At the beginning of every year, I ask the Lord to give me a word of the year. This year’s word was wonder, and oh, how it was covered with it. 2016 was stuffed full of the Father unraveling “wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below” (Acts 2:19a). Among an innumerable amount of things, these are some of the wonders that encompassed the past twelve months:
I moved to a brand new city right after graduating in December (2015).
I found a church community and Lifegroup that so warmly embraced me.
A kindred spirit friend discipled me and graciously poured out wisdom and loved me so big.
The Lord provided a nannying position for two sweet little girls who I grew to love ever so deeply, teaching jobs for my parents in order to fulfill their dream of moving back overseas, and a position for my sister to serve in a foster home for children who have special needs.
The Lord prepared a new home for half of the Underwoods in China.
July 2016 brought news of the newest little Underwood and the joy of becoming an auntie!!!
I witnessed the wonder of my dad’s life-saving surgery and how the Lord beautifully healed him.
Provision for all financial support long before I even launched for the race.
Putting my pack on my back and stepping onto a plane to begin a journey of living overseas in 11 different countries for the next year.
I explored and discovered many wonders in six different countries over the last five months that have left me utterly breathless.
In Serbia:
I had the honor of working at a teenage camp where I helped with a photography workshop, played lots of games, danced in the rain, and shared pieces of my story. I also got to visit a precious soul who I met months before in Texas and the Lord allowed me to meet again on the other side of the world.
In Romania:
I helped with a kid’s club where we gathered children at an old soccer stadium and sang songs, played games, and shared bible stories with them. I cleaned up trash, passed out bibles, and prayed over many hearts. I also stood in front of an entire church and shared fragile pieces of my heart.
In Greece:
I walked along stunningly beautiful shores, swam in dazzling blue waters, watched the fiery sunrise, and jumped off of a cliff into the majestic waves of the Mediterranean.
In Bulgaria:
I traveled to a city where no World Race team has ever gone and helped find ministry contacts for the World Race to send future teams to. We arrived not knowing a soul, and left with many dear friends. Here I also met another captivating soul who was constantly bursting with joy and the Lord allowed me to briefly glimpse the world through her wonder-struck eyes.
In Macedonia:
I taught English to Albanian Muslims and shared to gospel with strangers on the streets of Skopje. I also witnessed a proclaimed Atheist give his life to Jesus.
Now, I find myself closing the year in Zambia, Africa where I helped run a Vacation Bible School for teenage orphans, evangelized in villages with 64 children trailing behind us as we shouted Christmas carols in the dirt streets.
It is also here that I was able to visit one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World! I climbed across Victoria Falls with my shoes in hand because it felt as though I was walking across holy ground. I swam in Devil’s Pool that poured out over the falls, and then jumped off of a bridge and fell 333 ft. downward toward the Zambezi River.
As I sift through the final pages of this year, I am simply overcome with the cascade of wonder that has flooded every crack and space of my heart. There have been many ever-changing happenings that have quite literally brought me to my knees. However, in praying over The Wonder Year, I am struck by the thought that this year was not necessarily unique in the many wonders themselves, but simply in my attentiveness to them. The Lord has kissed my eyes to awaken my soul and behold his glory across greater heights and through further depths. He has wrapped me in wonder in order to bring me to a posture of awareness that has carried me to a place of unequivocal reverence. So the spirit of The Wonder Year continues in vigilance and anticipation of the unfolding wonders that are yet to come!
