There is a generation of radicals whose heartbeat is to see a changed world. It’s a generation that’s dissatisfied with the status quo and is actively rising to the challenge of seeing the world transformed through tangible expressions of God’s love. World Racers are seeing lives changed in nations all over the world.
So, for anyone who doesn’t know me personally, I am 22 years old, I have a twin sister, little brother, two loving parents and a pretty great life. I feel blessed and ready for what the Lord has in store for the future. Now, a little on the past—I graduated in 2011 in Ohio, and had EVERY intention on going to Lee University. I had spoken to the roommate, bought stuff for the dorm, pre-enrolled for classed, all of it. But, two weeks before I was meant to move, I discovered Mission Florida, a leadership and discipleship program, and God told me to go there. Hardest year of my life, but incredibly rewarding. I grew so much there and learned about myself and the Lord in ways that I would have missed out on otherwise. From there, I joined Abante International, a mission program where I spend 3 months in Puerto Rico serving the community with other young people. It was also a pretty interesting experience but I learned a lot there as well. Sense then, I have been home, serving in my home church with the youth group and the young adults ministry. It’s been difficult being home but I have grown so much. The last few years have been a ride, but I know that future is going to be and even bigger one.
I have been in a process; an incredible, beautiful, transformation that has contributed so much growth in who I am and how I operate in ministry and in my life. I don’t know where I would be, had I made choices in favor of my flesh; to walk away from difficult situations, to be offended at the constructive criticism, or to reject the amazing people that the Lord placed in my life. I have seen God’s hand in nearly every area, and in every season of these past few years. He has made sense of things that were beyond my understanding, given me peace about what I am not meant to understand, and given me the courage to tackle what I never thought I could. I have come to know Him as my Father and the King on my life, and it’s because of that, I have become obsessed with pleasing Him and abiding in His will. My flesh easily wants to reject most of what He calls me to, but in my heart of hearts, my desire is to be His, completely; to go where He would have me go, and to be joyful about His trust in me to handle what I never imagined I could. Without Him, I am dust; I am aware of that, and I love that. I love it because, once I acknowledge and believe that this is truth, there is nothing left but to trust that He has it; ALL of it. I am finally at this place where I can find fulfillment in knowing that I am His and He is mine. I don’t know that I would have made this decision in my own strength or will. Every aspect of this race is scary, and there is literally a whole world of the unknown ahead of me. It would be easy to say, ‘God called me to do it.’ But that doesn’t do the situation justice. Unless you know my whole life and the trials I have faced, you probably can’t understand why saying yes to this is MORE God than it is me. For the majority of my life, I have done very little without operating from a place of fear. Throughout the past few years, I have made leaps and bounds in a direction away from that place of fear, but it is still very present in my life, even today. But God has finally started to make sense of it all. I always wondered, why? Why do I go through this, and what is it for? I would even tell God sometimes, ‘all of this better make sense one day’, and ‘it better be worth it’. But really, who did I think I was talking to God that way? Ultimately, I think He found my anger slightly humorous, just knowing what He had in store for me. All these years, God has been speaking to me personally, through others, and through His word, and I have always kind of put it on the back burner because the idea of the Lord using me in a way that is bigger than me and bigger than anything I could have imagined seemed unreal.
It’s a very long journey– but after years of struggling and growing and dreaming, God is finally moving me into a new season; a very big season; a year actually, of doing what I have ALWAYS wanted and EVERYTHING I am terrified of. 11 months, 11 countries. In each country, I will be stretched in every way imaginable. Ministry will be different in each place, from preaching crusades, door to door ministry, serving in orphanages, working with rescued sex slaves, prison ministry; you name it, and we’re doing it. One month we could be sleeping in a host home and the next we could be pitching a tent on a farm for a whole month. I would generally run for my life away from this out of fear, but at the same time, in my heart of hearts, I have always dreamed of this life. It’s strange, but it’s God. He is calling and I am answering and it feels really good. I have an enormous peace that has consumed me in an indescribable way and the only explanation is that God is all over this. Whatever happens, no matter what it looks like, I will trust Him, and when I start to doubt, I will speak that I trust Him until that doubt is replaced with the truth.
THIS is the Father; the just and loving Creator of the universe looking upon me; a hopelessly sinful person and just loving me. It’s messy, intimate, imperfect and yet perfect, this relationship. As I grow, we grow. It’s different than YOU and Him, and you are different than ME and Him, so I feel confident in saying this.. I am His, and HE IS MINE. And that’s the most important part of all of this; of World Race, of what I have done, what I am going to do, who I am, how I act…it all comes down to that I am a daughter of a King, I was chosen, I am loved and I belong to Him.
