Why am I here? It’s about the halfway point on my journey so far with The World Race and I can’t help but think of that some days. Not in a way of why am I here and I want to leave, but I ask that in my daily life on the race to realize why am I truly doing this. Why would I leave a job with benefits? Why would I give up my comfortable lifestyle? Why would I leave my family and friends? Why am I here on The World Race? At the beginning of this journey I came with the sense of I am doing this because this is what God has called me to do. Through the past 5 months I have learned so much and in honor of the 5 months I’ve been on the race, I have 5 things I have learned so far on the Race. It’s been 5 months but I have learned a lot already.
1. GODS PLAN FOR MY LIFE IS BIGGER THAN I EVER COULD’VE THOUGHT.
Looking back I thought my life should be a certain way. I would’ve been married at this time and would’ve had kids and a job that paid the bills. I was going to be at job I liked and I would be living a good life. God pretty much took those plans I had and threw them out the window. He has shown me yes those are things you wanted and things that are good, but right now that’s not the season I’ve called you to. I have called you to a purpose much higher and greater. I have called you to go to the nations and proclaim my name and to show my people love like they have never seen.
2. LOVE NEEDS NO TRANSLATION
Through all the countries I’ve been to on the race so far I haven’t had the best language skills. If any honestly. I have struggled with talking and getting my point across to who I was talking to. I’ve found out, I don’t need to know the language to show them love. Words are great but when you truly show love through your actions, they speak so much louder. I have talked about Colombia and how I love those kids. Most of these kids came from broken homes. Homes where drugs and violence was in their daily lives. When I would just show them love by playing a game or holding them, I could see the glow in their eyes. It wasn’t my words that touched this kids lives, it was Christ’s love in me that they were seeing. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14
3. COMMUNITY IS A VALUABLE THING
Being around a community of believers has been a huge impact on my life. Surround yourself with like minded believers and you will grow so much. Back home I was in good community but I had times where I wasn’t being lifted up, I was being brought down. In a previous blog I talked about surrounding myself with people who didn’t believe and were bad influences on my life. The community I was around wasn’t healthy for me and wasn’t helping me grow in Christ, it was taking me away. On the race I’ve had people who push me harder than I’ve ever been pushed. I have people when I’m down they pick me up. When I am slacking they tell me. We worship together, we minister together, and we grow together. Building each other up in Christ.
4. GOD IS EVERYWHERE
God is the same God who dwells in America as the God who dwells in Peru. Every country I have gone to, I have seen the face of God. Through the people I have encountered and the experiences I have had. From a boy giving me his toy, to a woman in my English class telling me about her faith and her family. God is doing big things in the world. When we step out of our comforts and step out into the world we see God in ways we never thought we would.
5. I AM MORE THAN A CONQUEROR
I have learned through this trip that I am weak. The good news to that is that through Christ I can do anything. This race hasn’t been easy by any means. If I was doing this on my own I would break so quickly. I have a God in me that is bigger than my troubles and bigger than the circumstances that come my way. God tells me I am a warrior and I am a conqueror. It is so reassuring to know that through him I can do anything. If God is for me who can be against me. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is on Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 8: 37-39
It’s been a crazy couple of months but with God I know the next half of my race will be something special. God has continued to meet me and show me things he has for my life. He shows me everyday how great He is and with him I will continue to run the race he has me in and I will continue to show His love to the nations and proclaim His name to the world.
