Well, here comes the end of my World Race journey with F Squad.
SWAGGGGG!!!!!
It’s very weird to think that on Thursday I will be sleeping in my own bed after sleeping on kitchen floors in India, in tents on the side of Himalayan Mountains, and under mosquito nets in Africa (Still got malaria three times though, haha)
Those day dreams I had in school have finally become a reality in my life. I have rafted the Nile, bungee jumped between two Himalayan Mountains, saw the most beautiful sun rise over the ancient ruins of Angkor Watt, drove mopeds across the beauty of Vietnam, explored ancient castles of Latvia and Estonia, and so much more!
I experienced God move in ways I thought impossible. As if the book of Acts is still being written to this day, and I am blessed to be one of the characters. I saw a Hindu man hear the gospel for the first time and break down in tears, I let God lead me to a woman and her son sleeping in the trash pits of Vietnam so that I could give her son cookies for his birthday (way more to that story though), saw an African woman on her deathbed get healed, I got to comfort people dying of AIDS, and kiss so many orphans.
I had so little this year, but I was never in need. I lived in a community that loved unconditionally. My F Squad is no longer just some random group of people on facebook, they are my family. I know the past struggles of almost every single person on my squad, I know things that their families don’t even know. Together we’ve been buffeted by the fickle winds of failure, experienced the excruciating refining flames of our Father, received the unconditional love of a God who says we are His BELOVED, and now it is time for the next chapter in our lives. Hand in hand we have all gone from glory to glory.
It will be difficult to come back to America, I have so many emotions coursing through my body right now…..
Joy
Fear
Excitement
Sadness
Hope
Doubt
Anxiety
Peace
I know it is time for this chapter to come to an end, but what’s weird is that while I am coming home it feels as if I am just coming to another country in need of a radical love. A country that must surrender the philosophy of the sword and receive the cross.
While I have family, friends, 20 years of memories in America, and a passport that declares me to be a US citizen, America is no longer my home. God has done such an exponential amount of work in my mind, heart, and soul. Look, I love America, but it is not my home. Peter calls us aliens and strangers, sojourners and exiles of this world. I finally understand this at such a deep level in my heart. I have come to value what America calls pitiable and suspect what America calls desirable.
We are called to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth here and now as Christians. It is not some far off ideal place where we float around on clouds. I have been thrown into the kingdom of heaven this past year. The floor boards of heaven are cracking and the beauty of the kingdom is spreading all across the globe. My citizenship is in heaven, my allegiance is to God, and I will always say “yes” to my King, my Father, my Love, my Jesus.
I’ve been through so much this year, I don’t even know where to begin. I will miss this. It was easily the greatest year of my life that has laid such a firm foundation of truth in Christ. I know who I am and many great things will come from this year.
Here is a video one of my best friends Lizi made. It’s just full of great pictures and events from the past 11 months.
THE END
