So I’ll be honest, since I came home from the race exactly a year ago, I’ve kind of just been riding one train to the next in hopes that God will eventually show me where we are going. Now, I have not been aimlessly riding this train.
No, I know that God is leading me somewhere, I just don’t know where. I wonder if this is how Abraham felt when God told him, “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s house to the land I will show you.”
It’s funny how an interruption from God can completely take your life and put it on a path you didn’t even know existed.
God used the World Race to interrupt my life in September 2012.
In August 2013, I came home from this trip, to a job where I got to teach kids about making good life choices through rock climbing. This job also included working at an indoor climbing gym, and facilitating people through low and high challenge course activities. Seriously, coolest job ever! (Not in my plans)
Also, I got connected with a church of people who LOVE Jesus, have loved me and continue to love me well. (Also not in my plans).
Somehow I got hooked up with an organization called Bible Study Fellowship and because of that was being refreshed and held together daily by God’s words during one of the loneliest seasons of my to date. (DEFINITELY not my plan!)
I had planned to work this summer, save up some money, and move out with some friends.Instead, I ended up in the Philippines for 2 months leading a team of 5 college students, and seeing Jesus come alive in their lives. (My plan…out the window)
Finally, I was planning to come home, visit some World Race friends, roadtrip to California, then prepare to return to school. Instead, I’m coming home, I will be visiting said friends, roadtripping, and then 3 weeks later I’ll be leaving again to squad lead another group of college aged students, this time to 3 countries for a total of 9 months. (Uhh…excuse me…what?!…I think I’ll give up making plans now.)
These two months in the Philippines have been amazing! God has brought some cool revelation and clarity to some of the things he placed on my heart before, during, and after the race.
In the year, that I’ve been home, I’ve sort of felt like I’ve been walking around in the dark, with a lamp, only able to see that my feet in front of me.
Now, I feel like I’m still carrying that same lamp but instead it’s night time, and a flash of lightening has revealed that I’m actually on a road moving toward a massive landscape. I still don’t really know what it all means and I still have no idea what my future holds but I at least feel a little less lost.
So as I mentioned, upon the completion of my current trip, I will be taking a month long rest stop at home with my family and friends. Then, I will again be shoving my life into a 60 liter backpack, and continuing on this journey. This time my feet will find their way to Guatemala, Thailand, and Botswana.
Alongside two awesome people who love Jesus, I will be leading, discipling, and learning from a group of almost 40 college aged people. We get to watch and encourage each team and team leader to grow and walk more into their Christ given identity and so much more! I literally can’t wait!
I will be trusting the Lord to provide all that I need for this trip, the main things being 2 one-way plane tickets and $3500. The 2 tickets are for my trip to the Georgia where we’ll launch from and for my return trip from a US city back home. The $3500 is my cost for the trip.
If you would like to be a part of how God chooses to provide this, then you can donate by clicking the “support me” link on the left side of this page. If you’d like to donate towards plane tickets, you can email me at [email protected] or message me on Facebook.
Also, please be praying for me for provision and for my heart. Although I’m excited to go, choosing to leave my family and friends again has been difficult, and has not been without some tears before the Lord.
Thank you all so much for the many ways you have supported me. In this life, you guys are one of the greater gifts God has given and I am truly grateful for each of you and the part you’ve played in who I am now and who I am becoming.
Love you all!
