Dear Future World Racers,
First of all, congrats on saying “Yes!” to the calling The Lord has placed on your heart. You’re about to be in for the craziest spiritual, mental, emotional and physical journey of your life. The Lord is gonna use you and work in you in more ways than you could even fathom.
A lot of you have already began to reach out to me on all platforms of social media, asking questions, sending out some kind words, prayers and questions and statements filled with curiosity and eagerness.
All in which, is super cool and super sweet. It’s kind of weird for me, because I remember being in the position you were in and it feels like just yesterday.
I remember the nights of face-timing my future teammates and endless conversations about the race and just life in general in the group chat. I remember the feeling of doubt and fear and feeling like the race wasn’t for me. I remember what it was like to feel that I wasn’t good enough for this trip. I remember what it felt like to look at the overwhelming fundraising goal and being completely submerged in immense self doubt.
After all, it was only a year ago.
But, God is already preparing to send more yearning and adventure- seeking hearts out in His great and mighty name to build the kingdom. That makes me so excited.
It should make all of y’all excited as well.
The fear that some of you have shared with me and that is sneaking up on you right now- is something I urge you to shake away from you.
Do not let that fear eat you alive. Do not let that fear consume you and make you feel incapable. Do not let that fear break down what God has called you to do.
The enemy is so sneaky in being able to plant thoughts into your head.
Look at what you’re about to do.
You’re about to be THE LIGHT in some of the darkest places in the world. You’re about to share the love of God with people who may have never heard it before it, and weren’t planning on hearing it until God chose you to have a divine appointment with them.
You are the beloved son/daughter who was called into something so beyond great for His glory and His glory alone.
What you’re about to do, is exactly what the enemy doesn’t want you to do. If he can just break one person on your future squad, then his job is well done.
These negative thoughts are not from God, they are right from the enemy himself.
Your time leading up to the race, and even your time on the race will have these thoughts of feeling you are not capable enough to do what God has called you do crossing your mind— it has happened to every single one of us at one point or another.
I can’t name you one racer who went into this crazy journey of life with 100% confidence and that is totally ok.
We are not called to be comfortable. We are simply called to do what The Lord has for us.
A lot of what I have been learning is submission. Obviously to go on the race, you have to give up far beyond what you could imagine. You give up your education, you give up your job, you give up your boyfriend/girlfriend, you give up your family and friends, you give up holidays— you give literally everything you have ever known up.
But look who you are giving it to! You are giving it to the King of ALL Kings and The Lord of ALL Lord’s! I’m learning that by handing it all over to Him in order to follow the plan He has for you is SO sweet. He has promised you such a good life in return, everything you hand over to Him will not return without void.
I’ve seen him move in so many boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, in families, in friendships— I’ve seen people find out about scholarships and better living arrangements— and so many things just SO much better things simply because they handed it over and BELIEVED and TRUSTED that He would make it into something so great.
Do not forget that He has called you to go. He wants you on that field. He knows the people you are going to meet. He knows the places you will go. He knows what you will see and what you will experience. He knows everything that will happen in you and your heart the next 9 months. He knows it is what you need.
Without getting to far into my story, know that I am not the most biblically advanced or wise Christian. I got saved only about 4 or 5 years ago. To this day, someone can say a story in the bible and I’m gonna need them to go more in depth cause I might not have heard it.
I couldn’t understand why God was calling me on this trip and I couldn’t understand why He wouldn’t leave me alone about it.
The amount of times I said “Hey you know I am not ready for this trip. You know I’m not really good enough for this. You know I’m not good with understanding peoples stories and putting myself into their shoes. You know I am a spoiled brat and I am not going to thrive in these living conditions. You know I’m going to be miserable. Why do you want me?”
And the amount of times He said, “I want you to follow me Sydney. I will give you what you need.”
And He was so right. I’ve been in situations where I automatically begin to panic because I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to react. And suddenly, theres words pouring out of my mouth that I know for a fact that I never would have said.
The Holy Spirit is going to move through you on this trip whether or not you truly know it or not now. You’re going to be given the words you need to say. He’s going to give you the tools that you need.
He didn’t call you on this trip to embarrass you.
He called you on this trip because He knows what you need. This IS His plan for you. Do not let the enemy win in your time leading up to the race, and your time on the race.
I will be praying for each and every one of you as you step into this new journey and new chapter of your life. He is going to do so many amazing things through you, all for His kingdom!
You get a front row seat, and get to use a helping hand in watching Him restore places of utter darkness.
Hang in there y’all. It is so worth it!
