Well, it’s one week until I leave for the World Race, and many people have been asking me how I feel. That is a hard question to answer, as I have every emotion swirling around inside of me. I can’t pick just one. So as I was sitting here thinking about how I am, I decided that I feel like I’m about to give birth. Many people have compared the World Race to childbearing, but that is because it is perfect.
You conceive this dream and you are excited about it. As it grows in you, you are ecstatic and terrified and thankful that while it is inside of you, for the most part it is safe. You plan for it, prepare for it, can’t stop thinking about it, pray over it, etc. You look to the future and you get nervous that it is coming soon, but then you bring yourself back to the present and try to enjoy where you are, knowing that it’s still a ways away. Well, the future comes faster than you think, and you get emotional knowing this thing that has only been a dream for the past nine months is about to become a reality. The fears you’ve been having come into the forefront of your mind, and although you are scared to face them, you know that they will become the sweetest times and the greatest lessons that you will encounter. You are afraid to push because you know that you can’t go back. Once you push, you have a commitment for the next 11 months (and beyond as you process what just happened). No one made you do this. You chose it. You realize that no matter how many people gave you advice, no matter how much time you’ve spent praying about it, no matter how prepared you think you are, you are still not ready. There are things you will face that you won’t know how to deal with, and they will only be done with the help of the Lord.
The beauty of giving birth is that in the end there is always a beautiful miracle. So bring it on, I’m getting ready to push…
