This is really happening.
The World Race has gone from a dream that I thought was out of my reach to a reality of God’s provision and grace. In 3 days I am officially launching on this crazy journey, this adventure of a lifetime.
Preparing to leave has been exciting but also emotionally exhausting, I first said goodbye to family, friends and home in Swaziland, then I said goodbye to all my friends in North Carolina and now I am saying goodbye to my community here in Atlanta. But in the wise words of Winnie the Pooh, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
I have no idea what the next 11 months will hold, but I know Who holds me.
Do you have any advice for me before I embark on my expedition? I would absolutely love to hear it in the comments section below. In the mean time, I have some advice from my pre-launch self to my World Race self:
Let go of your expectations for this journey, increase your expectations of God.
There are going to be days when the World Race is not at all what you imagined, but there are also days when it will by far exceed your greatest expectations. You can either go on the World Race and simply experience it for what you think it will be. Or, you can use it as the vehicle to take you to deeper places in your relationship with God, deeper places within yourself and deeper places in the lives of others across the globe.
The World Race is not the greatest life experience you will ever have. The best is still yet to come. Our view of God is often altogether too small. Increase your expectations of what He is able to do now and throughout the rest of your life, increase your expectations for Him to answer bold prayers, increase your expectations of how God can impact a single life or an entire nation.
Make time for the One so you can encounter the one.
If you try to do this journey on your own strength, you will quickly experience a burnout. Be diligent to give out of the overflow in your own relationship with God. Having patience with others comes from knowing how patient Abba has been with you, loving others deeply comes from the depths of Love you have experienced, forgiving freely comes from knowing that you have been freely forgiven.
Give all of your attention to the people you will encounter. Respect them by listening and learning more than you talk and teach. Honour them by giving more than you take. Be generous with your time, resources, love and gifts. Every movement starts with a moment, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to encounter each one of those moments.
Count it all joy!
Stop complaining. Start being thankful in every moment. There is value in every experience. Make time to reflect on what you can learn from the trials and tribulations, what is God teaching you in the very moment you feel like giving up.
Count it all joy! When your layover goes from being 8 hours to 18 hours, count it all joy! When you’re freezing your butt off or sweating bullets, count it all joy! When you’re struggling to connect with your team, choose to press in more, fight for community and count it all joy! When you’re so heartbroken by the injustice of our world, trust that this life is but a vapour, trust in the One who will bring Justice and count it all joy!
Drop the walls and let people see you and your heart.
Take the plunge into 30 seconds of bravery and be vulnerable! Your story matters. It is worth being told. Let people into the parts of your life that may be ugly but experience freedom from shame by bringing it into the light. Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know and don’t have it all figured out. Step out in faith to be the person God made you to be. Stop striving for others’ and God’s approval, rest in knowing that you are already loved, accepted and valued by your heavenly Father.
Be present now. Be present now. Be present now.
Open your eyes to the beauty around you, open your ears to the things that people are not saying, invest in the work you are doing, where you are doing it right now. Stop wasting your time wishing for what was or what will be – you’re missing out on what God has for you in the very present moment. Soak in the beauty of magnificent sunrises and sunsets and engage the community you are in right now.
Find out more about the barista at the local coffee shop, get to know your neighbours and listen to the stories of the crazy old woman at the market. Even when it is difficult, don’t check out – press in! Be present in the pain, experience it, learn from it and grow because of it. The day this 11 months starts is a day closer to it ending, don’t waste any of it!
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Thank you so much to all of you who have helped get me here! I am so deeply grateful. Leave me your pearls of wisdom! If you haven’t already, I hope you will consider partnering with me today to help me leave fully funded!
