I believe in the power of story-it can inspire, change lives, and even shift eternal destiny. Don't believe me? Listen to this story.
Josh and I used to subscribe to Relevant Magazine. One night, in May 2011, I sat at home alone, and excitedly opened my new copy of Relevant. Inside, there was an article about this guy that went on the World Race. I had forgotten about the Race, which I had heard about a year earlier. After reading the article, getting so excited about it that I drove to Barnes and Noble to use the internet to look up the website, and telling Josh about it that night when he got home from work, we were signed up three days later.
Fast forward to February 2013, and we found ourselves at debrief on Pangkor Island, Malaysia. After almost two years of fundraising, we were still coming up $10,000 short of the $31,000 that we needed to raise for the Race. AIM had given us so much grace, but with that much of a defecit, it was time to go home. We had two days, and then we would be on a plane back to the States, as our squadmates went on to Cambodia. It was heartbreaking. Our squad refused to let us go home, and in 5 minutes, they had collectively given $12,000 of their own money (read the incredible story here). I wrote a blog about it, which now has over 2,000 views, and countless people have been inspired and encouraged by the story. It was also a featured blog on the World Race homepage, which reached and inspired even more people.
Because we were fully funded, we were able to continue on to the next month, month 7 of the Race in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Towards the end of the month, Cheyanne and I sat in a frozen yogurt shop in the mall, checking emails and surfing Facebook. I came across a blog from a former squadmate on F Squad, about he and his team's ministry in Kenya-living and working with the Maasai people in Maasai Mara. I showed his blog to Cheyanne, and we were inspired to try to make this ministry happen for our team. We emailed our squad leader, and the Lord lined everything up for us to go there, just in time.
In a couple of weeks, we were headed out to the Mara. Just imagine where people take safaris, and that's Maasai Mara. All around you, there are beautiful clouds in the sky, mountains on one side, flat expanse on another, flat topped trees. The Maasai people are colorful (literally-they wear colorful shawls, and tons of beaded jewelry), generous, and hospitable. We lived literally right around the corner from the game reserve, where people actually take safaris.
We worked with Pastor Samuel, teaching in the school, preaching in the church, helping at the medical clinic, and also doing community outreach to neighboring villages. After walking for about half an hour, we reached the village.
As they served us lunch (our second that day…which we struggled to get down since our first lunch had only been an hour before, haha), I looked over at Josh. He had been asked to preach, and he was flipping through his Bible.
"What are you going to speak on?" I asked him.
"I'm not sure. I have a couple of ideas, but I think I'll just let the Spirit lead."
This was surprising to me, because usually he likes to be really prepared. We were supposed to start in about 5 minutes, so I just told him ok. I was slightly nervous for him (as wives usually are when their husband is putting himself out there), but I knew that he has good knowledge to share.
He ended up speaking on Hebrews 2, about our inheritance as sons and daughters of the King, and how as believers, we are co-heirs with Christ. As he was speaking, and the translator was translating first into Swahili, and then into Maa, I was proud of Josh.
His message came to a close, and the leader asked if there was anyone who had heard the Word and wanted to give their life to Christ. A woman stood up and came to the front, knelt down, and prayed to receive Jesus.
I couldn't stop smiling. Inside, my heart was dancing, not only because we just gained a new sister in Christ, and the angels in Heaven were rejoicing, but because I felt so justified in that moment. The Lord had literally spoken through my husband to draw his daughter to Him. This woman's life was why we were allowed to stay on the Race. God has known since the beginning of time that we would be in that place, at that moment in time, and that she would be sitting there, hearing His word. And, He used all of these stories along the way to get us to that afternoon on the hillside in Maasai Mara, with thunder rolling in the distance, and us rejoicing on Earth as it is in Heaven.
I still get excited when I think about that afternoon, and the chain of events that led us there. Story is powerful, so share yours! Live a good story, and tell people about it. The impact that it can make is simply incredible.
