Countdown to the World Race Gap Year

Only 30 days left until I leave for the World Race Gap Year! My gigantic backpack is nearly ready, my heart is full of anticipation, and I can’t wait to share this journey with you. In this first blog post, I want to share why I am going on this trip, what I will be doing, and express my gratitude to everyone who has helped me get to this point!

Why I am going on this trip:

Over the summer after my junior year, I felt called to ministry (whole other testimony). I didn’t know exactly where or what I would be doing, but it was the first time I felt God directing me toward this path. After some time in prayer, I knew that attending a Bible college wasn’t the right choice for me after graduation. This left me feeling a bit confused and anxious because I didn’t know where to go from there. I prayed for something that would stretch and grow my faith while also giving me hands-on experience in leading people toward Christ and serving Him.

That summer, my family began attending a new church called Hamilton Hills. It was much smaller than the other churches we had been to, and we quickly fell in love with the intentional and pure hearts of the pastors and leaders there. One day our pastor invited us over for a pickleball and pizza night. During the evening, he started asking me all the typical senior questions like, “Where are you going to school? What do you want to do after?” Honestly, I was starting to dread these conversations because they made me even more stressed about my uncertain future.

I shared how I came to the conclusion of Ministry and what I was praying for in the next season with him, and after a moment of thought, he said, “You should go on the World Race.” Now, normally in the past when people gave me ideas or recommendations, it only made me more stressed. However, his words were different; they brought a sense of peace and curiosity. That night, I went home and researched everything I could about this amazing trip. The more I learned, the more excited I became. By the end of the night, I was pretty much decided that this was what I wanted to do. After a lot of prayer and a LOT of convincing my parents, I was accepted and committed to the World Race Gap Year!

What I will be doing:

World Race Gap Year is a 9-month Christian gap year program created for recent high school graduates to serve others, dive into Christian community, and grow in their identity and faith. It will give me an opportunity to work alongside experienced leaders who are sharing the hope of Jesus and meeting the tangible needs of their communities every day. Along the way, I hope to discover more of God, myself, and my calling. Gap Year is not a year off. It’s the launching pad for seeking first the Kingdom of God for the rest of my life.

I will start training camp in Gainesville, Georgia, on August 31. After being there for a little over a month, I will head to Guatemala, South Africa, Eswatini, and Indonesia! I will be traveling with the amazing K squad, a group of 26 people aged 17-20. We will be working with various ministry hosts and organizations in each country, engaging in activities like working with kids, prayer ministry, evangelism, and more!

Thank you Thank you Thank you

I would like to thank every single person who has helped me get to this point. Thank you to those who poured in financially and gave so generously. Thank you to everyone who bought me gear for Christmas. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for me during this preparation season. Thank you to my amazing parents and family for supporting me. Thank you to my wonderful mentors who I can always turn to for advice. Thank you to my incredible friends, who I will miss so much. I appreciate all of you more than you could ever know.

Stay Tuned!

This blog will be where I post updates, pictures, testimonies, and more from my trip. If you don’t want to miss a post, you can visit my main page and subscribe to receive an email each time a new one is published!

With gratitude and excitement,

Ashlyn