This is it. No more typing then erasing, writing it on paper and then crumbling it up. It’s time to just let this thing go with the flow. I have been accepted to the World Race now for almost 2 months now and I have been having this huge writers block on what I should first start out with. One, I’m not a very good blogger/writer, and two, I’m a huge scatter brain, so my emotions and thoughts go in all different directions. So I guess I will start with how I got here.
It is crazy to say, that this time last year I was all over the place. I wasn’t in a good state of mind, I’ve made a lot of mistakes but hey, we all have a testimony right? I can definitely say this time of my life last year was probably my hardest. The last 6 months of 2013 is pretty much a blur. I just remembered that my friend Edward passed away and it was one of the most devastating things I think I had to experience. I never understood the concept on it. I started partying a lot and drinking way too much. I would come home at 4 AM in the morning. I would say in December of 2013 is when I really started questioning my faith.
In December of 2013 one of my best friends Becky Enriquez invited me to her church. I remember going to youth in middle school, and Sunday school when I was very little with my half sister (of course then, I didn’t understand, except that there was Heaven and Jesus). So I figured when she asked, I had nothing else to lose. I hit complete rock bottom already. When I went with Becky to the church she was going to I had no clue what to expect. There was worship, and I had no clue what to do with myself. I listened to the sermon, and I remember me thinking, I have questions, do I need to be taking notes, and I was so confused because I started to wonder more and more about our King. I was lighting that spark in me. I knew I HAD to find a church I can call home closer to my home and honestly, I did make my New Years resolution to attend church every Sunday. (And I’m thankful for that because of my relationship with the Lord.)
So I started thinking of churches that I could possibly attend to and I decided why not go back to where I went to youth at. Liv It Church. So I went by going to our College Ministry first and man, that first night in there, I felt the presence of God. I knew I was meant to be there. God made Himself known to me, and I knew right there and then my life was about to be forever changed. I knelt to my knees, cried, and surrendered all of my heavy burdens to Him. This past year has been one of the healthiest, happiest, and greatest years of my life. That spark I’ve always had for caring for others made sense of why and how. God has a plan to use to me.
I started getting plugged in more and more at church. I joined our greeting team with our College Ministry, started doing the outreach team out in the heart of Downtown Orlando, and I joined our children’s ministry. I wanted to serve our Lord, and love on people who really just need to hear the words Jesus loves YOU! He died for YOU! You are worthy enough! I know its cliché to say, but its the honest truth. As I was serving I really wanted something more. I felt Him telling me, Janelle, I have bigger plans for you. There is something in your midst. I had no clue what it would be though.
One of my friends brother actually did the World Race, that’s how I’ve heard about it. Never in the back of my mind did I ever think I was going to apply for this. I couldn’t imagine being away from home for a year. I started doing some research on missionaries that I could do and I figured I would search to see what I found. In the beginning, like I would say around March I looked at Adventures in Missions other opportunities and I was originally going to do the Passport mission trip to Africa. I applied, but didn’t submit it. I even told my mom I wanted to go for my 21st birthday, and she said no. There was something stopping me. My faith wasn’t at strong yet, I was still new to all this and I had no clue if it was the right thing. I was honestly scared. After a couple months have passed, and I prayed and prayed, my relationship and faith with Lord was finally where I though it should be, I tried again.
I started doing some research and prayer on it and only this time, I was feeling more towards the World Race. So I applied! This whole process has been an amazing journey and a huge step of faith. I’m so excited to see how God will use me and my squad mates on His journey to these 11 countries. There are many test and trials through this whole process. It can be scary and it can over whelming but I just remember “When I’m afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3. Its all I have. Our God gave His one and only Son, and I’m so ready to follow Him.
