And now I have David Bowie stuck in my head. Never a bad thing.
But this isn’t a blog about my love for Bowie. This is a blog about how God flipped me upside down and shook me a little and how my World Race experience will now look completely different.
Here’s the big news: I changed from WR Squad Z to WR Squad C – meaning I’m traveling with a different group of people to totally different countries.
Let me explain. It all started a couple weeks ago when I got an email from my WR Mobilizer, Jess, who was looking for about 7 volunteers to change from Z Squad to A Squad (a whole different route with people I’ve never met). “NOPE.” – Literally first words out of my mouth. “Nope. Not feeling it.” After all, these are MY countries, MY route, MY squad, MY new friends and family, MY Unreached People Groups, MY plans, MY dreams, MY desires. Starting to see a pattern here? I closed my computer quickly and went on about my day. It didn’t take me long for my stomach to start churning. How dare I blatantly tell God “No” before He even asked? How audacious am I to look my sovereign and loving Lord in the face and say “No.” After repenting and praying and seeking, I made the decision to stay put. But I realize now that God was preparing me for what He had waiting about 10 days later.
Which brings us to Thursday. My computer chimed and I opened up an email with the subject line “Looking for Some Brave Volunteers… Round Two!” NOOOOOOOOOOOO! Not again! Remember my mobilizer, Jess? The one who absolutely loves to throw kinks in the well-oiled machine that is my comfort zone? This time she shared that of the 4 squads launching in January, 3 of them just had too many people. In order for a squad to be effective, for squad leaders to not be stretched too thin and for the best and most effective ministry experiences, these 3 squads needed to be lighter. So they opened up a 5th route that will launch at the same time in January and they are looking from volunteers from these 3 squads to come together to make a new squad bound for a whole new journey. Ok God. You have my attention now. Needless to say, this time my initial reaction was different. I got down on my knees in the bathroom at work (awkward, I know) and told God, “Lord, I trust you. Your plans don’t always line up with mine. But I will follow you to the ends of the earth. I will follow you to Route 2, I will follow you to Route 5, I will follow you on a whole different trip altogether if it’s your plan. Just tell me where you want me.”
So I began thinking it out. Yes, I’m feeling called to the countries on Route 2 – especially India. But the thing with the World Race, and any missions program, is that you’re not guaranteed that your route won’t ever change. For logistical and safety reasons, it is incredibly common to have to switch up countries while on the field. If I stayed with Route 2 and didn’t get to go to India, I would be absolutely devastated. I would be bitter the entire month of October when I SHOULD be in India. That’s not ok! It’s not ok that I’m holding on to that country with a death grip and not even allowing the idea of God possibly switching it up according to His plan. So that’s red flag #1. Red flag #2 is how tightly I was holding on to my squad and the dear friends I’ve made there. Although they are blessings and wonderful people, I couldn’t make my decision based on what they were going to do, which would not have surprised me at all. This is not about them. So I told very few people from my crew that I was praying about switching and the ones I did tell, I asked them not to tell me their decision until I made mine. An incredibly hard choice on my part, but I knew it was the only way to make the choice based on only what the Lord was leading me to do.
So after praying and seeking Him, and seeking wise counsel from my parents and a couple of my wonderful BCC pastors, I decided to make the switch. I called Jess yesterday morning and became the first official member of C-Squad. I’m ready for this journey to stop being about me, and start giving the Lord complete freedom to do what He wants. I’m ready to surrender my dreams, my desires, my expectations for this journey at His feet. I’m ready to take up my cross, and serve a need before even embarking on this journey, and I’m so excited to do it alongside people from 3 different squads that have all decided to take that same blind step of faith. C-Squad is all unified in their decision to lay aside self and follow after Jesus Christ. I can not WAIT to meet these sacrificial warriors at Training Camp next week as we prepare to push back darkness and bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people who desperately need it.
So, friends and family, supporters and prayer warriors, and my #1 fans – Here’s my new route, the journey God knew I would be taking when I was merely a beautifully and lovingly crafted dream in His Head.
Guatemala
Honduras
El Salvador
Albania
Bulgaria
Malawi
Zambia
Mozambique
Thailand
Cambodia
Malaysia
That’s right! I will now get to touch 4 different continents with the love and gospel of Jesus Christ over the course of 11 months! Although it always stings to give up what you had planned, I am so excited to be following His calling. For those of you who have picked up prayer cards for my old route, I ask that you continue to pray for those countries as Z squad is there! My former squad will so appreciate and need your intercession. Megan and I will soon be formulating some new cards for my new journey so stay tuned! I can’t thank you all enough for your prayers and support that are making this crazy journey possible. I love you all more than I can express.
In love and light,
Bre
