Faces of Grace: Learning to See God’s Love in Every Season

What if the love we long for – acceptance, belonging, purpose – has been around us all along? What if every person we encounter, every act of kindness, every moment of deep connection is actually a reflection of God’s love for us?

The World Race is a journey of stepping into the unknown, of seeing God move in unexpected places. But often, the most profound moments aren’t found in the dramatic or extraordinary. They come in the quiet realizations, the whispered truths, the small shifts in perspective that change everything.

One Racer, currently serving in Nepal, recently had one of those moments. What she learned about God’s love, humility, and trust reshaped the way she sees the world. This is her story – and you can follow her blog here!

A Love That’s Always Been There

Sometimes, grace comes in the form of an answered prayer. Other times, it’s found in the everyday relationships we take for granted.

Sitting in a kitchen, talking with a friend for hours, this Racer began to see God’s love in a new way. “Every person, every act of love, every kind word – it’s all a reflection of His love.” She realized that the love she experienced from her parents, her brothers, her friends, even her future husband and children, was all a glimpse of God’s love.

• A father’s love is a reflection of God as our Father.
• A friend’s loyalty is a glimpse of Jesus, our greatest friend.
• A future husband’s love is an echo of Christ’s love for His bride, the Church.
• A mother’s love for her child is a fraction of the love God has for us as His children.
• Suddenly, she could see it—God’s love woven into every part of life. Love isn’t something we create on our own. It’s something we reflect.

The Beauty of Simplicity & Humility

On the World Race, it’s easy to get caught up in the mission – the work, the to-do lists, the feeling that there’s always more to be done. But as this Racer sat with her thoughts, she realized something: Jesus didn’t put the mission first. He put the Father first. Then community. Then the work.

Somewhere along the way, she had flipped the order – putting the work first, God second, and community last. But Jesus showed a different way:

• First, relationship with the Father. Everything flows from intimacy with Him.
• Second, pouring into community. The disciples weren’t just ministry partners; they were family.
• Third, the mission. Ministry is an overflow of the first two.

That revelation changed everything. What if slowing down and being present was just as important as the work itself? What if the goal isn’t to do more, but to trust more?

Letting Go of the Pressure to “Get It Right”

For so many of us, faith has felt like a high-stakes balancing act. One wrong move, one misstep, and everything might fall apart. But on the Race, grace whispers a different truth:

“You can’t mess up God’s plan.”

This Racer realized she had been carrying the weight of every decision – what to do next year, how to make the right choice, how to avoid mistakes. But suddenly, she saw it differently:

“I was making decisions out of fear – what if I fail? What if I choose wrong? But now, I see that no matter what, I’ll be okay. God is bigger than my mistakes. Every next step is an opportunity for Him to move.”

What freedom there is in knowing that our worth isn’t found in getting it right – it’s found in belonging to Him.

There Is No Room for Fear in Love

When grace takes root, fear loses its grip.

When we stop striving to earn God’s love and simply receive it, everything changes. Decisions no longer feel like traps – we see them as opportunities. Failures no longer define us – they refine us. Our identity isn’t shaped by how others see us but by how God sees us: fully loved, fully known, fully His.

This is the kind of love that transforms. It’s the kind of love that meets you in a kitchen in Nepal, in a moment of stillness, and suddenly opens your eyes to the grace that has been surrounding you all along.

What About You?

God’s grace isn’t just for the mission field – it’s for you, right now, wherever you are.

Maybe you’ve been striving, trying to prove yourself, feeling like you have to earn love. Maybe you’ve been putting the work first, or worrying that one wrong move might throw everything off course.

But here’s the truth: God’s love is already yours. He’s not waiting for you to be perfect – He’s waiting for you to receive it.

And if you’re ready to step into something deeper, if you’re ready to see the world through the lens of grace and experience the adventure of fully trusting Him, then maybe the World Race is your next step.

Take the Leap – Experience Grace in Action

The World Race is more than a mission trip. It’s an invitation into deeper trust, radical faith, and a front-row seat to God’s love in action.

Upcoming Expeditions for Ages 21-30:

Route 1 | August 2025: Guatemala, Colombia, Morocco, Spain, Cambodia, Vietnam.

Route 2 | August 2025: Cambodia, Taiwan, Japan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Guatemala.

Route 3 | August 2025: Guatemala, Albania, Greece, Turkey, South Asia, Nepal.

Route 1 | January 2026: Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Turkey, Ethiopia, Kenya.

Route 2 | January 2026: South Asia, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Guatemala, Colombia.

All 2025 & 2026 Expeditions are now open for applications!

Check out our upcoming routes and apply today!

God is writing a story of grace in every corner of the world. Are you ready to step into it?