Before I begin, I must apologize for the lack of sharing and communicating with all of you. The path getting me to the World Race has been a rocky one, to say the least. Since my last post, it seemed like everything was working against me — the living arrangements for my dog fell through, fundraising wasn't going well at all, discouraging/nonsupportive friends. I went into this saying that if God wanted me to go, then He'd allow everything to fall into place. I began to question whether the road blocks were meaningful or not. Now, less than week before I leave, I've realized that, of course, the road blocks were meaningful but not in the manner I had orginally perceived. The obstacles I faced weren't meant to stop me or detour me; they were only to challenge me and help me grow stronger in my faith. If God didn't want me to embark on this journey, He wouldn't have placed the desire in my heart; He will give you your heart's desire and carry out all your plans (Psalm 20:4).
I hadn't been posting about the obstacles I was facing because I didn't want to share how discouraged I was feeling. I realize now that I was cheating all of you by doing so. By not sharing my struggles, others cannot see God uses those struggles to make me stronger. Following the paths God sets for us will not always be smooth or easy, and I should not hide the bumps in the road because then I'm not telling the whole story. During my moments of uncertainty, I heavily relied on the following verse, which happens to be one of my favorites: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) I'm not so sure my path to the WR has been straight, but He's definitely got me from point A to point B.
I have no doubt that I will face many obstacles over the next year, and instead of doubting myself or God, I must thrive in the face of the challenges placed in front of me. God did not give me a spirit of fear but a spirit of power and love! (2 Timothy 1:7) The devil is not pleased when we are doing the works of God and is even more displeased when we grow closer to God in times of struggle instead of pulling away. This whole WR journey is about bringing God's kingdom to earth, so of course we will be under attack. I say bring it on! I'm not saying I won't trip and fall along the way, but I won't let the evil one keep me down.
