"If not you, then who? If not now, then when?"
– Anonymous
Before this year I had never heard of the World Race.
When my friend first mentioned it I thought it was some kind of marathon,
but I was very wrong. During a phone conversation where he mentioned the
World Race being an 11 month missions trip to 11 countries my heart began
racing at the thought of such an incredible adventure! I didn't really hear
anything else he was telling me because I was so captivated by this race to impact
the world. Yet after our conversation ended "reality" set in and I convinced myself
that this race was not something I was called to do. Everyday for the next three weeks
God would bring the World Race to my heart and I had to convince myself that it was
simply not my calling. But after three weeks of trying, God was determined to have
His way. The night before Fathers Day I locked myself in my room to pray and seek
God about why He was pressing this World Race on my heart, I also wanted to make sure
it was Him. Then as Israel Houghton's song "Jesus Be the Center" played I felt the
Holy Spirit asking me "Am I the center of your life?" I immediately thought "yes of
course," but yet again He asked "do you trust me to change your plans...am I the
center?" I then knew God was up to something bigger than myself. The next morning
on the way to church I finally logged on to the website I had been avoiding for
weeks, the World Race site. I was immediately intrigued at the organization, the
thought of 11 countries full of people who needed hope and certain countries that
have been close to my heart since I was a kid. Without my family, who happened to
be in the car with me, knowing what was going on I began to pray and ask God to be
clear with me and my emotions and His direction for my life. During church service
worship was amazing and we ended with the song"Jesus Be the Center." As the pastor
took the stage he began to pray over the message and in the middle of his prayer
said "Lord, someone in here is praying for their emotions and direction and I pray
that you would give it to them today." I knew then that something was up! He then
asked us to turn to Genesis 22 in our bibles. When I opened my bible to that page I
read something that I had written years ago without even remembering why and it said
"You have not come this far in your faith to worry about provision now!"
God was truly tugging at me. I finally went up for prayer and asked God to please
make it clear through the support of my immediate family members. When we got into
the car my mom asked if there was something I wanted to say, so I told them "I feel
God is calling me to the World Race in January 2013." Their faces were hard to read
at first but every one of their reactions were completely supportive and even excited
for this journey. My dad's reaction to needing $15,500 for this trip was "mija,that
is NOTHING to God." I knew then for sure that this was God and not just my emotions
leading me to this mission.
I hope you join me on this race to take hope to a hurting world. You can subscribe to my blog, which
I will be posting in throughout the year, keep in touch on Facebook or feel free to leave any personal
prayer requests you might have. Thanks for you interest and support!!!
