GO and make disciples of every nation…..
I have probably heard this verse a million times but have never really internalized it. I have always heard my campus pastors encouraging students to participate in missions, but for some reason I never felt the urge or calling to “GO” it really it never fit into my timeline.
My whole college career, I was a slave to the plan. The plan was to finish college and go straight into a graduate program. I applied to 3 grad schools, but the whole time I felt unsettled. I contributed these feelings to nerves and believed that the Lord would provide my need. A couple months later I received my first rejection letter. Ouch, it wasn’t the best feeling in the world. I can remember sitting in my car, upset and then hearing the Lord’s voice clearly, saying “This piece of paper does not determine your worth or intelligence.” In that moment, I felt so comforted and knew that there was a Greater reasoning behind this closed door.
So how did I know the World Race was for me?
I have a friend Hannah who has worked with AIM in the past and since we have known one another has talked about them nonstop. She has both participated and lead trips through this organization. Early in our friendship she had mentioned something about the World Race to me and encouraged me to look into it. Well taking a year off my life was not in MY plan, so I never looked into it. A little after I got my rejection letter, I was over at Hannah’s house. She was watching a World Race, promotional video and sat me down in front of it. I can’t explain the feelings that I got and the urgent desire to go on missions. Say what? It just felt right and that I should seek after this.
The only hard thing was telling my parents, who have shared the same “PLAN” for me during my whole college career. So I prayed and really asked God that to open my parents up to the idea. So the next day my Dad calls me and says he is coming to Greenville to see me. It was completely random and out of the ordinary, considering he lives a couple of hours away. I knew that this would be the perfect time to tell him about my interest in the Race. He came and we talked and to my surprise he was so supportive. I called my mom a few days latter and she was supportive as well. How AWESOME is that? So then I prayed for confirmation and I really felt the Lord say the one word that I never thought would fit in my plan “GO”. I applied and am now embarking on this incredible journey.
Through all of this, I have seen God show up. Show up in places that I have never experienced Him before. I found myself going through the motions of every day life without living and giving all my hopes and all my desires to the Lord. I was making my own plans without seeking God’s plan for me first.
I am excited to see how the Lord will use me and shape me throughout this experience. How I will fit into His plan during this incredible journey.
Thank you for your support and thanks for reading!
