It’s truly not about me, but about the One who has called me!
My name is Taylor Mackenzie White. I am 23 years old and just finished my first year of teaching at Coronado High School as a physical education teacher/coach and Young Life leader. I graduated from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2015 with my bachelors in Exercise Science. Afterwards, I went on to live in Orlando, Florida, working at Walt Disney World and graduated from their Disney College Program in 2016.
I was Cali born and Arizona/Texas raised. I have lived in Lubbock, Texas for most of my life and I am VERY family oriented. I have a mother (Kimber), father (Les) and 2 older sisters (Ashlyn and Leslea). Although my immediate family is fairly small, I have a rather large extended family whom I am blessed to be extremely close to.
So far, the Lord has taken me on an awesome journey. There have been many trials and hardships but even greater blessings and miracles.
Living in a broken home and experiencing a great deal of pain through high school, my heart was hardened toward humans, especially high schoolers. After leaving for college and promising I would never return to high school, the Lord completely transformed my heart. I became a Young Life (high school ministry) leader and the Lord completely broke my heart for high school students. I saw them experiencing the same brokenness and pain that I went through and decided that I wanted to be the difference in their lives. I don’t want them to have to endure the same struggles I experienced. I want to walk beside them, uplift them, be a role model, and show them the love of Jesus as they go through this crazy thing called life.
I am now so passionate about high schoolers as well as all humans especially those who are less fortunate and endure persecution. This world is so beautifully broken and it is my goal to love and serve ALL I come in contact with.
In addition to giving me a love for people, over the past few years the Lord has captured my heart for his beauty in nature. I love hiking, kayaking, traveling to new places and all things outdoors. I also enjoy dancing, laughing, playing sports, spending time with family, and getting to be me in ridiculous and silly ways.
My spiritual gifts include; faith, mercy and serving. I am so excited to grow in these gifts throughout the World Race, as well as being stretched in new areas. Some gifts I would like to grow in are leadership, teaching and healing. Never in my life did I think I would be leading, teaching or healing but I have already begun to see the Lord calling me into these gifts and giving me a desire to grow in them.
Why the World Race?
The World Race was not on my radar for this next year at all. So you can imagine my surprise and confusion being called out of my ideal job to travel to 11 different countries to share the love and word of God.
What originally led me to the World Race was the adventure and traveling. One of my friends is currently on the World Race and was posting pictures of traveling, God’s beauty and having the opportunity to love on His people. Seeing these pictures I wanted to know more. After reading blogs, doing some research and finding out it was all for JESUS, I WAS SOLD. I want to live more than the 9 to 5 job, pursuing the “American dream.” I want to live radically and walk out my faith by living the way Jesus did.
Living in a world that is broken and fallen, I have struggled to truly know who I am in Christ. I struggled with self image, self acceptance and knowing what I truly enjoy and am passionate about. Over the past few years the Lord has GRACIOUSLY started to show me my beauty and confidence in Him and has begun to show me my heart’s desires.
In the year to come, on the World Race, I hope to come FULLY into the person God created me to be. To experience Him in ways I could never imagine. To see myself and others through the eyes and heart of the Lord. To be a POWERHOUSE of faith by walking BOLDLY in the Spirit. That the Lord would reveal my true heart’s desires and that I would chase them with perseverance. And that I would learn to love unconditionally!!
PRAYERS
Although I will be the one physically traveling, I truly believe that you can make a difference and change the lives of those we come in contact with by partnering with us in prayer.
I would love for you to battle with us in prayer as we journey to all 11 countries this year. Specific things you can be praying for are safety in traveling, health and protection against sickness, that we would be spiritually, emotionally and physically prepared, that every word that comes out of our mouths would be the Lord’s words and not ours, that the hearts and minds of all that we come in contact with would be open and ready to accept the love and word of God, that we would love unconditionally and truly become the hands and feet of God.
I am beyond excited to begin this new adventure and I am anxious to see the Lord move in powerful and miraculous ways.
Thank you for your prayers, encouragement and support as I step out in faith and pursue this next step in my journey with Christ.
