I am leaving tomorrow on a bus to Atlanta for a bit more training before I fly out on the 16th.
Soon I will be living out of my back pack, in community and on mission for the next year.
The main question people ask me is “are you excited?!”
My response “Not yet!”, “that is not really the feeling I have right now, and I am kind of a day by day person”
The ”butterflies” of exploring the world kinda left me after month one of my application and acceptance to the World Race. And who knows, maybe they will fly back as the plane is landing in Australia in a few days. But I don’t think a lack of this bubbly excitement is a bad thing.
I am aware that this time in my life will undoubtably be a time of learning. Learning about a larger variety of Gods children, their customs, food, what they value, as well as learning to be more patient, and learning things about myself I may have never noticed. But I also assume that it is going to be a year of challenge!!
One reason it will be a challenge: I will be traveling and doing life with a team of 5 folks on a squad of 31+. = That means a yielding of my own way. 
As adults we are used to things going our way. Or at least I am, because I am stubborn, extremely independent and in control of my choices. I am not to saying that life just goes my way all the time. But I have been doing what I want, when I want, since around age 17. The last time I submitted my life like THIS was when I told God He could have it (It really wasn’t working out for me anymore).
But even that decision was of my choosing.
The next marker in life where I submitted my thoughts, time, and life in a big way was when I decided to go to Ozark Christian Collage, and by doing that I had to follow their rules. At that point, I was like, what do I have to lose?, I have done most everything I wanted, so why not step into something new.
The definition of insanity is doing something the same way and expecting different results.
My life had to look different while there at Ozark, but during that time of high yielding I know I learned more than I would have on my own and I experienced the most Joy I ever have in a short amount of time.
SO that being said,
I would like to encourage all of my friends, Christian or not, to let yourself be disciplined. Go places where people correct you, willfully place yourself in hard places, places out of your comfort zone, listen to correction without a response, and take a quiet and honest reflection. (This is some of what I will be growing in this year!!!)
This doesn’t mean you have to physically travel. But you will have to open your mind And be teachable.
It took me comeing to a place where I could not longer live like I was, I was fed up and frustrated, and acting insane (wanting my life to be different but doing the same things and thinking in the same ways). 
I am still learning.
And instead of ‘ExCiTeD!’ I would say I am more so Expectant for how I will GROW (by Gods grace) during the trip, when I come out the other side of the challenges, and the lasting change that will weave its way like a thread through my life and the lives of those around me.
What does that look like exactly? IDK. I will show you next year.
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Also, my Team, FREEFALL, is on the left side column, see their beautiful faces there?!, click on their profiles to read more. Alyssa G. is the appointed “story teller” of our team, so expect some good footage from her to come.
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