“Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.”
That’s how I felt during my semester abroad in 2014. Horrible, right? Let me explain.
I had been DREAMING (well, daydreaming when I was supposed to be doing my college assignments) about traveling the world and studying abroad. Even before I stepped foot onto my college campus I knew that at least one of my (maybe even two) semesters was going to be dedicated to studying abroad, no matter what! Nothing was going to stop me. Well, if it hadn’t been for my parents’ support, I never would have believed it possible.
In regards to the finances, The Lord provided, even before I was born, with a woman from our church that made some investments in my name, which afforded me the opportunity. She was obedient with what God put on her heart to do, trusting that God knew what He was doing with that money. And two decades later, I had the means to do what I had dreamed of because God knew as He was knitting me together in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13) that my passion would be for traveling and adventure and He provided a way for me to pursue those things. He set in motion back before any of us, much less me or this woman, knew what the money would be for, and what it would mean to me.
I know that the Lord is going to provide again for the World Race and everything else that comes my way in my life. He will do that for YOU, too.
What I learned from this woman I never met as an adult and never got to thank, but had a huge impact on me, was this:
Even if it takes decades, you will see fruit of being obedient to God. Maybe you won’t actually know about it, but you have to trust God that He will make it happen and you’ll receive your reward in Heaven. Like the 5 loaves and 2 fish in the Bible (John 6), if you trust God and are obedient with the little you have, it will be blessed and multiply.
I had no fears or worries leaving for Italy for four months. I was so pumped! But that first week, man….I was the one that cried herself to sleep because I was homesick. Did NOT see that coming! And on top of that, I felt ashamed that I felt that way, since I had been so pumped and undaunted the whole time leading up to leaving. Study abroad for everyone else seemed like it was the best thing in the world! Why wasn’t it that way for me?! I felt like I had to save face around my friends and family back home, to cover up how I was feeling inside.
I realized that first week that it doesn’t matter where I am, I’m never going to be satisfied until I’m satisfied in Jesus Christ. I wanted the familiar back, my campus that had become my home, and my friends that had become my family. But God told me that even if I was able to go home with the snap of my fingers, I wouldn’t be satisfied. (I would most likely want a second chance at study abroad!) That realization pointed me to God for joy and peace and plain old satisfaction!
God will sometimes let your dreams come true to show you that that can’t even satisfy you. Only He will.
I was removed from the comforts of home and placed in a foreign country where all I had was myself and God and our relationship.
It is so easy to go through life thinking everything is great, but when we get thrown into a situation where we have to rely on Jesus like never before we realize that we were too comfortable before: with ourselves, our home, our friends and family, even our own relationship with God. We weren’t being challenged enough, we weren’t growing with God. Once we don’t have those safety nets anymore, we begin to rely heavily on the one thing, one PERSON, that we know is always faithful, Jesus. This is where He wants us, totally dependent on Him.
In Milan, I didn’t feel tethered to anything, I was just floating around, directionless, purposeless. I missed Christian community. Because I was away from my newfound church community at home, I began to actually desire time with God. I had a yearning for His presence like never before. I even thought that one of the reasons I was like this was because my Christian community was my substitute for spending time with God. I think we have a tendency to do this. People cannot replace God. Fellowship with Christians, no matter how authentic and beautiful it is, is still nothing compared to spending time with our Creator and Savior. No matter where we are in the world, our relationship with God doesn’t change! How cool is that! Even if you’re thousands of miles away from your family and friends, He never leaves us or forsakes us (Deuteronomy 3:16)
So my dream of traveling the world wasn’t fulfilling me. But what if it was with a Kingdom purpose in mind and with a community of Christ-followers?!
I felt like this is what God was telling me when I heard about the World Race through Facebook during this season of my life. I felt like God was calling out to me. This is what I have for you. Only living for and pursuing Me will satisfy. Do it for Me, with Me.
It may be unrealistic or ridiculous that my first ever overseas mission trip is going to be ELEVEN months long, but God calls us to do BIG things for Him.
I had always wanted to go on a mission trip, but the opportunities had never come in the past and when one did, it was cancelled. I did look into shorter term trips that Adventures in Missions offers but nothing felt right; I didn’t feel God calling me to any of them. If I was gonna go all out for Jesus, I was not going to sell myself or my God short! Now I believe that no other trip worked out for me in the past because God was leading me to something even greater that was going to knock my socks off! Something I would have to jump into feet first and trust God 110%.
This was the first time that I had ever felt “called” to do something with my life. You could also think of it like a “pull” or a “tugging of the heart.”
Will a “tugging of the heart” sustain me, you might ask.
Maybe not on the days I doubt or am fearful.
BUT I always trust God and what He leads me to. And for those rough times ahead of me, the ones I am already experiencing, this will ALWAYS hold true and should be the most important thing to us as Christians; it is our kingdom calling, our purpose on this earth: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” Matthew 28:18-20
So THAT my friends is how I was called to do the World Race. A crazy eleven month mission trip to eleven countries. If you would like to follow my journey, please click the orange button at the top of this post that says “Subscribe for Updates” and an email will be sent every time I update my blog. If you would like to help make this trip possible, please click the other orange button at the top of the screen next to the fundraising bar that says “Donate!” And if you feel so inclined, you can share this post to your Facebook page, as well.
