Preparing for the World Race has been a lesson and journey on its own. Yeah, an 11 month trip to 11 different countries is going to be extremely challenging. Yeah, ministering to people outside of our american cultural norm is going to put me outside of my comfort zone and yes I will experience many lessons along the road. Not to mention moving to a new home each month, leaving familiar faces and meeting new ones in a completely different culture. Oh, I am sure the World Race will bring about many challenges and lesson, but this preparation season has taught me so much and such a short amount of time. I am afraid to say I have never been in the place where I am at right now! A place of unknowing, a place of confusion but complete peace in knowing that God is at work in me.
You may be wondering, “What the heck are you talking about dude?” Let me just spit it out for you. I am basically homeless but completely at home, I am lost but completely found, I am in the midst of chaos but completely calm. I do not know where I am going to lay my head for the next weeks or months to come, but I do know that I am willing! Willing to lay down my life for my savior, willing to follow Jesus even if that means picking up my own cross and suffering. I am wiling to accept the fact that “no servant is greater than his master.”
Jesus spoke to a man in the book of Mark, a man who told Jesus he would follow Him where ever he goes. But what was Jesus’ response to the man? Did Jesus say, “Come on dude, its going to be AWESOME! We are going to get donuts every day and go on fun adventures and sing and dance!” NO! Jesus was more like, “Okay dude, you wanna follow me? I hope you like sleeping on street corners and being homeless! Cause, foxes have dens and birds of nest, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Jesus never promised a big luxury house, with a huge kings size bed with fluffy pillows. You would be lucky to lay your head down on a white fluffy lamb. But He did promise persecution, He did promise suffering and He sure did promise the place where I am at right now!
Anyhow, before making the decision to go on the World Race for August of 2016, I made a decision to rent an apartment and to be a grown up (bad decisions). Just a couple months after moving into my very own apartment, with my very own bills and my very own food; God led me to apply for the World Race. I got accepted then everything in my life got ruined (for the better)! Here I am, 5 months after applying and 5 months away from leaving; learning what it looks like to truly trust in the Lord. God called me out, He told me to stop putting my trust in man and to trust Him. So what does that look like practically? Well for me, that looks like downsizing your closet to one third of the amount of clothes, selling everything you do not need for the World Race and moving what you do own into the trunk of your car. But that is not all, that also means giving up everything you have worked for, your very own apartment! Yes, I moved out of my apartment with nowhere to go. I had a friend who was in need of a place to live and I needed to figure out how to save money; therefore, he moved in and I moved out.
I have now been “homeless” for about a week and a half and I can surely say God is so faithful! This past week God has taught me so much on relying completely on Him and trusting that He is faithful to his promises. I have not had to sleep in my car once this entire journey! God has provided a place for me to lay my head each and every night and that is because he is faithful! Just because Jesus did not promise the man in the book of Mark a home, does not mean that He does not provide.
I want to take this time to encourage you. If you are suffering, keep moving forward, God is faithful and he loves His Children! If you are praying about a decision that needs to be made, just do it! Trust God and do not lean on your own understanding. The more you lean on yourself the more you will miss out of God’s sovereign call and plan for your life.
One last thing! Allow God to go before you, rather you before God.
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God bless you all!
