“Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

 

Hello everyone! Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my story and learn about the journey I will be on this coming year!

This coming January, I will be leaving Knoxville to embark on what will undoubtedly be my greatest challenge yet! I have chosen to partner with the World Race. This ministry will allow me to serve unreached people groups, while learning to discern the voice of God and grow in my relationship with Him.  

So, what is the World Race, you ask? Well, the World Race is an 11-month long ministry opportunity. I will be serving and helping people across 11 different countries, while sharing the love and joy found in Christ with those who have never before heard His name. For some, this might sound like a dream come true; for others, this might sound like a nightmare; but for myself, I believe it is my next step in completely surrendering to God’s will and plan for my life. 

This journey will definitely take me out of my comfort zone! With moving every month to a different location, there is little time to grow complacent. I am eager to participate in and observe various ministries in action. In addition to serving the Lord, my goal is to be simultaneously learning to discern His voice and will for my life.

I want to tell you my story, how I got to this point, and why I have chosen to do this. However, before I continue, let me ask you a question: Do you remember that feeling when you finally had life figured out? That exhilarating excitement that swells within, when everything you have planned for falls right into place, at the right time, and in the right way? Yeah… me neither!

Instead, I often find myself tripping over unexpected changes and attempting to embrace the reality of growing up – all this while holding onto unfulfilled hopes and picking up the pieces of shattered dreams.

Growing up and learning to navigate this thing called life is by no means a unique experience. Every person has had to examine their life and determine their next steps at some point or another. I personally have felt burdened by the pressure surrounding those next steps. This burden of self-inflicted anxiety came with the belief that whatever choice I made would unquestionably have a lasting impact on my life. What else could I do except cross my fingers and hope that I took a step in the right direction?

I mean, seriously?! How can I possibly be expected to make the right decision for my life when I am still learning who I am, how I am wired, and what I want my legacy to be. For heaven’s sake, most of the time, I can’t even decide what I want to eat! …Needless to say, I have been overwhelmed. 

These new feelings and pressures really began to set in as I finished my college career in the fall of 2020. Questions accumulated while answers evaded me.

• What am I going to do after college?
• How will I support myself?
• What happens if I get it wrong?
• What is my purpose in this life?
• How do I use my gifting?
• Why can’t I decide what I want to eat?? 🙂

Unfortunately, I was also struggling with an extreme case of burnout. Mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually – every part of me was falling apart due to overextending myself for almost seven years.

November of 2020 was my breaking point. Desperate for change and broken within, I cried out to God for help. This was not my first time in this dark place, but there was a fundamental difference – I was at the end of myself. I had no choice but to recognize my lack of control; I could not fix what was broken. Graciously, the Lord met me there.

The next several months were a blur and filled with many failures – I was frustrated and longed for my burnout to ease. I was trying to live my life differently, while simultaneously trying to change as little as possible. It didn’t work.

In February, the Lord allowed me to spend a month away from Knoxville visiting family out of state. This time away was life-changing. I had begun to heal from physical and mental burnout. Leaving the comfortable bubble of my hometown had allowed me to see the ways the Lord was moving in my life. He alone changed my heart and reminded me that I was never meant to do this by myself. Through God’s power, I decided to start following Christ in every area of my life. This meant I had to change, not only in my lifestyle but also in how I processed and made decisions.

Fast-forward four months to June. I had experienced healing in areas I never thought possible. I was beginning to understand what it meant to lean on and wait on the Lord. I was asking God to reveal my next step to me. Where did He want me? What was His plan for my life? He had not spoken clearly to me, until He brought the World Race into my life. This was a complete 180 from what I thought life would be post-college and the goals I had set for myself. I thought for sure I would be working a full-time job or climbing some corporate ladder. BUT with a change of heart comes a change of motivation. I no longer felt burdened by the pressure to get it right!

I knew that no matter where I went, the Lord would be with me. I had a new goal: to live a life devoted to glorifying God and surrendering my plans for his. After all, only what is done for the sake of Christ will have an eternal impact. I recognized that in my unique stage of life, I had freedoms now that I might not have later, and that I would quite possibly never get an opportunity like this again. I was accepted into this program at the end of July, and I made my official commitment. 

This is terrifyingly exciting! I will be gone for almost a year, leaving all I have known, my personal dreams, family, and friends. However, all of it will be worth it if it means obedience and a closer, more dependent relationship with God. The best part – I get to do this all while serving and impacting the lives of people who have never before heard the name of Jesus. The specific route I am taking has a mission focus of evangelism to unreached people groups. I am excited to share the life and hope I found in Jesus. I want to see the same freedom I have experienced spread infectiously in the lives of others.

I will be updating this blog as I continue on my journey, and I invite you to follow along on what God is doing around the world and in my life. I hope to soon be able to answer all questions regarding specifics! The World Race leadership team is currently making decisions and finalizing details regarding specific countries, ministries, and other factors like Covid-19. Humbly, I ask you to consider partnering with me in prayer, for my preparation before I leave and also for my coming year in ministry. Thanks again for taking the time to listen. And if you want to know more about my story or the mission of the World Race, feel free to reach out to me!

 

Immediate info on The World Race can be found on their website: https://www.worldrace.org/