This is the story of 5 strangers picked to live together and have their lives transformed. To find out what happens when people stop hiding and start living. The World Race-Untamed Passion.
It's month three on the Race. Around this time the quirks we thought we could handle starry to get a little annoying. The fifth time you have to pick up their nail clippings, you start to doubt the whole servant hearted mentality. When they ask for one of your precious Oreos, you think twice before giving them one. And when the question about where to eat is posed, the response "I don't care" doesn't cut it anymore.
We have had three months together. Three months to appreciate that we aren't as similar as we originally thought. Three months to discover just how much junk we have to deal with in our own lives. And Three months to realize there is no such thing as a perfect team,
The past three months have been a rollercoaster ride of emotions for team Untamed Passion (UP). It started out rough in Thailand. Got better in Cambodia. And now in Vietnam we are challenged once again.
With each challenge comes the realization that community is a lot like the transformation of coal to a diamond. As cheesy as that analogy is, it’s true.
Community hurts. Buttons are pushed and old wounds are opened so healing can take place. Our pride is broken as we finally understand our way is always the best way.
With the pressure comes refinement. And eventually a diamond is formed. As small as that diamond may seem, it’s bringing beauty to a place where there was none before.
This month UP has realized communication and vulnerability are necessities in healthy community. Most of us haven’t been communicating with the team about how we are feeling. We are too afraid of hurting feelings or making others uncomfortable. All the while hurt and anger are building up inside us.
We just assume, “they should know how I am feeling. My friends at home did.” But the truth is, they aren’t friends from home. In order for the team to know we are hurt, we need to be vulnerable and communicate.
We have all received the grace of the Father. And when we adopt his identity of grace, we then become dispensers of that grace.
We, as a team, have had to grasp that it is okay to be honest with the team. In fact it is best when we are. Keeping hurt inside only hurts us. We have had to trust that what we have to say will be received with grace.
This process has been hard and stressful. But the diamonds are coming. There is still progress that needs to be made. But the best thing about UP is that we all want to be closer to Papa. We are women who aren’t afraid of the pressure because we know it will produce beautiful results .
Now, in the moment, we hate it. But we don’t live for the moment. We live for the one who created the moment. We know that He designed it so that we would come out looking more like Him, a little bit shinier.
(sorry there are no pictures. Internet is really slow.)
This is the first of what I hope is a series of blogs dedicated to true story of living in community. My hope is that future racers will read this and have a better understanding of what they are in for, and for current racers to be comforted by the fact that they aren’t alone in their struggles as a team.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. You have no idea how much it means. I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment or email me! Every time I get an email it is like Christmas!
