This past year has been a rollar coaster of a ride. This past year was nothing but an adventure. This past year has been the year I found myself.
A year ago this week I found myself, once again, in one of my favorite places: McLaughlin, SD. This was the 4th time I had been to South Dakota for a mission trip, and I had no idea how much that trip would cause my life to be flipped completely upside down – but in such a beautiful way. During the months leading up to this trip, I felt an urge or a call to do mission work on a bigger and more intense scale than what I was used to. I kept this calling to myself in fear that people would think I was crazy or that they would try talking me out of it. I applied multiple different times to YWAM (Youth With A Mission) and the World Race. Both ministries set up phone call interviews with me, and every single time they called, I avoided the phone call. Yikkkeesss.
While I was in South Dakota, I did nothing but think about the idea of doing mission work with Adventures in Mission or doing DTS with YWAM, but once again, I kept it to myself. I prayed, and prayed, and prayed about what the Lord was calling me to, but I didn’t feel like He was giving me guidance even though every homily, every daily reading, every song, and every message I was hearing throughout that week was pointing me to my answer. If you couldn’t tell by now, I’m STUBBORN AS HECK!!! I just needed a tiny little push, and boy did I get more than that.
At 6am, after a week of tiring ministry, I finally shared what was on my heart with a friend of mine as we drove home from South Dakota. That conversation exploded into so much more. My friend (@blake) threatened me by saying, “Next time that phone rings, I’m answering it and interviewing for you.” SIKE. When I got home, however, I set up anotherrr interview with AIM and with plans of not even going through with it. Welp… I did.
My friend and I were able to have some really fruitful conversations during our ride home from my first week in South Dakota which continued into our next trip up to SD a few days later. While we were headed back to McLaughlin for a retreat, we began talking about peace and what brings us true peace. The idea of “following the peace” kinda became my motto (and a few others) throughout the next few days as it was presented to us as a question that same night. Throughout the reatreat, I did nothing but pray about this calling and get spiritually WRECKED by good ole Deacon Aaron 😉 . The first day of the reatreat, while sitting in the third row of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in McLaughlin, South Dakota, I wrote in my journal, “Lord, if I am accepted to this organization and to this trip, I WILL go because it is your will.” As soon as I wrote that sentence, I knew there was no backing out. I knew that IF I was accepted, I was going. I knew that making a promise to God and then backing out wasn’t the best idea.
Within a week of coming home from South Dakota while I was at Niabi Zoo with my students, I got a text from a random phone number that said something along the lines of, “Hey Mackenzie! I’m …. with the World Race. I have some exciting news and I would love to talk to you as soon as you get the chance!” My heart DROPPED. I had been praying that I wouldn’t get accepted because taking a semester off school, raising $4,900, leaving the country, and every other small detail in between was going to be such a huge commitment that I wasn’t sure I could handle and I didn’t really know if I wanted to take on. However, the Lord had other plans. I was accepted to World Race Semesters on July 26, 2020 and I shared it with the world on July 27.
The humanness in me felt uneasy, skeptical, nervous, and hesitant.
But there was peace in my heart for what I had committed to.
I was following the peace.
It has been 365 days since I first really opened my heart to the World Race, and it has been 365 days of consitantly following the peace.
In the last 365 days, I have developed a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Lord, I have been supported by hundreds of people – some whom I don’t even know, I have been pushed by mentors and spirtual directors, I have traveled to 4 different countries and ministered in 2 of them, and I have gained new friends and lost old ones. I have allowed myself to let go of my own expectations for my life and handed them over to the Lord, I have been sent home early from my mission because of a virus that has flipped our world upside down, and I have found new passions and new doors to walk through. I have moved 1,000,000 lbs boulders, taught english to the children of Nicaragua, and painted countless rooms. I have laughed, I have cried, I have felt defeated, I have felt victorious, and I have felt peace.
To me, following the peace means that I am letting God’s peace shape my every move and every day. The Lord has given me His peace after He patiently waited for me to ask for it. He wanted me to fully desire, acknowledge, seek after, and prioritize Him over all else. To follow the peace meant that I had to let go and let God (cheesy quote… I know, I know.) but it’s true. I mentioned it earlier, but I have literally had to let go of my own expectations and give them to the Lord in order to find and follow His peace.
I challenge each and everyone of you to follow the peace today and everyday.
