“So, I found this program called World Race Gap Year, it’s a nine month mission trip to three continents and I’m thinking maybe I’m called to do this after high school instead of going to college right away.” I dropped this bomb on my parents about a year and a half ago. I’m assuming if you’re a Racer you can relate to this moment of the great reveal to your parents. I was hopeful and excited, yet nervous, as I realized I was really considering this path post-high school, because, you know, once you bring it to your parents it’s legit.
My mom, a teacher, and my dad, a youth pastor, took it well and listened to me. However, they also wanted to know why I felt the way I did, how much I had prayed on it, and wanted to evaluate whether or not this was wise considering the fact that I could be throwing away academic scholarships by not going to college right away. They told me they thought it would be wisest to go to college first and then go on World Race if I still felt called. I understood their point, and I myself was still sorting out all of the details, or at least trying to. But, deep in my heart I knew the Holy Spirit was calling me to abandon my fears and go on World Race. So, I prayed that night, and every night thereafter, for God to change their hearts. I told God that if He wanted me to go on world race, He would have to tell my parents, too! I desired to obey my parents because that is what He tells us to do in His Word. So, I trusted that He would bless me for obeying them and that if I was supposed to go on World Race, He would intervene so that I could be obedient to them and walk in line with His will for my life.
Throughout the following year of devout prayer, I would bring up World Race at various times, and each time they would listen and then tell me to keep praying and remind me of how great college would be. After a full of year of praying I was feeling discouraged, asking God to give me peace and to trust His timing with my parents. All I could envision was graduation day, still not knowing what I was doing with the next season of my life! “Get behind me, Satan.” I kept praying and had a community of people praying for me, too. WELL, let me tell ya! He changed their hearts and it couldn’t have been more beautiful. Typical God, being all perfect and stuff.
First was my mom. One night she knew I was stressed and not feeling well, so she started a hot epsom salt bath for me, which was so kind. Right as I was settling in and looking for some worship music to chill and pray to, I saw that United Pursuit was live streaming their worship set! Perfect! So I listened in on that and had a beautiful moment with Jesus, fully surrendering this situation to God and committing to be at peace in this season of the unknown. Right when I was ready to walk out of the bathroom, post-bath, the band had just finished my favorite song and then said, “Thank you for joining us, thats all for tonight. God bless.” It was like God totally ordained that time for me! So, I come out all hyped on the Spirit, and my mom told me that while I was in there (praying over her!) she randomly stumbled across a message by Louie Giglio on YouTube. It was about being “stunned, seared, and sent” and it was talking about young people going into the mission field! She told me I had to listen to it right then. So, I did! It was absolutely perfect and totally relevant. When it ended, I looked at her, wondering what she was thinking. She said, “Anna, you’ve been stunned and seared, and now you need to be sent.” I fell into her arms and began crying right away! I looked up at her and said, “Gap year?” (Just to double check, ya know!) And she nodded and then I cried more and we had a dance party to MercyMe in the kitchen! It was so special and I couldn’t believe that God had done that the way He did, allowing us both to have intimate time with Him, separately, and then speak to us both at the same time about World Race.
So, with renewed faith and energy, I continued to pray for my dad. He is very wise and level-headed and I love him for it! He enjoyed hearing about how God spoke to me and my mom, but said He still wasn’t 100% certain himself, which I was okay with because I knew he was faithfully praying for guidance, too.
A few months later, my youth group and I were heading to Haiti. This meant that two of my sisters, my dad (the youth pastor), and I would all be there together and I was so excited. The night before the trip, I prayed and told God that I didn’t want to be thinking about World Race the whole time, but rather I wanted to be present where He had me. So, I surrendered it to Him and looked forward to the upcoming week. The first night, we had a group devotional message from a pastor that none of us knew. He is a missionary from Kenya (who has an amazing accent) and he was on the trip with us because he is friends with the pastor at our sister church, who joined us on this trip. So this pastor, we will call him Pastor W, did not know me, my dad, or anyone in our group, besides our names. He began to preach the message that night and it was all about how young people need to “just go!” How we need to abandon all fears and accept the gift of youth by being bold and free in Jesus’ name. So, already I was thinking that this was a perfect message, but I wasn’t thinking too deep into it. WELL, Pastor W points to me and says, “Anna, God is calling you to go, and you need to trust Him and just go where He is leading you.” My jaw dropped, but I still was thinking it could be coincidence, silly me. BUT THEN, Pastor W looks at my DAD and says, “Phil, you need to let her go. You need to abandon your fears and trust God with Anna, because He has something amazing in store for her.” Instantly, I was in absolute AWE! I continued to listen, soaking in every word as I truly felt the Holy Spirit speaking through this wise, stout Kenyan man. He pointed out me and my dad THREE more times, and on the last time, my dad patted me on the back and tears began to roll down my face as Pastor W kept speaking and I knew my dad was hearing the same message from God that I was. When the message was over, I turned to face my dad with my jaw still hanging open and he just looked me in the eyes and nodded and said, “Gap year.” I started balling (I’m getting teary-eyed writing this out right now, too!) and he just pulled me into his arms. He began to pray and just hold me so tight. After the prayer I sat up and looked at him and we both just started laughing. Like, it could NOT have been more clear! God literally spoke directly to us! I asked my dad if he talked to Pastor W beforehand about World Race and he said he didn’t, he thought I had talked to him about it! But, NEITHER of us had! God simply told Pastor W to speak to us in Jesus’ name. We were both blown away and I was absolutely in awe of God’s glory! I instantly ran to grab my journal and document what had just happened. Then, I went to the little wifi spot to text my mom! I told Pastor W the next day how God used him to speak to me and my dad and he had the biggest smile. He chuckled and gave all glory to God for making me and my dad stand out to him as he spoke.
I still can’t believe that with all of these people in the world, God hears my prayer and speaks to me. I have never been so humbled, so in love with Jesus, so completely blown away by how he directly spoke to each of my parents. Not only that, but He allowed me to be present with each of my parents in the moment that God told them. I think back on how God did that, and it gives me chills every time. Not only did it give my parents total peace, but it gave me total peace knowing that God knew my heart, blessed my desire to honor my parents, and left no room for doubt! My faith grew and has continued to grow since then.
God knows our needs, and He calls us to surrender to Him. Notice how it wasn’t until I truly surrendered to Him that He spoke. I needed to stop trying to plan it all out in my head beforehand and simply trust Him. Prayer is power. Now, I understand that not everyone has the blessing of their parents being 100% on board as they head to the Race, but I pray that if you are in that situation that you would be able to surrender and trust God’s timing. It sounds so cliche, but it really is so legit. Faith and clarity are opposite, because if we had all the answers we wouldn’t have to trust God with anything. But, by faith we are able to see clearly. It is most definitely not blind. I will continue praying over future racers and thanking God for each individual journey, and praising Him for how he revealed Himself to me and my parents!
I could not be more excited to embark on this adventure of World Race Gap Year, and I am extremely grateful to have prayerful parents who, although they are nervous, are surrendering me to God and trusting Him because they heard His voice! What a precious, PRECIOUS gift! God is so good. He is alive and active. He spoke to me, He spoke to my parents, He has provided, and I want the world to know His love and power. This is why I’m committed to being a World Racer.
Thank you so much for reading. I pray that God has strengthened your faith through this post. All glory to God! Remember- you are not alone on your journey!
God bless,
Anna <3
P.S.
Turns out the university I want to go to after the race is tuition-paid. So, I wouldn’t need scholarships, anyway. WOW, GOD!! AHHHH HALLULEJUAH!
