I'm sitting on the couch running through all the catchy phrases I could begin this post with, and all I keep coming back to is the game. Right now, Arizona State is playing our biggest rivals-and I'm missing it. That puts me thinking in metaphorical terms. About how we're all in a battle right this very moment. Swords blazing around us. Infantries of horses and angels against the enemy. Can you imagine? That's all we can do. For now. But we're actually in it right now. Fighting.
I haven't been up to much since I last posted shortly after joining route 3, July. That is, if you don't count getting fired then getting two new jobs a week later. Scrambling to send out all my support letters. Or giving myself an impromptu bang trim in the bathroom that lead me to momentarily consider a career in hair cutting. But I have been learning a LOT. One of the lessons I learned came in a package wrapped in encouragement. For the past couple months I had lost some of the exuberance that gushed out whenever I though of the Race. I became discouraged by a side comment by a half-supportive friend, but God has used many more friends to restore that excitement and encourage me doubly.
You remember that battle I mentioned? Well I want to get back to talking about that and I'll magically tie these two paragraphs together. Did you know angels are in awe of us? Yeah, they just find it awing that we can give everything, whole heartedly trusting a God we can't see. They just look at our faith and praise Him. Well that's when the enemy is most fearful. When we don't feel like obeying, we can't find a sign to fill our doubts, and we are so tired we feel like giving up; but we don't. We keep the faith. This is a powerful weapon against the enemy and he can't do anything about it.
The encouragement I needed came just in time to get me back in the game and fighting. Let me share some moments with you. When I mention the race, my face lights up and my friends want to know more. I get to share with them why I'm going, what I'm doing, and it's amazing! They have this awe like they can only imagine what I'm actually going to do. I hear them say, "I want to do that!" I hope they do. Then sometimes they turn to me and tell me it's so encouraging to them to see me doing the World Race. That their faith is actually strengthened by watching me willingly give everything to follow Jesus. That's when I know I'm a warrior.
We not only need to fight and keep the faith, but we need to fight to encourage our brothers and sisters. We are a body. One. And we all affect one another. So I encourage you to fight and keep the faith, no matter what, for the sake of your family. Shine bright, even when you think no one is looking. Be stoked! Let your joy spill out. Don't stop telling the stories of your struggles as well as your triumphs. Don't let others discourage you. Even when you feel alone, remember that you have a whole family fighting with you, and you have the sovereign God fighting for you, in a battle that HE has already one. Go be a warrior! : )
