I can tell you one thing, it wasn't by accident.
God's timing is perfect. When I look back, I can see where the Lord has used people, events, and seasons in life to bring me where he wants me to be, so I can be who he wants me to be.
In September 2009, the Philippines was hit with typhoon Ketsana. I remember watching the news and thinking about my family there. They were all fortunate to be alive. I saw a story on the Filipino news and they were interviewing people, one was a mother who was grieving for her lost son. I drove home from my parents house after and on the drive back I was overcome with a sense of empathy.
And my heart was broken in a way I had never experienced. I was in tears and felt a calling and a sense of urgency to go out into the world to take care of those in need.
Around January 2010, I happened to notice a friend from pastry school been uploading photos on Facebook from Cambodia and Thailand and it caught my attention. I read about how the Anne Walker I went to pastry school with had left a dream job of decorating wedding cakes in Australia to go do missions work through the World Race. And that's where I had first heard of the World Race. I thought it sounded really awesome, but at that point in time could not see myself doing it, I just never pictured myself as an overseas missionary.
But God sees more in us than we see in ourselves. He's always calling us to better things that he has prepared for us.
In January 2010 I attended the Passion conference in Atlanta, Georgia. I attended a session called “Worship+Justice:Awakening with Hope for the World.” I heard Marilyn Skinner tell her story of how the Lord provided, protected, comforted, and sustained her while on the mission field. She spoke with passion about her work in Uganda and how HIV/AIDS, war and poverty have resulted in millions of orphaned children.
And again my heart was broken. I knew God was calling me. I was filled with compassion that brought me to tears.
In the Summer of 2010, one of the members of our church started bringing in dozens of refugee kids from an apartment complex to our 'Wacky Wednesday' kids ministry. There was a surge of kids attending who had come from parts of Africa, Burma, and Thailand.
And I was overwhelmed with love for these kids. I wanted to feed them. I wanted to clothe them. I love seeing them smile. God brought them into my life and they represented different parts of the world where many have never heard the name of Jesus.
These are just a few examples of how the Lord spoke to me. I had remembered the World Race and began to think about it, I was able to picture myself going on it. Up until I sent in my application (and even more so since getting accepted), not a week had gone by where I didn't think about the World Race. So I had prayed about it.
My prayer before applying for World Race had been this:
"Lord, I don't wanna go if you're not calling me; I don't wanna go if you're not the one sending me…"
And through prayer, the Lord told me:
"I have called you, and where I have called you, I will send you. And where I am sending you, will I not also provide for you?"
And so I sent in my application and got accepted.
It's all in the hands of the Lord. The time preparing for the World Race, the time we'll spend in the 11 countries, and everyday after it. I can't do it on my own.
The Ends of the Earth
-Hillsong
Love unfailing
Overtaking my heart
You take me in
Finding peace again
Fear is lost in all you are
And I would give the world to tell you're story
'Cause I know that you've called me
I know that you've called me
I've lost myself for good within your promise
And I won't hide it
I won't hide it
Jesus, I believe in You
And I would go, to the ends of the earth
To the ends of the earth
For you alone are the son of God
And all the world will see
That You are God
You are God
