It’s been 2 months since I have come home from the World Race and God has been doing 2 things in me that I would like to share with you.
- Reflecting on my World Race
- Showing me what His next plan is for me.
The 2 main questions I get when I run into people are “How was your World Race?” And “So what’s next for you?”
Before I answer those questions, I need to pause and say thank you. THANK YOU for your constant support this last year as I went to 11 different countries to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Thank you for the encouragement when I didn’t think I could do it. Thank you for believing in me more than I believed in myself. Thank you for setting aside time every week to pray for me as I went to some of the hardest places in the world. Thank you for giving your time and money for me to GO and bring the gospel to these places that needed His love.
Constantly, throughout my time of the race, I was praising and thanking God that He would choose little ‘ole me to do such a task. Especially when just a year before I was lost and hopeless in a dark depression. I lifted my hands in the air every month as I stood back in absolute WONDER at where God had taken me and how He used His children, His church to allow me to do so. I hope that you know that your words, prayers, and finances were treasured and appreciated every SINGLE step of the way. Because of your giving, my life is changed forever.
So to answer that question: “How as your World Race?” It was life changing. I have never been more passionate, intimate, bold, and willing to risk everything for Jesus than I am right now. He used me in unimaginable ways in the craziest of circumstances! Here are some CRAZY examples:
- Being bold enough to preach the gospel in a secret church in India and walk 12 people in salvation with Christ!
- Sharing God’s intentions for sex with four men at a party hostel in Malaysia!
- Doing Bible studies in a bar!
- Sharing the gospel on the streets of Jamaica!
- Sharing the gospel before I jumped off a bridge to bungee jump in Nepal!
- Shaving my head in full surrender to Christ in Jamaica!
- Being inspired in Thailand and God giving me vision of the non-profit/children’s home I will start with Him someday!
- Using my gifts and talents in Cambodia in photography and videography for a ministry!
- Being thrown in front of 200 prisoners in Kenya to encourage and share the gospel with and watching men come to Jesus!
And that’s only scratching the surface!
I have been home from this crazy journey for 2 months and as I reflect on what God did in and through me, I had questions for Him as to what was next for me. As do YOU. Well, MY plan WAS to live in Georgia for a season, save money, get a car, etc. BUT God’s plan is leading me back out again, and as hard as it is for me to hear that, I’m being obedient and saying yes.
The Lord has lead me to a program in Mijas, Spain called Generation 42 Leadership Academy. This program was created for missionaries and World Race alumni who were coming off the mission field, with so many tools and lessons learned and feeling a little lost, needing discipleship and having tons of leadership potential but not knowing what to do with it. G42 is a 9 month program where I will be able to get intensive vocational and spiritual leadership training.
The word “leader” has been spoken over me my entire life and many have seen my natural leadership capabilities that have sprouted over my 24 years of life. Bosses, teachers, and mentors have seen it in me and have given me opportunities to seek it out in positions like manager, resident assistant, teacher, small group leader, storyteller coordinator, missions director, etc. BUT I have never been trained it in. All the life-changing tools that the World Race gave me are INCREDIBLE, but they kind of feel like a pile of wet cement on the ground and I don’t know how to use them for where God is taking me. This academy is organized into 3 trimesters: Training, Applying, and Solidifying. The 1st three months are spent in classes in Mijas, Spain- sermons, lectures, new speakers every week, and intensive vocational and spiritual leadership training. The 2nd three months will be in a practicum somewhere in the world taking all that you have learned and putting into a missional practice in an internship tailored to God’s calling on your life (stay tuned to where that will be for me for it is still unknown). The last three months in the Fall will be back in classes in Spain solidifying all I have learned and debriefing my practicum months. Throughout the whole program I am being discipled, mentored, and coached as I walk through these lessons and prepare to be sent out afterwards to be a bold Kingdom builder. G42 will give me classes, training, and practical application to do this and to set me up with solid foundations as God calls me into a place like the film industry.
“FILM INDUSTRY? What?! Jamilyn I thought you were going to do full time missions!”
I am! God’s just redefining what that looks like for me and calling out ways He created me to do it —> creativity and leadership. If you want to hear the full story about that crazy calling, watch the attached video and hear my heart behind this whole endeavor!
I firmly believe that this leadership academy is going to take me further and deeper into the arms of my Heavenly Father, it’s going to set me up with foundations and tools for my future, and I’m going to be able to TRULY learn how to lead people well for the sake of the gospel. God is calling me to BIG BIG things!!
Now, such an endeavor to Spain makes NO financial sense for a broke 24 year old missionary. But fundraising always seems to be an adventure with God, because He is not going to call me to something and then leave me hanging. I remind myself that if God can help me raise $20,000 for the World Race, He can certainly do it again if this is where I’m meant to go! But just like the World Race, I cannot do it alone. It, again, will be the Body of Christ, His church who SENDS me.
I’m asking for you to partner with me in 2 ways:
- Prayer- if there is anything that I have learned in the last year it would be that prayer is POWERFUL! God is raising me up as a leader in the Kingdom and satan feels threatened! He already has caused spiritual warfare to head my way and I need prayer warriors to surround me as I go. I have a Facebook group titled “Jamilyn’s Prayer Warriors” where I will regularly post and update prayer requests if you would like to partner with me. Please consider giving a portion of your time this year to pray for me. Please reply with whether or not you would like to be added to that group.
- Finances- Generation 42 Leadership Academy costs $10,000. As I said before, I do not have that money and God is calling me to trust Him as He moves in the hearts of His children to be the Church, to be generous, and to give financially. The money raised will go towards flights, tuition, room and board, and emergency cash. You can choose to give monthly across this 9 month program, or give once depending on your ability.
Will you PRAYERFULLY consider giving to my Generation 42 Leadership Academy as I set out in just 3 short weeks?
If you choose to give financially, please visit the following donation site and scroll down till you see my face to give either monthly, or one time. Anything and everything helps!
https://www.generation42.org/donations
I wish my words on this page could truly express how much your support has meant to me. In 2017, I reached a dark time where I thought my life was meaningless and without hope and killing myself seemed like the only option. After reading this letter and seeing the passion and drive I have for my future, will you pause a minute and praise the Lord for all He has rescued me from and all He has done and yet to do?! I still can’t believe it. I can’t wait to see what God will do in Spain and I’m excited YOU get to watch.
PLEASE do not hesitate to text, call, email or reach out in any way with questions or more details!
All my love,
Jamilyn Joy Cummings
(714) 512-7056
