Lately the Race has been constantly on my mind. I mean, it's almost overwhelming how often I think about it. I think about it when I first get up, I think about it when I get on facebook and see the multiple notifications from our squad FB page. My newsfeed is now filled with encouraging words, excitement, anticipation about the race. I absolutely love it. I think about the race when I am at work, after all most of the money I earn is going straight to my trip. I think about the WR at church, during my devotionals, and whenever someone asks me about it. And I think about the WR as I lay down to go to sleep at night. It even keeps me awake sometimes, not in a bad way, not in a nervous way, but in an invigorating and exciting way. Anticipation that is building up more and more every day… and I still have five months till training camp and sixish months till we leave!
As I was laying down last night, my mind was once again consumed with the Race. I was thinking about different fundraisers to start, people to send letters to, churches to go speak at, etc. As I was thinking about speaking, it dawned on me that I would have to explain why I am going on the WR. God has encouraged me, He has given me confirmation that this is His plan for me. He has walked with me every step of the way, and I know that the Race is where I am meant to be. But how can I convey that to my supporters? I'm going to share with you the plan God has for me. It started actually a few years ago, so I would make sure your comfortable, because this might take a little time. Here is my story: The call of Kayla.
Back in February 2010, I dedicated my life to the Lord. This was when I was legitimately saved. I say that because I had "been saved" before, but I never fully understood what it meant in my younger years. February 1st, 2010 was when I understood with all my heart that God loved me, He had forgiven me, and He had big plans for me. I was a junior in college at the time, playing division III basketball and it was through the love of my coach and one of my teammates that I found the Lord. (I can never thank them enough.) My coach had a friend who was a very strong woman of God. She opened her home to myself, and several other girls on my team who where searching for God, even though some of us didn't even know what we were really searching for at the time. This was an amazing season in my life. I saw God do many things that some people who are saved for 20+ years never see. It was absolutely amazing and I know that I wouldn't be as strong of a believer as I am today if God hadn't made Himself known to us through those experiences. This godly woman became our mentor. Every week she opened her home and provided food (for the body and for the soul) for us. We had devotional times, where we were encouraged to question, to seek, and to discuss Jesus and all He is.
One night, her niece came to visit us. She was a very talented worship leader. She led a night of Worship on our campus. It was there that I received my first prophetic word that I was called to the nations. At the time, I didn't understand what that meant, but I kept it in my heart. Her niece came again to see us one night. This time when she came, she told us about the World Race. She was going on this great adventure. Honestly, I don't remember much about the conversation, just that it was 11 months spent in 11 different countries, serving the least of these and living out of a backpack. I thought to myself. " Wow this girl is crazy! That's awesome that she wants to go do that, but I would NEVER do something like that." Never say never, right? I put the idea out of my head and left it at that. This was about two years ago. I never thought about the World Race again…. until a few months ago.
A few months ago, I was living in Southern California. I had graduated college a year before that and accepted an Athletic Training Assistant position at a junior college in Southern California. This was what I had gone to school for, the was what I was made for. I had an amazing year, I learned so much from my Head AT, who was so encouraging and a strong man of God as well. (This was a huge blessing and hard to come by in the athletic realm.) I was good at what I did. Sure I made mistakes at times, but this is how we learn. However, this position was only a one year position. I knew, come May, that I would be out of a job. I loved the school, loved the kids, and loved my job. However, towards the end of my time there, I knew God was changing something in me. I loved athletic training, but I suddenly didn't have the desire for it like I used to. I didn't really pursue other Athletic Training jobs. I didn't have peace about accepting a new position. When you are hired as an athletic trainer, it usually goes by the school year. When I had accepted the first position, I had peace and everything fell into place in a short amount of time. This time round, however, there was no peace. May was quickly approaching and I needed another job. I found a gym that was opening right around the corner from my house. I applied for the position of personal trainer and got it right away. I knew it was just temporary, until I could figure out my next move.
And come August, I started to feel restless. I found myself asking, "God why am I here in Southern California?" The only things I were truly enjoying were my friends I had come to know and my home church. I LOVED my church in Rancho! I was working a job that wasn't really what my degree was for, I was working basically to just pay the bills, and I was scrambling to do that honestly. I was becoming overwhelmed with the city life. People don't even look at you if they don't know you. There was no connection, no compassion. It was everyone for themselves. And I don't mean that there was absolutely none of these things. There were good people that had compassion, that wanted to get to know you for who you were. They were just more rare.
There was a constant need for more of this and more of that. I was living in a "need it right there, right now" culture and the things people needed where not things that I needed nor wanted. I was actually discovering that the things I thought that I needed where not things that I needed at all. The lust that I used to have for items was gone and was replaced by an almost sickening feeling in myself that I had even wanted those things so badly in the first place. I was so surprised at my own repulsiveness. Where was this coming from, Lord? What does this mean? I felt a change coming. The restlessness inside me seemed to increase with each passing day. The fulfillment I had felt before was leaving me. The peace I had with my job, with living in California, it was gone. God was up to something. I didn't know what it was, but I knew one thing…… it was good.
