Some of my nuggets for future world racers:
First off, just breathe.
Seriously..
Take a deep breathe.
I know all of you are freakin your freak
and you feel like hot messes right now.
lets be honest, you probably are.
i know I was.
And while you're breathing,
know that it's ok that you're all over the place.
Id actually be concerned of you had it all together.
there is nothing like the World Race,
and you'll never have something like it again.
That being said,
i suppose everyone's question is
"what do I bring?"
Hate to break it to ya,
but I really have no idea how to answer that question with specifics.
i know there are plenty of blogs on what other people would advise,
and you can check those out if you want.
AIl know is that I came with too much.
ending up sending more than half of my stuff home
and I'm only going into month 6.
I know a lot of you have probably heard
that youll need less than you think you do
and aren't sure if you agree, and that's fine.
Honestly it's most important that you know yourself.
if youre someone thats pretty chill and simplistic like me,
you really don't need a whole lot.
that doesn't mean you have to be like my bro Grayson
who only packed one regular sized school backpack,
although that's always an option.
We envy him on travel days, that's for sure.
I guess my only advice would be to keep in mind
that you're gonna have to carry whatever you bring
for 11 months unless you send it home, which gets pricey,
so if there's any doubt that you won't like carrying it around all the time,
maybe it's not worth it.
No idea if any of that helps, just my two cents.
The packing list is pretty good.
Haven't looked at it in a while,
but they have good suggestions.
One thing I'd say?
Just be yourself.
Just because the packing list recommends chacos or keens
doesnt mean that you have to buy them.
i bought a pair, and sure, they're practical,
but I find myself thinking "why the hell did I get these?
im never gonna wear them again."
Everyones got their own style.
Rock out your own on the Race.
The worst thing you can do
is start off by being someone that you're not.
Which I guess is my final nugget.
Be ok with where you're at.
some of you have been in church your whole life.
some were just converted at Training Camp.
Some of you come from charismatic backgrounds,
others are chillin thinking "why the hell are all these people dancing?"
Doesn't matter how long you've been a Christian,
or what your denomination was.
just get ready for the ride of your life,
And watch the Lord do his thing in your life.
One more thing:
Dont ever stop fighting,
because He never stops fighting for you.
The Race will bring warfare you've never seen before.
You're gonna screw up.
Accept that,
and then accept his grace over you.
Dont be held back because you don't understand his grace.
Youll find yourself weaker than you've ever been in your entire life.
But in those moments, He will empower you.
You can do this, I promise.
Because the best part is,
you never fight alone.
and you'll begin to understand who you are
as sons and daughters of the King,
and find the strength to punch Satan in the face when he comes knocking.
Lift up your heads,
take a deep breath,
And dive in.
