In high school I was never the girl you would see worshipping passionately in chapel, reading her Bible in her free time, attending a Christian college or especially leaving the country for nine months to spread the Word. Instead of that I was a cheerleader who let that become my identity, never turned to God in times of heartache and who chose to live my own life as if it was mine. I went to a Christian high school, raised in a Christian home, went to Christian summer camps and attended church like normal. Religion was something I was familiar with; however faith and a relationship with God was something I was not. Senior year crept up on me and I realized I had a chance to change my path in an epic way. I heard my friends talk about sororities and having the perfect rush and I realized I didn’t want that for my life. The life I was living was great until I realized it wasn’t my life to live. My senior year I made the best decision I could of made and went on a mission trip with my school for Spring Break. We went to Guatemala to do street ministry, paint houses and visit schools. A fire got lit in me that I refused to let die once I got back into the states. I applied to a Christian University, ORU, in my home town which I never in a million years would of imagined attending. I roomed with a girl from high school that I never would of hung out with and did one of the scariest thing I could of done, completely changed the person I had known for the past 19 years. Oral Roberts University was far from easy in the beginning, but as time went by the place I dreaded being at became my home, my roommate who I spent little time with in high school became one of my dearest friends and I began to love the person I was becoming. Then God called me to something bigger than I could of imagined. He put the world race on my mind and heart my junior year of high school. I thought for sure that is what He had called for my life after senior year, which is why I was so confused when he put ORU in my path. He called me to ORU for freshman year, something I did not want to do, but I had to remind myself, this life is not my own, so obeyed. The reliance I had on Him my freshman year, the incredible friendships I built and the growth I had in college made me realize his calling, ORU was my training ground. He knew my faith was not where it needed to be in order to go on the race. If I would of gone on my own will I knew He would of blessed me for being a servant; however I could have not done His will. He then placed the World Race on my mind again towards the end of my first semester of college. I applied and kept my application open for months, praying about this huge decision. Finally I knew it was my calling, I submitted my application, had my interview, got accepted and now here I am, typing this blog in a coffee shop in Tulsa, OK excited beyond belief to be going on this new adventure. I’ve lived life on my own and it had no comparison living this life for our ultimate Father. My life is not my own. Here I am Lord. Send me
All my love,
Rachel Stacy
