"For, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” - Romans 10:13-15

Hi everyone, my name is Kelley Hickman, and I have a new life in Christ.

This past year has been full of many ups and downs, and it honestly hasn’t looked anything like I expected it to. But though it’s been a difficult and refining season for me, through it all, I have seen God’s faithfulness and provision so clearly. If I have not yet had the opportunity to share my story with you, please reach out! I would love to tell you more about my journey and where God has been leading me. He has been so gracious and patient with me, and above all, I am continuously learning to trust the Lord in everything – my career and education, my health, faith, and opportunities to share His love through my story.

I have known Jesus from the time I was a little girl, and I am so grateful for the foundation of faith I have had throughout my life. Growing up in Sunday school, VBS, church camps, youth group, and more, I always knew that Jesus loved me. However, somehow along the way I began to find my identity wrapped up in my own “perfection” rather than trusting in God’s perfection. I was constantly striving to be “good enough” not only for the world’s standards, but also for my own impossible standards for myself. In some way, I was always trying to prove that I was perfect in every aspect of my life: I had to be smart enough, successful and talented enough, pretty and thin enough, a good enough daughter, sister, friend, student, athlete, musician, Christian… the list goes on. Yet no matter how hard I tried, I could never measure up, and it was exhausting.

Thankfully, by the grace of God, He woke me up from this downward spiral I was trapped in. God in His kindness lifted the burden of perfection I had placed upon myself and reminded me of my worth. He reminded me of my identity in Him.

I felt Him whisper, “My daughter, you do not have to be perfect, because I am perfect. You are enough because I am enough.” 

HE IS ENOUGH and He is all I could ever need!

I have complete freedom in knowing that I can never be “good enough” on my own — I need Jesus every day of my life. Because of God’s great love for me, He sent His perfect Son Jesus to die on a cross to pay for all of my sins (past, present, and future) so that I can live eternally with Him in heaven. No catch, no caveat, no striving required.

As it is written in Ephesians 2:8-9:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.”

This is the GOOD NEWS of the GOSPEL! Christ died so that we could LIVE! It is the free gift of God available to everyone, and all we have to do is accept it. 

I am so excited to use my story to help bring others to Christ as well! God has opened the door for me to go on a short-term mission trip to Ethiopia with e3 Partners Ministry and Watermark Community Church this upcoming summer! My team will be going from July 22nd through the 31st. We will partner with Ethiopian Christians as we do outreach and share the Gospel in local villages and communities. The purpose of our trip is to build relationships with and share the love of Christ with Ethiopians who have never heard the name of Jesus. e3 Partners’ vision is to continue planting churches within the unreached peoples of the Arsi Oromo region, and I am both excited and humbled to have the opportunity to help build God’s Kingdom.

E3 Partners is working to ensure that a thriving local church exists in every community throughout Ethiopia. They are equipping existing believers and training local pastors to identify unreached communities and share the Gospel effectively. As people come to faith in Christ, they are establishing small groups that help them take the next steps in their spiritual growth and serve as the seeds for new churches.

I will play a role in a global church planting movement by reaching those who would otherwise never hear the Gospel. Our group will be staying in the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, and will be sent out to other villages in the Oromo region to share the incredible story of Jesus with them. A majority of these villages will be predominately Muslim or Eastern Orthodox religions. In addition, we will be helping local churches address pressing social, economic, and health issues in their communities, helping them transform communities by empowering them and improving the lives of individuals. My team will venture into remote villages where human trafficking rings are convincing poverty-stricken families to sell their own children, revealing what’s really happening to save the next generation by sharing the simple truth that every life is priceless. Including yours.

So I am humbly asking for your help as I prepare for this trip. While God has opened up a door for me to develop a greater heart of compassion for His people around the world, the exciting part is that you will be able to share in this compassion in several ways. This is a team project, and you are needed on the team. First, we need your prayers for the spiritual battles ahead. We will need prayer support so that God will prepare us for our visit and bless our efforts as we minister to the people of Ethiopia. Please pray for my team, our Ethiopian interpreters and disciple-makers, and for the people who will hear about the love and grace of Jesus. Pray for good health and safety, for the spiritual battles we may face, and for the Lord to work in wonderful ways.

Secondly, I need help in raising the finances necessary to make this trip possible. I will need to raise $3,720 by July 1, 2022 in order to cover flights, food and water, boarding, etc. Would you prayerfully consider partnering with me in this project? Any amount helps, and I would be so grateful to have your support!

Thank you so much for taking the time to prayerfully consider this amazing and challenging ministry opportunity that God has presented to me. You are serving as an influential part of my life, as well as the lives of others around the world! Thank you so much for being people I can call upon for support and prayer. I look forward to sharing how God works during this time!

Please let me know if I can answer any questions or if you would like to know more about the trip. I would love to speak with you and share about this opportunity because I am so excited! You can also find out more about the mission of e3 Partners at www.e3partners.org.

My phone number is 972-955-5746 and my email is kelleyahickman@gmail.com

In Christ,

Kelley Hickman

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:19-20