Hey everyone!
I’m taking a gap year and I can’t wait to share all of my adventures and ways God is working in my life through this page! This is the start of a nine month journey with an organization called World Race. I’ll be traveling with ≈50 people to Cambodia, Thailand, South Africa, and Guatemala starting with six weeks of training in Georgia.
I’ve been asked a lot about how I came to the decision to take this trip. And I mean there were a lot of factors that went into this but these were the biggest:
1. I wanted a better global perspective. – There are many great things about my hometown, however one downside is that it is very much lacking in diversity. For this reason I sought out the opportunity to travel to new places and immerse myself in completely different cultures. Traveling in a way that allows me to see so many places while also allowing for me to stay long enough to get involved in the communities there is an opportunity that I may never get again. An experience as potentially eye opening as this one is something I see as valuable going into adulthood.
2. I want to grow in my relationship with Jesus. – One of my biggest takeaways from spending my summers at Jesus camp is that one of the most effective ways to grow with the Lord is to serve others for his glory surrounded by a community of people who share that same love.
3. I literally have no idea what I want to study. – On a real note, before world race was even on the table for me I was looking into colleges and trying to figure out what I wanted to major in and I came up blank. I lacked the passion to follow any certain career path. College is a significant investment of both time and money. And I didn’t want to go to college just because it’s what many of my peers are doing this year. I landed on the realization that the most responsible decision was to take this year to surrender myself to the Lord and to be receptive to him as I figure out my next steps after this trip.
As I mentioned, I want a year filled with experiences that will teach me and force me to grow. That being said, I will very much appreciate people praying for me! I will need it!
Thanks so much for reading!
Much love,
Sophie
This is an exciting journey you’ve begun and I’m excited to join through reading your blog and praying. Thanks Sophie
Thank you dad!!
Yes! Beautifully said! A global perspective is really a Kingdom perspective and I am so very excited for you as you embark on this journey- I know God is going to do great things! I will be praying.
24 ‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
25 May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’ Numbers 6:24-26
Thank you so much 💗 This verse is so encouraging!
So proud of you peaches!! The fam will be praying for you…i love you❤️
Thank you Em I love and miss you 🥲
So excited for all of the ways you’re going to grow as a person and as a Christ follower!! Praying for you on your world race and so excited to read more about it as you go out there and be your amazing self to the world!! 💛
Thanks Sabrina! Grateful for you 🙂
Hi coph!! Im gonna miss u sm have so much fun ❤️❤️
Thank you!! 💗💗
I cannot wait to hear your updates, Sophie! I am excited to hear about the work Jesus is doing around the world that you will be privy to. I’m certain you will gain new perspective on worldly things, but more importantly on who our Savior is, you will see Him in ways that are very different in third world countries than what you have ever experienced here. That’s not to say that HE is any different from one country to the next, but your perspective will change in ways that will allow you to see what you couldn’t before. Press into Jesus. Look for Him in big ways and little ways. I will be praying for you!!
Thank you Ms. Olson! Yes I came here with the expectation of learning and experiencing about different cultures around the world, but in the week that I’ve been here I’ve learned so much about different ways of worship and how God works!
My heart is bursting for you, and all the experiences that lie ahead. Thank you for sharing your journey, I look forward to hearing all that God is doing in and through you over the next nine months and the years that follow! Praying for you (and your parents♥️)! Love you Sophie!! XOXO
Thanks you Ms. White! I so appreciate your support in prayer!! I will be needing it! The Lord is so good and prayer is so powerful
Excited to see how God uses you this year in other countries and hear about all the different experiences!
Thank you! I can’t wait to share all that God does this year!
I am so excited for you and this endeavor you are undertaking this year! Serving God and others through missions will touch your heart in ways you could never have imagined and I’m so glad you’re going to have the opportunity to experience this. I’d like to share the verse that I’m praying for and over you….
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”. Joshua 1:9
❤️ you, sweet Sophie! Can’t wait to hear how things are going.
Thank you so much! I appreciate your prayers 💗 I love that verse, it is so comforting to know that God will be with me even in the most unfamiliar places I’ve ever been. And there’s no reason to be scared when we walk with him!
Hi Soph, sorry I’m late to the party, I didn’t see this first post until just now.
I love you so much and I feel like God is going to do so many amazing things through you and for you. Although it may be hard and uncomfortable at some moments, those are what God will use to help you grow as a person and in your relationship with him. I admire you so much for going on this adventure and I miss you so much.
With love,
Kenz
I didn’t even realize until yesterday that the first link I posted didn’t take you directly to my post, so sorry about that! I’m really excited to see where God takes me this year, and I appreciate your support! Love you miss Kenzie 💗