Welcome to my first blog! I’ve been putting this off for awhile because I’m not sure how to put into words the way my heart is feeling – so just bear with me.
Where do I start? When I first told my friends and family I was thinking about doing this, they thought it was a joke. Probably because I’m not really the type to live out of a tent/backpack for a year (I sleep with a stuffed animal and I have an addiction to chic-fil-a) and I’m really comfortable with my life here in Denver. I have a great job, the best family and friends I could ask for, my dog Oliver, and a church that feels like home. I am blessed beyond belief. But, I’m tired of being comfortable, and I want to feel like I’m doing something for a reason. A reason that glorifies God.
The idea of the World Race came to me around the time I got baptized a few months ago. For a long time, I hesitated to completely put my life in God’s hands. I never felt like I knew what He wanted me to do with my life, so I was just going with the flow. God changed my heart when I got baptized. I don’t really know how to describe it, and if I tried it probably wouldn’t make sense. All of a sudden I felt this overwhelming tug on my heart and I knew He wanted me to be doing something greater. God has given me so much in my life and I want to give back. I have decided to leave my bubble and head out to see how the rest of the world is living and do whatever I can to help. I realize this will be emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically challenging and I know I will return with a changed heart and soul.
What is The World Race? It is an 11 month mission trip to 11 different countries – one country each month. The countries I am visiting include: South Africa, Botswana, Madagascar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. In each country we will be helping in many ways, including teaching English, working in orphanages, building churches and ministering to women and children caught in human trafficking. We will not know what the Lord has planned for us until we arrive at our ministry location for the month. I’ll be with a team of around 50 people, which will be broken up into teams of 6-8. These people will become my community and together we will abandon the traditional American lifestyle and dive into this 11 month adventure to glorify God.
So why am I doing this?. The answer is simple. It is because of Jesus. He has shown me so much grace and love and it is my relationship with Him that saved my life. Before I knew The Lord, I was in a really bad place. I’ve seen first hand how He can change lives. I have been blessed with the privilege of knowing Him, I want others to know Him too. We are all His children. Everyone deserves to experience the hope and love of Jesus Christ. “Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied” (John 14:8). God alone can fill our emptiness, satisfy all our needs, and make us happy. He is all we need.
So what is the next step? Preparing for the trip and fundraising! I need to raise a total of $16,562 to be fully funded when I leave in January of 2016. The easiest way to support me is by clicking the Support Me button at the top left of this page. This will cover everything on my trip except for my gear, shots, and travel to/from training camp and launch. All donations are tax-deductable. Whether or not you are able to financially support me, please pray. Pray for me, my team, and that God is able to use us to further His Kingdom.
In whichever way you are able to support me, know that I appreciate every penny and prayer from the bottom of my heart. Lastly, if you want to follow along on this adventure, subscribe to my blog at the top of this page! You will get an email each time I post a new blog. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and become a part of this amazing experience! I am so excited to see God’s plans become a reality.
