“You will know what it means to live in true, raw community after these 11 months.”
“The Lord will break you in these 11 months and you will go home unrecognizable.”
“This is the strongest community I’ve ever had.”
“I’m giving a year of my life to the Lord.”
Variations of those quotes have been drilled in my head since training camp. I think I may actually have some wounds.
For the unfamiliar, WR teams have “team time” daily.
I led one for my team last week. The day before it I came across this: “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God…” – 2 Tim 1:8
In the past I’ve placed that verse in my safe box, the one where something only means one thing and if it means something more then it’s not important enough to break the cardboard. But almost instantly after reading it this time, the Lord convicted me.
My testimony is because of His testimony. Mine is gone without Him. The testimony of our Lord includes my testimony because He is in me.
Without my community at home, my testimony would be drastically different.
I sat there and wondered how many squad-mates actually know that. Or how many people I’ve ministered to this year have heard that. Sure my teammates have heard about my love for home countless times, but it stops there. I’ve never really gone into it because I thought it wasn’t appropriate…
…until last week’s team time when I shared these thoughts and showed a bunch of videos of friends and family.
If I go out of my way to use wi-fi to reach home this year then I’m not focused.
If I don’t have a dark secret to expose this year then I’m holding something in.
If I think or talk about home frequently this year then that’s where my heart is and I might as well go back.
If I anticipate the moment I step foot on American soil to be in the top 3 best days of my life then something went awry.
And worst of all….
If I feel like this is the weakest community I’ve ever had then the devil must be feeding me a lie.
Let me tell you friends, all of those statements above are the lies he’s been feeding me. I ate them… chomped on them even, digested them like gum, and my insides are just now figuring out how to release the stool properly and wholly (this applies literally as well – asian food is a doozy).
I wish someone told me this. But it’s okay. Now I’m here, 10+ months later, sharing this with someone who will need to hear it.
What if you don’t find true community this year?
What if this community sucks compared to what you know?
What if giving a year of your life to the Lord didn’t exist. What if we gave our entire lives to Him?
What if this year is simply another year of your life to love and serve the Lord?
The World Race was not 11 months of my life separate from the other 270 I’ve been alive. It’s not a mystical out-of-body reality. I didn’t grow unless I chose to. I didn’t grow closer to the Lord by experiencing this. I grew closer to the Lord because that’s how relationships roll. If you’re willing to go there, it’s inevitable that you will grow closer with time… in any amount of time. In any 11 month time period, or 3 month, or 97 month, or 499 month time period.
However the WR is marketed.
However you want to experience your lives differently.
However cool you’ll feel checking all those continents off your bucket list.
However this nomad lifestyle appeals to you.
However much you want to get out of the States.
However much you hate materialism.
However you think the church will be umpteen million times better since you’re not in America.
However much you know you want to be a world traveler.
However badly you need a new community.
However you think your life will get better by doing this.
However you think this will solidify your faith.
Don’t do it. Don’t go on the World Race just to experience that however. It’s not worth it.
The reality is… your relationship with the Lord won’t be spoon-fed to you.
You will leave this trip dissatisfied if you put more (!) of your hope, pride, passion, and time in the delightful-experience you’ll never get back-#worldrace-Did you see my new profile pic?-I have cool african fabric now-I ate bugs-#11n11-I’m cultured-There’s cheap bubble tea everywhere-I’ve traveled the world—-mindset than in what the Lord is doing.
You will want that 5 minutes of crappy wifi that took you an hour to find. You will miss something about home. You will pay extra for western food. After all, you are an American. Of course there’s a time and a place. Of course there’s a point when you cross the line. But I just hope you don’t cross it in the other direction either. The direction where the enemy shuts you up so that you can save face over nothing. I had no reason to minimize my testimony, but satan had me thinking I wasn’t suitable for this program if I maximized it.
You’re gone for a long time! You may be able to share your testimony shamelessly by sharing how He has provided you with an AMAZING community… at home. Maybe… just maybe… that’s okay.
God didn’t tell us that one way to serve Him is superior over another. He told us to love. Because we love, we are obedient. I would not have been fit for this if God didn’t tell me to come. I would have booked the fastest flight home in Peru… 8 months ago. It is the only thing that’s kept me going, and I don’t know how that can’t be true for everyone.
Problems aren’t fixed by doing something trendy or bold.
Problems are made peaceful with the help of our God.
The end of 11 months isn’t the end of your life.
I mean, really…. if my growth stops here, then He might as well kill me.
So… in summing this up… “buy in”… yeah… do that… buy in… but buy into what God has… not what you have… not what the World Race has. Buy into the work He’s going to do in your life, the work He is doing, and the work He has done.
Pizzy.
