It’s a small world after all – from Andrea :)

I’m
re-posting this blog from my friend and squadmate, Andrea Gosselin.
She’s legit and put what I was thinking into words… so here you go. 🙂 Love you, girl!

I’ve seen a lot of crazy things out here. I’ve seen suffering. I’ve
seen joy in people that have every reason not to be joyful. I’ve seen
extreme poverty. I’ve seen true and unprecedented hospitality from
people who have very little give yet they give all that they have. I’ve
seen women with HIV dance and sing like they were on top of the
world. I’ve seen orphans grasp onto us as if we were their only source
of receiving love and affection. I’ve seen widows hold their babies as
they work with all that they have day in and out to support their
families. 

You can make a difference. Often times, I think we
have this idea of what other countries around the world are like. They
may be in poverty. They may seem to have more sickness and disease than
we see in the U.S., but they are joyful and they walk in the spirit of
the Lord which is oh so prevalent when you look into their eyes. They
aren’t looking for handouts. They aren’t looking for pity.  I think we
need to step in and help more for our own sake than for their sake
sometimes. God calls us to love widows and orphans, feed the hungry,
clothe the naked and help the poor.   We are so quick to ask why
God allows certain people to be sick or homeless or hungry, when we
should really be asking ourselves that question. We are called
to share what we have been given with our brothers and sisters around
the world but sometimes it’s easier to wait on someone else to make the
move.

“Freely you have received, so freely give.” – Matthew 10:8 

I encourage you to read (or re-read) the story of the widow that gives all that she has in Mark 12: 41 – 44.

When I talk about giving what we have, I’m not just talking about
giving money. I’m talking about giving your time and your love to those
in need. Most people would much rather spend time with you, get to know
you, and build a relationship with you then receive a donation.

Now the question at hand is, what will I do with this? Simply keeping
the knowledge of what the world is like to myself is not enough.  I now
have a responsibility to fight for the men, women and children I’ve met
throughout the last 5 months around the world.  I’ve never been the
type of person to not want to see things because they might make me sad
or uncomfortable, so I stepped into what could possibly be some of the
saddest and most uncomfortable situations in the world…literally. 

Soon will come the time when I put what I’ve seen and experienced
into action. What kind of action, you say? I haven’t the slightest idea.
 A common question we get asked out here is what we did before the race
and what we’ll do after we get home. The truth is, I have absolutely no
idea what I’ll do when I get home. I have absolutely no idea if I’ll
stay in Michigan or if God will call me somewhere else. To think that it
was only a year ago that I found the World Race and within 2 weeks, I
was signed up and ready to go, I can only imagine what else God has up
His sleeve for me that I have no idea is coming my way.

I do know that I’ll follow wherever He leads me. I know that I have
complete trust in Him and that He’s preparing me for the specific
purpose and plan that He’s had for me since before I was born.  

Everyday we make a choice. We have the choice to follow our own path
or to follow the path that God has laid down for us. Although it’s not
always easy and it may require us to make sacrifices, the gift of
following God is so much greater than anything we give up. As I’ve
experienced and shared with you these past few months, God wants our
lives to be an adventure.  He wants us to live while we’re
alive.  He wants us to live in a way that glorifies Him which will look
different for everyone.  I don’t believe that you need to travel across
the world to figure out where God wants you, you just need to be open to
His calling for you. He wants us to find life and an overwhelming
satisfaction and love in Him before anyone or anything else. 

I have no idea what the rest of my life will look like.   Honestly, I have no idea what tomorrow will look like! haha 

The truth is, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love not knowing
what’s next because it means the possibilities are endless.  It’s like
reading a good book and not knowing where the next chapter will lead you
as you continue on with building anticipation. And really, what better
author to write your life story than God where literally anything is
possible??

“Let
us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a
harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us
do good to all people…” – Galatians 6: 9- 10