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“Not much will change in the 11 months you are gone.”

 
 

HA!

 
 

Someone told me this before I left for the World Race. They said things would change for me while on the trip, but things at home would probably virtually be unchanged by the time I returned.

 

Well, since I and others on my squad have left home, so much has happened, and our world’s at home have been rocked.

 

Pets have died.

 

Friends have died.

 

Friends have run away from home.

 

Friends have turned away from the Lord.

 

Hearts have been broken.

 

Disasters have hit.

 

I have had my share of happinesses and heartaches. I have received information that has made me jump for joy and information that has left me in tears.

 

These past two days, I have been dealing with the latter, and it is just so hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when I am so far away from those I love.

 

So much has changed, and I know that, for me, things will be different when I return home. My little sister will be off to college a couple weeks after returning, which will be huge. I will miss my little sister so much, and I have already had to miss her for long enough. I also have NO IDEA what job will await me. I don’t know if I will coach or teach or substitute or tutor or volunteer or preach or ride my bike around America or return overseas or . . . . . . ..??? I have no idea which friendships will be the same and which will be different.

 

And I don’t WANT things to be completely different.

 

I don’t WANT things to completely change while I am away.

 

But, I am not the ultimate planner. GOD IS!!!

 

I want my friendships to be the same. I want to be around those I love that I have been gone from for so long.

 

But, WHAT DOES GOD WANT?

 
The other day, a preacher gave me a prophecy, and it rocked my world a bit. He said that I have the gift of wisdom and will be anointed with the gift of revelation. He said I will see into people’s lives and be better able to reach them. And he said that once this happens, I will become an even more powerful preacher. He said I will become an international preacher. I will be like a Joyce Meyers (If anyone knows who that is, PLEASE enlighten me). He said they will turn on their televisions, and BOOM, there I will be.

 
 

Okay, yeah. That would be awesome. I LOVE public speaking! I LOVE to preach! That would be a huge platform to be given to reach the world. I mean, honestly, that would be like a dream come true.

 

But at the same time, I miss my family. I don’t want to be traveling all around for the rest of my life. I want to be able to get attached to people and to a place and not have to pick up and leave every week or month.

 

This preacher also said that as God uses me, Satan will attack even harder. He said Satan will bring guys into my life that say they are men of God and that they love me, but they really don’t. All these will come before the right man comes.

 

Well, great! That sounds lovely. Just what I want. Just the way I would love to be attacked.

 

But, it isn’t about what I want at all, is it? It is about what God wants.

 

If it takes everything being turned all topsy turvy, I guess I will have to take it.

 

If it takes moving me around the world for the rest of my life, bring it on.

 

AND, EVEN If it takes being attacked spiritually, so be it.

 

I know I need to test every prophecy and see what God has to say about it, but it has just given me something to think about.

 

Could God REALLY use me in such a big way?

 

Could this World Race only be the start of big changes coming my way rather than just a little intermission in my ordinary life?

 

Can I really hold up even when everything here in Kampala and at home in Illinois appears to be utter chaos?

 

Can I really be okay when the future looks so uncertain?

 

YES. I CAN. AND I WILL.

 

With God by my side, “ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE,” even when the world appears to be a mess.

 
 
 

For those of you at home, I MISS YOU SO MUCH!

 

I know times are rough.

 

I know many of you have gone through times that have caused your hearts to break.

 

But DO NOT LOSE HEART!

 
GOD IS THERE!!
 
He is a forgiving, loving, faithful, and POWERFUL God. No matter what we do or where we go or what happens to us, HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US!!

 

 

And now, for a passage my family and I would memorize and recite on all of our biketrips, a passage that brought us through the toughest days and kept our focus on the one in control of our journey:

 

“I lift up my eyes to the hills–where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip–he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you–the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm–he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” -Psalm 121