Hi everyone and welcome to my World Race blog! WOO WOO!
For those of you who may not know, here’s a little bit about me! My name is Morgan Gillespie. I am 26 years old and I live in Atlanta, Georgia. I love Jesus with my whole heart and think it is THE COOLEST that He loves me even more. I love the color blue – all hues included – and chocolate chip cookies. I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts from Samford University in 2015. I love the ocean and getting to go to the beach. I love my family and on my off days from work you can find me hanging with friends or at home watching Stranger Things, Friends, The Office, New Girl or pretty much any action movie!
As for The World Race – The WR (for short) is, in my opinion, a wonderful opportunity through an organization called AIM – Adventures in Missions. Their mission is “to mobilize a generation of radical Christ followers, discipling and training them to establish the Kingdom of God.” In turn, the World Race’s mission is, “to share the love of Jesus and serve others around the world” – both of which I agree with and think are amazing mission statements. To read more about The World Race you can visit www.worldrace.org and to read more about Adventures in Missions you can visit www.adventures.org!
Now for my favorite part! Here is how I came to be sitting here writing this blog:
For about 6 months to a year now, I have felt a stirring inside of my soul and my heart – a stirring I know can only come from Jesus Himself. A bit of backstory – I graduated college in 2015 and in October 2016 I moved back home to Atlanta and moved in with my [WONDERFUL AND AMAZING] parents (but for real, they are awesome and they welcomed me home with open and supportive arms). It was difficult at first – I had no job lined up and no car at the time, but as time went on, the Lord provided. I got a couple of jobs in 2017 and then I began working for an art gallery in the spring of 2017 – getting to use my art degree in my work! Fast forward to November 2018 I ended up leaving that job and in March of this year I began working at my local Chick-fil-A. Now, if you know me…you KNOW I love some CFA. I have a history with the company as well and this will be my 7th year (inconsistently) working for CFA.
Throughout the past year, though, I have felt this stirring – that something major is coming – that the Lord was at work inside of my soul doing something huge..but what i kept asking. What was it? What was I missing? Why did I feel out of place? Why did I feel that I was lacking experience and knowledge of the world around me? Why did I feel that I was lacking maturity in my faith and walk with Jesus? I wanted to be challenged. I wanted to be pushed to my limits. I wanted to be stripped of everything comfortable leaving room for only JESUS.
Then, about a month ago, I was talking with my mom after work one day and The World Race came up randomly in conversation. At the time I didn’t think anything of it. I just went on with the conversation and went on with my day. The a few nights later I could NOT for the life of me fall asleep..you know..where you KNOW you should go to sleep and you ARE tired, but your eyes are like “HA HA NOPE YOU’RE STAYING AWAKE”..ya..that.. and I suddenly found myself on The World Race website reading and researching blogs and posts from other racers and reading their “about” page and reading about the routes. I ended up beginning an application that night simply out of curiosity..little did I know the ways the Lord would use my lack of being able to fall asleep in the days and weeks to come!
The very next day I received a text from a WR advisor named John who said he saw I had not finished my application and asked if I had any questions. I explained that I was simply curious about the WR and then proceeded to ask..hm..about a gazillion questions haha he was kind and answered every single one. As the next few days went on, I could NOT let go of the race. I woke up most mornings thinking about it, I went to bed most nights thinking about it. Then I decided to sit down and talk with my parents about the race – the conversation was beautiful. I cried the whole time I shared with them how I was feeling about it and reading them about the race – to me that just confirmed even more how much this meant to me.
I ended up completing my application the week of 24th and I scheduled an interview for the race for Wednesday July 3rd. I attend Passion City Church and on July 23rd my Pastor, Louie Giglio, talked to us about worship being a sacrifice. Some notes that I wrote down from that message are as follows:
- Do I have a heart that is a reflection of my appreciation of the noise that has come down from heaven? If so, am I then reflecting back that sound of Heaven in my day to day life?
- Sometimes we place “acoustic panels” over our heart/life that keep the noise to a minimum – ensure that those panels of being “proper” and doing things “the right way” haven’t diminished my reflection of the Gospel
- Worship isn’t something that we MANUFACTURE it is something that we ECHO from Heaven
- It is the “sacrifice” of praising Jesus that will capture the attention of the world around you – it is a sacrifice to praise Him at times because we may not always want to do so, but we need to praise Him before circumstance – not once circumstances arise
- Do you believe Jesus even though there is uncertainty and hardship in the equation?
- Is there something in your hands that Jesus is asking me to release that is precious to me?
All in all it was a powerful message that affirmed for me that the race was where I was feeling God leading me. I had my interview and it went so well – I just continued to say “yes Lord” and keep moving forward asking that He open and close the doors that would lead me to His perfect plan.
During that next week I spent time in prayer and worship asking the Lord if this is what He had for me – asking Him to open doors that should be open and close doors that must close all for HIS GLORY and all under HIS WILL. I was texting and talking to different friends I know who have gone on the race – asking them to share their thoughts and journeys and challenges and victories. It was awesome to get their feedback and advice as well as get to hear more about their stories. I had my interview with Drew via phone on July 3rd and it went so well.
On July 8th Levi Lusko came and spoke at PCC and gave an incredible message titled “I Declare War” (if anyone would like to watch any of the messages I talk about just message me and I can point you to them!). He talked about “your walk with God won’t thrive unless we DO instead of just FEEL” and that when God is asking us something that we don’t necessarily want to do or that seems to hard and then we do it anyways that means the WORLD to Him – it shows Him that we love Him despite our circumstance”. Levi also talked out of Romans 7:15 – saying that we are our own worst enemy and we create self sabotage so often for ourselves. He then gave three amazing points: 1. If we are to rise up like wolves to declare war we must control the high ground – meaning our minds which is the highest part of our bodies – we must take captive our thoughts and get on the RIGHT train of thought – the train of thought that JESUS has for us, not the world. 2. We must be willing to raise our voices – communicate with those around you and tell them what you are facing or struggling through. Lastly, 3. We must keep showing up – even when it is hard, unbearable, challenging, seems crazy..keep showing up. Both Louie and Levi spoke to me on big levels those two Sundays both in my walk with the Lord Himself and with my thoughts on The World Race. Crazy how Jesus works, huh?
A and a week later, on July 10th I received a call that I had been accepted for The World Race and four days later I committed to leave in JANUARY for 11 countries in 11 months! It has been a whirlwind past month or so, but I am here, I am ready, I am thankful beyond words to Jesus and I am PUMPED. This past Sunday, David Platt came and spoke at PCC and his message was allllllll about MISSIONS – I’m sorry…what…do we need to re-read that? Nope. Read that right..he spoke on MISSIONS the day RIGHT AFTER I accepted and committed to going on the race – how cool is that? His message was amazing. He spoke out of Deuteronomy 3:24 and then Luke chapters 9-12. “Christianity is not a path to greater comfort or ease, it is a road of self denial”. He also gave us three points; 1. Are you going to choose comfort or are you going to choose the cross? 2. Are you going to settle for maintenance or SACRIFICE for missions? and 3. Will your life be marked by an indecisive mind or an undivided heart? Well, David Platt, I can tell you my answers are:
1. THE CROSS
2. SACRIFICE FOR MISSIONS
3. UNDIVIDED HEART
Thank you all for reading this and welcome to my World Race journey! I am BEYOND grateful to you for keeping updated on me and I ask most sincerely for your prayers over these next 5 months of preparation and fundraising and then the next 11 as I travel and encounter Jesus and the world in ways I never have before.
Thank you guys so much!
Morgan 🙂
