Not too long ago my squad landed in Cambodia. The journey took us around three days but after some long flights, layovers, and bus rides we eventually made it to my specific teams ministry in Battambang, Cambodia. We are living at a small private school with the students teaching them about English, computers, the Bible as well as doing manual labor or any other task they may need done.
It is a bit surreal that this journey I have been looking forward to for about two years has arrived. However, there is a bigger journey then going around the world because of your faith and that is the journey of your faith itself. A little over two and a half years ago is when I rededicated my life to the Lord. I remember right away having such a burning desire to go around the world and just love everyone for the sake of the Gospel. I had the World Race on my mind since around that time, but God had me wait.
Over the last couple of years I have lived a pretty simple life. I have stayed at home, worked and finished up school. As far as my relationship with God, I have certainly grown a lot although it hasn’t always looked pretty. After reading through a journal I wrote in over the last year and a half I realize my relationship with God looks a lot like the Psalms. There is brokenness, then a trust in God as the source of deliverance, and praises when we are delivered.
For the last couple of years I have often gone on walks by my house, kyaked on the lake, and just hung out in the woods at a fort that was made when I was younger. To me, all of these places have been my safe place. Its where I have gone when I feel broken, when I need to ask God for help, or when I am full of praise. Other times I go just to burn energy, rest, or simply just be at peace.
Many times while in those places I questioned whether or not my relationship with God is going anywhere. I often felt in the same cycle that you see occur in the Psalms with David’s emotions. Over the last couple of months that has changed dramatically. I feel since training camp at the World Race God has greatly opened my eyes to him, how much he cares for us. Someone said at training camp that we always hear “We are sinners saved by Grace” but Jesus doesn’t call us that anymore, he calls us a “Child of God.”
That was profound to me, to know how much God loves us. Everything is dealt with, yes we still stumble but Gods grace abounds all the more. Jesus didn’t go to the cross to bare some of our sin but to bare it ALL. This grace is so invigorating and greatly empowers us to love more because we know how much we are loved when we abide in him.
I see how much God has used all of those moments in my “safe place.” They have laid the foundation of who I am today. I know I will be tested in many ways on this journey, and while I am over sea’s I cannot go to my favorite places by my house. But my safe place isn’t the fort in the woods, the lake, or the trail behind it. My safe place is in the presence of God.
