You’re probably wondering how I came to the decision to pack my belongings in a backpack, leave my car, job, and my family & friends to trek around the world to 11 different countries for 11 months, which is totally crazy, right?! Well, that’s a long story, haha. But in this blog, I’m going to attempt to get to the heart of it. 
The end of last year, God put the word "GO" on my heart. I wasn’t sure what that meant, if it meant short term mission trips or what, but I just knew that God had really been placing it on my heart to go to other countries and share the Gospel with the people there. So, when I heard about the world race through my sister, who is going in September (hannahstambaugh.theworldrace.org – look her up!), I immediately wanted to go! …I didn’t think I could though. Along with a few other factors, a big reason was timing. I had just made plans to finally go back to school this spring after a yearlong break and, with the help of my mom, painstakingly planned out the next few years of classes, deadlines, and plans. But, my sister reminded me that there will never be a time in your life where everything lines up perfectly and if you wait for perfect timing-you'll never go. So I continued praying about it.
One night I decided to get on the World Race site and started blog stalking. 5 hours later, I couldn’t pull myself away. I had read hundreds of stories by current racers that were written straight from their heart; stories about victories and miracles that made you say, “Thank you, God!”, and stories about struggles and heartache that brought you to your knees crying out, “Lord, help them!” I didn’t know why, but as I watched videos of children and adults from several of the countries, my heart felt like it was being wrung in the deepest parts and I sat there with my laptop bawling my eyes out. I had never met anyone in those videos, I had never been to any of those countries, but there was just something inside of me that connected with them. And my heart said, “I have to go.”
I filled out most of the application that night, which was kind of intimidating because I had all these doubts and insecurities flooding my mind. Was I really ready for something like this?
But I kept on praying, asking God for His will to be done and for clarity.
I’ve come to find out that most of the time God doesn’t give us a straight-up, fireworks-in-the-sky, answers-falling-in-your-lap, “this is exactly, step by step, what I want you to do”, kind of answers. But when I opened my bible that night, I accidentally came across a passage that I had no intention of reading, and it was Isaiah 61:1 (AMP):
”The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound.”
That verse was for me!
I finished my application, went through the interview process, waited 8 days (which felt like an eternity!), and finally received the call with the impending outcome…I was accepted to go on the World Race!!! My mind was blown away, but I am so thankful and stoked for this opportunity!
I feel like there are two verses that really lay the foundation of the start of this race. One is the great commission that says, “Go.”
“GO to the people of ALL nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” Matthew 28:19-20 (CEV)
This is the word that God has burned on my heart; a word He has given us all. It’s a call to action, to GO. Go and preach the word to everyone. Life is not about us, it’s not about living the American dream and being comfortable; it’s not about being good enough and just serving in your church. It’s not about being lukewarm. I don’t want to live an ordinary life. Even if it costs me my life to stay on fire for God, to stay in pursuit of Him, and to go and do His will. Then I will Go. I will do it. I will not stay still. I will not be stagnant. I will not be a mediocre or lukewarm Christian. I will Go.
The second verse is Isaiah 61. We are all, as children of God, anointed to go and preach the Gospel wherever we are. If we see someone captive, we are anointed, by the Holy Spirit to set them free. That God’s authority, God’s love, His power, His mercy, hope, grace, and freedom would be realized in their life. We’re not supposed to pass people by. We’re supposed to set them free. We’re supposed to tell them about Jesus. That’s our whole life’s purpose; it’s why we’re here. We have been called to go and equipped to do it!
I could go on and on and on about why I want to go and how I came to this decision, but really this is the bottom line.
I have this amazing opportunity to go on an 11 month mission trip to 11 different countries.
The chance to minister to and serve people all over the world – women who are abused and caught in sex trafficking, families who are facing poverty and starving to death, to teach precious children how to read and write, to hug and love on orphans, to comfort the lonely, heal the sick, and to bring hope and light to places in the world where only darkness and despair have been known.
I know that God does crazy awesome things when we step out in obedience and answer His call, and I’m excited to see what He does!
I want to invite you to be a part of my race! To follow along with my journey, please enter your email address in the “Subscribe” square to your left to receive updates when I post new blogs!
I also desperately and most importantly need your prayer support! But, being real, I also have a lot of money to raise ($15,500) – so I need your financial help too!
(If you would like to donate to my race, you can do this by clicking the “Support Me!” link on the left!)
I’ll be posting more info in the next few weeks and, of course, if you have any questions, please ask away!
THANKS FOR READING!!!
