As a supporter, you most likely decided to support and follow me on the World Race because either you believed in me and/or believed in the mission of the World Race. After hearing from a lot of you and being cheered on for the year, it’s become clear to me that you signed up to help make a difference in the world. You were anxious to see and hear about my stories at ministry, what my living conditions were like and about the lives that I was changing along the way. I’ve gotten to do all of these things thanks to you!
The World Race has most definitely been an adventure of a lifetime. I have been able to travel to 14 countries in 11 months and have had the time of my life doing it. I have met so many incredible people and have had unforgettable experiences. So today, I want to give you a little glimpse into the difference you have made by helping me go on the World Race through finances and prayers.
It’s been over a year since I told you I was going on the World Race and asked you to support me. I think back then we both believed you were partnering to help make an impact around the world through sending me, but what we both may not have realized is that you were actually signing up to change my life.
Although I left to make an impact and do mission work around the world, I also was hoping that the trip would transform me as well. Now as I sit here reflecting on the past 11 months, I can confidently say my life has been completely transformed by Christ. This has happened in so many different ways, but today I’ll just share a few and in my mind, the most important ones.
Since September when I left for the Race, my identity has been firmly rooted in our Heavenly Father. I have been given a new perspective on what it means to bring Kingdom and have tangibly been taught on how to do that. I have learned to live out healthy 24/7 community via feedback and being vulnerable and honest with the people I am surrounded by. Lastly, I am now walking in the most intimate face-to-face relationship with our Father that I have ever been in.
You’ll hear it over and over again from fellow Racers that we are not coming back the same person as we were when we left. This year we have learned and experienced what it means to have abundant life. I have seen how meeting with my Heavenly Father daily, completely changes the way I live and brings me more joy than anything else.
These past 11 months have laid a foundation for the rest of my life. They have changed how I want to live and who I want to become. We were sitting down as a team the other day talking about how we continue to live this abundant life when we return home away from the World Race community. For me, that looks like doing several different things, but all things I never would have taken the time to do before the Race.
First and foremost, I have seen how important it will be for me to find quiet time to spend with the Lord every day. This is something I did not prioritize before the World Race. It was consistently pushed off, but this year the Lord has grown a burning desire in me so that I don’t want to push it off any longer. Of course I still fail some days, but for the most part I look forward to my quiet time with Him on a daily basis. Secondly, on the race I discovered ‘coffee dates with Jesus’, as I like to call them. I blogged about one of them while I was in Nepal. I have found that I love going to a coffee shop and spending time talking with the Lord there, so here’s to declaring a weekly coffee date with Jesus at home.
Another thing I will be bringing home is a new Kingdom Perspective. I wrote a blog about moving to MN and how the Lord has called me to be a missionary in the business world. Before the Race, I don’t know if I would have referred to a business job as a field within missions, but the Race has taught me so much about how we have been called to be disciples of this world wherever we go. It’s all about “as you go” and therefore, as I come home I really do believe that the work I’ll be doing in MN and the different clubs and things I may join are all a part of my mission. I am excited to see how the Lord wants to use me there and I do truly see this calling as being just as important as being called to live abroad or go on the World Race. Just like on the Race, I’ll be praying for people that I pass by in the grocery store and will be asking the Lord each day to give me divine encounters with people that He wants me to talk to.
I now know without a doubt that I do not have to go around the world to bring Kingdom, instead it’s all about having a Kingdom Perspective as you go. You see, the World Race has turned me into a disciple for Christ. I still have a lot of growing to do, but the Race has changed my life so much to the point where no matter where I go or what the Lord calls me to do I know He will be using me to be a light in this world.
Through supporting me to go on this 11 month journey, I believe you did help me make a difference around the world this year, but more than that you have helped me become a woman of God who will continue to make a difference in the world for the rest of her life. I believe the affect that you all have had on my life is going to be a ripple affect. So although I only have 2 weeks left on the Race, I’d like to think this journey is just beginning.
Upon my return home, I would like to have a chance to thank you all for making this year possible. On Wednesday, August 3 from 7-9pm I am having an open house for any of you to stop by and hear more about my trip. I’m hoping to be able to recreate a treat or two from the countries I have visited, have pictures to show and some of my fun souvenirs on display.
At 7:30pm I am going to do a sit down question and answer time where you can ask me any questions you would like about the year, but if you can’t make it by then feel free to still stop by and pull me aside to ask me any questions you may have! I’d love to meet with each of you individually, but my time in Rockford is a bit limited with my new job in Minnesota starting in September, so this way I can hopefully guarantee to see those of you in IL at least once before my next adventure. As for my MN friends, I’ll be seeing you all in September! And please, still don’t hesitate to invite me to coffee if you’d like 🙂 I am so excited to share more about my journey with you and to hear what has been going on in your lives this past year as well.
The address for the open house is: 1617 Danielle Lane, Belvidere, IL 61008
See you all soon!
