“Annie, sometimes I lead you in a round about way to get you where I want you to be.”
This is what God spoke to me in December of 2018 as I was pressing in and asking Him for clarity on whether or not I was supposed do the World Race. When I read that this past month I couldn’t help but laugh. He certainly did lead me in a round about way to get me where I am now. I would have never guessed back then that when I said “yes” to the World Race, I was actually saying yes to two and a half months abroad, four months quarantined in Texas and, now, four months doing World Race America. While mourning the reality of lost plans and unexpected disruptions is very real and very hard (as I’m sure many of you have experienced in your own lives in a great variety of ways), I know that without these disruptions I absolutely would not be where I am today.
I am officially starting World Race America. wowza. Those are words I thought that I would never say. But God obviously has plans for us that sometimes are exactly opposite of what we imagined. I thought I would be in South Africa heading to Swaziland around this time, but tomorrow I’ll be in Kentucky and then eventually Indiana and Washington and Colorado and so many other places in between, sharing the glory of God with Americans. And I’m so excited! (some other words I thought I would never say)
So why am I doing World Race America?
The day after being told by my squad leader that we would start the journey back to America I asked God, “Lord, what do you say about our time at home?”. I was angry and sad and every emotion in-between about being back in America, but He told me clearly,“you will see the clear evidence of the fruit, it will be all around you! It is time for harvest, the crop is ready! Go forth with basket in hand and begin the work. This field is ready and the others will be ready in time.” It was evident that God was super excited about the mission field in America, I just needed some time to catch up.
After arriving home, Adventures in Missions told us that we would hear from them in 60 days with our options of what to do now that things were all so different. World Race America was an option that I wrote off from the very beginning. In my mind there was no way I was going to do that because I wanted ~international~ missions and nothing else. Plus, if I’m being 100% honest, missions in America kinda scared the heck out of me 🙂 When we got the list of options 60 days later, however, the description of World Race America said “America is ripe for revival” and “Now is the time for harvest!”. ha. Exactly what God had told me 60 days prior in a lil room in Thailand. And yet I still told God no and I tried harder to find an international option that would work even though I knew I didn’t feel any peace.
One day, as I was driving around in my car worshiping and praying, God showed me 5 different water towers in the matter of 10 minutes. These were water towers I had probably seen before but never really noticed. But, I could definitely feel Holy Spirit working and I knew God was trying to say something so I parked my car and decided to listen. God quickly brought me to Isaiah 30:23 – 26 “which says, “Then the Lord will bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock…In that day when your enemies are slaughtered and the towers fall, there will be streams of water flowing down every mountain and hill…” As I was reading His word, God gave me a vision of water towers all around America falling over and spilling the water that was inside and filling the land. He made it so clear to me that we, me and the rest of World Race America, are the water towers. We have been in a season of being filled up with God’s glory and truth. As we defeat our enemies, both the actual enemy and our own idols and reservations, we will submit to God, bowing down to him and spilling out living water to those around us. But I still wanted to know what this meant to God, so I asked Him, “God, what are you trying to say about the water towers?”. He replied, “People are thirsty all around you. They quench for more than water. America is parched. The crops need water, they are ready to be plucked and they need a drink. Defeat your idols, let go of preconceived notions, forget what you learned, spill out the water which is the truth of my kingdom.”
Now I don’t know if you know anything about farming, but I sure didn’t, so I looked up watering crops before harvest. This is actually a practice among farmers called “flushing” the crops and it typically makes a harvest much richer. It allows the crops to maintain their nutrients throughout the harvesting process. He was telling me plain as day that if I cast down my idols and humble myself and allow the “towers” to fall, the harvest (which He had been prophesying to me for the past 4 months) would be that much richer! I knew that an idol in my own personal life was my own plan and international missions, it still sometimes can be. I hold it so tightly that when it got taken away, I suddenly doubted even my own purpose. But God so graciously is giving me a new purpose, a new country, a new harvest to tend to. Even when we don’t know it or believe it, He has our best interest at heart.
Finally, God brought me to Proverbs 10:5 which says, “A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace”. yikes. It was a harsh warning. God had clearly called me to harvest 4 months ago and I had, in a sense, been sleeping. But this verse served as the cherry on top of so many confirmations that World Race America was exactly what He wanted me to do. Plus, I don’t believe that it is any coincidence that the trip starts on July 31st, right in the middle of summer 🙂 After having this time of revelation I looked up and right in front of my car along the horizon was a giant water tower in the distance. Isn’t God so good and so intentional? I will never look at water towers the same way again. And as I drive across America, every single one that I see is a reminder that living water is being spilled out across this nation and that the harvest has only just begun.
I must say, too, that I don’t necessarily know what God’s vision of “harvest” in America really is for this upcoming season. I’ve asked, but God hasn’t wanted to tell me all of the details yet. I pray it is thousands of people coming to know Christ. I pray that it is revival and renewal and rejuvenation. But I trust in God also to know that it could be personal or just one person learning His name. I do know that regardless of what it is, God will consider it rich and beautiful and plentiful, and that gives me peace as I trust Him with each step I take moving forward.
So I am picking up my basket, moving forward and beginning the work. It’s one small step but it is big faith that God is the keeper of my plans and that this is where He wants me in this season. Thank you to all who have reached out, prayed, supported and cared for me over this past season. I am overjoyed to move forward in this journey with each and every one of you.
Much love and many blessings,
Annie 🙂
Meet my new team!!! Team Kainos (Kainos is the greek word for new). 5 girls from my previous squad who are all incredible and passionate about revival in America. And meet our van! I love them!!! God is good 🙂
