I’ve said it before and I will say it again, but one of my absolute favorite things about God is how he places people in our life to tell us something or teach us something. I just find it so incredible how he can turn a seemingly ordinary run in with a friend or stranger into a life changing event.
I got back from training camp yesterday. It was a crazy, challenging, exhausting 10 days. While I was very ready to come home I am so thankful for the teammates I got to bond with and the experiences we shared at camp. We got dropped off at the airport on Sunday around noon and I had 8 hours to kill before my flight left. I’m pretty sure I spent most of that time eating (side note: If you are a future racer going to camp, bring snacks). Finally my flight was about to board, everyone was lined up waiting for them to start boarding the first group, and out of nowhere they announced our flight was delayed over an hour, so anyone who had connections in Charlotte (like me) was not making them. Cue the chaos. Everyone is upset, some girl behind me is crying, a guy on the phone is cussing out customer service. And I’m like OK I can do this, I can handle this maturely, I mean I just got out of a 10 day Christian training camp- as far as grace and understanding goes I should pretty much be at my best, Holy Spirit don’t leave me now- ya know what I mean? I wait in line for about an hour until I am finally able to talk to the employee at the counter. The earliest she can get me to Austin is 1:30 the next day… not ideal, but I get a hotel voucher for the night and am honestly just excited about the prospect of a hot shower and a bed.
The next morning I am back at the airport around 7am. After getting through security I am waiting in line for coffee when I hear someone behind me trying to get my attention. I turn around and he asks me if I am a racer. I respond that I just finished training camp and I leave in January. Turns out this guy went on the world race in ’09 and it totally transformed his life. He asks if he can buy me a coffee and we ended up having this awesome conversation about God and life and the World Race. He asked me one question that I can’t get out of my head. He asked me what I thought my purpose in life was. Pretty deep stuff for someone you met 30 minutes ago, but that’s what is so cool about Jesus. He allows you to form these awesome spiritual connections with people regardless of how long you’ve known them. Knowing my purpose in life is a question I have asked myself for years. I don’t know why I have always been so hung up on needing to know that or wanting to know that. Sometimes I feel weird for thinking about it so much. No one else seems to be losing sleep over the fact that they can’t find their greater purpose here. Or maybe they are. Maybe we just don’t talk about it enough.
I asked the former racer what he thought his purpose was. His answer, “to be loved.” You. guys. How beautifully simple is that? We have a father and a savior that so loves us. That loves us in our sin and our darkness. That loves us every day regardless of what we do or how far we wander. Maybe, all we were created for was to learn how to accept this love and to give it to others in return. To love and to be loved.
P.S. Fun fact- this guy also happens to live in Austin! Yay for new friends!
P.P.S. This is my jam right now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaTNzFmJJB4
xx,
Cait
