March 13- Accepted to the World Race
July 14- Training Camp
August 29- 6 Days from Launch!
As my time has quickly ticked away this past 6 months, I sit here with less than a week before I leave on The World Race. How is it already here? The most asked questions I seem to get this last couple of weeks have been:
# 1. When do you go? [I answer, “___ days” = their faces turn to raised eyebrows, open mouth, and all the air sucked out of room.]
# 2. Are you ready? [Silence… “um…yes” has become my reply]
I wish I could answer that better, but it is honestly an “um…yes” question at this point. Honestly, I have spent many hours trying to get that answer to be an overwhelming “YES, BRING IT ON!” but I just seem to be missing something.
My days, nights and any free time were filled with reading numerous packing blogs that every World Race Alumni seems to write along the way. I think I read close to 15 when I realized some things.
I can read blog after blog, check and double check all the lists I have printed out, go to 100 Wal-Mart’s to find the exact travel surge protector every racer told me to bring, but here is the deal EVERY RACER IS DIFFERENT…
one racer might want tissue not tolient paper
one racer might like a good sleeping bag over a good tent
one racer might think movies are more important than music
one racer needs a pillow, while one needs moisture socks
BUT WE HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON…….
EVERY RACER WILL FAIL.
This racer, Kate Nixon, will fail.
I will probably
…pack to many socks
…forget a travel pack of tissues
…print too many photos of home
…forget to talk to my bank about one country
…not make enough copies of my passport
…put the most important shirt at the bottom of my bag
…bring too many pillows
And I will also
…fail at trying to eat different foods for 11 months
…fail at leading my team through a hot sweaty mess of a train station to get to a new country
…fail at sharing the truth of Jesus to a young beggar woman
…fail at bartering for dinner many of nights
…fail at being human, and thinking I can do it on my own
F. Faithfully
A. Abide
I. In The
L. Lord
I WILL FAIL.
I AM CONFIDENT IN FAILING. I WANT TO FAIL.
F. Fully
A. Able
I. In The
L. Lord
FAIL.
And that is what hit me. After all my preparations to get ready for my departure in less than a week, I can read, pack, repack, shop, buy, read, pack, but I will never be ready until I come to grips that I will fail.
And I can’t wait, because when I know I will fail then I will…
…fail [Faithfully Abide In the Lord] to try to eat different foods for 11 months
…fail [be Fully Able In the Lord] at leading my team through a hot sweaty mess of a train station to get to a new country
…fail [Faithfully Abide In the Lord] at sharing the truth of Jesus to a young beggar woman
…fail [be Fully Able In the Lord] at bartering for dinner many of nights
…fail [Faithfully Abide In the Lord] at being human, and thinking I can do it on my own
Now that I can see exactly what is on my preparations list, I am faithfully abiding in the Lord as my days go down…6…5…4…3…2…1…
