Hi friends!

I would like to tell you a little bit about me. My name is Julia. I’m 24, and I’m originally from Galax, Virginia, which is a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains,  where I grew up with my parents and two younger brothers. Activities I enjoyed growing up were riding four wheelers and horses, kayaking on the New River and dancing with the local ballet studio. Now I spend most weekends at Lake Norman, NC with my family wake boarding and swimming in the lake. During the week, I live in Winston Salem, NC, where I work full time in a Marketing position at a Real Estate Firm. My bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Strategic Communications are from High Point University.

I have a Christian legacy and the church was my second home growing up. I spent most days there helping my mom who worked in the Children’s Ministry. My grandparents are medical missionaries to Zambia, and my grandfather is a retired minister. As a teenager, my parents took me on short-term mission trips to Costa Rica and Zambia, and at age 16 I went with Young Life on a summer mission trip to Spain. My childhood prepared me for a life of travel and service.

This endeavor is similar to the trip I took with Semester At Sea my junior year of college where I spent 4 months traveling to different parts of the world; however, the defining difference in committing to a year with The World Race is that my focus is on deepening my relationship with Jesus Christ. I heard about the World Race for the first time a few months ago and was immediately hooked. It was exactly the kind of adventure I would love to go on. During the application process I started to doubt myself and my abilities, but God continued to open doors and gently guide me to complete the application. 

I truly believe that God has had His hand on every step of this process and I’m excited to walk with Him on this incredible adventure. As I begin to prepare for the experience of a lifetime, I ask that you pray for me; that God will prepare my heart and mind for the challenges that will come. 

Thank you for taking the time to read a little bit about me! Stay tuned, this story is just beginning.