“I’m in the middle of Africa”
……………
How did this happen?
It’s funny when I think back to where I was at this time, last year?
I was working at Neato Burrito, volunteering and skating at Underground Skatepark, getting ready to skate and serve at Creation Fest, living at home with a working shower and comfortable bed, going to movies with my friends, playing mini golf with Brochacho, and going to my church on the regular.
During that time, I never even heard of “The World Race”.
It was about the end of June when I heard of 11 in 11 for the first time.
If you could have told me 365 days ago, that I would be living in what used to be a chicken coop in Africa, I’d have told you, “You are crazy!”
But here I am.
Time goes by so fast.
I’m officially at the halfway point on this yearlong journey.
Today marks Day #160 of my Race.
It seems like just yesterday, I was hanging out in my living room with my best friends, my parents, my dogs, my mentors, and everyone else I love from back home.
In the past 160 days, I’ve seen so many things go down and have seen my life transformed in ways that I would’ve never believed could happen in such a short period of time.
You never know where life is going to take you. Especially within the time frame of a year.
A few years ago, I would’ve expected my life was going to look a little something like this:
I was going to be married.
I was going to be working as a youth pastor.
I was going to have my own house with a little dog of my own.
All that seemed certain, had fallen through. But everything I have ever gone through, has led me to the place I’m in right now.
I never thought I’d recover from a lot of my personal issues before I left on this race.
Even when life doesn’t turn out how we plan it to, I know that God works all things together for our good.
Donald Miller (my favorite author), talks about Redeeming Negative Life Turns, which is looking at the moments in life that have influenced your life in a negative way, hold them under a new light, and ask God what good came out (or can come out) of these events.
It’s like what Romans 8:28 says:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”
I like to think of Joseph also in Genesis 39.
Joseph had so many ups and downs in his life. From having an incredible dream and a father who loved him, to being hated and plotted against by his brothers, ultimately sold into slavery.
From being put in charge of Potiphar’s house, to being thrown in prison.
Helping others while in prison who had a lot of influence, to being forgotten about completely.
And at last, becoming the second in command in Egypt.
I think of Joseph because of this:
“The Lord was with Joseph…”, after he was sold into slavery.
“But while Joseph was there in prison, the Lord was with him”
Whether things are going as planned or when life throws you for a loop, God is still there with you.
Though things didn’t go completely as I had planned, God is still with me and has not abandoned me. Not once.
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” ~ Genesis 50:20
I look back on the past 160 days and I praise God for bringing me to the middle of Zambia, with its renovated chicken coop housing, bucket showers, scurrying rats, and lack of electricity. In this place, I reflect on all He has done.
If life had turned out how I envisioned it, I would have missed out on so much of what God wanted to do whether in me or through me.
I think of street boys in the Philippines sniffing solvents, and loving the crap out of them unconditionally because that’s how much Jesus loves me even when I’m still stuck in my own sin.
I think of hopping onto a stage in the Philippines spontaneously to preach the Gospel and give my testimony at a Hardcore show and praying over one another afterwards.
I think of the most amazing and wonderfully loving friends from the Tourist Police in Thailand who forever will have a place in my heart, P’Oie, P’Jimmy, and P’Lucky. The moments they showed us all around the Buddhist temples, and all other cultural places in the city, then allowed us the beautiful opportunity to pray with them before we left.
I think of “Sunshine”. Our woman in the bar in Chiang Mai as she told us her story and the amazing afternoon on Valentines Day where we were able to show her love by delivering her a bouquet of roses.
I think of our time equipping the future church leaders out in Cambodia, teaching them about what it means to be men and women of God, and how to reach the masses with what God has given them.
I think of the orphans in Vietnam who, although having nothing, showed selfless love like I’ve never seen, by offering to share what little food they had for the day.
I think of Wonder in Malawi, who randomly met us in the street one afternoon, and God had a way of continually having us cross paths so that Jesus could love Him back into His Kingdom.
I think of this month in Zambia at all the wonders we have seen done by God. While speaking at church, we opened up the floor for prayer and invited the Holy Spirit to do his thing. We saw at least 4 immediate healings during the service that day! And during out outreach to the street kids here in town, we have even seen God heal one boy of a sickness, and in turn, saw that boy lay hands on his friend and then HE TOO was made well!
Jesus is moving!
These couple memories barely scratch the service of what we’ve been able to be a part of here.
I’ve seen personal victory over my own life in the areas of:
Pride
Emotional Anxiety
Shame
Anxiety
Busyness
And there’s still soooo much more room for growth because JC is definitely not done working in me.
I look at all this and think:
Man, all that has gone down in 160 days? That’s more than I have experience in the last few years!
Don’t get me wrong, I have seen and been a part of wonderful things whether back home or around the world. But I have not be a part of this constant living in accordance to God’s voice where I’ve seen such a daily occurrence of Jesus interacting on earth or my life in particular.
All that I’ve seen, I could have never guessed or predicted a year ago that I would be experiencing any of this.
All this to say:
When life doesn’t go as planned, don’t think it’s the end of the line.
Where you end is simply where Jesus begins.
