So 2012 was supposed to be a solid year for me, not that it hasn’t been so far, but my plans for the year in January are far different than my plans right now. Beginning of the year I had just moved into a new apartment with my brother as my roommate, was determined to work hard at my job, and was starting off fresh with breaking ties with some unhealthy relationships. 2012 was gonna be a great, it had to be. 2011 was pretty full of the unexpected so I knew my luck had to turn around in the New Year.
Well come March, I was still struggling and unhappy at my job, hadn’t made any real, lasting friendships in Miami, and was missing my friends and family in Pennsylvania more than anything. Everyday at work I would deal with several rude, very seemingly unhappy people that were unappreciated of my time and energy I would put into helping them. I just wanted something more.
I had this unknowing itch to go travel, see new countries, or just move to another city again. But where would I go? How do I decide on just one country or region to go to? I just couldn’t shake the idea of wanting to help people that really needed help, and would appreciate just sharing a smile with me. So I sent a text to my best friend telling her I wanted to go on a trip, do another mission, just do something meaningful for once. She immediately responded with “You should do the World Race!!” “Huh??” Was my response. One of her close friends was currently a world racer and said it was a life changing experience for her and said I should look it up.
It was love at first sight when I read what exactly the World Race was all about. 11 countries in 11 months!? It sounded absolutely amazing. I knew this was something God was putting into my life. Why choose just one country when I could experience 11 in less than a year! At least once a day, the thought of the World Race would pop into my head… I would imagine playing with children in Africa, worshiping with a whole village somewhere in Central America, or roaming the streets of Asia spreading the Word to strangers. My heart would just start to flutter, and I would immediately start smiling.
The feelings I first had about the World Race is kinda the feelings you have when you start talking to a new guy… You get giddy just thinking about him, picturing all the fun dates you want to experience with him, and want to tell everyone you know how awesome he is! Luckily for me, my feelings are still going strong, but they’re for the big man upstairs, not just any ordinary guy.
It’s hard to express in words how excited I am for this experience. Whenever I start to doubt my decision to go on this trip, God sends me a little message, nicely telling me THIS IS YOU. I love traveling, meeting new people, doing good for the world, so I feel I have no excuses why not to take this enormous leap of faith and trust this is what God has in store for me for 2013.
