I recently graduated from Asbury University with a Bachelors degree in Media Communications, an emphasis in Audio Production, and a minor in Youth Ministry. For the last four years, my dream had been to get into the music industry after graduation with the ultimate goal of going into the field of audio forensics. I planned to move to Nashville and find my way in the audio world. I declared my minor in Youth Ministry knowing that ministry would always be a part of my life, and wanting to learn how to invest in teens well. I figured it would be something I did strictly on a volunteer basis. Because my teenage years were such a pivotal time in my life, I have a heart to help guide teens through this stage. Little did I know, the Lord had totally different plans for me as I entered post-grad life than I ever imagined.
Approaching graduation, I no longer felt peace about the plan I had held so closely for the last four years. I was applying for countless jobs, searching for apartments in the Nashville area, and applying for grad school for audio forensics, but nothing was happening with any of it. Nothing felt right. All I was hearing was “no” over and over and over again. I got frustrated and down on myself, thinking that those “no’s” meant that I wasn’t good enough. Then the Lord reminded me of the tattoo on my arm that says “enough”. He reminded me that he created me to be enough for whatever it is that he made me for. He made me on purpose and for a purpose (just like he did all of you) and I simply needed to keep knocking on doors until I found my purpose for this current time in my life.
I knew that the Lord was doing something, so I decided to put off applying for jobs, finish senior year strong, and figure out my next step after graduation. When I resumed my search, I noticed that the World Race kept popping up in the side bar of my internet browser as I looked for jobs. It sparked my curiosity, so I clicked on the website, took the quiz, and explored the routes. I couldn’t get the race off my mind for weeks, I prayed about it constantly, and for the first time in a long time I felt at peace about a decision. I put my application in, but I still refused to get my hopes up due to the slew of “no’s” I had gotten when applying for other opportunities. The negative part of my mind wouldn’t let me believe that the Lord had something this incredible in store for me.
A few weeks later, I found myself working at a camp for high school students that was hosted by Asbury. It was there that I discovered just what the Lord had in mind for me. My heart for ministry grew immensely as I got to walk with and invest in those students for two weeks. Leaving there, I couldn’t imagine my life without ministry. My priorities shifted as my soul longed with even greater passion to reach those who are lost and love those whom society deems “unlovable.”
A couple weeks after returning home from camp I got the call that I had been accepted to January route three of the World Race. I couldn’t believe my ears! I’m still processing the opportunity that the Lord has placed before me. It absolutely blows my mind that the Lord would redeem a story like mine and allow me to travel to eleven countries in eleven months to share the hope and love he has given me with others! He has called me to leave the earthly distractions of this world behind, live fearlessly, love courageously, and focus on investing in the beautiful people he has created all around the world. I know that there will be difficulties throughout this adventure, but there is no doubt in my mind that his faithfulness will prevail through it all, just like it has through every other part of my story. He was faithful to shut all the doors I had been beating on, harvest my heart, and open the one he wanted me to walk through for this period of my life. I cannot wait to see the ways he works through this journey.
All that to say, God is good, and I am excited to follow his call!
