For as long as I can remember, I have led a very busy, color coded planner kind of life. I never have gas in my car and my phone is always dying. For me, life has been about making the most of a moment and never wasting a minute. (Even if that means driving past a few gas stations.) After graduating from college last May, my life changed drastically. Suddenly, I didn’t have nearly as much to do and my planner wasn’t quite as colorful as it once had been. As it turns out, slowing down was the best thing that ever happened to me. It actually made me appreciate the moments I did have. Slowing down allowed me to focus more on myself and the person I wanted to be. It allowed me to rest and reflect. This season of life has led me to learn how to slow down and be more intentional with everything that I do and say.
As this season of reflection continues, I am also preparing for a new season in life. This October I will be embarking on a new journey. This journey will allow me to dive even further into this lifestyle of being intentional, reflective and obedient to the Lord’s calling on my life.
About six years ago I went on a two month long mission trip to South Africa and Zambia. This trip was the first mission trip I had gone on with out family and friends around me. I spent that summer doing ministry with roughly 125 other teenagers from all over the US. During this trip, through casual conversation, I was introduced to something called the World Race (WR). After 6 years of prayer and waiting for God’s perfect timing, I am excited to announce that I will be launching for the World Race in August!!
Yes, I know how this sounds. I just talked about slowing down and now I want to start a race?! The WR is not actually a race. The WR is a journey to eleven countries in eleven months, serving the least of these, all while living among the community. The unique thing about this Christian mission trip is that over the course of the eleven months that I’m gone, each month I’ll be in a different country. In each country, my team will be partnered with a different ministry. This means that day to day ministry will look different each month. It will change depending on the needs of the community and organization we are serving that month. One month we may be working at an orphanage, the next serving victims of sex trafficking, the next teaching english at a school. This unique paring of ministry opportunities will allow me to rely on the Lord in new ways and reach people using methods I may not have ever used before. The eleven months I spend on the mission field will undoubtedly be some of the most difficult and rewarding moments of my life thus far. I will have to apply what I have learned this past year about a slower lifestyle… This will be a slow, but steady race!
That being said, this is huge undertaking and something I definitely cannot do alone. I am going to need a bunch of support back at home for my team and I. This is my official invitation for you to partner with me and my team for the race. We will need people at home that cover us in prayer daily. We will need prayer for ministry opportunities, health, and safety.
As I begin to prepare for the race, I am also seeking financial support. In order to leave fully funded the first week of October, I will need to raise just over $16,000. This money will cover all of my travel, living and food expenses for the eleven months I am on the field. As I take this step of faith, trusting the Lord to fully provide, will you prayerfully consider coming along side of me with a one time or monthly donation? Will you share this post so that others can join me as well?
I am excited to see what the Lord does over the next year and a half. He has already used this opportunity in my life to provide ministry opportunities here at home. I have already been in communication with my teammates and I must say, they are the bomb.com. I could not be more excited to live within this community next year!
I realize this is a lot to take in. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask! I would love to chat and explain more about this amazing opportunity and my calling to go!
In His Love,
Ashlyn Brady
