I first heard about The World Race in the beginning of this year – it immediately grabbed my heart and I knew it was something that I wanted to be a part of, but I wrestled with God for months. I told Him that I would starve to death [because I’m a picky eater], that I absolutely hate big spiders and could never face the crazy ones in other countries, that I am inadequate, that I could never leave my cat for that long and that there was no way I could do it any time soon, because I am needed here. I tried to leave it as something I wanted to do before I turned 30, but no matter how many excuses I came up with for why I couldn’t do it, the desire was still there and continually growing!
Let me take a minute here to tell you about a prophecy that was spoken over me in May 2007. God spoke to me through someone who was visiting our church and told me through him that He wanted to make some minor adjustments in my life, to put everything in order. He told me that it wasn’t to minimize what I was doing at the time [children’s church], because that was beneficial to the body of Christ, but that I had stuff waiting to get out. He called me a sleeping giant, saying that when I wake up and clear my throat that conviction will come and demons will flee. He told me to know that God had called me for such a time as this and placed these gifts in me and not to question it.
It was a lot for me to process and I really had idea what it meant for me! I thought maybe I would move into the media ministry or something, but little did I know…
Back to this year, as I was still wrestling with God about The World Race, I started being confronted from every angle with the issue of Human Trafficking. It was in books I was reading and programs I was watching. The more aware I became of the issue, the more my heart broke, because I knew that I couldn’t even begin to fathom the brokenness those being trafficked felt. As I began to think of the possibility of the young girls I know and love being forced into the sex industry, tears streamed down my face.
It was around this time that I saw The World Race had a Human Trafficking Edition leaving in January and instead of taking a step of faith and answering the opportunity God was placing right in front of me, I wrestled with Him some more! Oh my gosh, you guys, you’d think I would have gotten it by now!
About a week later my mom watched an old rerun of Touched By An Angel and was touched so deeply that she was in tears. She then had my dad watch it and it touched his heart so much that he was in tears. After a little coercing, my mom convinced me to sit down and watch it, as well and sure enough I was in tears by the end! Normally, it’s a nice, encouraging show, but this particular episode was all about the slave trade. I felt like “angel Monica” was speaking directly to me at the end when she told the main character that just like Esther she was born for such a time as this and that she is the one to go and make a difference, which immediately reminded me of the Word I received in 2007. It’s amazing that God could use an old TV show to speak confirmation to His child, but that is exactly what He did. I also truly believe He used it to prepare my parents, as well.
It took awhile for me to put all the pieces together, but I stopped wrestling, stopped saying “I can’t…” and started saying “Here I am, send me”. That was the best decision I ever made!
