When I really start to think about what this next year of my life is going to look like, I somewhat get overwhelmed.
It’s hard for me to understand how
REALLY I got myself into this.
The World Race started out simply as an e-mail that I was somewhat interested in.
Now, almost 9 months later, I leave in less than 20 days.
I guess the question that continues to plague my thoughts is:
why me?
I’m just an ordinary individual.
I’m just a girl.
I’m just average.
Really – and I’m being honest here – I don’t think there’s anything extraordinary about me.
But then I started thinking about a random conversation that I had quite awhile ago with several of my college friends.
We were discussing our group of about 14 friends and we were laughing about how extremely NORMAL we all were.
Nothing special about any one of us.
But as I look back on that conversation, and see where we all are now, I am amazed at how ordinary friends like mine have impacted the world around us.
FOUR NURSES
Kate – Cardiac Nurse in
Denver
,
Colorado
Anna – ER Nurse in
Tulsa
,
Oklahoma
Martha – Labor & Delivery Nurse in
Fayetteville
,
Arkansas
Blaire – Children’s Oncology Nurse in
Ft. Worth
,
Texas
FOUR who work for NON-PROFITS
Alisha – Children’s Miracle Network in
Oklahoma City
,
Oklahoma
Shannon
– American Cancer Society in
Wichita Falls
,
Texas
Natalie – United Way in
Oklahoma City
,
Oklahoma
Deborah – Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
TWO TEACHERS
Pascha – 1st grade teacher in
Midwest City
,
Oklahoma
Katie – Pre-K teacher in
Frisco
,
Texas
.
ONE who works in MARKETING
Monica – impacting the business world in
Chicago
,
Illinois
ONE GRAD STUDENT
Erin
– soon to be Veterinarian in
Stillwater
,
Oklahoma
ONE ACCOUNTANT
Megan – Ernst & Young in
Oklahoma City
,
Oklahoma
ONE MISSIONARY
Ashley – Youth for Christ in
Geneva
,
Switzerland
And then there’s me – traveling the world.
Hopefully somehow making an impact there as well.
I demonstrate this because there is something important to understand here:
Ordinary people, empowered and chosen by a gracious and loving God,
can make a difference in our world.
We each have one voice, one heart and two hands.
It is up to each of us to decide what those will be used for.
This picture is one of my favorite posters that used to hang in my bedroom at home.
Now, this poster has become the inspiration for my World Race blog theme.
Over the course of this next year, I will attempt to let my
one voice be heard.
Ordinary and simple, I hope to tell my own story of my journey around the world.
Additionally, I hope to share the stories of other voices and lives that I encounter along the way.
In doing so, I hope to encourage and challenge those reading this blog to go and do the same – recognizing that each voice and each life
can make an impact for the kingdom.
Be blessed.
Michelle
