Sitting around a small round table at Huddle House, I am staring at 6 of the most influential people in my life in the last year. Virtually strangers when we left America, and now I can’t live life without them.
A year ago I stepped into the Atlanta airport, unsure of what the Lord was calling me into. Unsure of the people I just introduced myself to. And thinking, ‘What did I sign up for?’
Fast forward a year later and I’m having a (self-induced) group hug outside of this pancake house in Georgia. My coaching group, consisting of 5 women that were on my team and our Squad leader, had been debriefing the past month and the sessions themselves at Project Searchlight.
This past week we have had a full week with some amazing speakers and information packed sessions. Each and every one of the speakers have taken me on a journey, and have me desiring more of the Lord. They are each filled with knowledge and passion for the Kingdom, it just can’t help but overflow. Thanks to Travis, I can now use sentence. But they all exude the aroma of Christ. Meaning they walk into a room and you know without a shadow of a doubt that they love the Lord and the Lord is before them, after, around, and in them. These speakers have done something that we as racers learned on the race, vulnerability with others. They came to our Project Searchlight, and shared their hearts with us. And let me tell you, this isn’t easy! But they did, because they are a vessel in which the Lord uses.
We also had validation in the fact that we aren’t crazy. And it’s OK to be where we are in this season of uncertainty. But it also gave us the encouragement to continue to pursue the Kingdom in what areas God calls us into.
I was talking with Clint, one of the speakers who is…. famous around AIM. He has such a deep and personal relationship with his Heavenly Father, his best friend. Gives me chills. Also Clint is the one speaker who I was scared of his passion and what he was going to make us do throughout training camp. Shhh, don’t tell him. And now, post-Race, I am on the edge of my seat listening to him speak. Waiting for his little nuggets of truth and wisdom. But truthfully waiting to hear the Lord through him. But Clint was talking with a group of Y squaders (that’s a word to explain us right?!) and something he said stuck out to me. He was praying for us. He prayed weekly for our squad and that means me. This guy, who must have some other important things to do, is praying for me.
Let that sink in. This guy who I was intimated by a year ago, is praying for me. Me.
If you told me at training camp, I was being prayed for by Clint, or initiating a group hug with a bunch of women… I’d tell you “You are out of your mind crazy!”
Project Searchlight for me was an encouragement. For the little reminder of I am a daughter of the one true King, my Father. I have changed on the race. I am not defined by being a racer. PSL was a reminder that the race was only another step in furthering the Kingdom, not an end all be all. Reminder of why I enjoyed living with people… ALL THE TIME. (Well ok, not all the time, but why I love community!)
So from the outside, we were just 7 women catching dinner, having a few laughs. But it’s so much more. We are encouraging and uplifting each and every one. We are discussing hard topics and being vulnerable. Sharing our lives. We are together.
We started out strangers, barely remembering each other’s names. Comparing each other, comparing ourselves. And now we don’t call each other by their real name, because we made a better one. We can laugh and cry together, all in public. And we are celebrating our differences. We are celebrating the changes that the Lord brought into our lives. We are encouraging others in ways that I didn’t think was possible a year ago.
But to be honest, I came into a lot of truth during PSL. The race is such a time capsule for emotions and changes. It wasn’t until I spent a month away from everyone, back at my home life, that I could fully understand what happened to me. At Project Searchlight, these things were brought into the light. My conversations changed, my confidence changed, and my future changed.
So current racers, just read this part… GO TO PSL. Don’t question it, just make sure you say yes.
And thank you to Adventures for caring about me, and providing these resources. I’m beyond thankful for the past year, and the last week. And it all started with a dream. And a step of faith.
