“You’re doing what??” ..going around the world for 11 months on a mission trip.. “no, really?!” ..yup, really… it’s true! “whoa!” ..sooo, that is pretty much how the vast majority of conversations about my plans for next year have started – a mix of excitement, a bit of confusion followed by explanations, and generally lots of smiles and support. It really has been a joy and I’d say part of the journey sharing with people what the Lord has placed on my heart to do next year. The Lord’s work in other people and in myself through the World Race is evident and in full swing. I had no idea a year ago, or hardly even a month ago, that God would place it on my heart to do the World Race so soon. I came across the World Race a while back while looking for a short term summer mission trip and thought “huh, that could be awesome…maybe later in life I’ll go… maybe when I’ve saved up and I’m older and wiser!” and I just kept it in the back of my head for a while. Well, come this past December, I had started to think that I would work at a summer camp as a part of a yearlong discipleship program. I love camp. I love serving there. I could learn and grow a lot. Camp was my plan, and I figured that would give me time raise money, save money, and prepare myself as much as I could before possibly going on the race in a year or two. The plan made sense in my head, but my plan was just that – my plan. Of course, a lesson I’ve learned time and time again, I should just throw my plans out the window because the Lord has plans of His own ready and waiting for me. So, such was the case. I got talking to a friend who told me and gave me the realization that preparing myself for the race isn’t what’s needed. The race will prepare me. The Lord began to tell me to trust Him, and trust Him now with this, and that he wants me as I am and to be fully open to His plans. So, after prayer, encouragement, deciphering what parts of Luke 14 means and is supposed to look like in my life, and a long silent drive home, the World Race calling was in existence. I knew going on the race, serving for the year, and learning for the year is what I’m called to do and where the Lord wants me. I felt a peace about all my worries and fears and distrusts about the race. Not to say they haven’t risen up again as I plan and prepare, but it was a glimpse at how great God is at preparation and clarity. I saw it as something really possible and something that is going to happen as the Lord sees it. So, there ya have it. This is how I was called to the race!
