The Choice

Hello friends! 

After working on my story to share with others on why I want to go and how I was called to the World Race, I thought I would share part of that on here as well!

Growing up, my grandpa would lead short term missions trips and my mom has shared stories of her missions trips that she has been on in her life. I grew up in a Christian and Missionary Alliance Church and was constantly meeting missionaries and hearing their stories. I never had a desire to go out and tell people about God, especially in an unknown place to me.

It wasn’t until the fall of my freshman year of college that I heard about the World Race and wanted to submit an application, and then… I met my ex boyfriend and threw the whole thing out the window.

Fast forward a couple of years to the fall of 2019, while I was living at home after moving out for a year, I was single and feeling very alone. I went to a women’s retreat at a former mentor’s cabin and there re-sparked my love and desire for God. I had definitely fell of the wagon and you might as well call me the prodigal son to make a long (maybe another blog) story, short. I decided this is my time of singleness, this is my time to be poured into, this is my time to grow so close to God. “I decided” really God called me, I just answered! I had started a new bible study at church, started leading at youth group again, and went through our discipleship training at church. In this time things were hard! I wouldn’t say I really enjoyed it but looking back I am so glad and thankful for that season. There were more times than not when I questioned God.  Why would you want me to feel alone?  Why am I going through this? Are You even here? What’s my next step?  Why are you stripping everything from me? All these questions. At work a few months later I received an email about an open house for the World Race, I texted my mom and asked if she would come with me. After talking to people, hearing their experiences, and when someone said “11 months out of your whole life is not long”, I started thinking I wanted to go out and do the 11/11 program. I was hoping I would hear that audible voice, but I didn’t. It wasn’t until after I got accepted and was reading the Word when I felt like God was confirming in me that this is part of His plan. 

I think God puts things in our place and, just like accepting Him, gives us a choice. I can’t necessarily pinpoint the exact moment I was called but I know that this is part of His plan and my story. Looking back and even in the last 365 days I have seen His hand and how I “ended up” here. How good is our God that even when we don’t see how He’s working in the moment or when we feel like we are at our lowest, He’s working through us.