Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by archiveworldraceblogs

This is long over due. I apologize!

 
I don’t think I can pin point an exact moment where I heard God call me into doing mission work. I have always had a growing heart for taking care and loving on others. I grew up in a pretty normal home. My mom would always take my brother and I to church and once I got into high school I started going to youth group. Every summer we went on a mission trip we called APPA. Throughout the four years, we went to Prescott, Arkansas, Mustang, Oklahoma and Kansas. Those week trips were some of the top moments of my life. We got to tear down old porches and build new ones for those who needed wheelchair ramps, paint houses, build carports and fences, do roofing (my fav!), build playgrounds and most importantly love on each other and share Jesus. From then on there was no stopping my love of serving others!
 

Throughout college, I still served locally in any and every way possible, but my fire for Jesus had definitely died down some and I was at a stand still in my faith. My heart still kept longing for some sort of long term mission program, but I always had an excuse: school, work, my cats, my bf and family, money. I was selfish. I did not know what it truly meant to give up everything for His kingdom. After college, I began to uncover Christ again (not that He had gone anywhere, I just wasn’t searching for Him). Since the end of 2008 I had been going through a pretty hard year emotionally and I was tired of being sad and empty. But with the love and honesty of my bestest friends and my new church Watermark, I realized back in February I had to make a choice: live my life for HIM or myself. HIM. it’s always HIM.
 
I heard about the race from two different people on the same day, crazy I know… way to go God! Brooke, Lane and I decided to pray pray pray about it daily and apply. I found out I had been accept in August, right before I was leaving to go to Guatemala with my mom and Brooke to love on some much-needed orphans. It was my first international mission trip and it was such a humbling experience I will treasure forever! We got to sing with the children, hug them, kiss them, play with them, take photos of them and teach them English while they taught me Spanish too! I am so so so thankful for the challenging experience, it definitely helped confirmed my love for missions (which I already knew deep down).

I quickly realized once I got back, one week was not enough. I wanted this for my whole life and knew the race was God’s will. I know God has more for me. I have such a passion for those who are lost and to make a difference to those less fortunate. I think the experience to see other cultures and the poor all over the world is such a blessing!! I am so excited to change. I want my life to be radically different. I long to be so secure in my faith and in God that nothing else matters. nothing.

I don’t want people to have to ask me if I am a Christian, I want them to be able to see His change in me. God has reminded me that He doesn’t just want a willingness from me to be used, but a willingness to give up anything and everything to follow Him.

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may
finish THE RACE. And complete the task the Lord Jesus
has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” 
actstwenty:twentyfour 

 

The one question I keep asking myself is “why me?” Why with God’s sovereignty did He choose me to be one of His disciples? I am a sinner. I am broken and I know I have so much to learn. I don’t deserve this opportunity. I don’t deserve God’s love. But that is the beauty in Him. His love is unconditional. His mercy is never ending and it’s FREE. wow. I know my heart is growing in the right direction. I am so blessed to be given multiply second chances. I stray afar and He always brings me back in. I know that if I do not depend on Him alone, I cannot feel His intimacy. As my dependence grows on Him, as my trust grows in Him, so does my closeness and knowledge and goodness and love and ONENESS with Him.

I want to experience His overwhelming presence in other parts of the world. I want to see Him heal. I adore my God and I am so excited to share this all with those who need Jesus just like I do, in America and overseas. I cannot wait to see the world change. My soul longs to be totally dependent on Him alone. I cannot wait to show other people God is everything they need and I plan on doing this until there is a never ending party in heaven :]

“Therefore I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your
bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of
worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what
God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
romanstwelve:oneandtwo