So that’s the big question right? Why are you doing the world race? What on earth made you come up with that decision?
Well around 4 years ago I felt called into full time vocational ministry and as freshman going into sophomore year with this revelation I didn’t know what it really meant for me nor the weight of it. I still barely know what it means for me but I am starting to understand the weight of it all. So I spent a lot of time praying about this call God put on my life (and I still am) and the next next summer, I believe (the timeline is a little fuzzy), I learned about the World Race gap year program from one of the camp counselors and I was immediately drawn in. Within the next few weeks I couldn’t stop talking about it and I really felt God calling me to it, finally some sort of answer. And so for the next 2 years I didn’t stop talking about it and I never lost the zeal for it. So when it came time to apply for college, God’s calling was so clear, I applied for the world race instead! My heart has always yearned to travel and for some reason I never thought that dream was too extravagant and never let go of it. But, yes, I know it’s scary to soooo many people, the thought of leaving home for 9 months and living in 3 different countries with 3 very different cultures that I’ve never experienced before, living out of a BACKPACK on top of that, talk about uncomfortable. But that’s the thing, God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to surrender. Surrender everything and this call is definitely teaching me how to let go of what i know and give all to God.
My goal while on the trip is to share the gospel without hesitation, to cultivate and plant seeds wherever I go, to help water and grow seeds that have been planted by brothers and sisters before me and I hope to see fruit, in others lives but my own as well. I hope that I remember that I’m not always going to get the satisfaction of seeing the growth or the fruit of the people I share the gospel with and that it’s okay because I’ve done what I’m supposed to and the Lord will do the rest.
When I come back from this trip I want to be able to say I glorified the Lord in every situation, praised him in the hard times and the good times. I want this trip to stretch me and grow me in ways I never would have imagined myself. I hope to come out of this trip bolder and less apologetic about my faith than before. I’m so excited for the close knit, Christian community of people my age. My squad, my new family- I love them a ton already. On the topic of love, I’m praying for God to increase my ability to love on this trip, to love like Jesus did.
I’m soooo excited for this journey and I’m so excited to see all the ways the Lord works in and through me and my squad.
E:)
