Why am I Joining The World Race?

Hello all readers, I am so stoked to get to go on this exhilarating adventure around the world starting in August for nine whole months! I am not only excited for my own experience on this journey, but also for you, as I will be sharing biweekly updates about what I’m learning, experiencing, and how my life is changing.

I was asked to write about why I joined the World Race, and to truly get the depth of the answer to that question, I am going to explain the months, even years leading up to this decision.

The Beginning: A Heart for Service
I love the idea of missions, I have never been on a mission trip, but one thing I’ve always known about myself is that I have a deep passion for helping others, whether that be through trying to be a good friend, classmate, or co-worker, I always want to be someone to rely on.

I have always known I love to help people in any way I can, and getting older I tried my best to do just that. When I was sixteen and started my very own skateboarding company, I partnered with local companies, brands, and my church to organize a backpack drive for the homeless. Everyone pitched in, and we were able to fill dozens and dozens of backpacks with all of the daily essentials someone may need, and proceeded to hand them out to the homeless people in the nearby cities as we prayed over them.

Losing Focus: The Material World
After doing that for a couple years, the company had fizzled out as life got more complex, but the passion was still there. I had felt a strong calling to help, I knew God was telling me to start the work he had shown me in a vision years ago, and, wanting to be obedient, I began brainstorming about the best way I could begin this journey I felt called on, which landed me on podcasting.

I started my podcast trusting that this was exactly what God wanted me to do, and while I felt it was not a forever kind of thing, I knew I was doing my best and moving closer towards a goal, closer to that vision in my head all those years ago. I started to feel complete, feeling like I was really going to make an impact on people’s lives, which was the fire burning under me that kept me going for so long. During this time, I had developed another passion, which was to get rich, become so successful so I could help so many more people, and so I was putting in the work. I was listening to podcast after podcast, millionaires sharing their “secrets” and got so caught up in the material world.

A New Path: Obedience and Opportunity
Months had gone by, even over a year of podcasting, working, and trying to start yet another company, and I had slowly started to feel like maybe this isn’t working anymore, maybe I should be doing something else with my life. After months of prayer and waiting for clarity, I still felt uncertain, but remained faithful, trusting God would reveal the next step, and heard God tell me that I was on the wrong path. He told me that this whole “get rich” life isn’t what he wanted for me, and told me that he was going to take me off the path that I had paved for myself, and bring me to the path he wanted me to be on. So I waited, and I waited, praying over and over for God to reveal what he wants me to do, how I can be of service to Him in advancing his kingdom, but simply felt like I wasn’t getting answers.

Months and even years went by, and I decided I was going to take initiative, and start college, hoping to take some theology, philosophy, and psychology classes, still not feeling secure in that decision, I knew it was better than nothing.

In the meantime, my sister (Olivia) went on one of the World Race missions herself, where she did nine months of ministry, and I thought that was the coolest thing ever, but still didn’t know if that’s where God wanted me to go. When she had finally come home, I was intrigued and had to find out more, and after the interview process I had been accepted. But I still was unsure if the Gap year was what I was “supposed” to do, sure I was excited but still on the fence about it, until I found the mission that I will be embarking on: the Gapless Gap Year with the World Race. Not only will I be in the mission field in all these exciting countries, but I will be able to take college courses about things I want to learn about! I knew as soon as I did my first call to find out more, this is exactly what God was preparing my heart for all this time.

This is just the beginning. I invite you to subscribe and follow along as I step into this next chapter with faith and excitement, and I would encourage you to please subscribe to my blog, so you can join me on my journey too. I would also encourage you, if it is what you have set in your heart to do, to join me on this journey through donations to help fund my trip, or even in prayer, encouraging me along the way. I hope I can have this experience so I can give so many more to the world.