If you could only wear the same 8 shirts for a whole year which shirts would you choose? That is the type of question I am facing right now as I am preparing to leave for the World Race in just 4 short months. On the Race I am allowed to bring one backpacking backpack (I chose the 60L Gregory Deva) and one day pack (this will just be my old school backpack). These two bags are what I will need to fit all my belongings in for the entirety of my trip. While this has presented some challenges, I am excited for the opportunity to see what things I truly need and what in my life is excess. I think that this will be a shining light on my life to show what is taking my focus off worshiping and glorifying God.
Here is a summary of my packing list:
- Tent
- Sleeping bag, pad, and sleeping bag liner
- Pillow
- Headlamp
- Towel
- Bible and journal
- Water bottle
- Toiletries, medicine
- Technology (Tablet, watch, phone, air pods, chargers, outlet converter)
- 5-8 shirts, 2-4 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 1 dress, 2 skirts, 1 swimsuit
- Rain jacket, winter jacket and a sweater
- Shoes (tennis shoes, chacos and birkentstocks)
As most of you know, apart from preparing physically with my packs, I am also preparing financially. I just wanted to give a little update for how I am doing with fundraising. As of writing this I am 24% funded! Just under a quarter of the way to my goal! In total I need to raise $19,700. Currently, I need $14,870 more to meet that goal. If you feel led, please donate to my trip with the “support” tab on my blog home page. God is going to do some amazing things through these donations, and I am so excited to see how He uses my team and me.
Another way I am preparing, or rather the Lord is preparing me, is spiritually and emotionally. Initially when I committed to the World Race, I thought that God would grow me once I left for the trip, but it turns out He is growing me now as well. I have really been pushed to build up good habits for my spiritual and emotional health while I am still here in the states and building these habits has already started to change my relationship with God in so many ways. The biggest way I have grown is in trusting God. I have had to trust God with a lot of things as I prepare to leave. I have to trust Him with my friends and family and that those relationships that I am supposed to keep will still be there when I get back. I am trusting Him with my job, that I will have a place to work when I get back and trusting Him with where that place might be (even though I have my own idea of where I want that to be). I am also trusting Him with my safety and wellbeing while I am sharing the gospel in foreign countries.
One more way that I am preparing for this trip is by going on lots of hikes. Now, this is not a backpacking trip where I’ll be hiking all the time and only sleeping in a tent; I will be staying in real buildings likely a majority of the time. However, I still want to make sure that I am prepared to carry around my backpacks and be able to hike well so that I can effectively share the gospel wherever I am called. I also want to be able to explore God’s beautiful creation while I have the amazing opportunity to be in all these new countries. With that being said, if any of you reading this are local in Colorado let me know if want to go on any hikes with me this summer. I would love some hiking buddies!
Lastly, I wanted to ask you all for your prayer as I am preparing to leave. Prayer is so powerful, and I want to make sure I am well prepared for what God has planned for me. Some specific things you can pray for is wisdom as I decide what I should and should not bring with me, courage to continue trusting God in all things and that I would be fully funded before I leave in September.
