So here it is. The very first post about The World Race . It’s still crazy surreal and I cannot believe this is happening. So here we go.
The World Race is a 11 month mission trip to 11 different countries spending a month in each one ministering to the people of the country, praying, serving, and sharing Jesus by partnering with local missionaries in the area.
I heard about the Race four years ago right after I got saved. I never had a desire to do it, but the Lord continually brought it up in my life over the next four years. I never thought I would be an over seas missionary even for a short time, but God has radically been changing my heart and giving me a love I didn’t have before for the nations. I heard his call about barely a month ago to look into the Race and to apply. I did it with kind of a, “Here goes nothin’!” attitude, but in a matter of weeks he changed my heart and gave me great joy for something that only 5 weeks ago I looked up on a whim. God is bigger then me! And every plan I have ever had!
I’ve had a wide range of reactions when telling people about the race, and an even wider range of questions:
‘Is it safe? I mean, is driving on the highway everyday safe? Is drinking Starbucks and eating Taco-Bell safe? Is going to movie theaters safe? I mean, yeah….its kinda safe. Like all of life, I can’t guarantee perfect security, but as long as I am in the will of my Heavenly Father I am as safe as I can possibly be.
‘Where in the world are you getting this much money?’ Honestly? I have no idea. God said, “Go on this race, take a step out in faith, trust me.” He is the Great Provider, he will prompt hearts, he will lead. It’s not my race, it’s not my bank account, it’s not even your bank account. It’s His, and like it says in the the title, God is bigger than it! He will provide greatly, He leads, and I will simply follow. Also it’s not fund-raising, it’s FUNRAISING!
‘What are you trying to accomplish?’ To put it simply, to obey the Great Commission of Matt. 28:20, and to see where God wants me to serve him best in this gargantuan creation.
But the most common and honestly the hardest question to answer would be the simple, “Why? Deb, why in the name of disco pancakes are you doing this?” Here’s why it’s hard: it’s a simple question but my answer is such a jumble of scripture references and my own words. But to boil it down:
God said Go, therefore, Here I go.
I want to live a radical life displaying the love of Jesus and walking out the Gospel and glorifying God. When it comes to missions I think the question believers should be asking isn’t “Why missions?” but rather, “Why am I not doing missions?”
An opportunity to share the gospel for the sake of love, to progress the faith ( Phil. 1:23-25), to encourage, to not be seen but for Christ to be seen (Jn. 3:30), and to be always abounding in the work of Lord ( 1st Cor. 15:58). Why am I going on this missions adventure? Well, in the words of Thomas Hales, “The only way to find truly abundant life is to throw your life away for Jesus’s sake.” *que mic drop*
