I honestly can’t put into words how excited I am about being a World Racer!! I’ve been in this amazingly goofy giddy fog since I received my acceptance call two weeks ago. I have been trying to find the words to write my first blog (ever) and they weren’t coming to me. The Lord has called ME to be his hands and feet, but I can’t even put into words what led me to this. I’m not worthy of this calling. I’m a sinner. So, before I wrote my first blog I needed to find answers. So I searched in my heart, and God directed me to Ecclesiastes where I found my answer.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.
How was I called to missions? Well, I didn’t have a BAM moment, but the Lord did give me the peace I needed to apply. My whole life I knew I wanted to help people and be part of something bigger. A family friend of ours came to the office today and I told him about the race, he said “I knew you were going”. Confused I said “Did my dad tell you already” and he said “No Bre, I just always knew you would do something great and that you wouldn’t settle for less”. I stood there shocked. I never would have guessed I would be packing up to leave my easy life for a year to do mission work. I even remember when I was younger hearing our church’s missionaries speak at church and the whole time I would be thinking these people are crazy. Why would they want to live in those countries? Why would they want to worry about where they are going to sleep, what they are going to eat or if they were even safe?
Last fall I realized why they would do all those things. I had everything and yet there was still a void inside me. After I took a step back and reevaluated my life I realized that somewhere along my road I lost God. I left him in my dust while I was buying a house, trying to advance at work and keeping in touch with friends. I never stopped believing, but I did stop living for Him. I lost control after I came to that realization of myself that night and knew I didn’t want another day to pass living like that.
I started looking for volunteer programs online and going to church again. I was already feeling better but it wasn’t enough. I wanted more. So, I kept searching and praying looking for more answers. In February I came across my answer…The World Race. When I saw that it was for 11 months, I laughed and left the page. ELEVEN MONTHS! I can’t give up a year of my life. But every night after that I found myself back on the website, intoxicated by the testimonies and stories. I had to be part of this is. I had to apply. But I never could talk myself out of leaving my job because I work with my family, or leaving my friends and their kids or even leaving the comfort of my life. One night after watching videos and blogs from racers in the field, I knew I had to apply. God gave up his only son for me, so I can certainly give up a year of my life to be completely devoted to his work and Kingdom.
So, I started coming up with what I was going to say to my family in the morning and how I was going to explain to them that I wanted to leave. After only a few minutes, I was panicking and crying because I was so worried for them and how they were going to react. Then, all of the sudden I was completely at peace. I wasn’t worried about anything. God just took all my fears away in the matter of second. It felt like God was tapping me on the shoulder and saying, “Bre, I need you to go”. So, the next morning I talked to my family. They were so supportive and agreed I needed to go, so I applied that night!! And now I’m preparing for the trip of my life!!!
With Love,
Breanna
