It’s been a year to the day that I first left North American
soil for the Race. Being back in the USA for awhile has given me some time to
think about the last year. I wish I could put everything I learned in a blog
post. Yet here’s the funny thing. . .
I’m still learning.
I think a lot of people who go on the race take the 11monts
to look for something. At least, that’s what I did. I originally started the
race because I felt led to missions, and I wondered if maybe I went to 11
different countries and participated in 11 different ministries, I’d find my
calling in life. Maybe I’d finally figure out who God was in relation to me.
Maybe I’d make a few friends, see a few places, and do a few really cool
things. I had NO idea that ALL of those
things would come true, and then some.
I learned EXACTLY who I am, what I’m SUPPOSED to do, and WHO
I’m supposed to be. And even with all of
that. . .
I’m still learning.
I wondered what it would be like to have a healthy family,
one who pushes and pulls. A family that loves and respects, and even though we
are all fallen image bearers, still be able to love one another like our
heavenly Father loves us. Going from
Stranger to Family in less than a year was one of the hardest things I ever
experienced, and learning to love them without condition was easily the most
difficult thing to do. . . and you guessed it.
I’m still learning.
So, where do I go from here? Now that the 11 months is over,
EVERYONE is asking what I plan to do, where I plan to go, and what God’s got in
store for me. I don’t even know if I’m any closer to discovering that than I
was before the Race. Yet, in this moment, I’m glad for that. I am glad that
I’ve learned to live in the Spirit, trusting God to tell me what He wants me to
do, trusting Him with my needs, whether they be emotional, physical, and
spiritual. Even though I’ve learned so much, the point is,
I’m still learning.
That’s the point. This race isn’t over, not yet. Not for me.
Sure, I’m done gallivanting around the world for awhile, I may not see the rest
of O Squad until we’re sharing a cup of resurrection wine at the Feast of The
Lamb. Yet, I KNOW for a fact, that even Paul talked about a race. He talked
about it MULTIPLE times. 1 Corinthians 9:24 states: Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one
receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And 2 Timothy 4:7
talks about the end of Paul’s life: I
have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
I find it ironic how even Philippians 3:14 says: I press on to reach the end of the race and
receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
This leads me to believe that all of us, Brothers and
Sisters, are running a race. Some of us just happened to go on a trip called “The
World Race,” but we mustn’t forget that our race didn’t start June 16th,
2010. And it didn’t end May 12th, 2011. It started years ago, the day
I heeded the call to follow Christ, and it will end only God knows when, (cliché
but true) as the end of my life.
So may I never stop serving. May I never stop loving. May I
never stop learning.
May I never stop running.
