First off, allow me to apologize for not writing since Kenya! It has been a wild ride, but –as you know by now– I wouldn't have it any other way 🙂
Pic of Me and my buddy Gabe when we flew home into the Miami Airport. Our families did a sweet Welcome Home scene for us 🙂
I first returned home from the World Race in June. I was home for a few weeks, intently working on a Rotary Fellowship application (that I didn't get), spent a week with some of my best girlfriends from the World Race, and then headed up to Georgia for a World Race Alumni conference called 'Searchlight'. I arrived at Searchlight expectant that God was going to reveal my 'next step' there. I mean, He hadn't revealed it up until that point… and I was running out of time, right? hah. God works on His own clock — which typically has nothing to do with ours.
<pic of me and my WR girls that came to visit in So Fla before I headed up to Georgia>
I'll backtrack and tell you that I came home from the Race knowing in my heart that I was going to devote this next season of my life to helping developing-world entrepreneurs start businesses and ministries. I was certain of it! I still am. I just had no idea "where?", or "with who?", or the ever-popular question "who is going to pay me to do that?" But I knew it, nonetheless.
It was something God spoke to me about when I was in Cambodia — living in the Treehouse in the jungle, where I got a lot of alone time with The Big Guy. That month in Cambodia He started to show me how He was going to weave together my education, work experience, love for travel, heart for missions, and entrepreneurial spirit into a uniquely-creative, made-just-for-me way to build His Kingdom here on earth. That month, I had divine appointments with a few Cambodian young women that confirmed this dream in my heart, with their own dreams: one wanted to start the village's first bookstore. The other: the village's first private Christian school. And I was so excited for both of them! I had SO many ideas for them. I immediately started brainstorming with them. Talking business plans, long term sustainability, marketing. And when I eagerly told them, "Let me know when you get started on this, because I'd love to help you!" I realized … Yeah, I would. Wouldn't I? And I think I actually can. In fact, I think I am uniquely gifted to do exactly that. And so…I came home knowing I would. But no idea where or with who.
< Me and Mulan – (yes, that is her name) who wants to open a Christian school in her village >
In Georgia that week at Searchlight, God impressed upon my heart that the 'with who' is way more important than the 'where.' I realized I really wanted to work for someone I looked up to, someone I wanted to grow up and be like, someone to mentor me. I wanted to work alongside people that have similar dreams to my own, people that will challenge me and encourage me — not just professionally, but in my faith. I wanted to work in an environment where not only our hearts, but our resources, our skill sets, and our whole selves go out to the poor, lost, and forgotten. A place where I could put to work not only my crazy, can't-sit-still entrepreneurial mind, but also my save-the-world and tell-everyone-Jesus-loves-them heart. And then, I realized, I was there.
I met with Seth Barnes, the Founder and CEO of Adventures in Missions, the parent organization of the World Race. Seth told me about a new program he was launching called Kingdom Journeys where missionaries would be sent out into the world to help –yes, you guessed it — developing world entrepreneurs with their kingdom businesses and ministries! And Seth invited me to come build the program with him!
I've already started my work with Seth (because we entrepreneurs know there's not a moment to waste — and we can't sit still anyway, so what's the use waiting? hah ) and I gotta tell ya, this job was made for me. And I can also tell you without a doubt who fashioned it uniquely-exquisitely for me…my God is SO good to me!
In mid September I will be moving up to Georgia to work at Adventures in Missions and help build the Kingdom Journeys Women ministry. We are building a team of 8-10 young women that will go out into the world this January-June 2014 to work along-side modern day heroes, abolitionists, and warriors fighting for the plight of women around the world. Our KJ Women will work with developing world organizations battling human trafficking and the oppression of women –giving voices to the voiceless and power to the powerless. And I will have the grand honor in building this ministry with my favorite ministry entrepreneur, Mr. Seth Barnes himself 😉
To answer any confusion — no, I am not planning to GO on Kingdom Journeys in January, I will serve as their support staff at headquarters in GA — but I do plan on going to visit them on the field 😉 I'll give my old backpack & tent a break in exchange for an apartment, this time around.
But one thing will stay the same, and that's my reliance on God to finance all of these crazy dreams — yes, I will be support raising again! But this time with a longer term vision: I am not throwing a bunch of fundraiser parties, events, and dinners this time.
This time, I am recruiting a team: a team of Kingdom-minded supporters who are eager to partner with me to pursue this vision that God's laid on my heart. A Board of Directors, for my own personal ministry, if you will. People who are so wildly radical in their faith and so passionate about equipping God's people to do God's work that they'll want to support me in prayer and financially on a monthly basis.
Yes, I know — it sounds crazy. But what's crazier is that already fantastic, generous, bold people of faith are already stepping up and telling me that — get this– they would be "blessed" to support me in this work! Crazy. Like my Dad says, 'When it comes to God, it usually sounds pretty crazy.' So true.
So that's my story!
Since my trip to Georgia in late June, I have been to the Bahamas with friends from high school, to Naples and the Keys with family, and on countless lunch and dinner dates with some of the best friends and comrades life has to offer. And now, I am actually writing to you from a plane on my way to visit one of my best friends from the World Race Kayla Jobe. Go figure — it took me jet setting again to start writing 😉 Maybe that's been His plan for me all along… sounds good to me 😉
< God's artwork in the sky in the Bahamas >
Love you all SO very much and thank you so much for embarking on my World Race journey with me via this blog. I do hope you will choose to 'go with me' on this next leg of my own kingdom journey…whether that's reading my blog, praying for me, supporting me financially as a member of my Team, or just keeping in touch via Facebook — I SO appreciate all of it!
If you want to talk more or hear more details please reach out to me —-> [email protected] or (561) 723 1499
Eager to build some KINGDOM with me? 🙂 —-> Join my Support Team with a one-time gift or rally with me in building the long-term vision!
'Sharing My Mission' Potluck Party: You're Invited! —> Come hear about my World Race on Friday August 23rd in West Palm Beach!
