Go and See

Gap Year changed my life in every way I did't expect it to. I was pushed and challenged in ways I've never been challenged before. The real life, real world experience and perspective I gained this past year simply cannot be replicated in any classroom or church building. I'm so thankful I got to go and see...
Throughout this trip, there were many highs and lows; moments that I never want to forget and moments that felt like a trial by fire. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced their fiery furnace in Daniel 3, they demonstrated that they had placed their faith not in the outcome of the situation, not in what God would do, but rather their faith was in the person of God, in His character. After gap year, I stand able to boldly echo their declaration of: no matter what happens, I know God is faithful. I have seen His consistency with my own eyes. No matter where I found myself in the world or what crazy, unexpected situation I was in, God was there.
I learned to rely on the Lord in a very real way. Here in the United States where we are taught and highly encouraged to be self-sufficient, the concept of relying on God can be hard to grasp. However, when placed in situations where we truly realize our own insufficiency, our desperate need for God and others is revealed. It was incredibly humbling to find myself in such situations all throughout the gap year, whether it was hiking through the night in a blizzard on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro or working long days in the tropical humidity of the Philippines with the ultra poor...
All this to say, if you're looking for something easy, don't sign up, but if you are willing to take a step of great courage, to be truly broken down, if you let Him, God will use those broken pieces to to piece together deep passions, life-altering perspectives, and real perseverance.