Well, I have officially finished my school year. After being in college for 3 years straight, it will be really weird to not go back next year. As training camp and launch are getting closer, I find myself having a lot of “it will be really weird” moments. It will be really weird to be away for nine months, it will be really weird to not go back to school, it will be really weird to miss holidays and birthdays, it will be really weird to be away from friends and family for so long, it will be really weird…
And yet for every “it will be weird” moment, I am overwhelmed with excitement and joy for what is to come. Excited to step into something new that the Lord has been planning and filled with joy when thinking about how He is going to move across the nations within the year.
I have had a lot of people ask me why I am going on the World Race. I have encountered questions like
“Aren’t you scared?”
“Why are you taking a year off from school?”
“Why now?”
“Why are you going?”
The answer is simple. I am going on the world race because I am following God’s calling. God called me to take a blind step of faith in His direction. And when God calls you to something as clearly as he called me to go on the world race, you can’t say no. I do not know what God has in store for me 5 years from now, 3 years from now, or even when I get back from the race. I do know that He is faithful and his promises are true. I said this in my last blog and I will say it again, God calls us to chase the wild dreams he has placed on our hearts. And that is what I am doing with the world race. I am just chasing the dreams that God has put on my heart.
And there is so much power in dreaming boldly. One of my mentors recently said,
“Your dreams can become your destiny. So, if you don’t have a dream, then most likely you’re limiting your destiny.”
He said, “I dare you to dream big, scary, and outrageous dreams. The kind that will make other people laugh if only they knew. And for you, like for Joseph, dreaming will only be the beginning”
And that is some TRUTH. God calls us to live boldly in his kingdom and take wild steps of faith. He has placed a dream on my heart to see lives changed because of his power and glory. To see others take steps of faith towards him too. And despite the fear and doubt and anxiety behind saying yes to a huge nine month mission trip, I cling to that dream.
In the song “Hallelujah Here Below” there is a part where they sing,
“And what a wonderful day to come
When every knee bows before Your name
But we will not wait until it does
For here and now shall your kingdom reign”
God has really put that verse on my heart as I have been thinking about why I am going on the World Race. The idea behind this part of the song is one of taking action. It is saying yes, it will be a wonderful day when your kingdom reigns God, and yes every knee will bow before You, but we are not called to sit around and wait for that day to come, because here and now your kingdom reigns on earth. Right in front of us God is moving, and we would be crazy to not take part in it. God calls us, no matter our circumstance, to bring heaven to earth until that wonderful day comes.
So, I say it again, it is simple. There is simplicity that can be found in following what God has called you to do. There is simplicity in saying “God I don’t have all the answers and I don’t know everything You are doing, but I know you have called me to be apart of something greater than myself, to follow you humbly and sincerely” And when that decision is made, the rest is so simple.
So I hope that provided some clarity as to why I am going on the World Race. I am just following what God has called me to do. I am currently a little over 20% funded for the trip! If you are reading this and feel called to donate please click the orange donate button! Please continue to pray! Pray for myself and my squad members, pray that God is preparing our hearts. And pray that He is preparing the hearts of all those we are going to encounter while we are gone!
Until next time!
Aaron
