I like lists. They keep me organized and bullet points are much simpler than full, grammatically-correct sentences. I’ve spent many hours thinking, reasoning, and praying in regards to my World Race decision. Though my mind is much, much smaller than God’s, here are a few of the many reasons why I believe He is calling me to this crazy year of ministry:
- God commands His children to bring the Gospel to the nations (Matthew 28:19-20). He calls us his ambassadors and equips us with the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to speak boldly about the hope we have. I know there are a lot of perceptions and stereotypes about evangelism. BUT the Gospel literally means “good news,” technically the best news anyone’s ever heard. How much would I have to hate someone to not even give them the chance to hear and receive the greatest (free) gift? Five of the countries on my route are in the “10/40 Window,” meaning that they have very limited access to the Gospel, and may have never even heard of Jesus.
- God also calls us to live courageously by faith, in a way that brings light into this dark world. In Hebrews 11, faith is defined as confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Faith isn’t an intellectual agreement, it’s an active choice every minute of every day. God is calling me to leave the security of home and to fully trust His plan for me. This next year will KICK me out of my comfort zone, where I have to leave selfish concerns behind and lean on faith alone.
- I love helping people develop and grow, serving others in meaningful ways, and forming lasting relationships. I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139), and I know that my passions and talents are no accident. Through Speech-language pathology and leading a freshman bible study each year, I’ve experienced the joy of helping people grow. World Race is unique in that I’ll have the opportunity to form close relationships with my teammates, as well as the community members. We serve people’s physical and spiritual needs, following Jesus’s model of ministry. I am so excited to participate in this ministry that fits my spiritual gifts!
- I want to learn about God’s people and what He’s doing outside of the United States. One thing I’ve learned while learning alongside the brilliant minds at UW-Madison is that my perspective is unhealthily small. I don’t know very much. I haven’t interacted with many people. God’s kingdom includes all nations, tribes, and tongues, and I’m only closely familiar with ONE. World Race is unique because we live with host families or churches and immerse ourselves in each culture, respectfully attempting to engage and learn. I am ready for a wake-up call and a serious pride check.
- I want to be a sender. In the Church, there are those who “go” and those who “send” with prayer and finances. I believe God has created me to be a full-time speech-language pathologist following graduate school. Because I won’t be going into full-time ministry, I will be using my finances to send missionaries to continue bringing the Gospel to the world. As previously mentioned, World Race will give me an opportunity to learn and broaden my perspective. Most of all, I hope to gain a heart for the world– a true empathy and compassion that compels me to give all that I can wholeheartedly.
I’m sure God has at least 133849238 other reasons why He’s placed this opportunity in my life. I’ve never been more afraid in my life. It’s terrifying to know that next year will undoubtedly be the most difficult I’ve ever faced. All I can do is trust and hope and pray a lot.
Would you be praying for peace and an unshakeable faith in this preparation season?
