Why The WorldRace? Freedom is My Birthright.

Why the WorldRace?

The most common question I get when bringing up this mission trip is: Why?

  I definitely think there are a few factors that have contributed to me choosing to apply for this trip. I could talk about how my mother grew up in a 3rd world hindu country and was handed a gospel pamphlet when she was young, or how in Ecuador 2 years ago felt the Lord place a call for overseas ministry on my life. But I think the core catalyst behind this specific trip is in fact God’s characteristic of unrelentless Freedom.

  If you are a believer, you know what i’m talking about. In Jesus we are free from our past sin, we are free from the worldly expectations to live and strive for perfection, we are free to be in communion with the Lord, and of course we are free to try and fail and experience a life of color that comes with walking with Jesus. Freedom bought on a cross, undeserving grace, radical love, wild relationship with Abba father.

There’s a whole story about my season of discernment for this trip. Events where the Lord interceded to minister to my heart and pointed to things that give me permission to want this trip. He worked to show me that the desires of my heart were in fact from him. It was beyond beautiful to reflect on how long he has been planting seeds for this.

  During that time, a verse that kept sticking out to me was Matthew 10:8. This is when Jesus is about to send out the disciples, he died and was raised from the grave. He is telling them that he’s leaving soon and sending someone else. Of course, they are freaking out just a little bit that he is leaving, yet are still so intent on hearing him out. Generally when someone dies and resurrects, you want to listen and do what they say. He tells them not to worry, that he will send a helper.  Jesus is telling them to do several things, he says in verse 7 and 8,

“go and proclaim this message, ‘that the kingdom of heaven is near’. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, drive out demons.” and then in the end of verse 8 he says “freely you have received, now freely give”.

  This is the idea that our freedom in the covenant relationship with God is not our own. This fellowship and free relationship with the creator of the stars that was meant only for the son of God, is now given to me. IS COMPLETE MADNESS. My seat at the Lord’s table has Jesus name on it. I feel like Jesus is speaking directly to me in those words. Telling me to give freely because I freely received. When I look at my life, his hand has so evidently passed to me so many gifts and blessings; completely free of charge.

The reality is, I am a follower of Jesus only by Jesus blood. I am able to speak to the father, seek guidance from the holy spirit, look to Jesus as an example because his sacrifice. I am given the privilege of doing life with the God of the universe. I am 100% undeserving of the blessing and the life of abundance he has given me. When believe that my life is not mine, my gifts are not mine, my breath isn’t even mine, I am able to live out of the overflow of freedom he has for me. There is nothing I could do to lose or gain his love. This. This message is why I am doing the WorldRace. I want people around the world to know this freedom. I want to see orphans claim daughter or sonship as their primary identity, women who sell themselves for money to know their worth, broken communities to be healed, blind eyes to see, for fear to flea countries in Jesus name. The Lord has put a burden on my heart to share this message because the gift of the gospel was given to me freely, and just as Jesus commands, I cannot wait to take it to these three countries. I want everyone to know this life of joy and love that is found in this guy named Jesus.

I hope this blog gives a little bit more insight, friends!!!

                          Carissa