Dear BNL friends,
I want to share something with you all. Something that has been on my heart for the past year that is changing me.
So, as you all know I have a passion for working with high school athletes. I enjoy my job immensely working with your sons and daughters. I have enjoyed working and developing friendships with past BNL athletes. Watching them return to their sport from an injury is one of my favorite parts of my job, the other being the friendships.
Athletic training is not my only passion in my life. I have had this passion since I was 16 years old and it has never left my heart since. I have a passion for loving the forgotten ones. The overlooked. The unfortunate. The hungry. The poor. The uninformed. I have a passion to love people. To love Jesus' people. I love giving hope to the hopeless and to love the unloved. I love being able to sacrifice my conveniences to walk a few miles in somebody else's shoes. I love to be able to step back and see how blessed I am to be living in the United States and how thankful I am to have running water. It's not fair. Why was I blessed with a family that lives an abundant life when my brothers and sisters in Central Asia struggle for freedom? I feel like I have been blessed in a position to carry on Jesus' work here on Earth. Not everybody is given that opportunity. I have been. I want to be able to tell people of my best friend Jesus and what he has done for me and show them that He can do the same for them if they just let Him. I want to learn how to preach. To spread the goodness of His word. I feel like if I can spread His love in some of the darkest places on this Earth, that I will be able to come back to the U.S and do the same thing.
After a couple of grad school rejection letters, I came to a crossroads. What am I suppose to do with my life? My life is quickly passing by and what do I have to show for myself? What does my heart say? I have four years of valuable professional experience that I will never be able to replace, I have developed friendships with past athletes, athletes, athletes' parents, coaches, administrators and co-workers. What have I lost? I have lost nothing really, besides my Grandpa Dawson. I have not lost my passion. I know God is telling me "Lynsey, you are not suppose to go to grad school right now. There is something else you have to do first. Something you were born to do."
So, I began to explore. Reading books, Reading His Word, praying, daily conversations with my best friend, Jesus, talking to some pastors and friends from my amazing church, and talking to friends. After one conversation with my good friend Bethany she mentioned my fate during a Tropical Smoothie lunch. I went home and I got out my computer, got on the internet and looked up The World Race. The World Race is a program through Adventures in Missions where groups of 60, 21-35 year-olds go on an 11 month, 11 country mission trip. I was already looking into another mission organization where I would be a missionary in the Ukraine and live by myself. I knew my parents, especially my dad, would probably not be so hot with that. I read further on the World Race's website and knew that this was it. This is how God wanted me to pursue my passion. His work. To go on the World Race.
So, I started the application process. I filled out the electronic application and a few days later I spoke with somebody from AIM (Adventures in Missions) about any questions I had. They then asked if they could set up an interview with me. A few days later I had my interview and then a few days later after that I got a phone call saying I have been accepted to GO ON THE WORLD RACE!!!! So, sum up so far: grad school application #1 = denied, grad school application #2= denied, World Race application & interview = accepted! It's obvious where I'm suppose to go next.
I truly believe that if this is something God didn't want me to do, He wouldn't provide like He has been. I have to raise $15,500 to go on the World Race. Well, as of April 19, I have $11,000 raised. I am funded to be on the Race at least 3 months….so there is NO TURNING BACK NOW! I'm going! And I could not be more anxious and excited!!
As much as I am excited to live 11 months in 11 different countries, my heart has somewhat of a bittersweet feeling. The bitter part is having to leave my amazing job, athletes and friends I have here at BNL. I can't thank you enough for being in my life and BNL will always be apart of my life and in my heart forever. The sweet part is knowing what I will be doing and the reward I will receive.
I want to let you know that I will be having an open house and want to invite you on May 12 at 2:00 pm for refreshments and to come out and see what I will be doing, and of course, get your contact info to keep in touch! (address is: 1509 1st Street). I am really anxious to show you what my team and I will be doing for 11 months! This is not a trip or vacation, this is a job and it will be hard work!
I hope you continue to subscribe to my blog and follow along with me as I take this incredible journey the Lord has set up for me. I know you won't be disappointed and hopefully be amazed with what you see. I'm already expecting to have my world rocked upside down!
Please ask any questions you have and just remember that I love you!!!
"I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness." Isaiah 42: 6-7
