Having been back home from the Race for the past 3 months, life has been nothing short of crazy and has flown by so incredibly quickly. It’s been full of a lot of unexpected twists and turns not only my life but in our country as a whole — and I’m here to share a pretty amazing one with all of you!
When I left for the World Race last summer, I had every intention of returning home and attending college the following fall. I’d applied and been accepted to schools and was full of excitement about taking the next step in furthering my education. When I came home in March, these plans remained the same. After a couple of weeks, however, I was on the phone with my previous squad mentor, who asked me to think and pray about accepting a role as an Alumni Team Leader on the next World Race squad. I took a couple of weeks and weighed my options, taking into consideration both what I wanted to do and what everyone around me thought I should do. I’m not the greatest decision-maker to begin with, but in that time period I felt more unsure than ever. I was daily wondering what others would think if I took off another semester of school, questioning if next year’s Race would even launch due to COVID-19, and afraid that if I went to college I’d be missing out on an exciting opportunity with the World Race. With all of these questions and concerns clogging my mind and knowing that a decision needed to be given the next day, I realized that the one thing I’d neglected to do was sit with the One who is the author of my life, the One who knew the plans He had for me before I was even born!!! So I did just that. I turned off my phone and sat on my bedroom floor and listened. I wrote out the biggest fears I had with each option and prayed through every one of them, asking the Lord to give me His peace and reveal His plan for me. In this, I felt him calling me to accept a role as an Alumni Team Leader, to go and serve Him and a team of girls on the same journey that had transformed my life over the past year.
So I gave my yes!! Not just to my squad mentor or to the World Race, but to Jesus!
When I made this decision, I was committing to leading in Costa Rica and Guatemala from late August to early December — and I was thrilled! I had known from the beginning that plans were subject to change with the constantly shifting state of the world regarding the Coronavirus, but I truly thought it’d all be over by then. Or that it would’ve been under control enough to allow international travel. A few weeks ago, however, I found out that this wouldn’t be the case. Due to many factors surrounding the virus both in our nation and those across the globe, the decision was made that next year’s World Race squads would remain in the U.S. for the first 3.5 months and then launch overseas in January, considering international travel becomes safe enough to do so.
Initially, I was bummed. Not so much because we would be staying in the States, but more so because it was another change. Another letdown. Another unmet expectation. However, as I’ve been reminded time and time again, I remembered that my worldly expectations are futile in comparison to what the Lord has in mind. And so I decided to switch my own mindset — to be excited and compelled by a new experience and to instead be expected of the Lord!! To allow Him to sweep me off my feet and blow me away in awe of all that He has in store for me!
With that being said, let me give you some insight into what in the world I’m going to do!!! The contingency plan that was created for the fall has me leading a group of girls in Georgia! I’ll be living mostly in my tent (YAY for camping!) and doing the World Race here in the States. We’ll be partnering with and serving in ministries in the Gainesville/Atlanta area during the week and will learn what it looks like to live out a missional lifestyle here at home in the U.S. I’ll have the privilege of discipling a team of 6 to 8 girls and am so excited to be able to lead them into deeper relationship with Jesus, having experienced his transformational powers in my own personal life so deeply while on my own Race! When Adventures in Missions made the decision to hold the first 3 months in Georgia, I fully expected a lot of the upcoming Racers to withdraw or decide to do only the 6 months overseas beginning in January. Much to my surprise, and without a doubt because of Jesus, all but 5 of the Racers from my squad made the decision to stay! What a testimony! Showing that no, it’s not about the travel! It’s not about getting to see the world (although yes, that’s super fun too!) But that a generation of people knows our country needs Jesus the same amount as the next and is willing to do what it takes to make his name known here within their own borders!?! What a praise!!
For the first 3 months of my Race in South Africa, my alumni team leader was Abigail — the sweetest soul you’ll ever meet (I promise, ask literally anyone that knows her!) She walked alongside me on the best days, the worst days, and all the in-between days. She demonstrated for me what it meant to live with a radical yes to Jesus and daily showed me what it looked like to walk in freedom. She was both the best listening ear and shoulder to cry on, and she seemed to always know the right thing to say in every situation. Her constant pursuit of Jesus inspired me to do the same. Having someone with me who’d already completed the journey I was just stepping into was something I was continuously grateful for and is why I’m so excited to have the opportunity to be that person for another group of girls!
Last year, because of the incredible support of so many of my friends and family, as well as many others I’ve yet to even meet, I was able to raise $16,600 to go on the World Race gap year! Such an amazing feat that still leaves me in awe of the Lord’s provision to this day!! I have loved getting to share stories from my journey with some people since being home, and really am so excited for when I’m able to have a big thank-you celebration for everyone who helped send me on the Race (as soon as COVID restrictions allow it!) Until then, if you’d like to get together to hang out or grab coffee, I’d love to chat with you! To share stories, show pictures, and give you a glimpse of where exactly your donations went! Feel free to reach out to me via social media, my email ([email protected]), by phone, or even through a comment below! I seriously cannot express just how grateful I am for everyone that helped allow me to go on the Race — and I would love to be able to share that with you in person!!
As you can see, my fundraising bar at the top of this page was reset! That’s because I’m fundraising again to be able to serve as a team leader! My original goal was $3,000, but because my gap year was shortened due to COVID-19, Adventures in Missions deducted $1000 from my fundraising goal for this coming year! If you’d like to help support me, there are two ways you can do so—
1) Prayerfully! As I step into this role of leadership, I am praying for the Lord to equip me. I know that He has called me to this position for a purpose, and trust that He will walk alongside me through the process of getting there! Your prayers for peace, strength, and continued growth would be so appreciated!
2) Financially! As stated above, I am working to fundraise $2,000! I leave for Georgia on August 24th to begin leader training, and am really trusting the Lord to provide for the journey that He’s called me to step into! If you’d like to make a tax-deductible donation, you can do so by clicking the “Donate” button at the top of this page and partnering with me as a one-time or monthly donor via credit/debit card or check. Also, be sure to stay tuned for some pretty sweet fundraisers coming in the next few weeks!
I have learned over the past year just how big of a step it is to say yes to the calling that Jesus places before us and have loved witnessing him intertwine the “yeses” of so many people to make such big things happen so perfectly through his power. It really is such a privilege and an honor to be able to be a small part of his big plans.
Please reach out to me if you have any questions, or would like to make a plan to get together sometime before I leave this August! I am continuing to pray for all of you and your families — especially for your health and safety!
In His love,
Caroline 🙂
