Romans 10:13-15
13For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
I was listening to my radio station, Spirit FM, the other day, and they read this verse. I’ve heard it a million times and I’ve always liked it, but the other day it hit me all over again. People ask me all the time why I’m going on the world race and this verse pretty much covers it.
There are so many people in this world who don’t know the love of our wonderful Jesus. As hard as it is to believe, there are people who have never even heard of Him. It breaks my heart to think that some people haven’t had the chance to give their lives to Christ. I want to be able to spread His love to all creation as Jesus instructs in Mark.
Mark 16:15
15And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”
We are called to spread the Gospel to everyone, and while that means people in America, it also means people in every country in the rest of the world. My story is different than others, and that’s okay. God hasn’t called me to stay here in my comfort zone; he has called me go to places where I won’t be comfortable.
One day I was talking with a friend about the World Race. I told her how excited I was, but also that I was a little sad at the thought of all I’m going to miss while I’m gone. She completely changed my perspective by telling me one thing: Think of all of the people who God has for you specifically to reach while you’re gone. I had never really thought about that. I had been praying for the encounters that my squadmates and I were going to have and for the people in the countries we’re going to, but I hadn’t thought about the specific people I would connect with.
There are specific people in Lesotho whose hearts God is already preparing for a conversation that I will have with them six months from now. There are people in Swaziland, South Africa, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic who He has for me specifically to talk to.
With that knowledge, how can I not give up my year to follow His call? How can I not give up the comforts of home to reach the lost? How can I not give up the joy that I get from seeing my family and friends every day to do what God has asked of me?
This year is going to be a hard one. I will cry (and already have) many times. I will be homesick. I will miss my friends and family. But this year is also going to be amazing. I will grow closer to God than I have ever been. I will learn things about myself that I didn’t know. I will try things that I never thought I would.
I feel so blessed to be one of the messengers that God has called to travel around the world to spread His good news and I am so thankful that you all will be praying with me and following my journey!
