We were asked to write about how we were called to the World Race Missions. Here is a mini timeline of God placing a passion in my heart for missions.
When I was in 7th grade I moved to a new school. I remember my new friend asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I said confidently, “I want to be a missionary.” I had been on one missions trip prior to this but God had put this passion in my heart. I would listen with my mom to Elizabeth Elliott on the radio regularly and I could not wait for that to be me someday that God would use to share His love around the world. When I think back to this point in my life it makes me admire younger kids so much. The honesty is abounding and they are not self conscious about what they are thinking or desire.
I later began to realize how small in numbers were the people that did missions as their lifelong career. And that no one my age was saying that as their life long dream. Not only that but I realized the things that people wanted and worked for like money, cars, houses, and basically the “American Dream” could never be attained with this kind of career. The world began to slowly influence my mind, actions, and desires and God’s voice and calling was no longer part of my plan for my life.
I went to hear a missionary speak for extra credit in a class at Grace University two years ago. After sharing he asked, “What is keeping each of you from giving God a year or 5 years of your life to missions?” All I could think was I have way too many things I want to do, see, and experience before I could just give up everything and go who knows where. I can remember these selfish thoughts and am amazed at how the Bible and God can change a person like me. During these past two years I began to come to a point where I finally let down my arms in surrender to God. I slowly began to desire to obey whatever He called me to. As I did this God revealed to me 1). that my life should be consumed with loving Him 2). and everything in my life should point others to knowing and desiring to know God and have Him in their life.
During the summer I began making plans for graduate school in Denver, CO. I wanted to continue on my education and begin life in “the real world”. Before leaving to visit the school and finalizing my plans God spoke to me before leaving and said No. I did not understand what I was supposed to say no to. As I sat in a classroom while visit the school nothing seemed right, I had no peace. The odd thing in my mind was I loved the school, loved the city, and was excited about the change. But I had no peace, something was off.
I asked a friend to pray for me as I sought to know where God was directing me. I told her about my trip to Denver and how I felt confused as to where God wanted me. I began praying earnestly for God to show me where to go next if it was not graduate school. God again began putting missions in my heart and in my thoughts. I went to search on the internet hoping God would show me. I found out searching missions on google brought a lot of options. I left the computer room feeling more confused than when I started. I asked God to confirm missions to me somehow if that was what He wanted. I asked him to make it completely evident and for it to just fall in my lap. A couple days passed and my friend told me of a trip her friend had heard about and was thinking about going on. She told me it was the World Race. After hearing the details I was a little hesitant, I thought God that sounds crazy and scary. It was not what I had thought of when I heard God say missions. But I went to the website my friend gave me just to see. I prayed and asked God to make it more evident if this was what He was calling me to. I applied and talked to admissions at AIM, they said I would not be able to go if I did not go to training camp. I told her I was in school and could not miss a week of school. She gave me the dates and as I looked in my planner there was no school that whole week. I got more information before I got off the phone and as soon as I hung up I couldn’t stop crying. I was scared, scared of how much money I would need to raise, scared of how much my life would change, scared of everything I knew being gone. But I had prayed and God had answered.
This past month and a half since I’ve been accepted to The World Race has been chaotic. But God has confirmed to me repeatedly that this is what He has called me to for the next year. The crazy thing is I have no idea what the year after that holds or what He has in mind. I desire to seek to be obedient to whatever He calls me to and although not knowing every detail or what’s around the corner is extremely hard for me I am learning to be at peace with it. God has been showing me that the important thing is that I am willing and open to whatever He calls me to. The World Race is not something I thought I would ever do, but that is what makes it so special and important to me, only God could have thought of including The World Race in my life and I’m honored and humbled that He has called me.
