I drew a picture the other day with two diverging roads on it. One was a road that lead to a steady job and financial security and the other was more of a dream. I’ve chosen the dream.
I was a 4th grade teacher for a year and I fell in love with what I did. I loved my children more than they will ever know and I believe they taught me more about teaching than any class ever did. Yet throughout the year I accepted the idea that God had a different calling for my life. Many times through the year I felt in my heart that I had to do something else, something more involved with the heart and soul of these young lives. I saw the emotional and spiritual needs that my students and their parents had…and many times I just wanted to hug and pray with them.
After what seemed like a whirlwind of changes this year, I was finally confronted with the question, “What do you really want to do Jen? What are the dreams God has placed inside of you? and Why are you so afraid to run after them?” I always felt like my life had a route to follow, a specific step-by-step layout that I could mess up with any wrong decision I made. This year has taught me differently. I have opportunities for change, and I have the freedom and power to run after the dreams God has placed inside my heart. God will lead the way.
This is where the World Race came to my mind again. I remember the months before graduating college I sat in one of my friend’s dorm and we literally googled “mission opportunities” and the World Race popped up. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to travel and tangibly show God’s love. At that moment I chose to go with my career path instead, but now I’ve been given an new opportunity to choose again.
I know that God has called me to love others and serve them. I know that Jesus is the solution to the heartache in the world, and I know that with God I have the power to show the love of Jesus to those I meet. I’ve believed that God has called me to be a light in the dark places of the world. I have believed that Isaiah 49:6 is part of my calling: “…I have made you a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
To me the World Race is an opportunity to branch out and show people all around the world the love of God. It’s only the beginning of accepting the call to the ministry God has for me. It will be eleven months full of different projects and service opportunities. Every day will be a little different: “…Some days will be packed full with construction, VBS (vacation bible school), evangelism outreach, building relationships with orphans, or praying for the sick at a hospital. Some days could be slower — shopping for groceries at the market, cooking for my team, and spending time praying for the community I walk through.”
My World Race route begins in January 2018 and goes through the month of November 2018. I will be traveling with a team to eleven different countries through Asia, part of Europe, and Africa. The countries include: Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Bosnia, Kosovo, Romania, South Africa, Lesotho, and Mozambique. My plan (God-willingily of course…I’ve never been terribly good at making a plan, but my “goal” is…lol) is to return and go back to school for my Master’s in Christian Counseling. In my months of decision making I knew that if I did go back to school I would go to a Christian school and get my masters in Counseling in order to better help the people I meet. I applied to the counseling program at Gordon-Conwell in Massachusetts and was accepted. I’ve told them about the race and the goal is to start school when I get back from the race.
I’d love for you to partner with me on this journey. You would be a part of not only funding my trip but following me as I go on this adventure. You’ll get to see pictures and videos of what God is doing, not only in the lives of the people we encounter but also in my life. I’m sure that there is going to be many changes in these next couple of months so I ask that you pray for my heart as I venture out in this journey. More than any financial support, your prayers are the most precious things I could receive from you.
The total cost of the trip is $17,400 which includes the costs of training, travel, lodging, food, insurance, and other necessities while abroad (but not any of the gear that I will need). Please prayerfully consider sponsoring me monthly with $100 (or your best gift) for the next six months (July-December). Your heart-felt donation will get me closer to my goal and you’ll be helping me fulfill part of the dream God has placed in my heart: to take his light to the nations.
If you’d like to donate you can do so right here at the top of my blog with the orange button that says “Donate!” All you do is take a second to fill out the form with your information (I’ll use it to keep you updated, say thank you, and to send you cool things while on the race) and decide how often you’d like to donate.
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Thank you for being a part of this journey with me!
