Well, it’s official. In January, I will be leaving to travel around the world to share God’s love and serve His people on the World Race! I feel truly blessed for this opportunity to serve and cannot wait to see how God uses this experience in my life and others.
Up until now, my missions experience has included two weeks in Mexico during high school and a week in Newark, NJ during college. Both trips had been such life changing experiences, and all I knew was that I wanted more. But after graduating college, I felt that God was calling me to start my career in the business world before exploring possible opportunities in long-term missions.
Then at a women’s retreat last fall, a friend of mine had told me about the World Race. By that point, I had completely settled into my job, and the idea of leaving on a missions trip seemed more like a far-off dream. But there was something about the World Race that I couldn’t let go of, and after watching the videos and racer blogs, I knew that this was exactly where God wanted me to be.
As much as I would love to say that I immediately applied for the World Race once I realized this, that was not the case. As a sinner, I constantly struggle in putting God’s will before my own plans and goals for my life. After several months of trying to come to a decision, my head was telling me not to go. Life was good. Why would I willingly leave it all behind to live out of a backpack for 11 months? But luckily, we have an amazing God who never gives up on us. God had undeniably ingrained this calling on my heart and over time was convicting me in the smallest ways (see below) that this really is what He wants for me.
Who knew a Facebook post could be so convicting?
After seeing this I knew. I knew that if I really was going to call myself a follower of Christ, I needed to let go of all of my fears, worries, and desires, and be obedient to the One who thankfully has a much better plan for my life than I could ever accomplish myself. And now that I have actually been accepted to the World Race, God has given me overwhelming peace about this opportunity and I could not be more excited to take a leap of faith and experience whatever God has in store for me!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11.
