I have been back in the states almost three months now. I have had some great time with family and friends, I have been traveling the country and seeing some of God’s amazing creation, and most of all I have been seeing what a difference there has been in myself.
I came back from the race knowing I was a changed man of God, but I was not aware of how much had changed in me. Thanks to observations by family and realizations I made, here are a few of the ways that spending a year in community, service, and discipleship changed me for the better. Thee are the “Fruits of the Race”.
Love – I have learned to love others better. I have been to a funeral and a couple family reunions since returning. Usually these are times where I have to greet a bunch of people I barely know and then sit and wait to leave. My parents observed that I was engaging my relatives and just being present with them. I listened to stories, gave hugs, and prayed for my distant relatives. It was easier to love these near strangers. I mean I did spend a year pouring into complete strangers and this was family
Joy – It is much easier to experience joy in the difficult times. I can’t count how many times I saw something that would have frustrated me before the race, and all i can do now is smile. I was on a plane and there were three, yes three, infants within two seats of me. Each one had their fit and sometimes they harmonized. It was actually hilarious. I smiled and tried to guess what they were upset about. Most likely the pressure changes on their little bodies.
Peace – I used to be go go go. I had to always be doing something, or I felt like I was wasting my time. Sitting in peace and serenity was unproductive. Well, constantly on the race, I prayed for peace. I asked for it and the Lord gave me chances to work on being peaceful. At home now, I have no problem just sitting in silence. I love going out on the lake and just laying in the sun, and soaking up the SON.
Patience – This is one of the biggest changes. I was always the person that hurried everyone else. I was not one to want to wait for others to get ready. I rushed people and expected them to comply with my timeline. I was easily frustrated by things that did not go according to plans. Lately I have noticed that I have been much more patient. I don’t get frustrated if a problem arises. I don’t react to things. I keep my cool. I also find myself not worrying about if people are ready to go somewhere. We will get there when we get there. If we are late, oh well. I would rather not be late, but I’m not going to get frustrated and jump all over those I’m waiting for.
Kindness and Goodness – I smile at tellers, cashiers, and servers. I thank everyone, even if they might not deserve it. I try to be a light to everyone. Even in the encounters lasting just seconds or minutes. There is no need to be unkind or vindictive.
Faithfulness – Another area I prayed for. I prayed that the lord would help grow my faith. There were so many ways he did just that. From fundraising to showing us amazing miracles and stories of those we encountered. I saw the wonders of my Father and each day my faith grew little by little. Now with the daunting task of fundraising once again, I have the faith to know that worrying or getting anxious will not help me. I have faith that he will provide. He wants me doing this training before I go out into the nations once again.
Gentleness – I learned that gentleness is not just physical. it is not only about being submissive and passive. Gentleness is meekness, but meekness is not weakness. “Gentleness is composure in the midst of chaos.” When everything around you seems to be falling apart or going wrong. Instead of losing it or reacting, maintain composure. Keep your focus on the Lord.
On the race there were plenty of times where chaos happened. Whether it was a teacher leaving us with a room full of kids without warning, a pastor asking us to preach a sermon at the last minute, or travel plans falling apart and no idea how you are going to get to your next destination. In these times you keep calm and pray on. You don’t lose your head or react in a way that just compounds the chaos. I am so grateful for these chances to increase my gentleness.
Self Control – This one is by far the hardest for me to keep up with the changes the race helped me with. The biggest struggle here is with food. I love food and on the race had to practice self control with eating. Not just for health purposes, but for financial reasons. I would buy some snacks, but knew that they were the only snacks I would have for the month. If I ate them in one week, I would have no yummy snacks for the rest of the month. So I gradually learned self control. Now after the race I find so many opportunities to practice self control. At the grocery store and when I am home bored and could grab a snack.
The race has been such a blessing. I was able to experience so much and learn so much. I helped so many people. However, the race changed me more than I changed anyone I came in contact with. It was a life changing experience. My life changed.
I want these lessons and changes to continue. That is why I’m going to CGA to take the training before going out into the nations again. These classes and apprenticeships are going to prepare me for the path God wants me to head down.
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