Never ever have I blogged. I suppose my journals over the years are blogs to myself, but hey, I’m excited and nervous to invite you on this journey of the World Race with me. First off, I am not very open to letting everyone into the nooks and crannies of my life so bear with me as I share this inner dialogue. With these words, my main hopes are to be vulnerable, honest, and fun. Life is nothing without levity. So, let’s begin!
A few months ago, I said yes to the World Race! Ever since, I’ve been terrified of what my yes means. For those unfamiliar with the World Race, it is a part of Adventures in Missions, a nonprofit organization specializing in short term mission trips. The World Race itself is an 11-month missionary trip to 11 different countries to work and assist in a number of ministries that Adventures in Missions partners with throughout the world.
How did I get involved with the World Race? Thank you for asking. I love Jesus. So, I want to love Him with my words, my actions, my gifts, my time, and with my entire life. I want to honor Him. When I attend Sunday service and bible studies, something inside me yearns to experience God in a new way. One Sunday, I found a copy of Francis Chan’s Crazy Love in my church lobby and as I began to read I was encouraged to read the gospel again and I thought to myself I can give more of my life to God. As I shared this with my bible study group, someone said, “it sounds like maybe you need a mission trip, have you heard of the World Race?” I gave it some thought and looked it up online. Soon, I found myself applying and interviewing. Immediately, the World Race asked me to wait a few more months for the next trip so I could attend Christian counseling before embarking on this journey. At first, I became disheartened, it felt like someone saying you have a lot of problems. But soon, I found myself excited to attend counseling, because it’s something I’ve been encouraged to do by a couple of friends, but I didn’t want my struggles to feel real. So, I said yes to this new challenging opportunity.
Each step of this journey, the counseling, as well as, talking with my family about this opportunity, and raising the support and funds to go on this trip are incredible opportunities for God to pull me out of my comfort zone into an area where I could experience failure and disappointment, but I know it’s also a chance for me to see God’s faithfulness and how He’s always been in control and still is. I’m calling this post, unraveling, unravel me, because I feel God dismantling how I see life. One part of this is unlearning the American dream of needing to reach goals in a particular timeframe such as a career, a husband, a few kids, a house, and a dog and instead realizing the God dream, which may not coincide with societal expectations. I’m learning to let God interrupt my plans for His. It’s scary, but I want to want Him more than I want all of these things. Even though, the race technically begins in June 2019, I feel like it started the moment I said yes. God is growing me in a ripple effect that all began with this decision.
For now, I’ll stop here, but please subscribe and join me on this journey. I’m praying for you and I hope you’ll be encouraged to plunge into wherever God is calling you.
Love ya,
Candace
