11 Fears and “Follow Me”

The days are quickly counting down!! I will be meeting my World Race Squad in just 13 days in Atlanta, Georgia for our 10 day Training Camp!  AHHH!! I cannot wait!! I have so many different emotions going on from fear to excitement which seemed to be expected as I was jumping on board with God’s plan back in January. 

Here, I will list 11 fears of mine as I prepare to leave and be away from my home for 11 months. 

Giving up everything you are most comfortable with at home is easier said than done

Fear #11: Eating foods that I don’t normally eat here in the States but is culturally acceptable in other countries.  

Fear#10: Getting sick…diarrhea, vomit, not having a bathroom nearby

Fear#9: Being uncomfortable on long road trips. 

Fear#8: Head aches, neck pain, or SUNBURN.  

Fear#7: Feeling lonely..missing my family back at home. 

Fear#6: Spiders, bugs… walking to the bathroom at night and where I sleep

Fear#5: Getting Malaria

Fear#4: Getting Lice…you’d be surprise how many kids love strawberry blonde and red hair. 

Fear#3: The death of a loved one

Fear#2: Safety of my team

Fear#1: Loosing anything of mine that I own, whether it is my clothes, ruining my sleeping pad or sleeping bag, losing a cellphone, or even my passport. 

There are several other fears of mine that are not listed but overall I know that my God has called me to this trip for a reason and I have complete trust in Him who has taught me to follow Him even if fears arise. 

Almost 5 years ago, the Lord brought to my attention a scripture that transformed my life. 

Luke 9:23 “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”

Before I studied this scripture, I was living my life my own ways, trying to do things that would be best for me. I was trying to do things my way and never invited God to show me what He had was best for me. My motives were wrong. I tried and I tried to do things the way I thought would satisfy others, only in the end I wasn’t satisfied myself. I always felt empty, lonely, and having feelings of no self worth. 

But then, Jesus asked me to follow Him. To give up my own ways, daily. To trust Jesus that He had life for me, a life worth enjoying. I had given up my fears and decided to trust Him. That took many hours of praying for God’s will to show through. Many hours of reading the Bible allowed Jesus to reveal himself to me more and I continued to fall out of love with the world around me and more in love with God through the relationship I had with him.

Over the last few years I have learned that stepping out in faith over fear, has only been in return a blessing. Each time I had stepped out into uncomfortable and unfamiliar situations that were God-given assignments, I knew that in obedience his protection was over me. Every step or season was a learning process. Like how a baby learns to walk. I learned to trust God more and grow in maturity in my walk with the Lord and in living life day to day. 

This verse has taught me that I want what God wants best for me. And it takes giving up everything, and fear, to follow Him. All I want is for my life to bring the Lord Glory and to honor Him. Several years ago I was looking for hope and a purposeful future that the Lord promises for us all, and He has given that to me since! And now I pray the same for others, and that my life would be a testimony for someone else to come to know Christ as their Lord and savior. 

I have been relying on so much of the Lord’s protection over my squad and myself. I have been trusting the Lord’s will as He has called me to take part in this trip. I know he will be with me in every moment. 

I am excited to find out more about my squad and the World Race in 2 weeks at Training camp! 

Pray with me for the Lord to continue to work out his plan for me and for my squad. Thanks so much everyone for your support overall! It is a gigantic blessing! God bless!