“Whatever you want me to do, that’s what I’ll do. Wherever you want me to go, that’s where I’ll go. I’m yours. My whole heart belongs to you.”
That’s one of my biggest prayers before The Race began. Little did I know that I was in for an adventure. W Squad has now left Eastern Europe and has landed in the southern part of Africa for the next three months. Mozambique turned into Zambia for month five. I believe it’s just another place that God is calling out saying “you think you’re going one place…but I have more work for you over here to do.” So far it’s been awesome to say the least.
Next month we will be in South Africa and then Swaziland in March. If you would have told me a year ago I would be doing mission work in Africa on the World Race, I would have probably laughed in your face. This time a year ago, I had only heard about The Race. It was just an idea and just a prayer. God has a way of surprising us in the littlest of ways.
I am on a new team to start this new year. What an incredible journey I’ve had on my previous team and the growth we’ve had will never be forgotten. However, this new team God has placed me on will give me new opportunities to grow and see Him in a brand new way I never have before and I cannot wait for that. He is already doing big things. Let me tell you about a few of them…
My team’s “job” or ministry this month is to travel around Zambia and find new contacts or future partners (Unsung Heroes) for the many programs Adventures in Missions has. Along with finding new contacts comes with finding a place to stay. Sometimes we stay with pastors in their homes and sometimes we stay at a ministry already in place. But all of it comes from the Lord and trusting that He will provide us with somewhere for us to go and contacts for us to meet with. It is a different month than we are used to. I’ve had mixed emotions about it. A big part of me would like to know where we are sleeping and doing work for the whole month so I can get comfortable. An even BIGGER part of me knows that trusting in the Lord to provide is so much better that anything I could ever accomplish on my own. It would be easy to know where we are going all of the time. It would be comfortable to settle into a ministry and not pack up every few days. I’m not on the World Race to be comfortable. I’m here to make Jesus known and to know Jesus in a more personal way.
So far Africa has exceeded my expectations. Going to church in Africa is something to witness. I’ve never had so much fun at a church service!! Between the worship that just doesn’t stop to the teaching that came straight from the word of God, it doesn’t get much better than that. I wish everyone of you as a supporter can witness what an African church is like one day if you haven’t already. Oh and worship gave me a picture of what heaven will be like. The constant praising God for how good He is and the joy involved and how it doesn’t stop was unreal. Praising God for eternity is something my soul longs for.
While visiting a ministry here in Kabwe, I had one day unlike all of the others. We visited a place called Mercy House which is a place where locals and missionaries are here to help change the lives of orphans. I saw an opportunity to play soccer with some of the kids and I took it. They didn’t speak English, but honestly, it didn’t even matter. I saw joy on their faces as I played with them. Their smiles and laughter as I tried to hit the ball with my head (that’s something to laugh at..) made my day. Nothing gets better than seeing God’s children show joy even in a place where, from our perspective, has no joy.
This new year I want to go even deeper with my relationship with the Lord. Last year I had a theme that I focused on – similar to a New Years resolution but it actually meant something to me. Last year it was “take me deeper”. That was my prayer and my hearts cry. To say the Lord is faithful and answered my cry is an understatement. Hearing about and applying for the World Race, fundraising, and going on the World Race is enough but there were so many more things God showed me last year that I am proud of.
I have been seeking the Lord asking what He wanted for me this upcoming year. Loud and clear I heard Him calling me to be the most authentic person I can be. Authenticity is what I am looking for most this year and I am asking for your help.
I want to be first and foremost authentic with God and growing more in Him with complete abandonment of myself. This looks like letting everything I have go and letting God come in and have His way. I can’t hide anything from God so why even try. Right?
Secondly, I want to be authentic with my family. Sometimes family hurts and sometimes it’s hard to understand why things happen but understanding that God has a perfect plan in all things and relying on Him in the good times and the bad is how to remain true. I want to be the same person all the time and learn to not let the devil even get the slightest foothold on what is going on in front of me. And last but not least, I want to be authentic with everyone else. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. I want you to help keep me accountable.
God has a huge plan for this year just like I believed He did this past year and I am excited to grow in new ways like never before and it’s going to be because of the people that are in my life. So thank you for helping me get here and see my full potential with Jesus.
It’s time to buy into everything that God has laid out for this year. I can’t even begin to fathom the plans that He has. That only happens because of people like you who push and encourage me every single day. All the glory belongs to Jesus. Everything I do and am apart of is all for God.
“Whatever you want me to do, that’s what I’ll do. Wherever you want me to go, that’s where I’ll go. I’m yours. My whole heart belongs to you.”
