Hello my friends!!
Writing my first blog post feels slightly scary because it means that this is really happening, I am going on the World Race! What is the World Race? The World Race is an 11 country, 11 month long mission trip to share the love of Jesus and serve others around the world. While on the Race teams get to experience what the first generation of disciples did; feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and hearing the voice of God. During this trip we will travel to China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece.
Everything feels so surreal. Only five months ago I realized this deep desire to be in complete dependence on Jesus, to come to a place of physical poverty, but spiritual richness and satisfaction. I can feel him calling me. While I am so excited for this journey, I cannot hide the doubts and dark feelings that inevitably creep in. But I ask myself, where is Jesus in all of the spinning inside of my mind? He’s on the water, calling me by name. “Marianna, come walk on the water.” And I want to try, but like Peter, I look around me. I see the storm and the waves and my doubts. I’m not looking at Jesus anymore, I’m fixed on my thought spiral. I know Jesus will pull me out of the water. He’s saved me more times than I can count. It’s the waiting in the sadness and fear that is the hard part. It’s staring at the winds and the waves and crying out Jesus’ name. It’s looking down at my hand in the storm and realizing He is holding my hand, in spite of my wandering eye.
My friends, this is only the beginning. But Jesus has put me here for a reason. He’s placed the fear and the doubts and the overwhelming joy, “So that no one would be unsettled by these trails. You know quite well you were destined for them.” I Thessalonians 3:3 is one of my favorite verses. It goes hand in hand with James 1:2-3: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
Thank you all for following me on this journey already, I cannot do it alone, and your prayers and support mean so much to me.
~Marianna Harris
