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We were asked to write a blog about how we were called to this mission trip. Here is my story…
 
Last year, I sat in the middle of the couch watching American Idol with my family. My sister had been working at a Christian camp called JH Ranch for about 6 months as an intern and was back home for a while because of a leg injury. She had been looking for a Bible college to go to and was thinking that she wanted to go overseas. Dad was asking her questions and asked her if she had researched the World Race at all. I wasn’t paying much attention to their conversation up until this point, in fact I had actually sort of been annoyed at their talking during the TV show. But when he said “World Race”, my ears picked up the words and my mind started turning. Now I wasn’t paying attention to the TV at all, but was silently thinking about what he had said.

 
After the show was over I slipped into my room and did a little research. I found out exactly what the World Race is and I couldn’t stop looking at the different races and especially the photos. I guess being a photographer I get drawn to images first. I saw children in Africa, people talking and praying with women who are prostitues in Thailand, and ministry in Guatemala. It grabbed my heart and woulnd’t let it go. But I didn’t pursue the World Race right away. I didn’t even tell anyone that I had looked at it. I just waited to see what the Lord would say to me. I wanted to hear Him tell me what to do. And He did.
 
I was sitting in church listening to the pastor preach and it seemed like every single Sunday, something from his sermon in Romans grabbed that part of my heart again and whispered “Go”. I couldn’t get the race out of my heart. I found myself going back to the website to see if I could find out more about it and what was involved. I had been on a couple of short-term trips to Guatemala and God had pressed on my heart then that maybe He wanted me to do more missions overseas. Now He was telling me to take this opportunity, sometimes even yelling it! “Go Ashley, go! Don’t be afraid of the unknown, just go!”
 

When I had heard the Lord prompt me over and over again, I decided to talk to my parents about it. They said that it was an amazing opportunity and that I should go for it. I wasn’t nervous until I submitted my paperwork and then I started thinking about how big of a step this is. I really realized how I am committing myself to making missions my full-time job for a year. I had my interview and the next day I got an email that said “one-on-one”. The email told me to call the office, so I took a little break from work and called. I was told that I had been accepted and was going on the World Race in January of 2010! I started crying and laughing! I called my Mom and my Dad and then I called my two best friends and told them. I was overflowing with joy and excitement and some sadness all at once.
 
Even though I know I am going on the World Race now, the Lord is still encouraging me to stay strong in preparing to go. I keep finding myself being led to Paul’s life and the letters to the early Church. I know that I will not regret following God’s calling in my life by going on the World Race and I am so excited to see what he does in my and through me!