I couldn’t sleep one night and I’d been putting off writing this blog for a while. What was I going to say? Would anyone actually read this?
It’s kind of crazy how many people hear about the World Race through blogs though. I know I read a bunch when I was trying to figure out what the heck this whole 9 month trip thing actually was. For those who don’t actually know me, I went on Gap Year which is 3 countries in 9 months instead of 11 countries in 11 months.
So this is the question I’ve been asking myself. If I could sit down with someone deciding to go on the world race or not, what would I tell them? What would be my first piece of advice? What would I have wished someone told me?
Here it is:
Don’t believe the lie that you need to go on the World Race to change the world.
That is one of the biggest lies I have ever heard but it seems to be a mindset of a lot of people. Whenever someone asks me if they should do the world race, this is my answer.
Is God calling you to this?
That’s the bottom line. You are either called to go on this trip or you aren’t. Pray about it, think about it, and serve where you are in the meantime.
I’ll tell you a little story, I mentioned it in my last blog but it how I signed up for the race. I heard about the World Race towards the end of April 2015. The second after I read about the Gap Year I knew that this what I was looking for. It was an opportunity for me to serve and to solely focus on others for the next 9 months. It was a conviction that hit me deep down, that’s the only way I can explain it.
But I was torn. There is such a need for love and service where I live, and where you live too. I’d been helping out with different ministries in my area and they meant a lot to me. They were bringing God’s kingdom and sharing Jesus’ love. They were giving up everything for it.
I felt like I couldn’t leave and raise $12,500 when there were so many people who needed to hear the good news of the gospel just down the street. My heart was with those people.
For a month I rejected phone calls from AIM and tried to think about the World Race as little as possible. That whole month of May was so hard. I was not at peace and I couldn’t figure out why. Every time I thought of the World Race I had this bitterness that I couldn’t shake.
People would pay hundreds of dollars for me to travel and help people around the world, but they wouldn’t pay to help the homeless down the street or to plant churches spreading the gospel in their own city. To me, it was hypocrisy beyond belief, and it made me angrier than I can describe in mere words.
But God had a different plan.
In the week of June, my friend who had told me about the World Race sat me down and gave me an ultimatum. I had 24 hours to decide what I was doing, one way or another. I knew God was calling me to this but I was running from it as fast as I could…but I couldn’t run anymore.
I made the decision to follow God no matter what and here we are! I got back towards the end of May and I wouldn’t take it back for anything. I learned so much and met so many amazing people. It was 100% worth it.
But it’s not for everyone. If you want to go solely for adventure, if that is what is drawing you, then please don’t go. If you don’t know how to have adventures already in your everyday life where you are at, then you will be in for a letdown. Of course you have a lot of opportunities to explore and you are traveling. But traveling gets old and touristy stuff is freaking expensive.
People aren’t paying for you to explore and have fun. You are there to serve and to grow in your relationship with Jesus and that has to be your priority or you will be a burden on your team.
Here is another way to look at it. Nearly anyone could go on the World Race and grow. It’s hard and you learn a lot through hands-on experience. But if god’s not calling you to it, then there is some place where you could be even more effective for the gospel where you are at.
Search your heart. What are your priorities? Why do you want to go on the World Race?
Also, don’t be freaked out by all the money you have to raise. I’d never really fundraised before and I raised it all in two and a half months. You can do it! Find the balance between trusting God to provide and getting off your butt and using the gifts he has already provided for you.
I guess I had a lot more to say than I thought. But that’s about it. I have a few more words of advice but I’ll put them in bullets to save us all some time:P These are not any less important, they just more so speak for themselves.
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Training camp blows. If you can make it through training camp then you can make it through the race. You might feel like leaving like I did. Dont.
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Don’t waste your time on all those packing lists or worrying about getting all the right things. Believe it or not, people live where you are going. What I’m trying to say is that any place you go will have what you need to survive and you’ll get in cheaper than in the States…for the most part. Still look for what to pack, but it’s not as big of a deal as you think.
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Please please please don’t waste all of your time watching tv shows or movies. I cannot emphasize this more. You’ll have plenty of time to do that when you’re at home.
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Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with your team. Everyone is waiting for someone else to step up and share their story and where they’ve come from. Be the first and I promise that you won’t be the last.
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*******The world race is what you make it******* I could write a whole other blog about this now that I think about it. It doesn’t matter what AIM says the race is. I even hate it when people call it the race. It makes it something other than what it is. It is life. You are living and serving in another country in community with other believers. That’s it. Ask God what he wants the race to be FOR YOU and chase after **********that with everything you have.*********
There is so much more that I could say but I think the rest is better for you to learn for yourself:) Thank you for reading this and I hope that it is helpful. Also, read this blog! It was written by one of my friends while we were on an awesome road trip to New Orleans! But it’s awesome because it shows you how you don’t have to go around the world to serve people and to show them love:)
http://anniekane.theworldrace.org/post/i-sobbed-in-a-popeyes-bathroom
