Alright y’all, some of you may be thinking: why the actual heck is Harleigh doing this? What is wrong with her? She’s crazy? What is she thinking? Just…why?
Well, starting in high school I began to think of what I might want to do with my life one day. I quickly realized that I had absolutely NO IDEA. But mainly because I could not decide between all of the things that I thought I might want to do. I started to look into taking a gap year at that time, but since it was only my freshman year, none of this thinking lasted very long. I went back to living my life and left worrying about all of that until later in my high school career.
Entering sophomore and junior year, I began to look at colleges and what my options were. I started to tour colleges my junior year and looked at the requirements for acceptance. While I felt like I had many options, I still felt as though there was something else I wanted to do. I started to look back into taking a gap year and my parents basically gave me a few different options for after I graduated and none of them were the option to stay at home and sit on my butt.
Knowing this, I began to do more research and explored my options even more. I had decided that I may want to do a gap year, and I had a feeling that I didn’t want to just stay home (My parents have given me the travel bug over the past few years).
Knowing someone that has done the world race 11n11, I started looking into it. I was so excited to possibly have the opportunity to travel and share the gospel at the same time! And then I discovered…that I was not in the correct age race for the 11n11…so I kept looking. And then I found the gap year program. I was so excited.
I found the program in mid June, and I checked the website almost everyday for about two months until the information for the 2019 routes were released. When that came out, I immediately started to apply to the program.
After submitting my application and waiting to have my phone interview, I prayed a lot about whether or not I should take the opportunity if I was accepted. As much as I wanted to do this program, I wanted to be sure that it was what God wanted for me as well. I prayed that if this was what God wanted, then I would be accepted, but if it is not in his plans for me, that I would not be accepted. I prayed that that would be the way for me to know what I should do for my year after graduating.
Through all of this, I knew that it would be hard, but I knew that the Lord would show me what I needed to do. When I was offered the opportunity to be a part of this amazing journey, I knew immediately that it was for me and that it was what God wanted me to do. I knew all of this because I asked God to show me, many times, through either accepting me into this program or not. Being accepted was so exciting and I could not be more grateful for this opportunity. I am beyond excited to go into the world and proclaim the love of Jesus Christ and serve others in His name.
Not only was I shown this plan that God has for me, but I have been shown over and over again in so many ways that this is what God wants for me in the coming year. One of my favorite songs is “Called Me Higher” by All Sons and Daughters, and it just hits home as to why we should do what the Lord has called us to do. He calls us to do things that will glorify and grow His Kingdom for the better. The love and support I have been shown through friends and family, as well as people that I don’t know or have just met has been so amazing and overwhelming. I have been shown an immense amount of support, prayer, and love that has been pushing me to fundraise to the best of my ability even through rough patches and hard times.
The Lord has been so clear in showing me that this is the right path. It will be one of the most challenging things I have ever done, but I am so excited to watch the Lord work in me and the lives of others around me as we go into the world and show his love and salvation. I still have no idea what I want to do with my life one day,but I know that God will show me. I cannot thank you all enough for your love and support through this journey. <3
So basically I’m traveling the world because Jesus 🙂
