It is human nature to fear change, but as the cliche goes, change is inevitable. A year ago, as I prepared to “go”, I found myself craving change. I craved it, but I also feared it. I couldn’t wait for the World Race to change me for the better, but not knowing what that change would look like was scary. I remember saying, “It’s the weirdest feeling knowing that I’m about to go on a journey that is going to change me forever.” Today, a year later, I’m sitting in the miserable heat of Nicaragua changed, but not because of the World Race.
The World Race is glorified in a lot of ways. The truth is, it’s a lot more boring than the pictures you see on Instagram and Facebook and it’s a lot more normal than the blogs you read. It’s not something that we (World Racers) intend to do, but we glorify the journey we are on with our really cool pictures, profound captions, and proofread stories. I’m not saying it’s bad to share the experiences we’ve had with the people that couldn’t experience them alongside us, but I believe this has lead to the misconception that the World Race is life-changing. The World Race is not life-changing, God is.
The World Race took me to the Philippines, Swaziland, and Nicaragua. The World Race led me to Kids International Ministries, El Shaddai Orphanage, The Hope House, Bethel Center of Hope, and Moss Coffee. The World Race is great, but the World Race didn’t change me. I’ve learned so many things about myself, about Jesus, about community, and about the world the past 9 months, but every lesson learned was from God. I didn’t learn the things I did because I was on the World Race, I learned them because God wanted me to. God didn’t send me on the World Race so it could teach me, He sent me on the World Race so He could use it to teach me and so He could use me to teach others because that’s what God does. He uses people and things to teach us and grow us. And thats the best news because He can use anything. He used the World Race to teach me what He had planned for me to learn in this season of my life. But He doesn’t just use 9 month mission trips that take you around the world- He uses people and trials and blessings. He uses school and work. And even though He doesn’t orchestrate it, He uses evil, too. He can use anything and anyone to show us exactly who He is what He wants. And that’s the best news because that means He can use you and whatever circumstance you are in. He is not limited.
So, please don’t think I’m coming home a new person because I went on the World Race; I’m coming home a new person because change is inevitable when you allow God to use you and everything around you to show you who He is. I’m coming home a new person because new life in Him is what God showed me through the World Race.
Wherever you are and whatever circumstance you find yourself in today, know that new life is what is what is being offered, you need only choose it.
