When I was a kid, I watched this weird but amazing TV show called “As Told By Ginger.” In the theme song of the show, the bluesy indie voice sang:
“Someone once told me the grass is much greener on the other side
And I paid a visit (Well, it’s possible I missed it)
It seemed different, yet exactly the same (yeah yeah yeah yeah)”
This song came to me as I remembered a conversation I had with a good friend of mine last month. The end of our conversation inspired me to write this blog that I hope it can match words to feelings you may have experienced before.
I am 8 (almost 9!) months into the Race and it has been an incredible experience. Honestly, one of the greatest of my life. Sometimes it feels like a dream.
But the thing is, life is full of “once in a lifetime” experiences and opportunities. It is very rare that these “experiences” are all back to back to back to back, so between those instagram-worthy moments, life will likely be mundane. Even on the Race.
Honestly, that’s why I struggle to post pictures on social media. I don’t want people to think that I’m just chilling out on a rollercoaster that only goes up. (Even though I know I shouldn’t be worried about what other people think – that’s a different blog for a different time.) Between those occasional adventure days and crazy experiences, I am crying out desperately for God to hear my prayers of loneliness. I am walking so slowly because I don’t want to slip and fall in the muddy/poopie (who actually knows?) water that surrounds me as I make the trek to ministry. I am trying to balance the craziness of life and a full schedule with finding solitude with God. It’s not always hiking through ancient ruins or swimming with elephants.
In saying those things, I would like to make something clear: I am not intending to make this sound like I am complaining. I am so extremely grateful that God has lead me here. I just want to be real with you guys.
Last year, when I was sitting at home doing what felt like nothing, I couldn’t wait to leave. I wanted to see the world and all that God had created. I wanted to get off of my butt and LIVE! And now that I’m here, there are definitely times where I wish I was back at home sitting on my butt – haha! Because there, I had constant A/C, a washing machine, alone time, and a bunch of other things. But God calls us into different seasons of our lives for specific reasons that sometimes only He understands. Sometimes, God wants us to take big leaps of faith, out of our comfort zones, so He can stretch and grow us in new ways. Other times, He needs us to humble ourselves and move home with our parents to prepare us for what is aheador even to be a light to our family members.
No matter the case or the season, God is always there and He is always faithful.
The enemy tries to distract us by highlighting the negative or less comfortable things in our lives. He either reminds us of what we used to have, what we could have, or even what others have. He tries to rob us of the joy God has so graciously blessed us with.
At a church service my team and I attended the other day, the pastor spoke on the subject of time. The pastor spoke about how God’s timing is always perfect. Sometimes God calls us to do things for the kingdom, but that doesn’t always mean immediately. When God brought the World Race into my life, it was Summer of 2014. I knew that He had called me to do that, but it wasn’t time yet. Looking back on everything, I know He needed me to wait.
The same may be happening for you right now. Maybe you’re in what feels like a waiting period because the window to apply for grad school is not open yet. Or maybe God has called you to move to another country, but He needs you to finish what you have started where you are at. Whatever the case, remember that God’s timing is perfect. And sometimes, if you feel you are in a waiting period, perhaps God wants us to reflect on what He’s brought us through and where He plans on taking us. It’s is even possible that He wants you to see that your “waiting period” may not even be a waiting period at all. He may want you to just live in faithfulness to Him and He will guide your steps!
During my “waiting period” I had 2 great jobs (s/o to Lucy’s and Southern Roots!) where I worked with some amazing people. I started going to a church back in my hometown where I was able to meet some wonderful Jesus-loving people my age whom I studied the word with and dug deeper in my faith with. One of my best friends got married. I was around for my cousin’s baby’s first 6 months of life. (and he’s the cutest!!)
At first glance at my year before the race, I honesty didn’t realize most of these things. It took God showing me and some self-reflection to notice all of those amazing things. Which, is kind of nuts, but society trains us to believe that if we’re not taking a road trip every other weekend or eating at trendy restaurants with our best friends every night, our life isn’t being lived to the fullest. If we seek out experiences for the sake of the experience or even the story, we could potentially be disobeying God by acting out on our own accords. Proverbs 19:2 says, “Desire without knowledge is not good and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.”
In hindsight, if I had jumped into the Race early, I could have missed out on these wonderful things and the unique growing I had during that time. God has us where we need to be at specific points in our life, so trust in that. Be patient with Him and faithful to Him. Be present where He has placed you.
Big Sean (featured in Justin Bieber’s smash hit “As Long As You Love Me”) said it best when he rapped: “But the grass ain’t greener on the other side, it’s green where you water it.”
Water the grass that God has allotted to you. He has trusted you with the circumstances that you are in and make the best of them!
Life is a journey. Please don’t compare your journey to those around you. If you do, you’ll fail to see what God is doing around you where you’re at.
“For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay”
Habakkuk 2:3
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.
Psalm 37:7a
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11a
xoxo, Baileigh
