wow. i cant believe i’m writing my first WR blog post of many to come.
let’s talk about my heart for this!! i first connected with Adventures in Missions when i was 19. i remember being so scared and applying for my first mission trip to Haiti, but also vividly remember sitting in my little apartment when i said for the first time “i think i want to go on the World Race.” after a couple years of praying and a couple more trips to Haiti, i found myself sitting on my bed one night when i heard the Lord speak to me…it’s time to GO. after already taking a semester off of school and living in Haiti for three months, i was completely thrown off when i felt the Lord leading me to the Race! before i moved to Haiti last May, i began feeling the Lord tugging on my heart for the race again. i wanted to apply, but was scared, and i let that fear take hold of my heart. i moved to Haiti knowing that the Lord was leading me to it — but knowing that wasn’t where my journey was going to end with missions. i prayed about the Race DAILY. it wasn’t something i shared with a lot of people, because i didn’t want to be influenced in any way. i wanted it to be something that the Lord was either going to have complete control over.
i applied in my room that night, not knowing what it was going to look like. i set up my first interview and was accepted for the race TWO DAYS LATER. i spent the day in between praying for peace and wisdom. knowing that if i wasn’t accepted, it was not the time. asking for God to give me peace about whichever way the situation went — that if the door was closed, i would have peace…and if i was accepted, i would have peace about the journey He was about to send me on. the door was swinging wide open and those words i felt Him speak to me became even more of a reality. it’s time to go.
i was reading something the other day that really shook me to the core — did you know that only ONE out of every 20,000 followers of Jesus will take the gospel to the unreached people of the world? wow. it BLOWS my mind that the Lord has called ME to do something like THIS. i never expected this to become a reality for me. i’ve known my calling is in missions for a long time. almost since when i started following Jesus at age 16, but for those of you who have been on a mission trip of any kind, you know it’s not just as simple as packing a bag and going. there’s a lot of waiting in the in between. following His voice. waiting for His timing. lots and lots of praying. a lot of heartbreak. a lot of hurt. a lot of confusion. it requires so much patience while you’re waiting to take that next step.
in this next season — i’m praying that my squad and i will be breathing life into dry bones, just like we see our Father do. i’m praying that we realize this ground is only meant for passing through. i’m excited to see the Lord work and move through me and through my squad in the coming months while we prepare, and even more excited to see what is to come of 2021.
