“You didn’t choose me, I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”
John 15:16
Hey everybody!!
Well, first things first… My name is Mckayla Oakley and I’m a world racer (well, soon to be) in August 2016! I will be going on the World Race Gap Year Route 1 to Europe, Asia, and South Africa and I could not be more excited, scared, and everything in-between. The trip is 9 months and we will be in each of the 3 countries for 3 months at a time sowing and growing in God and for God! How awesome is that?!
A few things about me:
- Coffee. Its a food group I’m pretty positive…
- I’m 18 years old, my birthday is November 22nd.
- I have 2 younger sisters, they’re the coolest ever..
- I am currently a freshman in college.
- My favorite TV show is Grey’s Anatomy (it’s sad how emotionally invested I am)…
- I LOVE having really really good talks with people.
- I really love singing to songs obnoxiously because I am NOT a good singer at all, so what better way to sing than to sing obnoxiously with super embarrassing dance moves to go with it?
SO, how did I decide to apply for this, you ask? Well, here we go.
I have always wanted to travel and do mission work ever since I was a little girl, but leaving the country was never really a thought that had crossed my mind. I knew I had a love for volunteering and helping anyone who needed it while showing God’s love and planting His seed, and have always wanted to travel. The Lord has a plan for me, and ever so sneakily snuck it in at times I was completely oblivious (total face-palm moments looking back at them now). He got the ball rolling.
I started meeting people that were taking HUGE God-led trips to go evangelize and spread the love of Jesus. I remember thinking “Wow, that is so amazing… I wish I could do something like that.” Now look at me. The Lord has led me, stopped at all the stop signs, led me some more and I am following Him with my whole heart, just along for the ride. Again, I met someone else that had actually gone on The World Race and raved about how life changing it was and that I should totally do it and I thought, “ehhh… that would be soooooo amazing but there’s no way…”… Fast forward a couple months and I was feeling so led by God to go… just GO. So, I’m on my computer, and The World Race pops up… like what? A few clicks later, I realized just what He meant by GO. Ooookay, God I’m pickin’ up what you’re throwin’ down. I began then to look around on the website and figure out what all this plan for me entailed, thought about it, prayed about it, talked about it, and began filling out the application and submitted it.
Time goes by, and I’m praying to God wondering why I hadn’t heard anything yet… and then, I get a phone call…. I WAS ACCEPTED! I ran upstairs, told my mom, had a massive texting session with about 30 people “I JUST GOT THE PHONE CALL I’M ACCEPTED AND I’M GOING!!!!!!” (so sorry y’all), and paced around my house because there was no way I could sit still after all that!
Fast forward to right now,
I am so excited for this amazing journey the Lord is taking me on. I am taking comfort in the fact that God is strengthening and building me to be the best version of myself I can be for Him and is leading me somewhere to glorify Him. I don’t have my life together all the time, but that’s okay! He chose me. He chose me to create lasting fruit in this world, along with an army right along beside me. He has given me some really awesome group members so far, AND one that lives 10 minutes away from me (thanks God)!!! He has a plan for me and He will always always always lead the way. I can’t wait to see how He will use me and change me and use me to change the people I meet on this journey. I am constantly reminding myself, If He lead me to it, He will lead me through it and I’m already on my way.
Here’s where y’all come in:
Going on this journey is something I cannot do alone. Pray! The power of prayer is SO huge and will be SO helpful! You can also subscribe to this blog, and follow where I am going next and whats new with me! If you would like to support me financially, you can click the “Support Me” tab at the top right of my blog. If you have any questions, please don’t be afraid to contact me. I will try my best to help in any way I can to answer any questions y’all may have. Anything and any amount will help!
Agape,
Mckayla
