Hello family and friends!
I know I have not posted in a long time and I truly do apologize for that… you all have put so much towards me; prayer, supplies, and money. i can not thank you enough for that. God truly blessed me through all of you.
I have a lot of news for ya’ll! Some good and some bad, because of course… our God is a God that can turns bad things into growing opportunities and greatness for His plan for us.
As most of you may already know… I am here in Fort Worth Texas rather than in Thailand with my team. I decided about a week before launch to Thailand that I really needed to pray about my readiness to leave. When I say ready, I am not talking about my supplies or my excitement because i promise you… I had never EVER been more excited or prepared. I am talking about being ready spiritually.
As I have said in a past blog… Satan was really attacking me from every angle that he could. And I have to admit that he won the battle this time but he did NOT win the war. When one of my mentors approached me with a letter saying I did not give God my all this summer. I found myself in a dark place that really only God could get me out of. With much prayer and consideration from both my mentor and the amazing leadership of the World Race… we decided it was not best for me to launch Gap Year 2018 with my team. At the time… I thought my life was over, I had “given Satan what he wanted so easily”. I had given up. I, at the time, could never see myself worthy of a 9 month trip around the world serving God with 110%. But i should have known that God doesn’t ask for perfection.
Actually, my grandmother texted all of us grand kids this morning. (The group is called Nana’s Nuggets). she always gives us life advice anytime something reminds her of positive things to say to us. She tries to send them daily and every now and then, it hits me right in the gut. A bitter sweat feeling where i know shes right.. it hurt but it needed to be said and heard. Today she said and i quote “In life, you are going to get bumped at times. Its not a matter of “if” but “when”!!! The question is… What is going to spill out??? whatever you put into your soul is what is going to spill out!! Are you pouring in positive, uplifting things and striving to take on the mind of Christ or are you pouring in all the negative things of the world? Do you see things from a Divine Viewpoint or from a Human Viewpoint?? when the bumps of life come… what is there is what will spill out. When the bumps come… and they will… what will spill out of your soul?”.
The point of me sharing this is to explain a little more as to what happened this year. I was tested… A LOT. I hit a huge bump and good things did not spill. I did not pour good things into my soul and it lead to sin and disappointment. That doesn’t exactly sound like someone who is prepared spiritually for the mission field. NOT YET!!!
God put special people in my life who knew me growing up. They are my prayer warriors and mentors and know me more than a lot of people can say. I am so grateful that God used them to tell me what He was really asking of me.
With all of that said…
I am pleased to announce that I AM OFFICIALLY SET TO LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 2019 to Cambodia, Swaziland, and CostaRica (Route 4)!!!!!!!!!!
When I first heard this official news from WR I was supper thrilled! I said I had wanted this next year to go by super fast. My mentor then told me to take a chill pill and and not wish a season of growth away. I of course ignored her because of how excited I was and i knew what this upcoming year was going to be like… college, full-time job, counseling, mentorship, and of course mending broken relationships. As Thanksgiving is here.. I have truly counted this a blessing and am thankful for the time. It has only been a month and I feel God pulling me closer and closer to Him and showing me what it is He wants of me.
I know this season will not be easy. I know I will have to break in order for Him to pick up the pieces again and pull that darkness out that i cant do without Him. But I am thankful I have people in my life guiding me through the process. This month itself has been like I said… full of growth. But it has also been extremely heart-breaking for me and my family. On the day I was suppose to launch… my family and I grieved the loss of my Pawpaw passing away. He was a great man and a great grandfather. I am so happy he gets to be with Jesus face-to-face. I know they were both looking forward to that. But him passing was no easy thing. With my brother still in South Africa, I was really glad I got to be there with my mom as she lost her father.
Speaking of my brother!!!! Guess who gets to be here when he gets back…. I am still going to get to enjoy 9 months of serving the Lord and away from my family soon enough. Right now i am focused on reuniting with my brother and learning all that he has to teach me about being on the mission field and be with my family for the first Christmas without my grandfather.
Again… I am super stoked about this new season of life God has given me and I cant wait to share more when i know more!
Thank you again for everything you all have done for me! I ask that ya’ll continue to be praying for me throughout my journey.
Grace Googe
