“Ohhhhhhh we’re halfway there! Ohhhhhhhhh livin’ on a prayer! Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear ohhhh livin’ on a prayer!” We sang together on Sunday night as team Fuse and Team Banah gathered together at Ruby Tuesday in downtown Bangalore to celebrate the halfway point of our eleven month journey. Bon Jovi’s lyrics have never seemed more poignant to me.
The halfway point snuck up on me to be honest. I haven’t been counting the days up or down. I haven’t been looking forward to being done nor have I been dreading the end. I’ve just been enjoying the present. But I guess it would be wise to take stock of the day and not just let it slip past without at least a little bit of reflection.
Overall the first word that comes to mind right now for me is contentment. I am very happy. I remember this time last year before I had even applied to the race and there was this feeling of restlessness that was constantly nagging at me. I couldn’t shake it and it bothered me so much because it felt so unusual, it wasn’t something that I was used to and it wasn’t something that I could nail down. I couldn’t say exactly why I was restless or what was making me discontent, I just knew that there was something more and I wasn’t going to be right until I found it. Now I’m not pointing to the race as the source of my contentment but I know that it took leaving home and everything comfortable and normal for me to see what God is capable of doing. Halfway done and halfway to go I am gaining confidence in the constant nearness of my Lord. I am finding myself in step with him more and more, and learning how to return to my first love.
I can’t imagine what the next five and a half months have in store for me. I have honestly quit trying to predict the future. I can’t foresee exactly where I will be or how the Lord will move but I am confident that there are so many experiences that will humble me and make me more pliable in the hands of the Potter.
