I have been challenged with my faith in this past year. I have experienced God in a way I had not before. I was asked questions about Jesus by my best friend, Rachel Hall, last summer in Costa Rica and that is what changed it all for me. I was traveling in Costa Rica with Rachel in July of 2012 for 2 weeks and then the 2 of us met up with our church group, Paz Naz, in Nicaragua for a missions trip. We had A LOT of down time while in Costa Rica. I am a very busy person and I always have something going on, so to have forced down time was new for me and at first I didn't know how to handle it. After a couple days of it, I decided I needed to do devotions and read my Bible. I had not done this on a regular basis because I didn't allow myself time (imagine that), so now was the time to start.
I continued this throughout the entire month I was gone, really digging into God's word. Something had changed in me when I returned home, but I had trouble figuring it out at first. I experienced culture shock and had a hard time with the busyness of life in California. I also had trouble establishing my purpose here in the states. I continued spending time with Jesus daily, and cutting back on the busyness (it was hard, but at the time I had trouble being in large groups anyway…). I went to a Bible study with Rachel in August 2012 that rocked my world! It was a very charismatic Bible study, and the Holy Spirit was welcomed into this home. I was given a prophecy that I have a sword of JOY and that I am to share my JOY from the Lord with everyone! Also that I am a shepherd among the people, encouraging them and showing them the love of God. I went back to this Bible study a second time and I gave the Lord permission to do what He wants with my life, and in an instant I was filled with JOY! It was as if a wave of Joy came over me. I began laughing and smiling! It was INCREDIBLE! God is good!
Since this experience I have felt I am supposed to share this JOY with everyone. I feel so much love from the Lord that it's hard to keep it in!! I want to pour it out to the nations! I have my days where it is easier than others, but I still continue day after day feeling that love and JOY that the Lord has blessed me with.
That is when my decision to do the World Race came into play. I went back and forth on the idea at first. However, it became all I could think about. When I heard about it, and looking back on all that I have experienced, I got to thinking this was something God wants me to do. He wants me to take that leap of faith and continue living my life for him. The world needs his love and I want to be that vessel.
I have never been away from home for more than a month, so being gone for 11 is going to be challenging in itself! But I know this is what I am supposed to do at this point in my life. I applied for grad school this past year and didn't get in anywhere. I also don't have a set career job at this point, so it just seems as though everything in my life is pointing to the World Race! Crazy, huh? I think it is! 11 months. Living in a tent. Having nothing but the stuff that fits in my backpack. Experiencing many cultures. WOW!
