I'm your average stubborn, southern, daddy's girl. So I'm not lying when I say my world was broken, rebuilt and then broken again a billion times after I came to Christ. Learning I was not in control was the most bitter sweet lesson of my life, well so far…I have a feeling that may change during this race =]
I was attending Hillvue Heights Church here in Bowling Green, Ky when I decided to accept Christ. It was at the Sunday evening service they called The Gathering where I thought I had lost everything in my life but soon enough realized I had found the only thing I would ever need. To add to that, I had fallen in love with a beautiful group of young believers. As I was getting to know them, I remember thinking "Wow, these people are crazy over mission trips, it's all they talk about! That's so sweet…but thats not for me." As time went by I found myself feeling the need to support these friends with their trips. As a broke college student my definition of support in this previous sentence is prayer, lots of prayer and daily hugs =]
But that urge to support didn't go away.
So it was back to square one. "Alright God, what is this you're putting so heavy on my heart?" But I was wasting my time asking for guidance, you see….I already had the answer. Remember when I said I was a stubborn girl?? Oh yeah, I knew from the beginning what God was telling me to do. So I changed my prayer request. "Father, open up the door, show me where to go and I will serve."
Not much longer afterwards, a group from my church was ready to take off to Haiti for a week. The stories that came back just filled me with joy. I thought to myself, this is it! It's Haiti! LETS GO, GOD! I prayed day in and day out for an opening, a door, a window, whatever. Nothing. Was. Happening. I talked to my mentor, who was also one of the women who served on this trip to Haiti. I wanted to know when they were going again. Nothing was set in stone but they were looking forward to planning another week long trip soon.
Something still didn't feel right. (I'm telling you, I am s-t-u-b-b-o-r-n) I knew Haiti was not my calling. I was also constantly reminded of my youth, my singleness and the fact that I was about to graduate from college and inherit an unhealthy amount of free time. A week long mission trip? As much time as I wasted without Christ in my life, I think I owe more than a week serving the Lord.
Whew! That felt good to finally confess.
Somewhere during this hot mess, a new friend of mine (shout out Alyssa Winkler!) had posted a website to my facebook page. We had just spent the entire class period talking about our dreams of becoming missionaries and stay at home moms. I instantly checked out the website and felt overwhelmed, "This isn't for me." But months later, as I was waiting patiently for God to tell me my next move, I found myself searching for that website link.
www.theworldrace.org…..
But there was no overwhelming feeling.
no doubts.
no fears.
I wasn't feeling stubborn!
I wasted days and nights reading blogs, packing lists, and memorizing the routes.
I spent a month praying over which route to pick.
I spent three more months praying over my application process.
I highlighted every verse in my bible that had the word NATION or RACE.
My entire mind was consumed with His will.
And when I was accepted within 20 hours of my phone interview, I felt a peace consume my body like none other before. I like to call it a holy hug.
And now I can't wait to hug the nations and tell them about their savior.
