I had the privilege of celebrating my 23rd birthday on the World Race. Let’s just say it wasn’t too bad!
My team happened to have the day off along with the day before, so we headed to the beach. I got to wake up with the sound of the ocean waves outside my hostel door. I enjoyed one of my last cliff bars that I saved from the states. I then explored and sat out on the beach for the rest of the day. Oh and I got an $8 massage right on my beach chair! To wrap up the day, my team headed to a Mexican restaurant for some good ole’ nachos and quesadillas.
In a lot of ways, it was the perfect birthday. It was a ton of fun, but something was missing…the people I love. Don’t get me wrong, I’m on an awesome team and I love the girls I am with! The issue though is that I am still just getting to know some of them. It’s different celebrating with people that you’ve only known for a few months. It’s not the same as being with family and friends back home that you have known all your life.
On top of just getting to know some of the girls, several on my team are in a funk right now. The celebration didn’t exactly feel like a celebration at times. It’s been a rough couple of weeks for a few of them. You can check out some of their blogs to see what is up if you would like.
Now having the majority of my team in a funk is not horrible. In a lot of ways the Lord has actually used this time to grow me. He has taught me that my joy completely comes from Him and not those I am living with. Another thing he is teaching me is that it is ok to be ok when those around you are not. I am still having an incredible time on the Race and loving every day and the new adventures it brings.
What is hard about it, is to think where this team could be if we were at full force. To say that Satan is attacking us hard as a team would be an understatement. I can’t help but wonder what he is trying to keep us as a team from being able to do, because he is throwing everything he can at us to make sure we are not able to be a healthy group. Even though I am doing well and am learning things through this period of the Race, I would be lying if I said that it was all easy. It’s hard to feel like some days you are the only one doing ok.
I am not writing this blog to make people feel bad for me back home. My hope is to create awareness that the Race is incredible, I spent my 23rd birthday on a beach in Cambodia, but it is also extremely hard. You will miss the people you love daily and sometimes you will be living in a community where everyone around you is not doing so hot. It’s not like at home where you can hop to a different group of friends when no one wants to hang out or go on an adventure, your team becomes your people and you learn to love them through the good and the bad times. Even though things may not be the greatest right now, I’m choosing to love my team in it. They will get through this, I know it.
For the mean time, we all need prayers. Pray that our team would be able to bond and have fun despite the hard times. Pray that as a team we would lean in to the Lord more than ever. He is going to bring us through this. I also believe He will make us stronger than ever because of it.
