In July, while attending a church back home, God spoke into my life through the pastor’s message. The message was titled “Life Interrupted.” It talks about how interruptions will happen. We have to expect them. The pastor said, “the Christian life by definition is disruptive”, and how true is that?! We can’t control interruptions, but we can control how we respond. We have to choose to embrace them and learn through them. You can ask God what He wants to do through the interruption. You can ask Him if there’s something He wants you to do during the interruption and what He wants to do in you. And you can ask Him how He can be glorified through the interruption. What you shouldn’t do is revert back to your old ways of negativity, fear, and anxiety.
The World Race has been a major interruption from the very beginning. Before coming, I had a good job as a nurse helping other people. I shared a townhouse with a great roommate. I had a cat who drove me crazy, but who I loved a lot! I was involved in a church that helped me to grow, and I volunteered in the nursery there. I had a wonderful group of friends. I lived close enough to my family that I could visit them fairly often. I had a new car. Basically, I was set. But that is not what the Lord had in mind for me. My life was interrupted when He called me to apply for the World Race. It was interrupted a little more when I was accepted. It was interrupted even more (more like turned upside down) when I made the decision to go.
I couldn’t control the call from God to apply for the Race. I could control how I chose to respond, and I chose to obey the call and applied. I couldn’t control whether or not I got accepted. I could control how I chose to respond, and I chose to trust God and begin the journey that He had set before me. I chose to buy a backpack and daypack and a million other supplies. I chose to quit my job. I chose to leave my cat with a friend. I chose to leave my family and friends, who were my biggest form of support. God did not make me do those things; I chose to be obedient.
After only 3 weeks in El Salvador, I am definitely grateful for the interruption the World Race has been in my life. Yes, I miss my family and friends. I miss my cat. I miss things in America sometimes. But I know that this interruption was much needed. I know that God will do many things through this interruption, within me and within people in I meet in every country. I know that there are going to be so many opportunities to glorify God through this interruption. I know because it is already happening!
So, to God, I say,
“Thank you for the interruption.”
