Trying to sum up a year of your life isn’t easy. Now that I’ve been home for over about 2 weeks (and by home I mean bopping between 3 different “homes”), I’ve tried to explain some of the things I’ve learned this year. I don’t even know where to begin. The people I’ve spent time with the most have heard random stories about squatty potties and weird foods, incredible hosts, favorite ministry moments, and beautiful countries. But trying to get closure around all of this is a weird journey I am just now attempting to navigate. At this point the race feels a bit like a dream. So processing this huge year of growth, challenge, adventure and joy is quite a task. I am a huge writing processor, so it thought I’d share here some of the biggest themes/lessons I’ve learned this past year. So, here’s 6 of my favorite lessons from my World Race experience:
one: Ministry should be a lifestyle
This is probably the biggest take away I have from the race. A year ago, I thought ministry was just the set hours I’d do manual labor, teach English, speak at a church, or lead children’s ministry. But it’s so much more. I learned a few months into the race to look for ministry and seek it out in all situations. The thought of this at first sounded exhausting, ministry all the time? But it’s so simple. Ministry can look like asking the grocery store cashier how her day is going! For me it looked like becoming friends with an Indian girl in Thailand who worked at a Chiang Mai restaurant I frequented. It was getting to know hosts outside of the scheduled times. It was saying hello to the homeless man on the street who is so often ignored. It’s so easy to get caught in our routines and simply go about our errands and our day to day lives focused only on ourselves (that’s my biggest fear about being home). And then we may miss the man on the way to work that God wanted us to stop & talk to & encourage. It’s so simple to spread kindness. Mama T (aka Mother Theresa, my girl) said “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier”. What a cool way to live. That’s ministry as a lifestyle. Being kind, loving people, that’s all it is.
two: Authenticity
There is nothing more beautiful than someone who is authentic. Someone who knows their weaknesses and their strengths, someone who knows where they’re at emotionally/spiritually/physically, and doesn’t try to hide it. There’s such power in that vulnerability. I learned this from teammates, squad leadership, and good ol’ Brene Brown (greeeeat author, check out her book “Daring Greatly”). Especially when it comes to faith, I’ve learned it’s that important to be real with yourself in regards to where you are. Ask honest, true, questions and don’t be afraid to seek out those answers.
three: The risk is worth it
Ride a motorcycle. Yes you might fall off, but do it anyway. Bungee jump! It’s terrifying, but so worth the view. Open up to the people around you. Yes, you might get hurt, but you also might form incredible relationships that grow you and support you. It’s so important to take risks in our lives. Getting uncomfortable and risk-taking reminds us of our weaknesses and points to the strength of our Father. (And if you take a risk and something does go terribly wrong, at least you have a good story!)
four: The church is SO diverse
I never knew there were SO many dang denominations of Christianity until I came on the race. It’s unreal! Not to mention how the same denomination can be different depending on the country or culture it’s in. Through my squadmates and people I met all over the world, I learned about the huge variety of ways the church does church. I still don’t understand why there are so many denominations in the church, but throughout the race I began to see the beauty in all the differences. Some people feel God in an evangelical community that has loud rock band worship. Some people feel God in Catholic mass. I think different denominations work for different people. Whatever connects you to Jesus, that is good. In Africa, we danced so hard we felt like we were doing T 25. That’s not what I grew up with, but it was amazing. And so fun! That was the most joy I’ve ever felt in a church setting for sure. I think it’s so important to have a humble heart in thinking about how different churches do things. We can all learn so much from each other. If the church (all Christians) came together and supported one another despite their differences, how sweet would that be? At the end of the day, we are all after the same God.
five: Faith
I thought I knew what faith was, and then I met my Rwandan prayer warrior mamas. In a small Rwandan village, there is this incredible group of 6 ladies who exude Jesus’ love and strength and power like I have never seen. Their prayer lives are incredible. They rely fully on God for their every need and have the faith that he can and will provide.
I thought I knew what faith was, and then I met Elsa, an amazing lady from Estonia who is traveling moneyless around the world to learn about various humanitarian organizations. She has to have faith that she will have food to eat, that she will have a place to sleep, all for no money (and she’s been going for 2 years now). That’s faith. Faith is having no plan B. Faith is believing and knowing that you will be taken care of by the Father.
six: Attitude is so powerful
I told my teammates in month 11 that if I heard the phrase “choose joy” one more time I would lose it. But I know that phrase can and has taught me a good thing. Our attitudes are SO powerful. We have so much more control of our attitudes toward situations that we think. Through experiences like standing on a claustrophobic crowded Nicaraguan bus for 4 hours (literally butt to butt with 150 people on a bus made for 50 people), I have learned that attitude is everything. If you choose to be positive about a situation, you WILL have a positive experience. Game changer!
There are so many more little nuggets of wisdom I’ve gained from my experience on the race this past year, but those are some of the lessons closest to my heart.
Thank you all for praying for me, encouraging me, and loving me consistently this past year.
