Growing Up.
I left America as a kid and I am coming back as an adult.
I know that may sound strange because it has only been a year, but that really is how I feel. I left in January not knowing who I was. I was stuck between wanting to be an adult and still wanting to cling to the perks of being a kid. I had been living this inbetween lifestyle for 2 1/2 years since I graduated from college. However, I had myself convinced I knew who I was. I had done two years of volunteering and lived with so many different people and did a lot of traveling. I had more world experience than most people around me. Of course I knew who I was ! However, I just jumped from one thing to another, but never took the time to figure out who I was.
Before the race:
1. I didn’t know how to properly manage my personal finances.
2. I didn’t know how to not take on other people’s emotional problems.
3. I didn’t know how to take responsibility for my emotions.
4. I didn’t know how to manage and control my emotions.
5. I didn’t know what kind of fashion/style I wanted to have.
6. I didn’t know how I ever wanted my hair/nails, make-up to look like.
7. I didn’t know how to fully separate from my parents as an adult.
8. I didn’t know how to manage having so much free time.
9. I didn’t know what I liked to do for fun.
10. I didn’t know how to ask God to help me with my problems instead of other people (teammates or boyfriend).
Boy, did I have a lot to learn…
After traveling the world for 10 months, this is what I know now.
1. I know how to manage my personal finances (and a whole team’s if needed)
2. I know how to separate myself from other people’s emotions.
3. I know how to take responsibility for my emotions (specifically my self-pity)
4. I know to write, journal, dance, sing or draw in order to handle my emotions.
5. I am still working on the style part. haha. I am working on that now 🙂
6. I know I like having my nails done and like doing my hair. I learned how to braid this month. 🙂
7. I know how to be an adult apart from my parents and will continue learning that when I get home.
8. I know how to organize my free time and keep myself motivated to not get stuck in my head and emotions. ( we had multiple days in villages with no ministry ever planned)
9. I know I enjoy dancing and drawing for worship, blogging, decorating, cooking, and painting in my free time.
10. I know that God is the one and only person who can fully help me and my heart with my problems. I am learning what it looks like to look to God for the answers and to lean on a community for support.
I know God still a lot of things for me to learn when I get home and for the rest of my life, but I am so thankful that I have had this year. I left as a child and I am coming back as an adult. I am ready. I am ready to live the adult lifestyle God has in store for me for my future. Thank you World Race for helping me grow up.
XX
