I’m from a small town “Dalhart” in the North West part of the Big state of Texas. I am 18 year’s old. I have a small family with two loving parents and one older Brother. They have been a big testament to my walk with Christ. My dad is the spiritual leader of our family. My mom is the most Godly women I know. My older brother is in the Marines so getting to see each other before I left on the race didn’t happen which was very hard for me.
I found out about the World Race Gap year after going on a mission trip with AIM’s Ambassador program. I spent two weeks in Guatemala and I didn’t necessarily get out of it what I would have liked. I had previously went to Ecuador with my family in 2012 and that was the best first taste of mission I had gotten.
After hearing about Gap year, I did not expect that I would actual go. I had planned on going to Sam Houston University to major in Criminal Justice and become a police officer. I did not expect that I would live in Guatemala for three months, Malaysia for three months, or in Botswana for three months. I began praying harder for an answer is to wether I was supposed to attend college or not. The Lord clearly directed me to the World Race Gap year.
I told my parents my mom was okay with it, but my Dad shot me down within minuets of asking. He prayed about it and came to me one morning after his bible study and gave me his blessing. Tears flowed because I knew that was exactly what I was supposed to do. I applied, got accepted, and quickly raised all of my funds. I am now sitting in a coffee shop of month 5 on the Race and I wouldn’t change a thing.
I never remember a time in my life when I wasn’t following christ. Moments along the way I got sucked in by the World, but those are testament that each time I did the Father came running after me with open arms ready to forgive and accept me back into his presence.
My faith alone has grown while being here. I never knew that I could fall as deeply in love with the Father like I have these past 5 months. This has been the hardest, best, funnest, worst, and the most craziest thing I have ever done. Words could not do what the Lord has taught me justice.
I hope this Race that I would continue to press into everything the Lord has for me. I hope to continue submitting to him even if it is uncomfortable. I want a yes spirit even if I don’t really want to say yes.
After the race the I plan to get my degree in criminal justice, I want to one day run an organization that works with habitual criminal leading them to the Lord and out of the lifestyle of being drowned in the world and problems they face. I want to live a life of constant ministry even if I am not a missionary. I don’t know if this is what will happen and If it is what the Lord wants for me, but I will continue to pray with expectancy.
