I’m Going On The Freaking World Race!!!!!!!!
Yes. You heard that, well read that correctly. I am going on the World Race! “What the heck is that?”, you might be asking yourself. Well, it is a mission trip, through a nondenominational Christian organization called Adventures in Missions, where I will be living in 6 different countries for the duration of 11 months, doing all sorts of mission work while getting the pleasure of serving and loving so many of God’s children. How stinking cool is that!!!! I will be traveling and living in Guatemala, Romania, Albania, Jordan, Turkey and Southeastern Asia during my 11 months. I will be walking with the Lord as I work to meet the physical needs in the communities I will be residing in such as providing clean water, food as well as creating discipleship opportunities, working with kids and youth ministries, church planting, preaching the gospel, visiting prisons, teaching English and serving refugees all while spreading the promises God has for his children and his incredible love. Tell me that doesn’t just make you want to jump up and down and scream!!!! Dang God is so good.
So like I’m sure you’re wondering… Ryann… How does one decide that they are going to embark on a journey like this? Didn’t you like just graduate from college? Like undergrad AND grad school? Also wasn’t this past school year like your first year of actually teaching? Ryann, are you sure you really want to quit your job, leave the safety and comfort of your own home and country, to go live and serve in 6 different countries where you have never visited and don’t know the language with a bunch of strangers you have never met for 11 straight months? The answer is YES. To all of the above. I know you’re thinking I must be crazy right? But when I tell you about how I heard from the Holy Spirit and I received such clear confirmation from God that THIS was the plan he had for my life, I promise you will no longer think I am crazy. You too will see that God has placed me here. That He will protect, provide, and follow through on his promises. You too will have no doubt that I am following in and trusting the plan the Lord has for my life.
To give a little back story: I went straight from graduating college with my undergraduate degree in spring of 2021 to becoming a graduate student in the fall of 2021 at Ohio University. I was working to receive my masters degree through a 3 semester graduate program. While I was in grad school I also had a fellowship position, where I worked as a 3rd grade teacher at a local elementary school. After I completed my fellowship, I moved back home with my parents (every post grad student’s DREAM, I love you mom and dad) while I finished my final summer semester of grad school and was in the process of looking (if you even want to call it that) for teaching jobs. I ended up with a job at my local elementary school. The elementary school I once attended as a child. At that moment in time, I would say this was my worst nightmare. Being stuck in the town I grew up in, working at the elementary school I attended, and living at my parents house. Little did I know how all of this was a part of God’s plan. That His plan was bigger than I could have ever imagined. That this was not only necessary but GOOD. So good. That I would grow and change in ways that were necessary for the things He had planned for me. That I would strengthen my current relationships, form new ones (that are so near and dear to my heart now), deepen my love for the Lord and become the person He needed me to be for this journey.
Sidebar: I plan on writing an entire blog post about God’s plans and timing being so much bigger and better than our own, so I am not skipping over this part of my story but actually just wanting to go into much more detail about it 🙂
ANYWAY, (If you know me and chit chat with me, you know no story of mine is straight to the point. Details are important people!!!) To keep things short and sweet I am going to end it here. Please check out my second blog Signs 1, 1.5 and 2 from the Lord: How I Heard My Calling, to learn more about how Jesus showed up and opened my eyes and heart to the plans he had for me.
That’s all for now friends 🙂
Love Always. In All Ways.
Ryann
So excited for you! May your journey and the work you do be blessed with God’s hand. ❤️
Thank you oh so much Beth!!! Your kind words and encouragement mean so much to me❤️
So proud of you Ryann. Can’t wait to hear of your experiences.
Thank you so much Danny! Thank you for following along on my journey and being a supporter in what the Lord has called me to do! I am so thankful for you!