Hello everyone! My name is Abby and I am Taylors sister.
Taylor has asked me to write this week’s blog post! So here goes nothing!
Well to say the least, I never knew that a trip that I didn’t even go on would change my life so much. This month will mark 9 months that we haven’t seen each other, but man has God been working.
For the first few months when this all began, I would talk to Taylor periodically, hearing about the places she has traveled to, seeing pictures, and hearing stories, all that good stuff. But as the days went by, I found myself practically living through her. I know that sounds weird, let me explain.
During around fall of last year, I found myself to be really struggling in life. I was struggling with happiness, fulfillment, and felt like I was constantly searching for purpose in empty places. I began questioning everything. Every single decision I have made, what I am studying in school, and who I was as a person- all because I just felt so empty. I honestly felt so lost.
But then I would FaceTime Taylor. And sometimes the connection would be terrible and her wifi would constantly cut in and out, but she would tell me about her life and honestly the stories that she would tell me are what powered me through the day. On days where I felt like my school work and my daily activities were so purposeless, I would think about what Taylor and her team were up to. I would think about the genuine relationships she was forming with her teammates and people she would meet in different countries. To me it seemed like her life was so filled with so much more happiness and purpose- even when she was sleeping in the same room as a chicken.
What was different between me and her? It seemed like I should be perfectly happy here in America where I don’t have to live out of a backpack or share my room with a chicken. I was living the life that the world racers made the sacrifice to leave behind.
Well it didn’t take me long to realize that Taylor had given it all to Jesus. I mean, all of it. And same with every single person on the World Race. These people are the easily the most completely in love with Jesus people that I have ever seen. The Lord has called out to every single person on the race and they responded “Yes, Lord”. Just realizing that alone has taught me so much about life. God will use those who are obedient to the call He places on their lives- and he has definitely used her to directly impact people back home in America. God has been working through Taylor teach me so many things even when she is thousands of miles away. He has opened my eyes to realizing that I don’t necessarily have to be traveling across the world in order to feel the fulfillment and Joy that Jesus has for my life. God is constantly longing for a relationship with you wherever you are in life. It doesn’t matter if you’re in San Diego or in the Amazon Rain Forest, Jesus always has a reckless love for you and that will never stop.
I will tell you that proximity to Jesus is the only thing in my life that has truly given me happiness and fulfillment. He is the only one who ever will. Jesus is literally my living hope and every single day I am so thankful that He used Taylors “Yes” to change my heart. The Lord has been calling me into a deeper relationship with Him for a long time now, and though Taylor is thousands and thousands of miles away, she has been the one continually encouraging me to answer that call.
The decision my big sister made to lay it all down for Jesus has given me the willingness and excitement to do the same. The Lord has used our time apart for us to grow so much closer as sisters. She is the person I know I can go to for advice on anything in life, knowing whole heartedly that she is always there to help me, and continue to inspire me to know Jesus deeper.
Thank you Taylor for being such an amazing role model in my life. I would be so lost without you. You are doing amazing things every single day, and God is using you to impact people in ways you might not even know!
Love you always.
Abby
