Since coming home from the World Race, one of the questions I have been frequently asked is “what’s next?” So I wanted to write a blog to tell you what is next! To be honest I don’t know where I’ll be in five years, or what I’ll be doing. Will I be in Arkansas, a different state or on a different continent? I don’t know. Will I be in school, living the “American Dream” or living as a missionary overseas? I don’t know. But the cool thing is, the Lord knows and He has shown me the next steps in my journey!
The World Race wasn’t the journey of a lifetime, but instead, it was just one part of a lifetime of journeys. The Race was just one step in a journey with my Papa and even though the Race ended, my journey hasn’t. The awesome thing about the Race was that I got to experience so many different types of ministry. Because of that I got to see which I loved being a part of, and which I would be content to never do again. I got to experience the many different ministries and the things that make me come alive.
Howard Thurman once said something that has stayed with me for a long time:
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Every now and then while I was on the Race I would ask the Lord to continue showing me what I was passionate about, what makes me really excited and makes me want to get out there and do something. A few of the passions that continuously came up are my love of traveling, orphan care (more specifically for every child to know they are loved and for every child to have a home), the fact that I really enjoy writing, anti-slavery and to put it simply: my love for people.
I realize that my thoughts right before I fall asleep are my truest thoughts, they are the thoughts that scare me, make me happy, make me angry, fire me up or don’t allow me to sleep. I’ve realized that the thoughts before bed are the things I should be doing with my life.
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There’s a reason I think about the little kids living in the dumps of Uganda.
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There’s a reason that I daily think of a little boy in Ecuador who absolutely stole a piece of my heart in less than a month.
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There’s a reason I am heartbroken when I think about the people who are being forced to have sex all over the world RIGHT NOW.
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There’s a reason I get excited when I think about buying a plane ticket and going on an adventure. Seeing new places and meeting incredible new people, having another opportunity to share the love of Jesus.
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There’s a reason I think about compiling all of my thoughts into a book about the crazy adventures we can be a part of if we only say “yes” to Jesus.
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There’s a reason I think about how awesome it would be to have a home one day in the future that has an open door policy, where people know they are loved and accepted, and where, if they need a place to sleep, my couch is available.
There is a reason that I think about these issues and passions and I decided I wanted to take a step in figuring out how I can play a part in some of these situations. So after a whole lot of praying I am excited to tell you that in September I will be moving to Georgia (the state, not the country!) to begin a discipleship training program called Center for Global Action (CGA).
While at CGA I will be working part-time as an apprentice in the Adventures in Missions office and living in a house with other World Race alumni. CGA consists of different four month discipleship tracks in different areas. For my first track (semester), I will be studying missions. I don’t know if I will settle down in the United States or overseas, but I do know that wherever I live, my life will be a mission field. These classes will teach me how to be a more effective missionary, no matter where I am serving.
In January I will move to Antigua, Guatemala for my next four months. While in Guatemala I will be studying the “All Sons and Daughters” track. This will help me gain a better understanding of orphan care around the world and how to help children know who they are as sons and daughters of God. I will still be studying and living in community with other World Race alumni, but will also be partnering with the staff there, serving in the local orphanages.
I am excited about this next step to serving God this way. As I have mentioned, missions and orphan care have both become huge passions of mine and I know that the Lord has put these passions on my heart for a reason!
However, I can’t do it alone. I am writing to ask if you would be praying for me as I get ready for this adventure! I also am writing because I need help financially! While attending the Center for Global Action I will be not be getting a pay check, but instead am able to invite my friends and family to continue being a part of my story! I need $8,940 to cover my lodging, food, my flights and travel insurance for Guatemala and other expenses while I live in both Georgia and Guatemala. My first deadline is September 11th. I will need to have $1,900 in order to leave for Georgia and begin this journey and learn more about what I can do for the Kingdom!
If you would like to support me financially simply click the link in the upper left corner of this blog that says “support me!” and follow the instructions provided.
I want to thank you in advance for praying for me and being a part of my life and my story! I am so excited to see where this journey takes me! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you just want to say hello! ([email protected], 501-766-1992)
