I originally found out about the World Race through an ad on social media about a year ago. I thought it was a scam, so I disregarded it. A few days later I saw another ad on a different social media platform and ignored it once again. The third time I saw an ad I was finally intrigued. Third times a charm, right? I went to the website and did some reading about it. WOW! It sounded like an amazing experience, one that I could see myself doing. But, at the time I still had a year and a half of school left so I just shrugged the thought off.
A week later I was hanging out with a friend/mentor and she randomly asked if I had ever heard of the World Race. Coincidence? It turned out that she had just met someone who went on the World Race and thought it sounded like something for me. But once again, I still had a year and a half left of school so I just pushed it to the back of my mind.
This last summer I went on a missions trip to Ethiopia for the second time. It was amazing! I fell in love with Ethiopia even more than I had before and knew I wanted to go back. One morning at breakfast I was talking with some of the leaders of the trip about what I was thinking of doing after college. All I knew was that I wanted to do missions work, whatever and wherever the Lord led me. One of the leaders suggested the idea of me continuing to work with their missions organization by coming back to Ethiopia with them a couple times a year. I loved that idea! Then the other leader looked at me and asked “Have I ever talked to you about the World Race?”
Okay, I hear You God.
After that I could not deny the fact that God was placing the World Race before me for some reason. Yet, while the World Race sounded amazing to me, at the same time I had this love and passion for Ethiopia. Thus, the struggle began. It was honestly the first time I could ever remember really “wrestling” with God.
Over the rest of the summer I spent so much time praying about it. I struggled with a little anxiety of trying to make a decision right away. After all, I was going into my senior year of college and wanted to know what I was going to do after I graduated.
After a few weeks into the semester it hit me that I knew deep down that He was calling me to the World Race. The struggle came because I didn’t want to submit my desires fully over to Him. I made the decision then that when the January 2020 routes came out I would apply and see what happens. Until then I would just work on surrendering everything to the Lord. When the routes came out, I applied, interviewed, and was accepted within a week!! I am now a committed World Racer!!!
That brings me to now! I am just under a year away from going on this incredible journey! Looking back over how the Lord has led me to this moment, it amazes me how God kept pursuing me, but did not force anything on me. He made it clear to me that He’s got something good for me, something that is better than what I could ever imagine. But I had to be the one to finally surrender everything over to Him.
There are still so many unknowns, yet I am so pumped to be go on this journey with the Lord!
As I begin preparing for the World Race I would so appreciate your prayers:
– that God keeps shaping me to be more like Jesus and prepares me for the coming year.
– that I am able to raise the funds I need. (if you want to know more about how you can support me, please do not hesitate to reach out to me!)
– for those who will be on my squad as they are preparing for this journey as well.
I would love if you subscribed to my blog so that you can get updates whenever I post! And if you feel led at all to help financially support me, just click the donate link up above.
If you want to know more about how you can support me or more about the World Race, let’s grab a coffee and chat!
Blessings,
Alyssa
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us. – Ephesians 3:20
