My name is Rachel and I’m a very goal oriented girl. I always have been, and think I always will be. I love working hard and accomplishing things.
For the past four years, I’ve lived in Nashville, Tennessee, working and being a full-time college student at Trevecca Nazarene University. I moved here in obedience to what I felt God had next for me and to work towards the next goal I had on my heart. I had confidence and peace that this was the clear next step for me, so I jumped in and ran full speed after the goal: to live in Nashville, put myself through school without debt by working, and be a college graduate. Within the last month I finished classes and will walk across the stage in May to accept my undergraduate diploma, free of debt. It hasn’t been easy, but He did not disappoint.
As this four-year journey began to come to a close, I began to intentionally ask God for guidance of what would be next for me post-grad. Will I pursue a masters? Will I move somewhere? Will I stay where I’m at and continue to work? What are my goals moving forward now? What are the desires of my heart? How will I spend my time now that I don’t have classes? How do I want my life to look?
After a few weeks, I remembered a passing conversation I heard a few years back about something called “The World Race”. This thought stuck out to me, so I immediately looked up what it was. As I began to read about it, the mission behind their organization, see testimonies of participants, etc. I noticed my heartbeat had quickened. I felt like I was reading about something that was created just for me even though I had never really known anything about it. It felt like the desires of my heart were playing before me on a video of strangers serving and loving God’s people, seeing the world, all while growing closer and deeper to our Creator.
Is this my next step? Is this the goal of my post-grad heart? Yes.
Since that night, I have been as intentional as I can be to be sure that this is not just a goal of mine, but that it’s a mission God has chosen for me, and is calling me to. So here I am. I feel confident that this is the next thing God has for me and saying yes to being a part of the World Race.
Isaiah 6:8 (ESV) And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
When I look back on my life I want to be able to say that I was obedient to the nudges I felt from Holy Spirit; that I went when I felt called. I pray to have a spirit as eager as Isaiah’s to jump up and go. “How strange it is that this God of majesty, sovereignty, and power asks for volunteers! God wants willing, surrendered servants. He looks for volunteers” (David Guzik Commentary).
This opportunity feels overwhelmingly kind and like the sweetest gift from God.
Psalm 8:3-4 “When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers — the moon and the stars you set in place — what are mere mortals that you should think about them, humans beings that you should care for them?”
Who am I to be given such an amazing opportunity? Who am I that He would ask me? Yet, God does care about mere mortals. He cares about you and me, and has a plan for each of us (Jer. 29:11). The World Race is the next step of mine, so here I am. Send me.
I’ll continue to post updates on here leading up to and during my mission.
As I prepare to be ‘sent off’ I personally invite you into my journey! I hope you’ll join me, follow my story and support me in any way you feel led to: financially, prayerfully, etc. Your presence in this is important to me.
I’m so excited for all that’s to come and to share it with you.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
R
