Beginning in February I noticed certain themes in my life that I couldn’t ignore. I am 24, single, and don’t have a career-type job. Although I moved to Colorado 9 months ago, this still isn’t truly “home” nor is Arizona since I haven’t been there in nearly a year. During many conversations with different people these themes would come up, and I would mention how I loved to travel. Each person seemed to agree and say something like, “Yeah – why NOT travel right now?”
Before Christmas break I had stumbled upon my friend Dan Strosky’s blog about being on a trip called The World Race. I would read his blog every so often and just think, “Wow, that’s freakin’ cool!” On this trip, he and a team of people travel to 11 different countries in 11 months.
Once the themes above started emerging, I then began to read Dan’s blog thinking, “I might actually consider doing this trip or something like it.” It was a scary thought. I felt a little crazy for considering leaving the country for 11 months, as well as doubt as to my reasons for thinking of doing such a thing. Was I just considering it to lay off “real life” for another period of time? Am I trying to run away from committing to a place and a job? Or was this really where I was being led?
With all these fears and questions, I told my family about my thinking and eventually applied. The rest has all been a complete whirlwind. I applied and then had my phone interview in late February. Only a few days after that I found out I was accepted and was told of the 87 things I now had to do. Hesitation struck. I kindly explained to the office that although I didn’t have a reason not to do the trip, I wasn’t 100% committed yet. So I would work on the 87 things, but that could change.
I had a week of feeling really sad about deciding to go on the trip. I knew what the implications were. I am going to leave my family and friends for a year! I am not going to coach at Palmer Ridge next year. This trip is going to be hard.
This sadness became interpreted as a, “maybe this isn’t the right decision.” I wanted to have peace and to feel excited about my decision, but really I felt mostly the opposite. I truly don’t remember what happened after a week, but then my feelings changed. Perhaps I just needed that week to grieve the losses that I was committing to, which is quite healthy. But after a week I truly was EXCITED.
I am going on an insane adventure. I can’t even begin to imagine all that will happen – the relationships I’ll build, the crazy stories I will be a part of, the countries I will visit, the things I will see and hear, the frustration I will feel at injustices, the prayers I will pray, and how my heart and the hearts of the people on my team will change us forever.
On June 1st, less than 2 months from now, I am embarking on The World Race. I am both stoked and afraid, at peace and nervous, excited and anxious. I do know that after being at training camp these past ten days that there is NO ONE else I would like to go on this journey with. I mean wow. There are so many themes within our community/family that there is no doubt in my mind that each and every one of us are going now, on this trip at this time, for a reason. That reason is to advance the Kingdom in a powerful way. I have no doubt that we will be blown away by what God does.
Here’s to being blown away…
to follow my adventure and to be blown away yourself, please visit
here (and sign up for updates!). Also if you’d like a letter about how to more specifically pray and financially support me, let me know – but you can also support me by going to my blog and clicking toward the left where it says “Support Me!”
:-) Thanks!!!
