1. Nutella makes life better
2. A good pair of tennis shoes is priceless
3. I can never have too many water flavor packets
4. Blog title inspirations can come at any time
5. There is no such thing as a “perfect” ministry contact, focusing on the things I don’t like is detrimental to my ministry
6. My team is like my family
7. My alone time is when I watch excessive amounts of TV shows and movies on my computer
8. Electronics are easily broken/stolen but it is only a thing- life goes on
9. Being sick in another country is no fun
10. The World Race requires endurance just like a real race does. 11 months is a really long time
11. It’s not easy to hand wash clothes in buckets or a sink finding a washing machine is almost like Christmas
12. Snacks are way cheaper in other countries
13. It’s ok to cry
14. I’m so glad I have my smart phone to snapchat and talk to friends and family when I have internet
15. Making sure my phone can actually connect to the internet before deciding to buy something at the restaurant is smart
16. Travel days are stressful
17. The world is a loud place, cherish the quiet when it’s there
18. One person’s thoughts and convictions do not have to be mine
19. God never leaves me, He’s always there in every situation
20. I’m not all that different from my peers; we all struggle with similar things and believe similar lies about ourselves. There is a lot of freedom in sharing these things and working together to live out truth
21. It’s a privilege to work for the Lord and not for my own gain
22. Off days can sometimes be more stressful than days of ministry
23. It is always exciting to see familiar products in little stores in the middle of nowhere
24. A lot of people in other countries think running for exercise is weird and stare at me funny when I do it 25. I can learn so much from my squad if I am willing
26. Age doesn’t really matter
27. It is awesome to get to know people in the community I live in and be an example of God’s love to them 28. God does big things every day
29. Journaling will help me remember things I did when I get old
30. The world is so beautiful, I am so blessed to be able to see it
31. A lot of people get tattoos and piercings on the race and don’t die
32. It’s ok to take time to do my own thing
33. Working out is important but it’s no easier to do it here than it is at home
34. Fundraising is hard, but God promises to provide for His children
35. Times of worship are some of the most beautiful moments of the Race
36. Going on the World Race doesn’t turn me into a Jungle Jane- I’m still myself
37. It’s better to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing than to question everything
38. International flights are awesome
39. Missionaries can have nice things too
40. God blesses me all the time- it’s the best
41. It’s hard to have a good attitude all the time in every situation, but it doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t try
42. The backseat of a van or bus is really bumpy
43. There are a lot of stray dogs in Central America
44. I’m getting used to the water or electricity not working when I want it to, it seems to happen a lot and getting mad about it doesn’t help it to start working again
45. Baby wipes are not just for babies
46. Movie nights are the best
47. Team time is priceless
48. You can’t beat the fruit smoothies in Central America
49. It’s really sad to see small children trying to sell things on the street to provide for their families
50. Mirrors are few and far between, I never knew the one I brought would get so much use
51. Sharing is caring
52. No job is too small, working at whatever I am given to the best of my ability is bringing glory to God
53. When in doubt, it’s always best to go to the bathroom before we leave, I never know what the next available bathroom will look like
54. Pictures preserve the moment, and there are so many moments worth preserving
55. Laughing and having fun is so important
56. Each day is what I make of it
57. The world is full of people who need hope, they need Jesus
58. God uses a lot of ways to talk to me like situations, people, and the Bible
59. I’m not perfect, but I don’t have to be
60. Eating fruit and vegetables is really important and worth spending extra money on
61. Each month is so different and holds new challenges
62. God has given me authority and I need to use it
63. Different doesn’t mean wrong
64. It’s hard to remember not to throw toilet paper in the toilet at first
65. Drinking soda out of glass bottles is fun
66. Being fully present each day is the best way to live
67. The work I am doing today is preparing me for the work I will do tomorrow and each day that follows
68. Too many people on one internet connection is frustrating and makes it really slow
69. Cleaning my Nalgene water bottle is really important because it gets gross really fast
70. They sell shampoo in every country, no need to stock up on every toiletry before leaving America
71. When a street dog follows my team to school for the day it’s not really a big deal
72. There are so many people living in poverty with dirty clothes and little food, it is very sad
73. When I leave one country to go to the next there is still more to do, I can never do enough to satisfy every need, only God can
74. Having church doesn’t require a church building
75. Celebrating Holidays in different countries is a lot of fun
76. Learning about different cultures first hand is priceless
77. Churches in Central America like to play their music really loud
78. Beeping the car horn at people and other cars can mean hello, get out of the way, or hurry up, or sometimes I think they just honk to see if it’s still working
79. Sleeping in the same room as several other people is not always fun, it only takes one person that snores! (ipods help tremendously)
80. Animals are really noisy… roosters crowing, dogs barking, and sheep baaaing at all hours of the day and night
81. I always want what I can’t have, I’m trying to learn to be happy with what I have because the grass is not always greener
82. My words are powerful, I need to use them to uplift and encourage
83. I need to blog more, I want everyone to know about the amazing things God is doing and be a part of this journey with me
84. My parents are amazing people and I am so blessed to have their support and love because there are many Racers that don’t have that
85. Wearing the same clothes several days in a row is acceptable and normal
86. Chacos are awesome
87. Sharing movies between computers is fantastic
88. Figuring out the different conversion rates each month is a little confusing at first
89. Shoving a ton of stuff into my daypack and purse is really helpful for travel days and every day
90. Community becomes close just like family
91. Time flies when you’re having fun
92. New clothes or accessories are exciting
93. Foreign money feels like monopoly money and not real money because it’s different and colorful
94. Pigs and cows being walked on a leash down the road is kind of normal
95. Cars can get super close together on a road and almost touch, it scares me sometimes
96. People are really weird about change, paying with big bills is an annoyance and people get mad even if I pay with a bill worth $20 USD
97. It is rare to find a street name or house numbers and the postal service is very different
98. Lack of information is a normal thing, I have to just go with the flow and be ok with whatever happens
99. Made up sign language is the best way to communicate things to people who don’t understand English
100. I have a choice to make each morning, I can choose to be happy and have a good day or let difficult circumstances dictate my mood and steal my joy
These thoughts and many more are things that have gone through my head during these past 3 and a half months on the World Race. My thoughts and perspectives are continually being shaped and molded and I know that I have much more to learn and that there are many more thoughts to come as I continue on the next 7 months of this journey.
