Yesterday I had some quiet time in the morning, then during street evangelism I talked with an old Romanian woman sitting outside her house.

When we offered to pray for her and she insisted she didn't need it, Susannah and I and our two friends [and translators] Dennis and George, walked to an empty field and played futbol with a couple small boys.

Afterwards we sat down on the green grass, the greenest most un-dead piece of land in Draganesti-Olt, and prayed for the small boys and for the sweet old lady I talked to earlier. We prayed for healing of her knee and for openness to start a relationship with Jesus.  

The day before that, Susannah and I helped cook a meal for a temporary mission team from Holland. We make pretty cute hosts…

The Hollanders were a joy to sit around a table and eat with. Their jolly joking and spontaneous gestures sparked a flippant desire in me to move to Europe and maybe marry someone from Holland, but just for his attractive accent. And, so I could be part of a family similar to Ron Weasley’s who live at The Burrow and shrug at the noisy ghoul in the attic.

 

The day before that Susannah and I helped make pickles. Yes, we made BREAD AND BUTTER pickles from fresh cuke’s right out of the garden. They were sooooo good. But I’m not sure the dozens of jars of pickles blessed the missionaries as much as the quality time spent making them blessed us all. Food = relational ministry = double blessing.   

 

 

Sometimes on the World Race or when you’re doing missions, you think your day is going to go a certain way and it doesn’t. 

Like today. 

I was supposed to “meet Ellie at the church at 10” with Kiana. So Kiana and I went to meet Ellie at the church and we waited and waited until waiting turned into an hour. Then we just left and ended up buying groceries for our team. Now, here I sit. In my bunk bed in my room by myself.

 

I promise I’m not disappointed in the least bit. In fact, I was giddy when I learned I had the rest of the day to myself and that hardly ANYONE ELSE would be in the house.

Bliss. 

But today is evidence of how, although travel and adventure is exciting [I don’t want to undermine that] there are also mundane days on the Race. Just like at home. At home, mundane days were easier because I could fill them with trips to Super Target and Starbucks and bubble baths and aimless drives in my car complete with loud music and other distractions. I don't have anywhere to go around here and its easier to miss those things, or my best friend, my family.. to wonder why I’m here and why I’m still putting up with people being in my space and talking to me for no purpose when I just want silence and to pretend I’m actually alone on my bed at home with big fluffy quiet pillows as my company.    

As I let go of expectations and learn more of who God is I’m finding that the things I used to feel burdened about — schedules and plans and minor disagreements and pleasing people — are not things that burden the heart of God. It's ordinary to experience conflict and suffering and all the in-between disappointments, but I'm just tired of letting them have the last [or the most] say about me. It's exhausting.

Ain’t nobody got time for that. 

In addition to not allowing my circumstances determine how I feel, I want to reflect Christ's heart in ministry. The gospel is more simple than we make it. When Jesus gave the disciples authority and sent them out, he didn’t send them with anything but the clothes on their backs and the kingdom of heaven [in the form of the holy spirit]. Those were Jesus's plans; simple and awesome and kind of vague, implying that we don’t have to do much.. just show up and rely fully on God through the holy spirit. That’s my goal on the Race and after the race, to look more like Jesus. To keep life simple and extraordinary

Profound, eh?

 

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My team mate and dear friend, Susannah, is so valuable to our team and I know God has called her on the Race. She is only $1,500 away from meeting the next deadline on October 1st! Please consider visiting her blog here and donating via the 'Support Me' link on the left column of the page. 

Thank you so much!! BTW, we leave for India in less than a week! Ahhhhh.