What’s AFTER the Word Race?

Oooo! This is some super exciting news that I have been wanting to share with all of you for awhile now! Since the very beginning of my race when I moved to Gainesville, GA, everyone already began talking about what their plans were after they got home from the race. Whether it be college, continuing on with mission work, or anything that the Lord brought to mind. So, as I was talking with my leaders and my squad mates, this program called CGA (Center of Global Action) always came up. I didn’t know what that was, I just knew it was another program Adventures in Missions offered to alumni racers (people who have already done the race). It sounded really interesting and it always sat in the back of my mind, but I just never thought more of it until months later into my race. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t thinking too far into the future, because I wanted to focus on what the Lord put right in front of me. Focusing on the season I was in right now, and when the time was right, pray about the next step. Just taking everything day by day and allowing myself to stay in the present and not worry so much about the future, because it’s all in God’s hands! 

When it got to the end of January, it felt like the time was right to go ahead and start praying into what my next season will look like. Going back to college or continuing on with mission work. After praying for over a month, asking God questions, diving deeper into His word, processing, journaling, talking with leadership, and working with Til He Returns, the Lord revealed a LOT to me. I realized I absolutely LOVE what I do and am very passionate about sharing the gospel, loving on people, and being a helping hand to others. As I have been working alongside Til He Returns and living in this community, I realized how much I love mission work. I love being able to build relationships with others, share my faith with them and help them go deeper into their relationship with the Lord as well. While living on the mission field, I have found a new love, a stronger and deeper love, for the Lord and serving His people. I found what I am passionate about, I have grown a tremendous amount as a person, and I have never been so happy! So, with that… I have decided to continue pursuing ministry/mission work this next semester! 

Center of Global Action (CGA) is another program Adventures has to offer to alumni racers. This program provides alumni racers with a 5 month discipleship school, helping them transition off the mission field. This will be a classroom setting that challenges racers to step into a leadership role by teaching us how to “know yourself, lead yourself, and lead others”. As we dive into this, it also gives racers the opportunity to reflect, process, take what they learned from their race, and learn how to apply it to their every day lifestyle. CGA empowers us to step into exactly what Jesus has called us to do, go deeper into what it means to be a leader, and carry that into their communities. This discipleship school will not only help me go deeper into my relationship with the Lord, but also teach me how to be a better leader when I go into ministry full time. After my race ends in the DR, I will fly home to TX for a little over a month, then move back to Gainesville, GA for CGA. I will be living in community with the rest of my CGA squad mates, have a job, and will be doing another fun thing… DLI!

Destiny Leadership Institute (DLI) is an online bible college that will help me get my leadership degree in ministry! When I was praying into this, the Lord kept giving me confirmation that this was what I was ALSO supposed to do! Many of my close friends back home have either graduated or are still attending this online schooling right now and I love everything they have to offer. DLI breaks down the Old and New Testament and provides tools on how I can study God’s word and become a better leader in my community. This will also help me further my knowledge on God’s word and will teach me how I can go deeper into applying His word to my life. 

With that, I applied and got into both of these programs and will be moving to GA this August to do CGA and DLI! Ah, this is so exciting! The Lord truly knows the desires of our hearts, because I really desired both college and ministry. I wanted to continue on with Adventures in Missions, move back to GA because that holds a special place in my heart, but also wanted to go back to college. And the Lord literally gave me ALL of those… how sweet is that? 

One last thing! 

FUNDRAISING: 

Since I am currently on the mission field living in the Dominican Republic, CGA is a nonprofit, and I am unable to work while living out of the country, I decided to fundraise for both CGA and DLI. When I was fundraising for World Race Gap Year, the Lord showed me the true meaning of giving. In Acts 2, it talks about how “all the believers came together in one place and shared everything they had”. “They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need”. Then in 2 Corinthians 9: 7 it says, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” And the last one I want to share is Hebrews 13: 5-6, “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” As I read these scriptures, I think back at the first time I announced I was moving away for 9 months to go on the World Race for missionary work. When I saw the fundraising amount, fear got in the way, but when I put that into the Lord’s hands and asked Him for help, He brought my community together. With each prayer, He sent someone from my community to partner with me financially. And because of each person’s prayers, help, generosity, and servant’s heart, I was blessed to be fully funded in a just a few short months! It not only inspires others, but it brought so many people together to partner with me in what the Lord is doing on the mission field. I was blessed to get to share my story with so many people and help them in their faith walk as well. Everything about fundraising is just so beautiful, powerful, and impactful! It gave me a new trust in the Lord and taught me how to completely rely on Him 🙂

So, for DLI and CGA, I will need to raise $8,950. I will be keeping you all updated on how you can give, pray, and get involved with upcoming fundraisers! Thank you all so much for all that you do and for being such an amazing community. I appreciate each of you SO MUCH and I can’t wait to get started! Until we meet again, God bless all of you and I will hopefully see you soon! 

Blessings! -Jamie <3