Since I’ve announced that I’m participating in the World Race next year, I have understandably received many questions. Initially I intended to continue writing about the process over this past year that has brought me to this place, but I decided to pause and give a hopefully more informative entry on what I’m doing next year and why.
So, without further ado…
This is what we’re doing:
On the World Race, my team and I will be living out of a backpack for a year, traveling to 12 different countries in 11 months. We’ll be serving in a variety of contexts from working in orphanages, ministries, and churches to serving refugees and aiding in crisis and first-response work. But our route, Expedition, is a little different than other World Race routes. In addition to what I listed above, our ministry will take place in countries within the 10/40 latitude/longitudinal coordinates (more info: https://joshuaproject.net), where are focus will be on unreached people groups, both continuing the work of previous squads and developing and building new bridges for ministry as well. It’s gonna be CRAAZZYYY!!
This is why I’m doing it:
As Greg Boyd puts it in “Myth of a Christian Religion”,
“We’re to manifest God’s beauty by sacrificially loving our enemies, serving the poor, feeding the hungry, freeing the oppressed, welcoming the outcast, embracing the worst of sinners (as I, myself, was embraced), and healing the sick, just as Jesus did….And there’s no way to do this without at the same time revolting against everything in our own lives that keeps us self-centered, greedy, and apathetic toward the plight of others. Nor is there any way to do this without revolting against everything in society- and, we shall see in the spiritual realm–that keeps people physically, socially, and spiritually oppressed…
The Kingdom of God that Jesus established is centered on one thing, and one thing only: manifesting the beauty of God’s character and thus revolting against everything that is inconsistent with this beauty. The Kingdom is centered on displaying a beauty that revolts.”
I came across this excerpt while doing some reading, writing, and prep for my fundraising campaign, and I thought “THIS IS PERFECT!!!” I cannot better articulate God’s mission, and how we as followers of Jesus are called to participate. But we are also called to spread this beauty, to erect signs of God’s in-breaking Kingdom all around the world and this is why I’m going. I want to go to serve in all the ways Boyd listed, and to pour out and apply all that God has been building up, teaching, and preparing within me these past several years. I want to act as a vessel through which Jesus can manifest and impart hope, grace, love, peace, and life to all we encounter.
I also desperately want to learn. I want to learn what it means to practically, everyday, live fully submerged within God’s Kingdom and continue the work of uprooting in myself the things (greed, apathy, etc..) that block that from happening. I want to learn so that I can be more fully prepared for the work I feel God calling me to in the future with social change and sustainability. How can attempt to change that which I don’t understand or have not experienced first hand? While it would presumptuous to assume that I could understand fully the plight of others within such a short period of time, I believe this experience will DEFINITELY aid in the process, along with the opportunity to learn from people who are already making a difference.
A Beauty That Revolts:
Because this phrase resonates so deeply with this journey, and what I believe God calling me to do with my life, I’ve decided to use it as inspiration and to underpin my fundraising campaign with this theme. This is also why I’ve chosen to make it the title of my Etsy shop!
So how can you help??
As a body, we work together to accomplish God’s mission, which means we need each other…meaning I need your help!
- You can participate by praying for me and my team! I’ll be setting up a list and asking for people to volunteer to commit to praying with us along this journey. If you would like to take part, email or comment and let me know! My e-mail is [email protected].
- Donate! If you’re reading this page, that means you’re on my blog ;). There is a donate button at the top of the page, and you can sign up to give either a one time gift or commit to monthly giving.
- Buy from my Etsy! I’ll be working on getting rid of ALL my craft supplies over the next months, making tons of products and listing them on the site. All profits will go directly to my fundraising efforts! www.etsy.com/abeautythatrevolts
If you have any questions, feel free to email me: [email protected]
Love you guys, and thank you. I deeply appreciate your support.
