First of all… THANK YOU JESUS!! Here’s to the adventure of a lifetime!
This question of “why world race?” not only is probably going through a few of y’alls minds but also was going through my mind over and over again weeks ago. Surprisingly enough I hadn’t even heard of World Race until about two-three months ago! This was definitely not a part of my plan and it all happened in such a whirlwind. The last few months (well lets be honest this whole last year) I found myself in a place of confusion and stress. With college graduation quickly approaching I knew that the time frame for choosing what was next was getting shorter and shorter. This should be a simple choice but what my constant and most prominent struggle has been was that I knew I was not meant for a “traditional 9-5 desk job”. I would spend hours on end searching for career paths that would maybe in just the slightest possible way spark my interest but kept coming up disappointed.
I started looking into non-profits and different ministries but every single time something was hindering my ability to be a part of it. I heard about world race one night after pouring my heart and frustrations over all of this out to a friend. When I looked into it, I don’t know how to explain it other than, it just clicked. It was this instant feeling as if this was legitimately designed for me. My mind kept going back to my time in Haiti, how powerful of an impact it had on my heart, and I knew that this is what my heart was desiring.
After applying to be placed on a team I just kept praying “Lord if you are in this than I am in this. If you choose to open this door I promise to walk through”. I had so many reservations about this whole thing and honestly they aren’t all magically gone but I knew that if the opportunity was placed in front of me than this is where I am supposed to be. My interview came so quickly after applying and my acceptance right after that!
Spiritual warfare bombarded me more than I could have ever imagined the minute I hung up the phone after being told the spot was mine if I wanted it. So much doubt, fear, and so many lies went racing through my head. Had I jumped into this too fast? Now that this is actually real do I even want to go? How am I going to survive without my family and friends around me? How am I going to survive living in 11 different countries when I sometimes can barely even survive my day to day life here? I allowed the enemy to take my excitement away almost immediately. I allowed the enemy to fill me with doubt about everything my heart was actually desiring. I allowed the enemy to make me doubt where The Lord was leading me. Spiritual warfare is going to be something that will be consistently trying to break through my walls over this next ten months as I prepare for the race, so I ask for an abundance of prayer over that!! Only truth is welcome here!
I truly have no idea if this desire of missions is a true call on the rest of my life or if it is just for a season. All I know right now is that I am following the call and walking through the door that has been opened for this next chapter. For 11 months I get to travel the world for Jesus, I get to grow and dive so much deeper than ever before, I get to see with my own eyes lives being changed across the globe, and I get to have my hands in it all. I am so beyond thankful for this opportunity and for all the love and support!
Till next time!
-Kristen
