Y'all,
I am so excited to take this journey in to the unknown. It took me a while to reach this place of surrender. I knew God was calling me to the WR for a few months but I wasn't ready. I was being stubborn. I would love to be able to say I jump at the first sound of Gods voice. But the truth is I didn't. Another truth: He knows me. He knows that I was scared. He knows that I can't and won't make a decision this huge without absolute peace that He is asking me to do this.
But y'all, God is so patient. When I think of how I arrived here, at saying yes to the World Race, I can only see God's immense patience and mercy. When I asked Him to remove all doubt and make Himself known to me He did. He showed up for me to confirm this calling in a way that only He can take credit for. I can't rationalize it, I just know that He did.
So now that I am here, past the questions, past the doubt… (Well I have moments when I am flooded with questions but…)now that I am here, I won't be stopped. I am standing in a place where only GOD can meet my needs. I don't think I have ever been so helpless before and I love it. I actually LOVE being helpless. It pushes my faith, conquers my fear and reminds me how HUGE MY GOD IS. He has never failed and I know he sho ain't about to start now. It is such an exciting place to be though. To stand in a wide valley knowing I can't control the situation or be the fixer that I normally am. It's exciting and scary.
Here are the things I am most excited for:
- LOVE:The next year, is a continuation of what God is calling me to. It doesn't start when I leave the country. It began before I was even a twinkle in my dad's eye. It was the calling placed on my life since time began. We are all called to love. period. Matthew 22: 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” The World Race is just the next step in loving more and more and more and more. I am excited to be an extension of Christ's love for his children, my brothers and sisters. To show this hurting world the love of our Savior. I believe LOVE will always reign victorious. Not doctrine, not religion, not rules or opinions or obedience. LOVE, Love has won, is winning, will win. Love in the form of Jesus taking our sins when he hung on that cross and bought our freedom. Love in the form of helping those in need. Love in the form of dying to myself so that He might get glory. That is what this entire WR is about for me. Love.
- Seeing the world, standing in awe of God's perfect artistry, exploring. This is not a vacation. I am not doing this to sight-see. But I also refuse to believe that gazing on the glory of creation isn't an added blessing of being a missionary. It all speaks of God's magnificence. Enjoying it is worship. I will see things and places I have never seen and will probably never see again. I will be returning to Costa Rica, Thailand and Malaysia. Malaysia. Ah Malaysia. But I will also be stepping foot in 8 new countries. The next year will give me the opportunity to lay under a sky dripping with stars, feel the wind in my hair, wiggle my bare feet in the grass, climb a mountain, appreciate the sun beaming through green leaves in the jungle, and float in the ocean. These are the things that make my heart sing. These are my Creator's love letter to me. He knows how to reach my heart.
- FOOD: Yall, I love food. I think it is so fascinating. I am excited to try anything and everything. I will try anything once. Some of the best food I have ever had in my life was eaten at a nasty little table on the side of the road in Thailand and cost a whopping $1.10. So I am looking forward to more delicious, curious, memorable meals like this.
- Adventure: No day will be like the one before. Every single day will push me out of my comfort zone. YES! Perhaps I will ride an elephant, pet a tiger, dive with sharks, jump off a cliff. Who knows, but I am down for it all!! And I will be certain to post it all here so you can follow the wild adventure that is my life.
quite the paradox. I am excited, but also incredibly scared of:
- Living simply, being nothing: Life in America is a blessing and a curse. We have exposure to anything and everything and we can get it all with the click of a button, or by speaking it aloud to our phone (UGH). Yes, this has helped us advance and there are advantages to all of it. But if we aren't careful it can advance our minds and deteriorate our hearts. It can all too quickly numb our souls. When our minds are so crowded with stuff and voices and newsfeeds and tweets, can we really clear the clutter enough to hear the often quiet, still voice of God? So, I am so so looking forward to living simply while on the WR. I have unfortunately, over the years placed too much stock in the things I possess and have used them as a means to judge others and myself. While on the field, I only have what I can carry on my back (what isn't much), the team around me and my God. This journey is going to shake up what I count as valuable, how I relate to others, how I value myself and hopefully strip me of all the stupid labels I have picked up over 26 years of looking to others to define myself. It will also make me so grateful for this blessed life the Lord has bestowed on me. I have truly been so blessed. I have a job I love, friends and family I adore and all my needs are met or constantly exceeded. Honestly, all of those things made it that much harder to say yes to the World Race, but now I realize they are exactly why I HAVE TO DO THIS. God hasn't blessed me so that I can hoard my love, hoard grace or life. He has given me all these things so that I can give them away.
To do this though, I need your help. If your would like to bless me financially and help love on our brothers and sisters all over this world please click "Support Me" and make your one-time or monthly donation.
As always, I am so grateful that you took the time to read these words. If you would like to subscribe to my blog, just enter your email address in the blank on the left side of the page.
God is good y'all,
Stacie
