My Junior year of college, I had a break up that was very devastating for me. I spent countless hours crying, and was constantly asking God “Why”. I never wanted this. I loved him, and thought that I would spend the rest of my life with him. But God made it clear that our relationship had to end. And so I was obedient and gave him my YES.
You may wonder why I’m telling you this. Here’s why:
Sometimes we don’t understand why God allows certain things to happen to us. At the current time we are left in the pain and sorrow. We don’t see the beauty in the pain and we definitely don’t see how God is at work.
That was me a year ago.
I was broken and hurting.
I was questioning God.
A couple of months after our break up, I looked into a program called the Worldrace for the first time. I was inspired by the countless blogs I read, and the Instagram photos I stalked. Traveling to 11 countries in 11 months sounded AMAZING. The opportunity to see the World was something that breathed excitement into me. I began to dream that one day I too would be able to do the Worldrace. The adventure with God was something that excited me.
A year has passed now, and God has provided so much healing in my heart. I grew in ways I never would have if I was still in a relationship. God taught me more about myself during this process, and he’s been teaching me how to better love. It’s during the pain and sorrow that I experienced God’s love in ways that I never had before. It was during the pain and sorrow that I learned to trust God in ways I never have.
The Worldrace was something I dreamed about in my brokenness. It breathed hope and excitement into me. What first started out as a desire for an Adventure to me, turned into something more. It wasn’t just about going to 11 countries and experiencing their culture. It wasn’t about all the awesome experiences I would have, or the attractions and beautiful nature sites I would see.
It was more than that.
The Worldrace is an opportunity for me to go on a journey with God so that he can allow me to figure out more of who He has called me to be and how he has called me to serve. It’s an opportunity that will allow me to share the Gospel in ways I’ve never experienced before. It’s an opportunity for me to Radiate Hope unto the lives of other’s so that they too can experience the Love that Christ demonstrates for us. Most of all, I wanted this to be a journey where God would constantly reveal himself to me.
So I’ve said YES to the Journey with God, and now I’m starting to figure out details for the race. If I had to be honest, fundraising for the Worldrace is very daunting to me. I’ve never had to Earn 17,417 dollars before.
And at times I doubt that God will provide.
But then I remember a conversation I had with a friend from college a few months ago. I was explaining to her why going on the Worldrace would be hard. I explained that earning the money would be hard and her response was this: “Shannon, sometimes all you have to do is say yes and God will figure out the rest of the details”. This was a perspective that changed my entire view of the Worldrace.
Her words are SO TRUE.
Sometimes all you need to do is say YES, and God WILL figure out all the details.
Sometimes you just need to say YES and trust that God will provide.
And that’s what God is currently teaching me. Earning 17,417 dollars is definitely daunting. But I trust that if the Lord has called me he WILL PROVIDE.
So I’ve given God my yes.
I’ve said YES to the journey he is taking me on.
I’ve said YES to leaving the comforts of my everyday “normal” life.
I’ve said YES to a lifetime of adventures with God.
And I CANNOT wait to see where God will bring me and how he will change my perspective in the next year. I’m so amazed that God took my brokenness and has led me to this adventure with him. I am soooooo excited to see where he will take me.
It all starts with saying one word.
That word is …
YES.
