“In some ways, a year is an eternity. In other ways, it is a blink of an eye. If you are called to take the trip, you should take it.”
Hey everyone!
This is my World Race blog. I will be posting regularly from this point forward to update my readers about my fundraising progress, life leading up the race, ministry during the race, and acclimation afterward. This site will be your main resource to stay updated while I am gone. Be sure to subscribe if you’d like to be notified about when I post!
I am not sure why it has taken me so long to write these words. After all, I have already been committed to the race for several months now and have spoken with people about it for longer. My initial impulse is to explain how I have been busy and preoccupied with work, friends, and church. Although that is true to an extent, I think my procrastination is more of a testament to me having cold feet and not wanting to fully commit to the path I know God has set out for me.
If I had written this post and started pushing my fundraising link the second I was accepted, it would have made everything too real and the stress would have started setting in. My life in Nashville would have suddenly changed and I would have been devoid of the comfort of being able to change my mind before donations started coming in. I think this journey will be a pivotal one for me as I begin to listen to God’s voice more readily and start to suppress the aspirations and obligations rooted in my first world life. I don’t want these worldly distractions to rob me from what Jesus has in store for me. I no longer want to have one foot in and one foot out. I desire to have both feet firmly planted in what God has in mind for me and, right now, I strongly believe that is The World Race.
My name is Austin McBride. I am 23 years old and originally from Orange County, California. I lived in the same Tustin house for 18 years and was blessed with two amazing, God-loving parents and a (usually) fun younger brother. During my childhood and into High School, I loved history, movies, tennis, hiking, travel, Boy Scouts, piano, bass guitar, church, concerts, and music. Music is one of my biggest passions and my pursuit of the industry lead me 2,000 miles away to Nashville, TN. I would love to incorporate music into my ministry somehow while I am serving. I attended Belmont University from August 2014 to May 2018 and earned a degree in Music Business and Marketing. Over the four years, I was in a band, interned, participated in clubs, and studied abroad.
I made my four years of college count, but as I approached graduation, something stirred in me to move in a different direction. I spoke with my career and development counselor, Nina, about how it would affect my career in entertainment if I were to take off a year to travel, serve, and volunteer. She told me that if I wanted to take a trip like that, now would be the time. I still remember her saying, “In some ways, a year is an eternity. In other ways, it is a blink of an eye. If you are called to take the trip, you should take it.” After leaving our meeting, I felt this rush and weight on my heart to highly consider The World Race, a program I had read a little about previously. I called my mom and told her that day. While she was surprised, she was supportive and loving.
Since that moment in April 2018, it has been rather clear to me that God wants me to do something other than work in the Nashville music industry, at least in the short term. He wants me to love on people and not pursue something self-serving as I had been. In the following weeks, I ran into people left and right who had done the race or were about to. I met a marketer who worked with Adventure In Missions. My aunt gave a tour to someone who had recently completed the race and we spoke on the phone for two hours. People were encouraging and supportive everywhere I went, continuing to reaffirm this path. My new church, Nashville Life, has been especially motivating.
Anticipating this trip, I didn’t want to jump into a full-time, long-term job immediately. I worked a couple of temp jobs and one of those jobs turned into a full-time position, despite my supervisors knowing I was planning to go on the race. I was also working for a startup on the side and they moved me to full-time last February, knowing I was planning to leave within the year. I was initially thinking I would leave for the race in August 2019, but based off of work and scheduling, it made sense for me to shoot for January 2020. Even in my professional life, God has provided for me and helped make this transition straightforward. I am nervous, but excited for these next few months as I dive further into fundraising and spiritual preparation!
A few other things about me:
- I might talk your ear off. I am an ENFP on Myers/Briggs and Type 7 on the Enneagram. I feel like God may use my extroversion and passion for people on the race.
- I take on too much. I overcommit and hate saying no. I can’t handle not having anything to do! The race should help me grow more patient and reprioritize my obligations.
- I’ve never been diagnosed, but I do struggle with anxiety and have dealt with mild depression. One of the reasons I keep so busy is to avoid any negative thoughts of my idle mind.
- I go to concerts all the time… probably twice a week on average!
- If forced to choose, my favorite band would be Led Zeppelin.
- My secret bucket list item is to visit every country on Earth.
- I love theme parks and Disneyland is synonymous with my childhood.
Thank you for taking the time to read through this! Your support means a lot and I would appreciate your prayers moving forward. Please pray for my peace of mind, a heart of intentionality, and efforts devoid of anxiety and fear. I have a lot of fundraising to complete over the next several months and whichever way you feel called to support is much appreciated!
Gratefully,
Austin
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” | Romans 8:28
