This is one of the biggest question in the history of humanity. Why am I here in the United States of America in the year 2018? I live in a time and place where there is endless possibilities, and an immense pressure to find your spot in the world. I happen to be nineteen right now, and it feels like the last three years have been constant pressure. I’m constantly asked questions like: “What are you doing with your life?”, “Where are you going to college?”, “What is your dream job?” and “What is your future going to look like?” For years I battled with these questions, feeling like I was a failure for not knowing what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.
Like many American teens, I graduated high school with the world to conquer and no idea how to go about it. In an effort to make something of myself, and appease my parents, I sought out some college education. I looked into multiple different colleges and didn’t find a place that really suited me. I ended up settling into a local community college, and studied business. In the same period of time I got promoted at the job I was working, and got my own apartment. If you looked objectively at my life, I wasn’t doing too terribly. At one point I was eighteen years old, had my own apartment, was getting straight A’s in college, and was making decent money as an assistant manager for a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream store. I had plenty of people that were impressed with everything I had going on. I had college professors that were impressed with my academic ability and were sure I could excel in school. I also had a boss that was certain I would be a great business man and could eventually own businesses and make good money. I had most people fooled into thinking I was making something of myself. However, I was never truly satisfied with the life I had made for myself.
Honestly I never wanted to work through college, and I didn’t really want to manage businesses for the next 50 years. I wasn’t happy with the lifestyle I had started to create. My happiest moments in college was when I got to stand in front of the class and share my beliefs, and perspectives on life. Most kids hated public speaking, but it was my favorite class. My most joyous moments in working were not in managing the store or even serving customers. My favorite thing about working in an ice cream store was the fact that I got to work with a group of teens that opened up and allowed me to pour into their lives. There were about 15 teens that I worked with, and they knew my beliefs and were not afraid to ask about it. I loved sharing God with the people around me. I came to the conclusion that my joy did not come when I tried to make much of myself, but when I made much of God.
God tells us in Isaiah 43 that he created us for HIS glory. Is it not crazy that if we just listen to God things go so much better? I am on a journey and I am finding that I am here on earth to give God a part of the Glory he deserves. That’s why I’m on earth, but still why am I here? Why am I partnering with World Race and Adventures in Missions? Can’t I glorify God anywhere? I would say the answer to that question is yes, I can glorify God anywhere, but I feel that sometimes by staying put we can miss part of what God has for us. After all Jesus commands us at the end of both Matthew and Mark to Go. I don’t feel that right now God needs me to go to college, and I don’t think he has cut me out to be a business man. Sure that was a comfortable spot that I knew, and was making out pretty well in, but it’s not the place I was designed to be. I have decided to put college on hold for now. I paid off my college debt, quit my job, and moved out of my apartment and back with family so I could be available to go where God leads. I feel that I need to follow God’s great commission and take God’s name to the end of the earth so that everyone can worship him together. I searched out a couple organizations that would aid me in that calling. After heavy consideration and prayer I landed here. I felt World Race would be a great partner for me as a college student pursuing international missions.
So that is why I am here. I’m here because I feel above everything else I have to follow God’s leading in my life, and right now I feel led to take his name abroad. I’m here because I want to impact a world in his name. I am here because I have decided that I would rather make much of God than of myself.
