Bekah Shearin of 2014 L Squad has been really digging into her World Race experience, and what God has uncovered is something truly incredible: her true self.
Bekah Shearin grew up in a family who taught her what it was to listen to and love Jesus. She recalls, talking to and even playing with Jesus as a child. She was convinced of his love for her, and her father encouraged and fostered that relationship.
As she got older and entered middle and high school, Bekah struggled with self-image issues and retreated into a shell, with only her family and her close friends at church knowing the real her. Her father played a pivotal role in her development, pouring into Bekah’s life and inspiring an identity centered around the love of her heavenly father.
In 2011, Bekah moved across the country to begin college. It was during this time Bekah made intentional choices to move into deeper intimacy with God, and she worked to become more dependent on God while she was away from her family.
She had no idea just how important this would be just months into her freshman year.
In 2012, Bekah’s father was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, with no extensive treatment options available. She moved home shortly after that to spend as much time with her father before he passed the next summer.
Even in the grieving and struggle of that season, Bekah felt the Spirit calling her to an even deeper place of dependence. She felt the Spirit calling her to leave home and find him in the world.
“A few months after my dad died, a friend mentioned the World Race to me. It was like a light bulb went off in my head and spirit. I knew the Race was what Jesus was calling me to. A week after that conversation, I applied.”
She launched September 2014, experiencing the fullness of God and his love for peoples of all nations. He has taught her what it means to be a daughter and to just explore and adventure alongside him. However, when she entered her month 10, which was in Uganda, Bekah experienced her most challenging time on the field. Culture shocked from travelling from Asia and fighting intense spiritual warfare, they were tasked with hosting a summer soccer camp for 150 children.
Then their squad coach passed away.
Once again, Bekah found herself grieving. “He had become another father figure for me, and it was reallyhard to hear of his death. I had to fight every day to stay present and not to wish my time away. I had to fight to love the culture and the people around me. I had to fight for my team – to love them and encourage them.
“In that hard time, I learned to keep trusting God in my circumstances. I continued to learn how Papa is my protector. He continued to push me into deeper relationship with my team. Even in our struggles, He was teaching us how to work through the hard times and fight for each other.”
But the Race has also held moments of great beauty for Bekah. In her ninth month Ethiopia, she bonded with three women, cooking meals for her team and the workers everyday. They shared stories in broken English, meals, and most of all, the love of Christ with each other. “They told me how much they loved me and how much they loved Jesus. It was a precious time of being poured into as well as pouring myself out. I’ll never forget them or the love they shared with me.”
As her race is concluding, Bekah says she is still the same person she was at the beginning of the Race. She didn’t have anything to walk away from, however she did have something amazing to walk into: the reality of who God said she was.
“God has done a lot of unearthing and digging in my life. He’s uncovered a lot more of who I really am, and He’s given me the confidence to step out into those things. My identity has always been established in him. But I was trapped in a lot of lies the enemy had been telling me for a long time. While on the Race, the Lord has broken those chains. He’s brought me freedom to live fully in my identity in Christ. It’s beautiful.”
After the Race, Bekah plans on attending the Center for Global Action, a second year apprenticeship and discipleship program facilitated by Adventures in Missions in Gainesville, GA. She is looking forward discovering more of what God has for her and being activated in her life’s calling. But until then, she’s digging in where she is, which currently is Nicaragua, and encouraging others to do the same.
“I know it’s a ‘World Race’ phrase, but it’s true. Dig into what the Lord has for you right now. He’s might be trying to teach you something or tell you something. Be open to the different ways He might be talking to you.”
Is God trying to uncover something deep within you? Learn how you can step into a deeper place of intimacy through an adventure on The World Race!
