If you are reading this blog and following my journey it means you are going to get to see the real me, speaking as honestly as I can and being open in ways that show I am just a flawed human that God has called to go beyond what he can do alone.
It is December. I got accepted to the world race about 3 and a half months ago. I made the announcement for it on social media about a month after my acceptance. And now I am just becoming more vocal about it, starting my fundraising, and making my first blog post. Seems like I am a little bit behind and slacking off right? Well that sounds about right to me as well. I would say I did not experience the normal emotions that one should once accepted. I was not immediately thrilled and ecstatic that I was getting this opportunity that some get rejected from and that some will never feel called to. My thoughts were, “Really? Me? God, you want me to be a person to travel around the world to spread the gospel and learn about other countries and form connections with these people? I have a hard-enough time doing that with where you have me now.” Now, don’t get me wrong, I am still very excited to see how God will use me and how He will shape me into a better disciple. I am also beyond excited to see what I can learn about God and other through this and to see how it helps me to grow in following and trusting God. I am so excited to see the change in other’s lives as we minister to them and create relationships with them. As well as excited to even get to be the one to plant seeds and form connections with people that will help more missions like this in the future to happen but with more anthropological to work with.
So, if I felt this way when I was first accepted, why apply in the first place? Why did I feel God was calling me to do this?
The answer to that begins with school. Being a ministry major, I have learned a lot about God and His people. I have seen more that God’s people have been made so uniquely and I think that we can often forget that. We have all been created with desires different than one another, personalities that mesh and clash, different strengths and weaknesses, and different ways of expressing oneself. Everyone has different cultural experiences, no matter where they are from, that have helped to shape and mold each and every one of us. This understanding gives a whole new perspective on Christianity. Often, as Christians, we can look at the world very black and white, when in fact, there is a lot of grey. And what I mean by this is that we can understand Christianity from our own understanding but never understand what it looks like for someone else, especially in places where they are not free to practice Christianity and where they cannot go to a Church or be in a youth group. Last year I went to this convention for youth workers. This seminar was all about helping to equip leaders to be prepared for the different ways to minister to others as well as what to expect when dealing with different people. At this convention there were so many different seminars that I was able to choose from. It was a little overwhelming, if I am being honest. I had to choose which one I wanted to go to and that meant I was missing a different one that could have also been very beneficial to helping me understand God’s children even more. However, even if I could have hypothetically gone to each and every seminar I would still not have reached a full understanding on the different types of people there are in the world and how to interact with them. Humanity is a vastly diverse creation and as Christian we must understand that to effectively minister and interact with others! But not only must we understand that humanity is diverse we must also understand how to minister to different people depending on where we are. This is something that Paul talked about in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
I have felt God calling me, in many ways, to be like Paul and to be what I can be for others. To do that I must go to them, live with them, eat with them, talk to them. I could read all day what it is like to do those things with them, but it is not even close to the same as doing it. Having this understanding is what has led me to feel the calling to go.
I had heard about the world race before from friends and had thought about it, but when I met someone this summer who had done it I took that as another sign that this is what I should look into more. I applied, and it was not long after I was having the phone interview. They told me it would be a about 10 days before I heard back, maybe longer. After just a few days had passed I received a call. They told me I was accepted. I was accepted way faster than what they had told me. I guess that was another sign that God was pushing me that way. But not only that, the verse of the day on the Bible app was Hebrews 12:1, “therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…”
Now here I am, going where I believe God is calling me. I am by no means doing this alone. I have God by my side, a cloud of witnesses, I have my friends and family. I have all of your support and I certainly could not do it without all of you. The Church. Doing what God has called us as Christians to do. Help others and share the good news with them. I believe we are either called to go or to help others go. So, I have chosen to go. To step way out of my comfort zone and into a world of unknown. To be uncomfortable. To be challenged every day.
