I’m so excited to finally share about the next step in my life !! After high school I have decided to take a year off of college and go on THE WORLD RACE GAP YEAR!! This is a 9 month mission trip that will take me to 3 different continents within 9 months!!!
I have gone on a couple different mission trips to the Bahamas and Dominican Republic and God revealed so much to me about him and myself. During these trips I felt so alive in the way I was serving and this is where God began to form my heart to serve on missions. Since then I have always had a desire and need to do more.
Fast forward to the summer before my senior year I had no idea what I wanted to do after high school. But I planned to attend college even if that meant community college in my home town. I was confused on where I was supposed to be. It seemed like everyone around me knew what they were going to do in their lives and I just felt so lost. Classmates were applying for college and getting accepted, and I was looking for my purpose. I prayed A LOT asking God to reveal anything to me. I began to get frustrated and stressed not knowing where I was going. All the time, much like any high school senior, I would get the question, “what are you doing after high school?”. And all I could say was I have no clue. I felt so much pressure to make a decison on something.
I had applied to a school and later got accepted but it didnt feel right. No excitement, no sense of relief. I still felt unsure. I knew that immediately going to college just wasn’t what I was supposed to do and I had to trust God on his plan.
After my senior year started, I came across the World Race online. So I spent sometime looking at the website, the posts by other racers, and what it was all about. As I sat there reading I thought it was the most amazing thing that all these people were doing. They were literally being the hands and feet of Jesus all over the world. I spent so much time reading other people’s stories. But I never thought it was something I could do.
But somehow the world race kept coming up in all different ways. And I felt something. But I never thought that I could do something like this. Leave home for 9 months and live out of a backpack? For a girl who had never camped in her life it seemed unrealistic. I couldn’t avoid it, it began as an everyday thought of is this something I could maybe do? But again I prayed. I asked God for his will to be done in my life, not mine. So if this was something I wanted for myself and not a part of His plan, I didn’t want to pursue it. But, he kept speaking to me about it. I tried to push it away and act like I didn’t know about it. Because it scared me. The idea of it being possible scared me. Leaving almost everything I know to pursue the life Jesus was calling me to was scary to think about. But a big part of me knew this was what I was supposed to do. So, I finally put it in Gods hands. I decided to apply and I asked him that I would be wherever he wanted me. If I didnt get accpeted I would know.
Although at times I was doubtful and unsure if this is where God wanted me, He wasnt. HE remained faithul and made it clear that this is where I was supposed to serve. Soon after I applied, I was accepted!!! Im am confident this is where I am supposed to serve and I am saying yes to this adventure and allowing Jesus to change my heart as I fully surrender to him.
So…next September I will be traveling to Guatemala, Thailand, Malaysia, and Swaziland!!! My team and I will be doing all kinds of work in the local commmunities preaching the gospel, teaching english, working in orpahages, or just loving on people where wherever we are.
I am beyond excited for this next chapter in my life and id love to share more with you in person. But for now you can subsrcibe to this blog where I will be be posting updates :))
If you have read all of this thank you so much for taking an interest in my journey!! There are two major ways YOU can help me:
1. PRAY PRAY PRAY. I am taking a big step of faith and I need your prayers as I prepare for this trip and as I serve on the mission field.
2. Financially. Much like any mission trip I have to raise money. For this trip specifically, I have to raise almost $16,000. As overwhelming as that sounds I completely believe God will provide. If you feel at all led to donate, any amount large or small is greatly appreciated. I will be doing fundraisers in the near future, more updates to come 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to read my first blog, I cant wait to share more!!
