the unexpected journey of a hobbit

You have asked why. Why the World Race? Why raise 19 grand? Why not get a job like most people? Why willingly go to countries that are being persecuted? 

 

Let me give you some context as to the adventure(s) God has laid out before me the last few years as well as the vision He gave me. 

 

Scene 1: Fall semester, senior year of highschool in Louisiana

 

I had my life planned out. I would graduate highschool, and move to Tennessee with my two horses where I would learn to live off the land and fix up houses like my family there does. 

 

Plot twist.

 

My dad’s job was leaving to Charlotte, North Carolina, and gave him the option of going with them or getting a severance package. My dad, the adventurer he is, took the package, and told me I had two options for my life: college or live with them for another year, on the road, in an rv.  I had already made up my mind that college wasn’t for me; couldn’t find a degree I wanted to spend my money and time on. But I avidly hated traveling. 

So…rv trip it was. 

But it was at that point I realized my horses couldn’t come. 

 

Scene 2: New identity, senior year, spring semester

 

My world collapsed around me-what it used to take for God to move me. 

Within a period of 10 days, I could see my horses from my bedroom window, then drive 25 minutes to see them, then surrendered them to a therapeutic center an hour and a half away. 

Yet, words from Job flowed gently through my mind. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. 

 

The hardest thing I had to do, give up my identity in the horse world, give up my two kids, my horses. 

 

But, God had a purpose and a plan. 

Then came, at the same time as this, Beachbody coaching. I loved the workouts, so why not be a coach? 

I loved it. I loved encouraging people on their journeys, helping them care for themselves, helping them reach their goals. It all gave me so much joy and purpose. I learned so much. 

As my parents sold the house we had lived in for the last eight years, as they bought the 42’ long fifth wheel and then the truck, I would take walks in the 98 degree humid heat with my favorite sundress and baseball cap, talking to God about all this. 

Be patient He said. 

How long though? 

No reply. 

 

Eight months of traveling the country visiting friends, family, parks, and goodwills to find books to learn. 

 

Scene 3: Captivated and Alaska

 

If you have never driven up the Alcan, you may have never experienced the wild vastness, emptiness of this world. I can’t describe it. The scenery changes every day from massive lakes overshadowed by mountains, to snowy plains run by elk and buffalo to what should be the mountains in Lord of the Rings. 

It is April 2017. 

I spent most of the rv trip reading books-marriage books, dating books, kris vallotton, Lisa Bevere, and John Eldredge. 

 

One book in particular was “Captivating” by John and Stasi Eldredge. It brought a lot of healing to me. I understood somewhat of how God created me and why I felt certain ways. 

 

One thing was very clear. I wanted to leave the trip before we went up to Alaska. It was too far in the middle of nowhere. 

 

Yet I got excited by the odd thought coming from somewhere “You are going to meet your future husband in Alaska”. Over and over again throughout the trip this would go through my head. But it did give me a childish sense of excitement and want to go up to Alaska. 

 

(Future thoughts: currently am nowhere near getting married and I leave Alaska in four months, so…) 

 

We made it to our destination in Alaska, Kingdom Air Corps. My dad was one of the main flight instructors, and I was voluntold to work in the kitchen-which I actually did love. 

I met many of my dearest friends there that summer. There were so many soul connections made, so many late night talks, walks and staring into the mountain vastness. It was also there God started softening my heart for the idea of doing missions.

 

Scene 3: so close yet so far, Gloriam, at Victory Bible Camp 

 

I chose, last minute, to do the Outpost internship at Victory Bible camp which was 20ish minutes up the road from KAC. Amid the dishes and cleaning we did, we also had classes. My favorites were the Personal Development classes where I learned more about how God created me and a certain calling He had for my life. Gloriam, an equestrian center that uses the training of broken horses (OTTBs) to help heal broken women. He gave me the vision of buying a foreclosed racing/breeding stable in New York (a place I never really wanted to live oddly). It was this vision that shaped the next scenes.

 

Scene 5: On the Road again, Camp Li-Wa

 

Camp Li-Wa in Fairbanks, AK, 7ish hours from Anchorage and Victory Bible Camp, decided to create an internship program at the barn due to my interest in working with their teaching program aka prep for Gloriam for me. 

 

I was a wrangler instructor and counselor that summer of 2018, which was a good challenge for me who had never been to summer camp before. Then lesson season started, and I taught many lessons throughout the week as well as caring for and training horses. 

From not working with horses the last twoish years, I was/am rusty, but little by little my strength returned. 

 

I started praying about what the next step was. I was 7 months out from leaving Li-Wa, but I thought I would start praying. 

In October(2018), I scrolled through FB which I never really did. And an ad for the World Race showed up. 

Granted, ads on FB are generated from what you search on google. I had NOT been searching mission trips, but out of curiosity, I looked into it. 

There was a peace God gave me when I applied. It was like a test. I told him that if I wasn’t accepted, it was a clear no but it wouldn’t be against my worth by Him. 

I applied on a Saturday, interview on Monday, accepted that Wednesday. Talk about a clear answer. 

And the fundraising? He gave me an overwhelming sense of peace that He would provide the funds. 

The World Race is prep for Gloriam. I will experience different people, cultures, and see women in those places, and He will grow my faith and challenge me daily. 

 

This is not the end of the journey. Gandalf beckoned me on this adventure years ago. 

I am just the little hobbit, who never wanted to go on those nasty smelly things that make you miss your dinner. But out of curiosity, and pride, I did start the journey alongside Gandalf. And I will not/am not the same hobbit I was at the beginning of the journey.