It seems like it was just yesterday I got my acceptance phone call for the World Race. My thoughts: Oh wow, August 2018 is a long time away. I blinked and now I am here in Atlanta for training, getting ready to leave America for 11 months on Tuesday! Wow, It’s crazy really. It’s a day I eagerly looked forward to since October of 2017. If anything already this is a testament of just how faithful God is in the callings & dreams He’s placed over your life. I never thought I’d be here to be honest and that just goes to show that God’s plans far outweigh ours.
So it’s been quite a busy few days at launch, and I am here at launch which I haven’t truly gotten to process exactly how I am feeling & there’s a lot going on inside my heart. We’ve had a lot of training and I arrived at launch a few days early because I had training for a leadership position they gave me as a story teller leader! Super excited and humbled about that!
But here is my attempt to try and explain some of what’s going on inside my head!
First, I am feeling incredibly thankful. Thankful to just be here and have this wild adventure ahead of me. Thankful for everyone who has supported me. My promise to you is that I won’t waste your money you’ve invested to help get me here and let this year slip by me! Here at training they talked about how it won’t always be easy and there will be times we want to quit when it gets hard! Those times are when we are supposed to really push and fight through because we didn’t just sign up for the fun & exciting moments, but also the pain. There will always be a million reasons pushing against you to not do something.
The question is, are you gonna live the life that was planned for you or are going to let it slip by because of fear, the unknown, uncertainty and all other reasons telling you not to? Or take a chance and believe God can do it through you?
I can look at my life and see all the areas I fall short in time and time again. Like how I can get so caught up in my head and life and it causes me to focus on so many things other than Jesus. I can think of all the areas I want to grow in and sometimes that somehow makes me feel like I can’t be who I want to be with Jesus because I haven’t gotten to the woman of God I want to be yet. But last night at one of our sessions during worship I was thinking this and I felt God speak to my heart “Just be who you want to be with me, now.” And then I am reminded of the verse:
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
His mercies are new every morning. So with each passing day- each new day is exactly that. A NEW day, and where I fell short yesterday- doesn’t have to weigh over me today or keep me from being who I’ve been called to be and who I want to be. And this isn’t a copout to continue to do whatever I want but an invitation to transformation through a relationship with Jesus who has steadfast love for us.
So I’ll dive head first into the unknown trusting God. It can be a scary but most sweet adventure.
Sure I have my fears about doing this race. Like uhh getting some kind of parasite, getting really sick from the food or water, getting Malaria, etc. And really just all the comfort we are so used to in America! But despite that, I can’t let that keep me from following Jesus. Like I mentioned earlier, there will always be a list of reasons of why not to do something and we can either look to that or we can look at the reasons TO DO IT. To go. Specifically if Jesus has called us to it. Are we really living if we don’t go after those dreams and passions!? So despite those fears- I am SO excited. I am in awe that this is really here. It’s crazy to look back to see that the World Race was something I thought was just a dream! I never imagined being here and I am in awe of how good God is because I wouldn’t wanna be anywhere else doing anything else. SO pumped at the fact that I get to spend 11 months in places I never dreamed of going, getting to serve and love people! All glory to God! I’m so excited to see what God has in store for these next 11 months! WOW.
So first country is Ukraine! Fun fact: We’ll actually get to be there for their Independence Day! That will be fun to be able to celebrate another countries holiday.
For now what my team and I will be doing is teaching English to kids & teenagers in Ukraine. Super stoked for that! So being praying for that!
We fly out tomorrow!!! AHHHHHHHHHH
First flight is from Atlanta to Turkey – 11 Hr flight!
Short layover in Turkey and then a 2hr flight to Ukraine! We should reach Ukraine about 9:15pm on Wednesday If all goes well!
My team, squad and I would LOVE your prayers!! HERE WE GO! Can’t wait to take you all along on this journey!
Stay tuned!
Till next time,
Much love, T!
Oh here is an awesome picture of my squad!
