So, welcome to my very first blog! Before I continue, I want to warn you that I am not a writer, a story teller, or a speaker. Ha. I am, however, going to attempt to do all of those things over the next year and a half. This blog is going to allow you to follow my journey with the World Race. It’s for me to tell you all that God is doing in my life, in the lives of those around me, and what He is teaching me. I intend to write openly to you. So know that the messages I write to you are messages that I wholeheartedly believe God has put in my heart to write.
It’s only been about a month and a half since I was accepted to the race. So far I’ve mailed out my support letters, started planning various ways to fundraise, committed to reading the whole Bible before I leave in September, started working out, desperately trying to learn how to braid my own hair, and studying the cultures/languages of the countries I’ll be visiting. To be honest, I think I’ve made good progress in all of the above. But through all the excitement, planning, and spontaneous freak out moments, I haven’t asked myself “why”. Why am I doing this? It’s what God is calling me to do. This is why He placed me here. To love His people, to share His love with them. Right? Well, yeah. But that’s what we’re all called to do.
So, why am I doing this? Paul writes in Romans 10:14-15 “How will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news'”. Romans 11:29 says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable”. Jesus says in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to SERVE, and to give His life as a ransom for many”. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of actives but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good”. I believe that God has asked me to serve His people throughout the world. The reason I’m going on the World Race is to figure out exactly how He wants me to do that.
In just five short weeks I’ll be twenty-one. I’ve been racking my brain trying to decide how to celebrate, but the only thing I can seem to think of is how vastly different I’ll be spending my birthday in 2018. Truthfully, I don’t think anything I do this year will amount to the next. I am so excited for the unknown. God has given me an abundance of love and compassion for all of His creation. I mean all of it- people, nature, animals. Even the most broken parts of it. Especially the most broken parts.
That being said, I want to take a moment and ask you for your prayers and encouragement. I will be doing a lot of fundraising, and you can see the donation button at the top of the page, but that is honestly my last concern. I know that God will supply the money. I want to take this moment to stress that I need you. I need your prayers. I need your encouragement. I need hugs. Ha.
I’m so beyond excited for this opportunity. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you for your support. Feel free to comment below!
God bless you!
Love, Kristi
