If you asked me about a year ago or even last fall what I was doing after the world race, I would have told you college. Without any doubts.
Well guess what??
I am not going to college after the race. Yep. You’re reading that correctly.
Instead, I am ALUMNI TEAM LEADING with the World Race!!!!!!
Alumni team leaders (ATL’s) are apart of the leadership teams that world race puts together for new gap year squads. Each team leader has done the world race gap year before. The role is to spiritually disciple their team, be apart of setting the tone for the culture of the squad, offer spiritual/emotional supports, teach them the ropes and do every day life with them. I will be on the field for my team’s first three months. I will be back in Georgia for the first six weeks, and then out of the country for the rest of the time. Every team that is apart of the squad gets an ATL.
“What are you doing after the Race?” was a common question I received while I was home over December. I thought this would have been able to answer this question confidently. It was simple. But each time someone asked me that question, I would think to myself “What am I going to do?” and I started to respond with “I honestly don’t know.”
Each time I said that the Lord reminded me of team leading. After that, I even told some people I would probably team lead, but it was not something I ever really thought about, and not really something I desired either. I knew that was probably where the Lord wanted me, but I wanted college, and I still left for Costa Rica having no idea what I was doing after the race.
The first week in Costa the thought “what am I doing after this?” consumed me. It was all I thought about.
And then the Lord spoke wait. More specifically wait until after Costa Rica.
Something I don’t really like: waiting. Never liked it. Never was good at it.
But the Lord wanted me to get better at it, he wanted me rest, he wanted me to live in the moment, he wanted me to enjoy and be content with where I was right then & there, he wanted me to learn the joy & freedom that comes in knowing that everything is okay because it is all in His hands, and I don’t have to worry.
That was very nice of him, and I practiced that sometimes, but then there were weeks that I decided I was going to college and that was that. Pretty much up until our debrief of Costa I was set on college. I never felt peace when I decided that. Mostly because every time I decided I was ‘going to college’ the Lord would give me countless confirmations, signs, & reasons that it wasn’t what I was supposed to do. But I pushed them down and ignored them simply because I didn’t desire to do it.
But God changes our desires.
At final debrief, my mentor gave me an exercise to do with the Lord. Basically you send down every option in a basket and then what God wants, he will bring back. After we did this, my desire to team lead began to grow. Grow to the point where I really didn’t even desire college anymore.
We got to the Dominican and after tons of prayer the Lord made it obvious in two specific ways that he wanted me to apply to team lead. [ask me about it sometime!]
So I did! It wasn’t until that moment where I was fully able to embrace the wait. I was able to wait the entire application process with full trust, surrender, and freedom.
If I have any advice to anyone in the waiting season it would be to embrace it. Don’t fight it. God puts us in this season because he loves us. He wants us to enjoy where we are at. He wants us to learn that whatever happens is because it is all apart of His plan. He wants us to find freedom in trusting Him knowing that he is in control. And let me tell you. That freedom is amazing.
A freedom I could have experienced way back in the beginning of Costa Rica if I just embraced the wait.
The Lord keeps his promises. He is the greatest promise keeper.
Why did I think that I was so big, bigger than Him, that I could change his plans?
I am so excited that I was able to share all of this exciting news with you guys! This blog doesn’t share half of the details of what happened and what I learned through this so please please please reach out and ask questions!! I would love to hear from you.
These are some of the amazing people I get to lead with!
This does mean I have to fundraise again! This time around I am fundraising about $4000. This money will go to housing, most food, transportation, and all other additional costs that AIM does not cover this August-December in Gainesville GA and overseas. Just as with my own Race, I am prepared to fund whatever I don’t support raise, but I am accepting donations. You can donate at the top of my blog or through my venmo: morgapplegate
<3 Morgan
716-261-0902
so proud of you!!! I can’t wait to see how you lead your team, as you follow where the Lord leads. love you so big!!!
Congratulations Morgan!
Great blood, thank you for sharing!
I am sure you are going to be a great ATL!!
We Can’t wait to hear all about your time serving
All God’s best!
Bruce & Heather
So excited for you, I’m glad the Lord gave you peace over the decision, to fully place your trust in the Father’s plans, surrender your future and walk in freedom.