First of why the World Race? Well, that’s simple. God called me to do it! I can’t argue that and I’m not going to. Frankly, I should have listen to him a long time ago instead of making my own way in this crazy world. So, I’ve decided to listen to him and this is where he led me too. Now, if YOU want to know why God would lead me to The World Race then you ask him because I can’t exactly answer that. What I can do is tell you, now that I have some hindsight, how he led me here and maybe speculate as to why.
The Race is not a new thing to me. I’ve actually known about it for quite awhile. I’ve just ignored it until now. See growing up I always thought I was to do something involving missions. I never had the opportunity to participate in missions as a kid. I was like 10 when my church went to the Navajo Reservations and that was too young. The church never really did missions after that. I mean I was involved with the church going to every Sunday and Wednesday as well as camps, conventions, lock-ins and any other activity the church had. As I got older I always thought I’d attend a mission later but they never went back and I moved on to college.
By then I was consumed with passing class, graduating, getting a job, and making money to pay off debts. I kept going to church but never really much past that. I tried to get more involved and actually went to a leadership training program for 10 weeks in Orlando, FL the summer of my sophomore year in college. That was probably the closest thing to a mission’s trip but even then it really wasn’t. We were to be learning how to be leaders while ministering to those we worked with and then ministering on the streets of Orlando and inviting people to attend our Tuesday service at a local bar. Basically, looking back, this was what I was supposed to be doing every day of my life but I realize I wasn’t and so now, here was a designated opportunity to do it.
So, where did this lead me? To a feel good, God is good relationship but that’s it and even then, that’s not a relationship. It was more like church became a routine, something I did because I knew I was supposed to. It was what “good” people did.
So what does this have to do with the Race? Well, see, I didn’t have to rely on God. I just did what a good responsible American would do. Go to college, do well, graduate, get a job, eventually get married….you get the point. I was just following the steps I thought I was supposed to but I felt empty. I felt like there was something more to life. I was working with students in my internships towards getting my teaching degree and I realized that even though I might be uncomfortable at times working with “at-risk” youth I enjoyed it. I just wished there was more I could do for them than what I was doing. I just didn’t’ know how. I figured I would eventually figure it out and find my place. I was graduating soon anyway.
Then I met Traci. I worked with her while I was in college and one day she handed me a letter. At this point in my life I was starting to seek something more than just teaching. I just didn’t know what or how to get it. So, I read this letter and it’s about the World Race and how she is going on it and what led her to do it. AWESOME was my first thought and “I could never do this but want to” was my second. I began telling Traci that as much as my heart urns for something like this I could never do it. I’m not good enough. I didn’t have the relationship with God that I would need to do something like this. Traci was the daughter of missionaries it’s her calling not mine. So, I ignored this feeling to do something and instead guided my own path, graduated and eventually began teaching.
I still felt empty. My life was pointless. I mean seriously what’s the point of making money if I can’t take it with me when I die? Yeah, a nice retirement would be great but who says I’m going to live that long so why work that hard……………for nothing? Maybe I needed a different job or a different location. So, I moved.
I ended up back home teaching in the town I grew up in. I was cut my first year teaching along with 521 other people due to budget cuts, only to be rehired at the end of the year. My second year became a political guessing game for teacher salaries and retirement. My heart wasn’t in it.
So, I began praying: God what am I to do with my life.
Then I went back to visit the church I grew up in and a kid I used to go to church with was speaking, his name was Trevor Curington. He spoke about how he was leaving in January 2010 to attend The World Race.
My heart went to my stomach. I couldn’t breathe! It was like this bottomless pit had opened up inside me. I can’t explain it. I felt that very same pull I had when Traci told me she was going. I thought to myself “this is awesome for Trevor. How cool! Man, I wish I had the courage to do something like this. I’m not good enough.” So, once again I ignored that feeling but kept praying “God what do you want me to do?”
About 6 months later I was searching for a new church home. I walked into a class at the church I attend now and met a girl. This first thing she said to me was “Hi, I’m Chelsea and I’m going on The World Race.” I chuckled. How crazy!? That pit again, my heart beating fast, breathless, I freaked out. No way!
By now it’s the end of the school year. I still felt unsatisfied at my current job. I continued to seek out God’s guidance in my life. What was I to do? Where was I to go? As my relationship with God grew I began searching into transferring schools, teaching out of state, teaching overseas. Nothing came.
Two weeks after meeting Chelsea I was cleaning my room and found a white envelope with the name and address for a girl named Traci. I opened the envelope and inside was the original letter Traci gave me when she was going on the World Race. I couldn’t believe it! I’ve moved and cleaned over the past, I don’t know, at least 3 years since I met Traci and here was this letter. Why? I couldn’t explain it but instantly knew all this time God was calling me and telling me what to do I just wasn’t listening.
It wasn’t easy to accept this task from God. For months afterward I argued with him. I asked for something else. Let me stay local. This doesn’t make sense. I even went as far to research other mission opportunities in the area so I wouldn’t have to go. One thing though I asked God to do was to leave the Race on my heart if it was what I was to do, if not then replace this desire with something else. Through all my other research and months of prayer and asking, no begging, for something else, the World Race stood strong in my heart.
So here I am, 7 full months before I leave on the Race. I cannot fully explain why God has called me to do this just that he has. Right now I think in my relationship with God he needs me to trust him and this journey is going to force me to trust him. I cannot wait to share God’s love, hope and salvation with the nations. I am fully aware that I am putting “my life” in danger by doing this but that is what God has called me to do for his glory.
Matthew 10:37-38 “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worth of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
I’ve decided to “lose my life” for Christ. My “American dream” of being successful having a great career and house, with the white picket fence, and good car with a great retirement package and a life full of luxuries, comfy couches, air conditioning, running hot water, clean water, and safe places to vacation. I’ve decided to “lose my life” to bring others the hope of salvation with Christ Jesus. To reach those who are raped, beaten, hopeless, enslaved in a life of sin and by those whose lives are filled with sin. I’m losing my life for Christ because that is what I’m called to do: Matthew 28: 19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
That is WHY I am going on the World Race.
