So this is a little late and I’ve already done some blogs already, but better late than never, right!? I am currently living in Washington, DC working at a wealth management company in Virginia. Totally a displaced Southerner. I am so blessed with an amazing family who love me so well and have always been so encouraging to me. I know that I would not be the woman that I am without their example and support. I’ve grown up in a Christian home my whole life but just embraced that knowing Jesus is about a relationship with him when I was in junior high school – a huge thanks to Young Life for that. God has been so good to me. Yes, there have been ups and downs in my family and in my faith, but He has always proved so faithful.
That’s enough about me – I want to tell you how I got here. About 4 months ago some guys came into town to promote their nonprofit called Falling Whistles (please check it out – so awesome). One of the guys was a friend from college and was so awesome to let me just come hang out with them. I’ve never traveled anywhere and they kept on saying that I needed to “find” myself and sometimes being somewhere where you have nothing is the place to do it. So that got my wheels turning. I looked into a few things, probably freaked my parents out a bit, but nothing seemed to be right.
About 2 or 3 months after that I was on facebook and randomly (God got me there) got on a friend from college’s page and she had just gotten home from doing The World Race. I started looking at the blogs and the website and I was just really excited about it. I was at my brother’s house and he and my sister-in-law really encouraged me to just apply and let the Lord take it from there. So I did and within 4 days I had had an interview and was accepted. Now it was decision time.
I firmly believe that sometimes we have to make decisions that we don’t necessarily know if that’s what we’re supposed to do, but the Lord will let you know after. Which He did, with flying colors. I was supposed to go home to South Carolina the next week and wanted to really talk things over with my parents before I did anything drastic, like quit my job, even though I knew this is where I was supposed to be. Well, the Lord had other plans and I think was already preparing me for a time where I wouldn’t be able to depend on my parents for daily decisions. I was planning on going home and then telling my boss the next Monday or Tuesday. Well the Wednesday before that, I went into work and found out that she was going to be gone the whole next week.
With less than a month left til training camp and a pretty hefty support goal to reach before then, I really felt like I was supposed to go ahead and take the plunge. Leap of faith, if you will. So I did, I quit my job- on a day that I was not expecting to at all. So I went home that weekend with the decision made. I was doing The World Race. After making this decision the two things that I was really praying about was the fact that I needed $1,000 in my support account by October 16, I think it was like Sept. 25ish and I didn’t want to screw my roommate over in her living situation. So, on Sunday I was at my parents’ church talking to a friend about my trip, what little I knew about it. Later that afternoon, he and his wife came over to the house. I told my story again and then he said, so who do I write the check to? At this point, I hadn’t even thought about that. I had NO idea… I told him to just wait, but he was persistent, which I am so thankful for. Then he handed me a check that covered my support for training. And the Lord basically slapped me across the face saying – WHAT ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT – I GOT YOU!!! I cried, a lot – something I do sometimes. It was the most humbling experience I’ve ever experienced in my life.
Then to put icing on the cake, my roommate texted me said that she found a place to live. She didn’t even have to look or have any time to worry about it. It was amazing and God is so good! So good! I am continually learning that I just need to trust HIM. He totally knows what He’s doing.
I’m here, I’m doing The World Race. I couldn’t be more excited or nervous. I’m nervous but I am trust my sovereign Father who will protect me and guide my steps even when my stupid flesh filled mind can’t see an inch in front of me. He also comforted me with this. Psalm 139- He knows what He’s doing. He knew what He was doing with me way before I did. This is the first time in my life where I know 100% that I am doing HIS will – not mine. And man oh man it feels good!
