I recently noticed that I’ve shared a little bit about where my heart is at and how the Lord is working in me right now. However, I never told you… Why the world race?
Why did I feel that the Lord was calling me here? Why now? And how did I know?
Three months ago, I was sitting on my couch in Waco, working on my accounting homework. As I turned to the next page I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else I needed to be doing. Maybe not right at that second, but it felt so urgent. While my accounting is difficult, it was actually making sense at the time, so I had no idea why I couldn’t focus and complete the task at hand. But, I reached for my computer and clicked on my safari browser. Why? I have no idea… But, God had something in store.
Ever since I was a little girl I have dreamed of going to Africa. It has always intrigued me. Though I’ve never been there before, I find myself thinking and daydreaming about it quite often. So I began searching for summer mission trips to Africa. I thought maybe I could intern at a company or go for two or three weeks In between the summer trips that I already had planned. So, I began looking for anything that I could fill this time with. I told the Lord that if something would fit into my schedule, I would go. I’ve actually been telling him that for a long time now. If it works for me, I’ll make it happen.
We hear about putting God into a box and constraining him. But over the past three months, I have already learned that He is so much bigger than my plans. While searching for various trips I stumbled upon the World Race and recognized it because two of my friends, from working at Pine Cove last summer, are currently on the World Race. However, after seeing the 9-month timestamp on the gap year program, I moved on. It wasn’t for me. My alarm went off and it was time for my next task to begin. So I proceeded with my night and carried on with my usual activities. But for some reason, that website lingered in the back of my mind.
Going to sleep it was so present and when I woke up the next morning, the urgency of needing to learn more about this gap year program was overwhelming. All throughout the day, no matter how many other things I tried to get done, I couldn’t focus. So I began to pray. Well, first I freaked out and texted Logan who is currently on the World Race. Looking back, my texts made no sense, and because he was in India and was asleep, he obviously wasn’t replying.
Okay what do I do next… Then, I began to pray. I was so lost and had no idea what I was feeling. Now, I know that that feeling was indeed the Holy Spirit. Let me tell you, he was speaking loud and clear, something I had never really experienced before.
As soon as I let God out of the box that I had created for him, he began to work. As soon as I gave him all of my time, he began to show me new opportunities. Throughout the next week, I began to pray fervently for the Lord to open or close doors. It was his plan, not mine. I told four different individuals about what had happened and sought their advice about how to approach the situation. I needed to bring the idea to my parents and I was really unsure of how to do so. How do I tell them that I want to take a year off of school? Let alone move across the world for nine months? I felt like it was expected of me to finish college in 4 years, etc. So feeling the Lord lead me toward the gap year I was unsure of what to do. I prayed that the Lord would soften their hearts and give me the courage and boldness to explain what he had called me to. After processing all that had happened over the past week, I set up a FaceTime call with my parents, to explain what I wanted to do and what the next steps were. To my surprise, they were really receptive and completely supportive of everything I said. I was honestly shocked. This was one way that the Lord affirmed my decision to go on the World Race. Door after door continued to open and it was incredible.
The next day I submitted my application and then set up my interview. About a week later, I was walking out of my house, to go to my accounting test. My phone began to ring and it was a phone call that I had been accepted!!! (God works in funny ways—apparently, accounting was in my application process from start to finish!) When we are truly ready to give God the keys, he works in mighty ways. Fitting his ministry into my plan simply wasn’t enough. I needed to take a leap of faith, to find who I am in him, and search for the endless opportunities that the world has to offer.
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I would love to invite you again to prayerfully consider whether the Lord would have you partner with me, in prayer and through finances, as I embark on this journey. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!
