The Plot Twist.

 Hey guys! I know it has been a bit since I’ve posted any updates about my trip. Not only have I gotten major updates during my silence but a huge plot twist! August 3rd my team and I were expecting an email letting us know if our trip was going to still launch in October or be pushed to January. Either way we were excited and expectant. We may have expected the email to come but none of us had imagined what it said. We opened the email also unknowingly opening a world full of options. 

 Our first option is that we could still launch in October but our trip would start stateside with the hopes of launching international once January hits. 

 Our second option is the January Classic Route. This route will be going from South Africa to Indonesia. It is working primarily with local ministry partners who are well-established in their communities, building God’s kingdom in a variety of ways. This includes church planting, discipleship, helping victims of human trafficking, evangelism and outreach, manual labor, teaching English, and many others. 

 Our third option is the January Expedition Route. This route will be going from Lebanon to Australia. This route is more for people who have a heart for unreached people groups, a thirst for adventure and a slightly higher threshold for discomfort. This team will spend the majority of their time in the 10-40 window, working with established ministry partners and pioneering. 

 Our fourth option is the January Unscripted Route. This route will be going from Malaysia to Chile. Unscripted is unique because the team will not have a pre-planned ministry schedule or local hosts in each country. Instead, the team will seek God’s direction for the people you come in contact with day-in and day-out. 

 Our fifth option is we could completely withdraw from The World Race.

 It was strange to me, how one email could change so much. After reading it, I instantly left where I was to go pray. With the crazy amount of options, I had a crazy amount of praying that needed to be done. That next evening I was praying asking God if he would speak to me on it when my phone lit up with a breaking news update. A huge explosion had devastated Lebanon. Instantly I began reading all that I could about it and watched all the videos I could find, which isn’t like me. There’s nothing I hate more than focusing on super negative news broadcasts. Somehow this was different. I saw the explosion, I saw the rubble, I saw devastation on peoples faces as they bled and walked down the ruins of the city streets, and I didn’t ignore it. Like I said, usually I try to tune out negative things that are beyond my control but I didn’t. I wanted to run towards it. 

 Truth is that since covid, and I’m sure this resonates with you as well dear reader, that a lot of my plans have been messed up. There have been plenty of times this year where I have ran to what I think God might be calling me to only for it to be cancelled or fall apart. So for the October route to change the way it did, I was really discouraged and confused. All week I have been afraid of putting my hope in another thing I felt like God was calling me to because I was convinced it would fall apart. It was hard for me to commit to The Expedition because I was afraid I would be taking another wrong step.

 In praying about these fears and mindsets I felt God speak this verse from Isaiah to me. 

 Isaiah 30:21 

 “And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it.’ 

 I know that with everything going on The Expedition Route may be subject to change. We might not even go to Lebanon. But I’ve been reminded of this truth lately that I can’t help but hold onto while making this decision. God leads us in directions, not destinations. Even if we don’t go to the countries currently listed, he has spoken this much and brought me this far. 

 This is the way. I will walk in it.