Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by archiveworldraceblogs

I know, I know, this is the Young Life slogan.  But this was the first thought that popped into my head as I perused the World Race website for the first time last May.


For those who don't know me or who I've been terrible at keeping in contact with, this is what my life looked like in May:
  • Celebrating the one year anniversary of graduating from Butler University
  • Working in Indianapolis at a newly-formed branch of a non-profit
  • Feeling very anxious in said work and knowing it was time to move on
  • Feeling extremely frustrated in not knowing where to go/what to do next
  • Preparing to take a group of Butler students to Nicaragua, where I had gone the year before with my Indy church, Common Ground
I had heard Ron and Marty (who led the trips to Nica through an organization called Vision Nicaragua – check them out, God is doing big things there), mention how World Race teams would stay on the project where we stayed.  I never asked what the World Race was and just put it on the back burner.  It wasn't until I kept seeing blogs from World Racers come up on my Facebook newsfeed over and over again that I decided to figure out what it actually was.  11 countries, 11 months, loving on the least of these while living in raw community.  Wow. Pretty incredible.  As I watched videos and read blog posts, I got that "not if I should go, but when will I go" feeling. 

One of my favorite things about God that I've been experiencing a lot this past year is how He speaks to me, in His perfect timing. He knows me so much better than I know myself and has this way of giving me a quiet confidence in the direction He is leading me.  I mean, my desire to go on the World Race could have easily been a selfish one – the opportunity to travel the world with other Christians, what could be better?  But I knew it was Him leading when I realized all I would have to give up: my car, an income, missing out on friends' weddings, holidays, etc.  That's when it got real. This was more than just a fun "trip."  I would have to fully depend on Him for everything.  I started to question whether or not I should go.  Encouragement from friends and some time away in Nica to clear my head (that place is great for that), though, led me to finally say "yes."

So I go. 
I go to seek out and experience a bigger God.
I go to fall so madly in love with Jesus that I can't help but share Him with others.
I go, as James urges, to love the orphans and widows.
I go to lead a radical life, one that may seem crazy to others.
Because that is what Jesus did. And that is what He calls us to.

I feel so blessed that God has chosen this path for me – 11 months of the unexpected, of discomfort, of new experiences and people. It's gonna be crazy. It's gonna be hard. It's gonna be life-changing.  And I want you to be a part of it with me, whether that's through prayer, financial support, or reading my blog and sending emails while I'm away, updating me on your life.  I am so grateful that each one of you are in my life. I really am the luckiest girl in the world. 

Gloria a Dios!
Kayla