Hello everyone!
I have recently had a little switch in routes. In September there are 4 teams leaving on The World Race. The teams are each given a letter, U, V, W and X. I was originally going with team U. I got an e-mail a few weeks ago saying that team X didn't have quiet enough racers and if anyone from the other teams would be interested in switching. They said to pray about it and see if you felt lead to switch.
I took this to prayer. At first I didn't want to switch routes at all. I had already run several races in the names of the countries that were on route one. (team U) I would also mean all new teammates, and a new leader. I guess I wasn't to fond of the idea of switching. But if it came down to it I would do it. So I began praying. Prayer really helps open your view and change your heart. My first prayer was,
"God do I switch? I will switch if you want me to. I don't really want to but I will, if you want me to."
Next prayer: "So I know that I already ran several races for the specific route that I go on, but I don't see that as being a determining factor in which route I go on. I guess that doesn't matter to me. I will switch routes, but I don't want to make the wrong decision. I need you to lead."
Last prayer: "Lord, you are leading me every step of this journey. I have full trust that each step I make you have already foreseen. Even though I don't have a solid answer on whether or not I should switch, I will move forward knowing that you are leading. I know that if this switch isn't right you will put a stop to it. I go in faith. I am willing to serve you wherever you may need me. I am willing to switch routes if that would be necessary for your will to be done."
The next day I sent out an e-mail to my leader simply saying this,
"I am willing to switch routes if you still need people to switch. I would be happy to serve on either route."
In my last prayer, I realized that my answer came in the form of my willingness to switch. God just needed someone willing. Through prayer, I became that person.
So I will still be leaving in September, but my route looks a little different. The following is a list of my old route and then my new route. There are only 3 countries that have changed. I put them in red lettering.
This may not seem like such a big deal, switching routes, but it has been a lesson for me. It has allowed me to deepen my faith. All to often, I am afraid that I will make the wrong choice. I don't trust that God is leading. I depend on confirmation by hearing from God before I move. God is teaching me that sometimes I need to move forward even if I don't hear from Him. I am afraid that I will mess up, and that causes me to be paralyzed. I am no use to God when I am afraid to move. I moved forward in faith that God would shut doors and that he wouldn't allow me to make the wrong choice. I left it in His hands.
Anyway, thanks for listening. I leave for Georgia in about a week. I will be in Georgia for training for the trip. At this time I will get the exact date of departure in September, I will get to meet my teammates (bascily the people I will share the next year of my life with) , we will have worship and prayer for our trip and we will get to enjoy sometime as a team together before we head out on our mission. I am excited but a little overwhelmed. I am not at all prepared for my trip…. (well that is how I feel anyway.) I know this training week will be very encouraging to us all. Pray for save travels, pray for each of the teams, and all the racers.
Old Route : New Route:
China Kenya
Thailand Uganda
Cambodia Rwanda
India India
Nepal Nepal
Philippines Philippines
Kenya Cambodia
Rwanda Thailand
Uganda Dominican Republic
Ukraine Haiti
Romania Puerto Rico
I am excited about the new additions to the list. I took three years of Spanish in High School and I had always wanted to become fluent in it, I just have not gotten around to it. Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico are both countries were Spanish is spoken. Perhaps I will get that chance to learn there language. That would be awesome.
