So What Am I Doing, I Hear You Ask…

Last week I shared about stepping back into the workforce after my own long season of unmapped transition. (You can read about that here)
I joked about the steep learning curves, wrestling with spreadsheets, figuring out new software, and trying to navigate the wonderful world of AI. But beneath the funny office moments, my heart has been overflowing. Because the door God opened for me wasn’t just a new job description; it was an invitation to join a mission that aligns so deeply with everything I believe about hope, potential, and community.

I am incredibly proud to share that for the next year, I am officially part of the team at First Foundation!

If you haven’t heard of us before, First Foundation is a unique New Zealand charitable trust dedicated to a simple but life-changing premise: leveling the playing field for extraordinary young Kiwis. We look for bright, talented scholars (rangatahi) who have the academic drive to thrive at university but face socio-economic barriers that make that dream feel completely out of reach.

What blew me away when I first started learning about our work, and what completely captivates me now that I am on the inside, is that we don’t just hand over a financial cheque and wish a student good luck. If you are the first person in your whānau (family) to ever step onto a university campus, a bit of funding is a blessing, but it’s not a map.

That is why our scholarship program provides a full “wraparound” support network:

• Financial Assistance
• One-on-One Mentoring
• Paid Work Experience

Upwards of 80% of our scholars are the first in their families to ever attend university. When we lift up one student, we aren’t just changing an individual trajectory. We are watching a generational ripple effect break the cycles of poverty and uplift an entire community.

Sitting in the office, looking at data, and learning our systems, I can’t help but see God’s fingerprints all over this chapter. For months, I sat in my own “limbo land,” asking God who I was without my old ministry titles and what purpose He had for me next.

He didn’t answer with a lightning bolt. He answered by placing me right here, in a room dedicated to helping others navigate their own life-altering transitions. It turns out that stepping off a church platform didn’t mean my calling to encourage people was over, it just meant God was changing the scenery.

When I look at our scholars, I am reminded of how our Heavenly Father looks at us. He doesn’t focus on our limitations, where we started, or the hurdles in front of us. He looks at our hearts and sees our full, glorious potential. I feel so incredibly blessed to have a front-row seat to these miracles every day!