For the World Race, I am asked to write a blog. This is out of my comfort zone, but I believe God has something great planned for writing one. So please bare with me as I begin this journey of writing! This may or may not be my third attempt at writing a post…I have struggled with how to begin it like most of my college papers. I would sit and stare at my computer, write a line, then erase it and start all over. Hopefully after this post it will be easy sailing from here!
First off, I would like to say thank you for taking the time to read this and discover why I am taking this step in life. To some it may seem crazy that I am leaving my career, house, cats (this is a little hard, I love them!), and familiar place to go on a long term mission trip called the World Race. But a few years ago, my world was rocked. Life as I knew it changed and I thought it was the end of the world. God started to reveal to me how far I had walked away from Him and the truth of who He is. I allowed my husband to become my idol. I loved him more than anything, yet I failed at loving him well. I put unrealistic expectations on him, expectations that he would never be able to fill, only God could fill. It was hard to admit to myself that I had placed my husband above God, but I began to see it after he left.
During this time, God showed me who He longed to be in my life. He showed me how much He cared for me by speaking truth into my heart. I was so lost, confused, and hurt. I felt worthless and undeserving of love. BUT GOD, told me that I was precious and so worth it to love. Through Psalms 23, he showed me how He will relentlessly pursue me with His mercy and goodness all the days of my life. He desires a deep, intimate relationship with me; He calls me His daughter. Even though I was faithless, He remained faithful to me! How beautiful, how wonderful is that?! To hear those words, to experience the truth that shed light over the darkness that surrounded me allowed me to see God for who He really is, my Abba Father. He has taught me that through this life, He is the permanence in it. Relationships, houses, jobs, etc. all have a season, but He is the One who will be there through all of it. So how can I walk away from that?
Over the past few years, I have run towards God, hungry to know Him more. Hungry to know the truth of who He is, above the web of lies that try to deceive us. I want Him to be the first in my life, and I desire to live a life surrendered to Him. I mean the more I learn about Him, how could I not?! So that is how my life has led up to this point, I am on a journey to know Him more and to live a life honoring to Him. I know that I can live a surrendered life anywhere that He would ask me to, here in America or around the world.
I believe God has been leading me to this place, but I have been a stubborn one and have dragged my feet, holding on to what I thought would be right for me. He has led me to a place of surrender. He deserves all of me, and He is asking me to lay it all down and to follow Him. So I have arrived at the doorstep of the World Race, to a place of the unknown, but I know and believe that God has far more planned than I can even imagine. I know that it is covered with His goodness and that it is going to be beautiful. I am walking in faith and obedience to the path God has laid before me. I am excited for the journey ahead!
Beginning in October, I will be traveling with a group of people who are hungry to know God more and to serve His people in 11 different countries over the span of 11 months. We will be living out of a backpack for a year, which I am excited about, I do love adventure! There is a link to this site that is titled, What is the World Race?, you can click on it to find out more information about what I will be doing in the coming year.
I would love for you to join me in prayer as I begin this year and prepare for the World Race. I need to raise, 19,200 to go on the Race, I believe that if God desires me to go on the World Race that the funds will come! Please pray that God will bring people to partner along with me in this journey.
Thank you again for taking the time to read this and hear my heart. I am excited to share this journey with you!
Courtney
