Welcome. Thank you for being a part of my journey. I thank God for you.
Before I left for the Race, I wrote a blog with two main sections: [Who I Am] and [Why I’m Here]. Since I posted that blog, a lot has happened. I’ve been to more than 11 countries (so far, we’re at 15 and counting), I’ve formed countless incredible friendships, I’ve eaten bizarre foods, I’ve slept in strange places, I’ve shared my testimony with close friends and total strangers, and most importantly, I’ve fallen deeply, deeply in love with Jesus Christ. I am not the same person that boarded that plane to India back on January 12th, 2017. But I’m also still Joanna. So now, after almost a year of traveling and experiencing this big, incredible, beautiful world, I want to tell you who I am today, and where I’m headed from here.
[Who I Am]
My name is Joanna Sorensen: Joanna, meaning God’s Gracious Addition, and Sorensen, which is a Danish family name.
I (still) love to write, read, hike, and sit and laugh with those that I love. I (still) enjoy drinking coffee, drinking smoothies, playing Pac-Man, and playing Bananagrams. I (still) love to travel and learn about other cultures. God’s goodness (still, and even more so now) amazes me every time I think about Him. He is (still) my healer, my redeemer, my forgiver, my friend, my Savior, and my Father. He gave me this mind-blowing year and an incredible opportunity to go on an amazing adventure with Him called the World Race, and I know this is right where I was supposed to be because God has spent the year moving in ways I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams. I’m (still) so stoked to continue to see God show up in incredible ways.
Over the course of this year, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve learned that relationships, community, and doing real life with real people drives me. I’ve learned that God has given me a heart to come alongside high school and college students in discipleship and service. I’ve learned that, while I have a heart that feels incredibly deeply, feelings and emotions do not dictate the Truth about me or the Truth about God. I’ve learned the weapons that satan most often uses against me – fear, shame, busyness, apathy, and secrecy – and I’ve learned the learned what it looks like to ask the Holy Spirit to help me combat those things with a warfare mindset. I’ve learned what nurtures my heart: things like good beer, good food, good music, sweet friends, time outside, and time spent worshipping. I’ve learned what numbs my heart: things like not caring about my body, using alcohol to escape, immersing myself in materialism, and too much screen time.
I’ve learned what I love about myself, which is something I was unable to do 11 months ago. I love that I’m funny. I love that I’m courageous. I love that I’m a good listener, and I love that I’m smart but still love learning. I love that I see people and intentionally pursue them. I love my taste in music and I love that I can use words to encourage people. I love my laugh.
My name is Joanna Sorensen. I’m a sinner, saved by grace. God has redeemed me, a person who was brought forth in sin, iniquity, and rebellion, and through his Son Jesus Christ, has purified me, given me eternal life, and has, in advance, set apart things for me to do here on earth in order to serve and worship my True Father who I will get to spend my eternity with. I am nothing without Him, and everything with Him. This life rooted and lived in the Lord is, without a doubt, the best choice I’ve made in my life; infinitely better than choosing to come on the Race or to travel around the world. The convergence of mystery and security that we have in Jesus is where I want to dwell for the rest of my life here on this earth; constantly learning more about Him while working to build the body and bring His kingdom to this earth.
[Where I’m Headed]
One of the incredible things I’ve learned this year is how to dream. For the most part, I’ve always been a very practical person, and one of the ways I lived practically was by always having a plan. Before coming on the Race, fear and control of the future was consuming and had a death-grip on my heart. In Albania, we did an exercise that provided us space to dream about the future, and I hated it. I didn’t want to write anything down, because I believed that if I wrote something down, I would have to achieve it; otherwise, I was a failure. I saw myself “water down” some great dreams to a point of seeming easily achievable, and while my teammates shared fun, beautiful dreams, I kept my list to “be a teacher” and “hike more 14ers”; things that were still fun, but that I absolutely knew I could achieve if it came down to it. I grappled with this realization about myself, and with the realization about the person that I had been. Slowly but surely, God softened my heart to the idea of dreaming with Him and in Him. He posed an ultimate question; if none of these dreams or plans ever happen, will your life still be worth it, Joanna? Will I still be worth it to you? Yes, Jesus. You are so worth it! It was from that moment on that Jesus has allowed me to dream, regardless of those things will ever happen. My happiness and “enough-ness” doesn’t lie in dreams or plans accomplished; they lie in knowing that I am a child of the King and that I get to spend my forever with Him.
[the next five months]
Upon return in December, I’ll be spending the following four months at home in Colorado Springs pouring back into the communities that have helped me get to this point. I am excited to really invest in my holistic health (physical, spiritual, emotional) in order to extend my influence for Christ on this earth. I am excited to pour into my family, a church community, and hopefully, an incredible group on high school students. I am excited to orient worship, prayer, discipleship, and vulnerability into everyday life. And I’m excited for the warm showers, mac & cheese, and hugs that I know are waiting for me from people I love dearly.
[beyond]
At this point, I really don’t know. This is the most unsure about the future but concurrently at peace I’ve been in my adult life. I still get excited about being a teacher, both in the States and abroad, and being able to invest in the lives of high school students and love them boldly. I dream about finding myself in places like Brazil, Egypt, and New Zealand, and I’d love to return to India, Albania, and Swaziland. I feel a huge call to missions, and while I don’t know what the future holds, I don’t believe that the missions part of my life is over yet. I dream about hiking the Pacific Crest Train from northern California to the Canada border, and I dream about hiking the Camino. I have a heart that longs to get married and adopt. I dream about going back to school and getting a Masters in Ancient Literature, or going to seminary and getting a Literature degree there. I dream about either owning or partnering with someone who owns a space where people can come and find encouraging fellowship, easy laughter, the freedom of the Gospel, and delicious coffee. I dream about having my own garden. If all of those things happen, or if some of those things happen, or if none of those things happen, Jesus will reign true and supreme over my life, because He is so worth it!
