God used the World Race to shove me into something I wouldn’t work hard enough for on my own time. God knows me so well; I have struggled with lack of motivation my whole life and the devil has attacked me in that. I say I’m going to do something and then weeks go along and I start to quit and go back to where I was. I kept praying for something more with God and kept surrendering my whole heart to Him, just to take it back again. I just knew what was comfortable in life and strived for that. However, God took all my passions and presented them in front of me and told me I was going on the World Race Gap Year. I was honestly so excited because this journey was everything I was looking for in my relationship with God. I got to travel, love on His people, experience new cultures, share the Gospel, grow in intimacy with Him, and meet new friends. It just sounded so blissful. However, you know how motivated you are to start exercising in the first place and then start to fall back and quit doing it? That time came for me in the Race.
In Cambodia and the beginning of Ethiopia, I was ready to go home. It was month 3 and 4 of the race and I was sick of sacrificing my own space, my own schedule, my own choice of community, and more. I could have went home during that time, but I kept telling myself, “There’s no way you’re going home; you made a commitment.” For me, when I make commitments at home, I sometimes back out if it has no harm on anything. I would start a new diet or exercise plan and when I gave up my commitment, it didn’t seem like the end of the world to me. However, doing the Race, in my head, there wasn’t really a choice to go home. That mindset was super beneficial to me because I could have easily went home if I wanted, gave up the journey, and continued with where I left off at home. Or, I could stick it out and push myself further when it felt uncomfortable. And that is how I want the rest of my life to look like. When things get uncomfortable, I don’t want to quit. When you don’t give up on things, God is able to come in and give you supernatural power to keep going ahead with what He is calling you to. I wanted to go home to my family, but God gave me strength to stick it out. And in that, I learned to better appreciate my family and understand that time spent with them is precious. God used the race to, not only, push me into a mindset of motivation, but to put a passion inside of me that I didn’t know was truly there.
Before the race, if you would’ve told me I might be living overseas long-term, I would have laughed at you. Sure, I loved to travel, but I also liked to come back home to all my comforts there waiting for me. Now, since being on the race, God has given me more of a passion for people and culture than for things. I have seen the impact of spending quality time with people without having your phone nearby. I have seen the beautiful effects of just letting God have space and forgetting the worldly troubles. He has given me so much more peace and joy and I am forever grateful for the ways He has revealed to me how much better things could be if I just surrendered to Him.
I love when people say that the Race is just the training camp for the rest of your life. It’s so true. I have been able to practice and start new ways of giving my entire life to God. He has not only given me a sense of more motivation and given me a heart willing to give Him my entire life, He has also taught me tons of new practical things that I can work on daily to grow in relationship with Him. Over the Race, I have discovered how to discern the voice of the Lord, I have enjoyed reading and studying His word, I have experienced obedience and boldness, I have seen the way He provides and answers prayers, I have seen miraculous healings, I have met beautiful people and witnessed divine appointments with people. This year was everything I’ve ever wanted in my relationship with God packed into 9 months and it gets me so excited that I have the rest of my life to grow deeper and deeper! And now, I have a good starting block to run from for the rest of my life.
God used the World Race to change my life from the inside out.
God used the race to reveal to me the “more” I’ve been longing for.
God used the race to connect me with people all over the world.
God used the race to spark inside of me a passion.
Yes, the Race is beneficial.
Yes, the Race is worth it.
I do not regret this at all and actually, I’m very sad to be saying goodbye to this beautiful journey in 9 short days.
This has been some of the best 9 months of my life, by far.
Thank you God and thank you the World Race.
I am forever grateful.
