I wanted to write a quick blog explaining a change that I have made and a little bit of how God worked through and brought me to this change.
For the past month or so I have been really processing and praying through what my life is going to look like when I leave for the worldrace six weeks after I get home from Ecuador and graduate college. I knew going into this trip that it was going to be a quick transition, but something really hit me the other day when I was in my alone time praying with Jesus.
I asked the Lord what was something He loved about me; a quality He created in me that brings Him glory.
Through this Jesus revealed to me how He loves how present I am in the moment. He loves that where my feet are planted is where my heart is planted and I am eagerly engaged in that moment instead of looking ahead. I even remember back two months ago when I left for Ecuador I had to write a difficult blog post to my worldrace team and tell them that I couldn’t be immersed in the facebook group quite yet, because that’s not where my feet were planted at the time. And I knew right away how important it was for me to be completely immersed and present with the people and time I have in Ecuador.
He revealed to me if life were like a marathon, I have NEVER been someone to sprint through it. Even in my leisurely running I pace myself, I stop and take in the world around me and I enjoy where I am at, instead of trying to get the best time.
This was all great to hear and be affirmed in, except that isn’t really the season I was entering into.
I was entering into a season where I was SPRINTING. I would arrive home from Quito and have five days with my Trinity family before I graduate college and then 2 hours after college graduation I left for training camp, I came back from Training camp just in time to make it to my sister’s graduation, and I just had a few weeks to be with the people I love, complete a class, getting everything ready for my trip, and then leave for 11 months.
Woah. This was not me.
I realized my heart longed for a short season home before I left for another trip. I knew Jesus had called me on the worldrace and pure joy floods my heart every time I think of this beautiful call that God has put on my life.
I wanted to be there for my sister while she transitions into her first year of college, help her pack, meet her roomates, and encourage her into the new season she was entering into. I wanted another season with my young adults group and continue to grow side-by-side with radical lovers of Jesus. I wanted another season with family, to go out on hiking trips with my dad and walks in the summertime with my mom. I wanted to soak up the time I had with Trinity people before I graduated and wouldn’t see any of them anymore.
And at first, I thought, is this selfish of me God?
The Holy Spirit dwells inside of me and I believe that my thoughts and desires line up with His when I allow Him to be the one who leads me in all directions. Desiring to be united with a body of believers is not selfish, IT’S THE KINGDOM. Of course my heart longs to be with other radical lovers of Christ, because that is the way the Body of Christ was created to be, to lean on other another, to carry each others’ burdens, to teach, and learn from one another.
God has affirmed leaving in September instead of July to me in so many ways to me, through my mom, sister, dreams I’ve had, conversations with friends, discernment, leaders and mentors that have been pouring into me, peace, and more. This extra 2 months at home will give me the time I need to finish a class, have more fundraising events/more time to fund raise, and spend time with loved ones.
With this route change, all the money I have raised thus far just transfers right over to my September account with no problem! Also, with this change, a few of my countries are different so here is a tentative list of my new countries-
Guatemala
Honduras
Nicaragua
Costa Rica
Japan
Thailand
Laos
Cambodia
Swaziland
Zimbabawe/Botswana
South Africa
Thank you to everyone that is continuing to pray for me and love me well while I am out here in Ecuador. So grateful for this season in my life and the people that are a part of it.
**Be on the lookout for information about fundraisers I will have this summer that might include lots of BBQ, live music, and more :)**
