So you may be thinking, “Dang. That Philip kid is all over the place. I can’t keep track of what he’s doing.” I mean I doubt that you’re thinking that but for the sake of this recap, pretend that you are… So to explain where I am going and what I’m doing, I need to explain where I’ve been.
Let’s go back to 2018. After high school I did the World Race: Gap Year. It’s a nine month missions trip that helps young people grow in intimacy with the Lord, while being in like-minded community, and living out their faith through missions. On my trip, I spent two months in Ecuador. Here, I built a wall that would protect young girls rescued from sex trafficking. After that I spent a month in Peru, where my team was able to serve local missionaries as well as be discipled by our hosts. During these first three months I had an alumni team leader who had done the Race before and was there to help show us the ropes as well as disciple us. His name is Elijah and he is a legend.
In Guatemala, we got to serve a local village for three months and build relationships with the community here. It was here that I learned to really rely on the Lord and bring Him into every aspect of my life. Oh yeah, and mom and dad showed up.
Months 7, 8, and 9 were in Asia in the country of Cambodia. Here my team taught English in multiple schools and universities and we became friends with some pretty awesome Buddhist monks. The spiritual atmosphere here was pretty heavy and I learned a lot about intercession and walking through the fire.
We ended the whole trip in Thailand where my teammate Jacob baptized me in the ocean. It was a beautiful bow on a life changing journey.
The summer of 2019 was pretty hectic because I was traveling all over the place before heading back out in September. Remember that legend, Elijah? Well Jacob and I went back as alumni team leaders for a new group of dudes. We were in Romania for three months where we did everything from evangelism, to kids ministry, to construction, and everything in between. I was also able to go on an evangelism trip through the Balkans in Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, and North Macedonia. RIP the avocados. #iykyk
After Romania, I came back home as that squad continued for the rest of their Race. I was able to spend time at home for the holidays before getting back at it.
In January I started on a road trip across the U.S. called “kingdom interruption.” Our goal was to connect the body of Christ together and activate them towards missions locally and internationally, all while being completely interruptible to the Holy Spirits leading. Well corona kinda interrupted us for a while there and after some time in the woods and four weeks in an Airbnb, we were back at it. We were able to make it up to Wisconsin and Minnesota in June and see the mighty works that God was doing through racial reconciliation at the George Floyd memorial.
Fast forward a little, Kingdom interruption has ended and I’m back at home for the summer. After some friends came to visit, Jacob, myself, and Elijah drove to Colorado to meet up with the team for the first time in over a year. We were able to see so much of the squad and attend Stephen and Aly’s wedding celebration! Aly and Stephen as well as Jackie were my squad leaders on my original World Race. They were with us for the whole nine months as leaders who made sure everyone was kept alive and well while dropping truth bombs along the way.
And that catches you up! Soooooo, what now? Well I leave to become one of those squad leaders. I will be with a new squad of Gap Year racers for the whole nine months of their journey. Due to covid we will be spending the first part of the trip in Gainesville, Georgia at the Adventures in Missions headquarters. It will be a time of discipleship training before we launch overseas in January.
Missions and discipleship is something that I am totally in love with and completely dedicated to. I am inviting you to become a part of my team. Please keep me in your prayers as I go forth to every nation! Pray for me to fall deeper in love with Him, for endurance and favor, for health, and for the Lord’s provision. If you would like to support me, there are multiple ways! You can give tax-deductible donations here on my blog site as a one time donor or as a monthly donor! Don’t forget to subscribe to stay updated! I also have set up an account on an awesome app called Klink. It was designed by the Alpha Class of GlobalU. Klink helps make fundraising easy! It rounds up all your purchases to the nearest dollar and then donates them towards my campaigns!! So cool. It’s available wherever apps are sold. Except Chili’s. They sell different apps.
Gap C, here I come!
Thanks for coming to my Tedtalk. I love youuuuuuu
Philip, Thanks for the recap and summary – so helpful for newcomers to your blog like myself! Nathan has been looking forward to alumni team leading alongside/with you for several months, and I’m sure y’all are connecting in many ways – bucket showers included! Gap C is fortunate to have you both. Thanks for sharing the story God is writing in your life and your willingness to lead this next group of Racers, even amidst unusual circumstances. Keeping you in prayer daily.
~Katie, Nathan’s Mama