I AM GOING ON THE WORLD RACE! WAIT. WHAT?! For some of you this may be a shock or some may completely expect it from me. I wasn’t sure how to react when I got the call that I was accepted, because I honestly didn’t think I would ever get that call. As soon as I heard the voice on the other end of the phone tell me that I was officially accepted to go on Gap Year I immediately became overwhelmed with emotion. I smiled and cried during my whole drive home that day. Then that night it hit me, I was so incredibly filled up with joy and peace in a way I had never been before. This was actually real. For the first time since college started I felt God in the most powerful way ever. He comforted me and reminded me of why I was doing this. For Him. Because it was what He was calling me to. I felt such a fullness because this was a desire for something greater the Creator himself put inside me, and he filled that desire in a bigger way then I was even prepared for.
So why the World Race? Why now?
If you know me you know I have never been a person who just kinda went through life. I want to do everything in a great way with a ton of passion. But I am also a huge planner. When God first put the thought of this trip into my mind, I immediately said “Wait God, no. I can’t leave school for a year, or my family, or my friends, or all my comforts for 9 months. You’re just asking too much of me. Why can’t it be something else?”
Basically I was just too comfortable and beyond scared. Then he reminded me, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) Okay, so now I’m not afraid but God I can’t leave everything here. I struggled with this until about two minutes before I submitted my application. Before submitting it I asked God to please give me some kind of confirmation that this was real and I was supposed to do this. So he gave me this verse, “Get out of your country and away from your relatives, and come to the land that I will show you.” (Acts 7:3) Okay God, I’ll do it. I’m letting go and handing my life over to you.
So that is exactly what I did, I gave every ounce of control to God. All I had to do now was obey. I’m going on this trip because I want God to wreck me, completely. I want Him to break me in ways I’ve never been broken before, all so He can put my back together exactly as He wants me. I want to experience God in ways I never have before. I want to constantly feel His presence filling me up with joy and peace. I want to love the people God loves and serve the people He serves. I’m saying yes to God because I don’t ever want to look back on my life and say that I let this opportunity pass by because I was too comfortable to let God use me how He wants to. God is so cool for wanting to use me when He could just do it all by himself.
“I have learned that I will not change the world, Jesus will do that. I can however, change the world for one person…And if one person sees the love of Christ in me, it is worth every minute. In fact, it is worth spending my life for.” -Katie J. Davis, Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption
So to end this first blog, I will ask for your support. I ask you to support in only ways you feel led or are able to. If that is not financially, then I hope that it will be prayerfully. God will use every cent or prayer that you give to impact His Kingdom. I hope you will continue to follow this journey God is taking me on!
With much love and many blessings,
Gabbi 🙂
