Why I’m Going on the World Race

It is no secret that seniors get nauseous hearing the dreaded question, “what are your plans after high school?” for the hundredth time, and until about a month ago I was no exception. My response varied on the day, my mood, and sometimes my reluctance to engage. I would list several colleges and majors, but the only thing that stayed consistent was the fact that I was never sure about my future plans. I have never been a traditional student and have always craved an unconventional life. It seemed silly to leave my 4-year high school just to go straight to another one just because that is what you’re supposed to do next. I would watch all my friends buzzing with excitement about committing to their new schools, but I never experienced that. Application after application, college tour after college tour, and that feeling I was waiting for never came. I was as clueless as to where I wanted to go as I was freshman year. 

My spontaneousness is to thank for ending up on this World Race- Gap Year journey. It had always been in the back of my mind as an unrealistic dream, not a reasonable expectation for my future. Part of me was preventing future regret by not applying sooner, but in the back of my mind, I just felt a calling to apply. After I got my acceptance, I finally understood that feeling other seniors had described about knowing their plans. That plus a mix of the Holy Spirit rushed through every vein in my body. I had 5 days to give my decision, the very same week I was going on some college tours with my dad. None of the schools seemed to fit my out-of-the-box personality, and I spent that whole week praying and calling people from my hotels. By the end of the 5 days, I felt extremely confident in my decision to say yes to the World Race- Gap Year.

Now I get a rush of excitement when I get asked “what are your plans after high school?”, but I am also overwhelmed when it is followed by the inevitable, “Why are you going on the World Race?” Don’t get me wrong, I love talking about anything and everything (for better or for worse), especially about my World Race journey, but I have so much to say about why I am going while at the same time I am just as in the dark about why God chose me to go on this journey than the person asking me is. 

I have grown up in a public school system all my life. I know many people have had bad experiences with public school, but mine was really good. What an amazing opportunity I’ve had to be in such a diverse school with all different kinds of people, backgrounds, and beliefs. I felt that growing up around everything good and bad the world offers and society entails, made me realize I needed something else that this world’s systems can provide. I could go on for hours about how I loved my school, but that might result in a misrepresentation of my feelings for the actual education system. I am such an extrovert so my hatred for school work and tests where at times overshadowed by my excitement to see my friends, but nevertheless I have always hated the actual school parts of my education. I wanted to learn what was behind the words in the textbook or bubbled in on my scantron. 

I’ve always wanted more than the traditional route. And Jesus has become my more. He’s become the very medicine I’ve needed to cure the contagious sorrows of this world. I am addicted to adventure and so when I heard about the World Race- Gap Year where I get to have Jesus and adventure- I was hooked. Making the decision was an easy one, there were many pros and cons I spent the first day writing down, but then I realized no pro or con can compete with a call to missions because God’s plan outweighs all the pros and the cons. I am going on the World Race- Gap Year not because I feel prepared, but because God has graciously reached out his hand to me and called me to be on mission loving and serving His children on every continent. This opportunity has made me realize that His timing is always good, His plan always prevails, and it is useless to wait until I feel worthy or prepared to say yes to His call.

“The Lord will fight for you and you have only to be still” Exodus 14:14 

This verse has reassured me that the Lord is fighting for us, He says we ARE worthy. He gave His everything when we did nothing. I am in the process of realizing that standing still in His love results in Him moving in us, what a beautiful paradox. I have watched the God who moves mountains move all of these pieces around me that have ended up leading me to the World Race Gap-Year, and I could not be more humbled or excited about the journey ahead. Thank you to everyone who has already shown me such amazing support, and to all of you for visiting my blog and joining me on my journey this year.