The World Race has been experience unlike none other. I’ve spent the last 8 months traveling the world, serving people in all types of ways, and falling more in love with the amazing God that I serve daily. I have faced months of hardships and spiritual attacks along with tremendous joy and happiness. I wouldn’t change any of the things I have done on this trip. The World Race has been more than I could ever ask for, which is why you can probably imagine my surprise with the last half of South Africa, I felt that I was being called home.
At first, I thought me wanting to leave the race was nothing out of the ordinary. After being away from family, friends, and all of the comforts that America has for six months, it was normal to want to be there. However, after this desire got stronger and stronger, I realized this was something I truly needed to take to The Lord. After some time, I decided this wasn’t my time to go home. I had no peace at leaving, at that time and the people I trusted and respected most didn’t agree with me going home, and with our God being a God who unifies, not divides, I decided to go to Nicaragua with the rest of my squad.
I made it to Nicaragua and things were good! My mom was coming a week after I arrived there and I was super pumped for that. I knew God wanted her to experience Nicaragua and how I had been living for the past 7 months and also thought seeing her would give me the push I needed to finish the race. However during the Parent Vison Trip, I stated getting the feeling that I needed to go home, again. I didn’t know what to do, so I ignored it until after my mom left.
My mom went back home and things in Nicaragua were amazing. The country is beautiful. I got a team change and I absolutely loved and adored my team from the moment we got placed together. I made it to my ministry site and from there things only got better. My host, Kerri, was from America and was only 23. She was the sweetest person I had met on the race and was so easy to talk to and get along with. From the outside, things couldn’t have been more perfect, but the feeling that God wanted me at home was stronger than ever.
I spent the first 3 weeks in Nicaragua in constant prayer. I started praying that if God wanted me home, then He would have to give me a reason. I told God that I needed Him to start making it clear where He wanted me, and He did. God provided a reason to come home, money a flight home would cost, and support from the people who once opposed me leaving the race. When all of those fell into place, I could no longer deny what I knew in my heart. I knew that God was calling me home. I had been thinking this for so long, and even though the timing in South Africa wasn’t the right time, now it is.
The race hasn’t been easy. I wanted to come home when things on the farm in Thailand wasn’t what I thought I would be doing on the race, when I was under so much spiritual attack in Cambodia, and even when I was told I wasn’t welcome at ministry in South Africa. I have wanted to go home so many times because of my flesh and selfish desires that I know the difference in wanting to go home then and feeling called to come home now.
Leaving the race a month early is something I had never planned and it is nowhere near an easy decision make. I know that leaving the race early is not a decision that some people will agree with. I know that criticism is something that I will have to face, but with that being said, I am so confident in my decision that worrying about what other people will think is no longer my concern. I know that my actions, no matter what they may be, have The Lord’s hand in them. I also know that He is proud and pleased with me. I am serving Him and that is all He has ever wanted from me.
Coming home, I am sure, will not be without trials. Coming back home to the world I left 8 months ago will come with an infinite amount of spiritual attacks. I have never been more in love with God and I know that the enemy hates that and will be trying to steal any joy and love I have, but the good news is that I’m going to fight so hard to prevent that from happening.
Please be praying for me as I transition back home and please continue praying for my squad who is still in Nicaragua and will return home next month!
I don’t know exactly what my next step is, but as for right now, I am simply enjoying spending time with the amazing people God has put in my life! It is good to be home folks!
