My squad and I have been given the task to look inward and reflect on the question of why we are going on The World Race. Why I’m doing this over going to college or beginning a career, why I’m choosing to leave family, friends, and all that I call home.
With only a few months left before we leave, there is certainly a lot of emotion and much to think about. I’ve spoken to countless people about what The World Race is but haven’t had much opportunity to explain why I made this decision.
This past weekend I spent much time alone with the Father, allowing me to reflect on this current season I am in and everything in my life that has led up to it. I came into the faith just 4 years ago and though it doesn’t seem like a long time, it feels like forever. I can remember almost every detail of every season I’ve been through. The many challenges and obstacles I’ve faced and how the Father has held my hand through it all using those circumstances to bring growth in my life molding me into the person I am today.
In order for growth to happen it always requires stepping out of comfort and into obedience.
This is the sentence that continues to ring in my ear each time I’m put into uncomfortable circumstances. Starting out something as small as playing worship music from my phone despite fear of being judged, learning to pray in front of family and friends, to leading worship at church, leading group bible studies, to eventually going on various mission trips taking the gospel to the most unreached places. Next thing you know, here I am… about to leave home traveling the world for an entire year with only my backpack and a group of Incredible Men and Women. Growing in community with these people, taking the love and the hope of Jesus Christ to the world. This is exciting, but the unknown can seem scary. It’s a willingness to grow despite fear or worry, learning to live our lives with a “yes” in our spirits and becoming more and more like Jesus every day. It’s stepping out of our comfortable spaces and into the uncomfortable realities God has for us.
Towards the end of my senior year in high school, I was unsure of what my plan was after I graduated. I felt pressured, like I should have already had a plan as to what I was going to do, whether that was college or finding a job and beginning a career. Most of my life, it seemed like those were the only two options. It was then after I returned from a mission trip last summer I realized I did not want to do either of those things (at least not yet). I discovered a program called World Race Gap Year and at the time it seemed like a distant fantasy I could not attain, almost like dreaming of getting a mansion and a Lamborghini, but It was at that point God had really pressed it on my heart to begin pursuing this opportunity despite the many doubts I had.
After countless hours of research, WRGY seemed like much more than just a mission trip. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel the world acting as the hands and feet of Jesus. Growing in community with fellow believers, growing in my God given gifts. Setting the foundation for the rest of my life including the big decisions I’m going to make when I return.
I still don’t have the most perfect answer as to why I’m going on The World Race, but I know this is something God is calling me to do and continues to assure me of this each step of the way and that is a good enough answer for me.
