Friends and family!!
Welcome to my blog! I am beyond excited to announce that I will be going on a gap year mission trip with World Race! This is where I will be sharing things God is doing in the next few months preparing for my trip, and also where you will find updates during the nine months of my trip with World Race! God is going to do amazing things through everyone going on this trip, and I can’t wait to watch Him unfold it all in front of our eyes. I’m so grateful for this opportunity, and I would love to share with you how this entire calling started…
A few months ago in January, I first felt a stirring to take missions seriously and pursue the greater calling God had for me. At first, I really struggled with accepting what He had laid in front of me. I found myself doubting God, and asking Him things like, “Are you sure? Are you really sure you want me flying to 4 countries I’ve never been, with people I’ve never met, and leave the comfort of my home and my family for 9 months? God, are you really sure?” I truly battled with this calling for a long time. But I felt the Lord fighting for me. He wanted my full attention, and I felt convicted in the things I was chasing after and finding temporary contentment. I was done thinking of my life as my own. Because the truth is, my life does not belong to me, and I was done living like it was. It’s all about God. Not me. I want people to look at me and see Jesus. I want Him to be glorified through my words and actions and use me as a living vessel to carry out His divine plan. I want the people of the nations to experience the true love of the Father that created them.
If you know me, my plan has never been to go to college after I graduated. To be honest, I never really had an idea on what I wanted to do with my life. I just knew I wanted to be where the Lord wanted me, and in whatever season He had me in. My mom is such an incredible example of a woman of God, and knows me more than anyone. She actually told me about the World Race, and had mentioned it about a year ago, but I never truly considered it fully in a way of actually thinking about going. My thought process was “Oh I could never do anything that intense.” It’s crazy how drastic the Lord can change your heart in a year. My mom mentioned it again in January, and since then I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I couldn’t stop thinking about pursuing what the Father had for me and serving Him wholeheartedly for nine months. God can use anything, and it was definitely the Lord working through my mom to get to my stubborn heart; and for that I am beyond grateful.
To be honest, God is still continuing to show me parts of His plan, and His goodness has been so evident all the way back to being accepted into the World Race. He’s given me so many conformations through the people that I’ve met and become close with, the songs I hear, the random conversations I’ve had with people, and the amount of peace I have felt throughout this entire experience so far. It’s the kind of peace that doesn’t make sense to the world.
I would love to ask for your consistent prayer and support during these next few months as I prepare for this adventure. I can’t do it without you. The enemy is definitely alive and active, but so is our God, and He is so much bigger! Some things I’ve been struggling with would be dodging lies from the enemy. As in comparing, doubting my faith, anxiety, stress, uncertainty with fundraising, and fear of the unknown for any challenges this trip is going to bring. These feelings are so real, but I believe prayer is such a powerful thing!
Thank you to everyone for supporting me throughout this entire journey! If you ever have any questions, want more information, or would like to talk or meet up sometime, don’t hesitate to contact me! I can’t wait to carry out the Great Commission together!
In Christ,
Ashley Johannessen
(704) 674-6180
“Look at the nations and watch- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told.” Habakkuk 1:5
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