A journey in life is rarely walked alone. My journey to the World Race is no different. My next post will continue the story of how I was called to the World Race. This post, however, needed to be written today.
Almost four years ago, I started attending my current church. Once I started to get to know people, I found friendships which have changed my life. One of these friendships is with a young woman named Olivia (better known as Liv). One thing that I realized right away about her is that she has a heart to reach the nations for Christ. She had served on mission trips before I met her. During my first summer at our church, we each went on a week-long mission trip–she traveled to Panama, and I was part of the group that went to Honduras. Liv also was a student at the Iris Harvest School of Missions in Mozambique. Her willingness to go into the unknown for the sake of the Gospel has since inspired three other friends of ours to serve in Mozambique.
I can still remember the conversation we had about her decision to go to Mozambique before she left. It was a warm summer evening. We sat on the swingset at a friend’s house and simply shared our hearts to share the good news of Jesus with people all over the world. As Liv shared her heart, I knew that Jesus would be using her in mighty ways all over the world. Her love for Jesus is the real deal.
In a crazy whirlwind of details that are clearly evidence of Jesus at work (stay tuned for the next post!), Liv is a fellow World Racer!! She leaves for her next life-changing adventure in January. I am so thankful to have someone who I know as we navigate the craziness that is part of being a World Racer. If either of us are feeling overwhelmed, we have the other to lean on for encouragement.
Since Liv is leaving so soon, she has deadlines right around the corner. Liv needs to raise about $2,000 in a couple of weeks in order to be able to stay on the World Race. I know, I know. That’s a lot of money in a very short period of time. I am also aware that I have my own financial goals to meet for my Race.
Yet I also know that helping Liv–even with 5 or 10 bucks–is helping me with my Race.
You see, Olivia isn’t just a girl who I formed a friendship with because of mutual interests.
You see, Olivia isn’t just a girl who encourages and inspires me.
You see, Olivia isn’t just a girl who prays with me and goes to church with me.
Olivia is a beloved daughter of our Heavenly Father, a daughter whose heart simply wants to make her Daddy known and celebrated everywhere she goes.
I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of friend I want cheering me on as I prepare for my World Race.
If you want to donate to Liv’s World Race, click here. She’s working on her blog right now (and doesn’t know I’m posting this about her quite yet). The day will come when I post explicitly about donating to my World Race, but today is a day to Liv it up!!
