My mountain is waiting…

Well howdy there.

I have some pretty big news. Not only do I have a plan for post-graduation, but I am doing something that makes me so excited I might pee my pants. I am going on the WORLD RACE! AHHHHH

Next August, I’ll leave the U.S. and travel around the world for 11 months! YES, 11 WHOLE MONTHS! For nearly a year, I get to minister to orphans, speak with women affected by human trafficking, help plant churches, and bring the restorative love of JESUS to people who have never met him! 

Now, this may be an unorthodox plan, but when have I ever done anything the way I was supposed to do it? 

When I was in high school I read a book called Kisses From Katie (highly recommended – I read it in two days). Katie decided to take a trip to Africa before she went to college, but ended up living there permanently and adopting fourteen girls into her life. I fell in love with this idea – I’d just move to Africa, serve God’s people, and the rest would be history (this may sound absolutely insane, but read the book and then we can talk). So, the logical next step, I told my mom my plan! She said, “That sounds great…but after college.”

After a detour or two (completely different story), I found my way to Texas A&M University. I have found God’s goodness here in the land of the living, and it has been life changing. Jesus is MY GUY. Yet, I think of all the times I have felt lost, discouraged, or weary, and I am filled with thankfulness for always having him to lean on. I can’t imagine not having him. My heart hurts thinking of the millions of people who don’t even know who he is. 

My junior year in college, I learned that one of my co-workers went on the World Race after he graduated from A&M and I got to hear all about his experience. Slowly but surely, I felt God pressing more and more on my heart that this is where he wanted to send me. Through prayer and patience, it became a reality!

Okay so this may not be what I’m supposed to do after college. (don’t worry, mom and dad, I’ll get a job one day…probably). So, I would like to share a quote from one of my favorite books. It’s called Oh, the Places You’ll Go…

“And will you succeed?

Yes! You will indeed!

(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So, be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray

Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,

you’re off to great places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So…get on your way!”

Dr. Seuss may or may not have gotten this idea from Matthew 17:20 where Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” And guess what? I HAVE MY MUSTARD SEED! It’s not big and I’m not entirely sure what to do with it, but I’m giving it all to Jesus and he will do with it far more than I can even hope for (Ephesians 3:20). So, my mountain is waiting. And you bet…I am on my way. 

I don’t know Chance the Rapper very well, but I read an article about him (so that makes us friends right?) where he shared a prayer that his grandma spoke over him. She prayed – “Lord, I pray that all things that are not like You, You take away from Chance. Make sure that he fails at everything that is not like You. Take it away. Turn it into dust.’” Wow.

So, Lord, I pray that all things that are not like You, You take away from me. Make sure that I fail at everything that is not like You. Take it away. Turn it into dust. But Lord, I pray that everything in me that glorifies You, bless it. Make sure that I succeed at everything I do that brings glory to your kingdom and your name. 

I love y’all,

Emily 

If you want to know more about where I’m going check this out (https://www.worldrace.org/?tab=routes&subtab=august-2018-1)! If you want to know why on earth I’m moving away for 11 months to help people I’ve never met – let’s talk (http://emilyorlich.theworldrace.org/?isFunction=contact)!