part of my life. I was homeschooled until fifth grade. During those years, my mom taught me half of my subjects, while my grandma and grandpa taught me the other half.

In fifth grade, I started attending Ozaukee Christian School. It was small, but it was a good place for me to begin because I had no idea how to dress for school. Every single day it was a flannel shirt and blue jeans. I don't regret it, though—we all have our phases, and that one wasn't too bad.

In sixth grade, the school moved campuses, and we temporarily relocated to a campground while the new building was being finished. GaGa ball, putt-putt, and archery tag became part of our normal school week, and I wasn't complaining. A couple of months later, construction was finished, and they even added a GaGa ball pit to the new playground.

For seventh grade, I transitioned to Christ Alone Lutheran School because the new Ozaukee campus was too far away. During those middle school years, I struggled with the transition from homeschooling to a traditional classroom. I also struggled with something I'm not proud of—I cheated on assignments more than I should have.

Funny enough, God convicted me of it while I was playing a board game that I frequently cheated at. That was the moment I broke down and told both myself and God that I was done. I wanted a fresh start. I made new friends and ended up having a pretty good middle school experience.

Even then, my sinful nature would still tempt me to go along with the crowd by cheating on little things. I never felt good about it. The devil would tell me it was only a little thing and that it didn't matter. But I knew it mattered because it reflected my character.

As 1 Samuel 16:7 says, "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

By eighth grade, I had a much better handle on myself. Looking back, I can see that God was using those years to shape my character before life became more serious. Without those lessons, I could be on a completely different path today.

Then I graduated from middle school and headed off to high school.

The first couple of years of high school were some of my favorite. I had a really breezy freshman year, but I decided I needed to pick it up a notch during my sophomore year, so I ended up drowning myself in homework. Even so, they were some of the best years. Because of my maturity, I naturally gravitated toward the older crowd.

By junior year, I had become part of the older crowd, and honestly, it got pretty boring. God saw that and decided to switch things up. During the second semester of my junior year, I completed my classes online. Looking back, that was one of the best things for me during that season of life. I was able to go to Florida, have my own schedule, and spend over an hour each day with just the Lord and me.

You may be wondering why there were so many transitions and why I didn't just stay at one school. I like to joke that my parents are spies and I can't stay in one place for too long. But really, it's the Lord guiding my steps and making His plans happen instead of mine.

Then, all of a sudden, it was my senior year, and it was time to start making decisions. Throughout my freshman and sophomore years, I was convinced that I wanted to attend Liberty University and earn a degree in aviation mechanics. But during my junior year, I began to question whether college was the right path for me.

One of the first decisions I made during my senior year was to transfer from Kettle Moraine Lutheran to Homestead High School. Even in that decision, God was working all things together for the good of those who love Him. Because of the transition to public school, I had many more class options and far fewer credits left to complete before graduating. Since Homestead used trimesters, I was able to take two art classes during the time I was there. I also had the opportunity to take some easier classes that were exactly what I needed during that season. By God's grace, I graduated early and was able to focus on where He was leading me next.

This is most of my life story so far, and I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for the next chapter.

How I Came to the Conclusion of World Race

As graduation got closer, I was trying to figure out what was next. I knew that college wasn't where the Lord was leading me. I had an application call with Adventures in Missions and was accepted, but I didn't want to join the World Race simply because my brother had done it.

So I started researching other ministries, including YWAM and several short-term mission organizations. I even met with someone who had attended the specific YWAM location I was considering. After a lot of research and prayer, I realized that YWAM just wasn't where God was calling me. At the time, I couldn't explain exactly why, although I later found out.

I continued searching because all I wanted was what the Lord wanted for my life. At the beginning of November, I paid the $200 deposit to reserve my spot with Adventures because I hadn't received a "no" from the Lord. After countless prayers, I realized I simply needed to take a step of faith. If it wasn't where God wanted me, I trusted that He would redirect my path.

By the middle of February, I fully committed my heart to the World Race. About a week later, the Lord gave me a huge confirmation, followed by several more. At that point, there was no doubt in my mind that this was exactly where He was calling me.

What I Am Excited For...

In this current season of my life, God has brought me into a season of learning and peace, preparing my heart for what He has planned over the next couple of months. I'm excited to grow as a disciple, learn how different cultures view the Lord, and witness firsthand how believers around the world grow in their faith. I'm also excited to experience new cultures, different climates, and God's beautiful creation.

Most of all, I'm excited to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth, just as Christ has commanded us, living out both the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

How You Can Pray for Me

• There is a college that partners with Adventures in Missions to allow students to earn college credit while serving on the field. Honestly, this wasn't something I wanted to pursue, so I pushed it aside. But recently, the Lord has brought it back to my attention. While it isn't what I would naturally choose, I believe it may be what He is asking me to do.

• Please pray that I would faithfully complete the application process, receive any scholarships the Lord has for me, and continue to listen carefully to His direction. Also pray that if this is not where He wants me, He would make that clear.

• Thanks to the incredible generosity of so many people, I have already raised a large portion of my support. There is still quite a bit left to raise, so I would appreciate your prayers that I reach my fundraising goal. I have no doubt that the Lord will provide because I believe this is where He has called me.

• Please also pray that I stay focused on the Lord during this next season. There will be many distractions that could pull me away from spending time with Him, and I want to keep Him at the center of everything I do.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. God bless!

- Iris LaSage