Hello all; friends, family, strangers, dogs, cats, others!
My name is Peyton Kilburn and some of my favorite things are sunsets, mountains, smiles, green grass, laughing, dogs, music, and so so much more. Blogging has been something that I’ve wanted to do my whole life, so the fact that World Race makes you create one is just amazing. I live in Austin, TX if you don’t know me and I have a special place in my heart for mission work and honestly just loving other people. Love is something in my life that really made my relationship with God so much stronger. One example of this is the love is the love I received on my trip to Uganda in 2014 with my church. This trip opened my eyes so much to the world and how much people are all so similar, searching to find love and true happiness. Guys, this love and true happiness is all found through God being able to share this with people was so life changing. I met this 18 year old girl named Julian who had the most radiant and beautifully inviting smile that really drew me to her. Everyday she would tell me how grateful she was for us and how much she loved us. I got to talking with her one afternoon and came to find out that WE HAVE THE SAME FAVORITE MOVIE, which is for obvious reasons High School Musical. On the day my group was leaving she came up to me with tears in her eyes, begging me to never forget her. She then handed me a poem she wrote for me, telling me that life is going to be rough, but to always have faith and care for others. So I am taking her up on this, and devoting a year of my life specially for the care and support of others towards Jesus. A definition for love that I’d like to share is one from the great St. Thomas Aquinas and he said, “love is willing the good of another”. This definition stuck out to me so much that I apply this to everything in my life. Another definition of love that I was taught (lol 14 years of Catholic school) is recognizing the dignity in a person and responding to it. Once I pondered on these definitions, I realized that I need to live my life by these definitions. I need to live my life to love and serve other people. By recognizing the dignity in people that probably don’t receive this amount of love or even respect at all, especially in these third world countries on this gap year, is something that I feel so incredibly called to do. I want to show these people love like no other. God is love. So by loving on these people, you are bringing God to them which is ultimately our purpose on this earth which is so cool that this all comes full circle.
So yes this is me, Peyton Kilburn, dropping everything and running to God and his plan for my life and I couldn’t be more excited. You guys! Just think, in a year I’m going to be traveling the world and bringing Jesus to people- that is with your help of course. I have to raise $15,800 to go on this gap year which sounds like a lot if you ask me. But all things can happen through Christ and you know what, he will always provide. SO give if you can but if you can’t, please just pray for me and my journey. Just think, bringing Jesus to people who haven’t even heard of him before, allowing them to be saved and ultimately live in eternal happiness, HOW FREAKING COOL IS THAT. okay yes i’m done rambling. Moral of the story, this is me and how I came to the idea of the world race gap year and I couldn’t be more excited.
