My last blog post I referred to the struggle to getting to where I currently am emotionally in my WR journey. Now, I no longer see this as ‘giving up a year of my life’. I see this as an honor to be able to serve my God in this beautiful way. I look forward to the person I will become during and after the race. I welcome the growth.
It took me several months of struggling to make this decision. After a conversation with a good friend and WR alumni, I began the application process in early January just to see what would happen. Maybe this was the thing I had been praying for. I intentionally didn’t get my hopes up and avoided making any sort of decision before I was sure. I went through the extensive interview process and thought I bombed the phone interview, so I brushed it off and settled on the fact that it wouldn’t happen. I began to look forward to my post graduation life. Then, several days later I got the phone call that I had been accepted. I finally had to make a decision. At this point, I had only told about three close friends. I continued praying about it and God continuously and faithfully showed me this was it.
I was so torn. I desperately wanted to stay in Atlanta and begin working full time after graduation. I had so many plans. I could finally get back in the gym, finally begin to build up my savings again, begin paying off student loans, get involved in my church, etc. There was so much I wanted to do. But in reality, most of those things have very little Kingdom impact.
One of the hardest aspects of this decision for me was telling my parents. At this point I had decided that if they were supportive of it, I was going to do it. One of my biggest fears is letting them down. And I was afraid they would be disappointed in me if I chose to do this. I drove up to my parents’ house one Saturday and told them that I had been accepted to the World Race. They were so supportive and encouraging, and that was it. I knew I had to do it.
So, I’ve chosen obedience and the Kingdom. Like I said in my last post, this is what God has told me to do, how dare I disobey? And I could not be more excited. I long for the growth and community that will be so prevalent on the race. I look forward to the hard times that will be experienced on the race, because I know that’s where the most growth and development comes.
As a planner, this is such a huge step of faith for me. I need to know what’s next; I need to plan for the future. See my next post on desires and plans, and how mine have changed.
