I have always had a heart for missions. My parents have always stressed to us how important being a servant for God is. Since I was old enough to be in a youth group I started going on mission trips. I can remember growing up and coming back from these trips and being SO on fire for God and his kingdom, and then falling right back into the norm after being back home for a few days. Well, this last summer I spent a couple weeks in the Czech Republic and fell in love. I had never been around SUCH non-believers. Kids who looked me in the eyes and told me God didn't exist. I was broken. These precious, innocent kids were such a blessing to me last summer, and continue to bless me everyday. After this trip I continued to have such a strong passion for missions. I had heard that a girl I was acquaintances with through highschool basketball was on this thing called The World Race. I immediately started stalking her facebook and pictures. Then I decided to google what this World Race thing was. When I came to the WR website I was instantly grabbed. I thought that this was THE coolest, most radical thing EVER. But, I knew that I could never do something like this. Day after day I kept up with Emily's blogs, pictures, her teammates, and facebook. I knew that this was something I should pray about, but I didn't. After about a month I was still checking up on the WR and I knew I couldn't NOT pray any longer. I started a prayer journal in September, and I brought the WR before God. I asked Him to open doors if they needed to be open, or take this desire for wanting to go on the WR away if I wasn't supposed to go. Fast forward to January. Emily got back in November and I had pretty much put the WR out of my mind. I was so scared to tell anyone what I wanted to do, so I just kept it to myself. So, January comes around and I start attending this small group through a college ministry at church. There was a guy there that had gotten back in November from the WR also, and he knew Emily! Small world. Well that night at small group I picked his brain about the WR FOREVER. He told me that if this was something I had constantly thought about, and if I had kept filling out the app and not submitting it..then there was a problem. I needed to obey God's calling..I needed to be open and listen. That night I started to pray harder about the WR. It was being laid SO heavily upon my heart…I couldn't get rid of this feeling. As I continued to pray about the WR, God kept putting people in my life that were familiar with the WR, or knew someone who had done it, or had just gotten back themselves. It's crazy how God has such perfect timing. I finally surrendered to His calling, and submitted my application and fee. It was like a weight had been lifted. I was finally listening to God and OBEYING His calling for my life, and I have never experienced so much peace about a decision in my life. I am going on The World Race in September, route 3!
