Man alive, what a year.

As I was entering 2015 I had one goal: to be brave. I don’t think I knew what that meant at the time, but I’m thankful it was a pursuit on day one – for I would need a lot more than I ever thought.

As January came into focus, two things were on my radar: opening a bakery and dating my friend Travis. Travis and I had been on a date or two the Spring before but the timing just wasn’t right. It took me several months to realize this guy was the real deal…and I finally had the guts to tell him in December that I was interested. He pondered the thought for two weeks and asked me out (again) on January 8th. Our time was limited as he was moving back to Taiwan (for 5 years!) in 4 months.

My two sisters and I were going full steam ahead on our business plan and project. We had a space picked out, and I spent most of my days and nights sorting out the little details about what this little restaurant would look like. Yet we kept hitting walls. We couldn’t get the right paperwork from our realtor and by the time we passed our initial opening date, we hadn’t even signed the lease for the space. Winter turned to spring and we weren’t much further than when we had started. We were stuck.

I had quit my job in October in order to work for the bakery full-time, but two months later there was still no job to speak of. I got an opportunity to sub full time at the Middle School and I told them I’d take it for as long as I was available. I had no idea I would become the 7th grade health teacher for 5 months! Speaking of bravery…my first teaching gig required me to teach sex ed & all about pregnancy and birth. Add it to the resume!

Sometime in April we had a meeting of the minds and decided it was not the time for us to open a bakery. Our investor was worried about the financial forecast of the oil industry, and boy was he right. We could’ve never anticipated the downturn that came with a flooded oil market – and though we may have survived the economic drought, it would have been a tough time to build a new and thriving business.

Travis left at the end of April after a whirlwind 4 months of dating. Our last adventure before his departure was a 3,000 mile roadtrip down to Arkansas to catch a few of our favorite bands on tour. We saw the Twins beat the World Series champs and met a few friends along the way. We rolled into town 2 days before his departure and after a going away party with our friends and his parents, it was time for that fateful flight. Yes we were that cliche crying couple in the airport (I judged me too) – and at that point there was nothing on the calendar for us. I hoped to make it to Taiwan at some point, but I didn’t know when or how God would make that happen.

May disappeared quickly as I finished up the school year with my 112 junior high friends. I had a few summer jobs set up to pay off the debt I had accrued while preparing for the bakery, and then I would set my sights on trying to get to Taiwan for a visit.

The day before school was out I got a phone call from my clinic. There was nothing subtle about it. You have cancer. And you need to start treatment immediately. Within 48 hours I had moved out of my old house, into my new one, and was on a train to Minnesota to meet with my new doctor.

I spent the majority of the summer either in the hospital or asleep in my mom’s house. It took me all of July & August to recover from two major surgeries and I hardly worked a day over the summer. But thanks to the generosity of both of my parents and “Bras for a Cause” (local cancer foundation in Williston) I was able to make it through the summer without getting buried in medical bills and overdue living expenses.

I found an affordable ticket to visit Travis at the end of August for a few weeks and it was thankfully during a break in my treatment. It was good timing for me to experience his life over there and ask myself if I could truly see myself fitting into his world and the ministry of YWAM. As he dropped me off at the airport two weeks later, I wasn’t dying to get home. I loved the people he worked with and the culture of Taiwan. I knew I would be back – and I hoped for more than two weeks.

It was on the way home that I had my “moment.” My connection was in Tokyo, and my next plane would take me to Minneapolis. Currently I was about 2 hours from Travis by flight, but it would soon be 14. I didn’t want to get on that plane. It was flying in the wrong direction. I didn’t want to continue pursuing a life that kept me thousands of miles away from him. It was time to start making steps towards Taiwan and a life that would include Travis Kleppen. Always.

The months to come included a few more cancer treatments, lots of time hanging out with Base Camp (my church’s youth discipleship program), subbing at the middle school, and just enjoying the place I’ve learned to call home. I set aside the beginning of March as the time I would transition overseas, but I wasn’t ready to check out just yet. This place is too important to me to not enjoy every single minute God has allowed me to stay.

Travis and I reached an awkward stage of our relationship when it was time to start making our future plans, but there was no opportunity to exchange a ring. With the timing of things it made most sense for us to get married in September of 2016, but it felt strange to plan a wedding without an engagement. He told me to trust him with the timing of that – and I must confess that was hard to do! (I am the planner in our relationship….)

The year ended with the best surprise – he had been plotting for months his Christmas proposal, with a secret flight and all! With the company of our friends, he pulled it off – getting down on one knee to a very shocked Rachel on December 17th! We spent the next two weeks celebrating our engagement and the holidays with our families and friends. Truly a joy knowing we will be together for many Christmases to come!

2015 was a year of many discoveries and changes, and it looks like 2016 won’t be much more ordinary. I have a cancer scan January 27th that will reveal how effective my last radiation treatment was – I am praying there is no cancer to speak of! Feel free to send up a prayer too, I’d appreciate it!

I have a plane flight on March 7th to Taipei to begin my Discipleship Training School on the YWAM Taipei base. I just had my Skype interview last night with my school leader and received my acceptance packet this morning! It will be a busy 5 months – 2 of which will be spent in another country on an outreach.

Travis and I will head back together after my graduation in early August to prepare for a North Dakota wedding! I’ve always dreamed of a Minnesota wedding, but getting married in the place we met and fell in love just makes all the more sense. We’re excited for a weekend long party with all of those we love.

Thanks for taking an interest in my life…most days it’s an adventure, though it can be dull or stressful at times too! I hope you had an exceptional 2015 and that you’re not the exact same person you were 365 days ago. I know I’m not!

Peace out, my friends. Cheers to another year of chasing glory!