I've really loved it, what can I say.
It was hard at first, but then I learned to play.
With my brothers and my sisters in community,
Learning how to love them as family.
We traveled the world, here and there,
Giving God's love out everywhere.
Sometimes it was easy, and sometimes tough,
But my God and my team were always enough,
To be what I needed to be the best me,
To walk in freedom of responsibility.
I've 86’d labels and how to do it "right,"
Learning to walk by faith and not by sight.
At times a finger and at times the mouth,
All the while, proud to be a girl from the south.
I boast in my weakness, I'm not afraid of my strength.
The Lord's shaped and shined what's underneath.
I wouldn't change a thing and I know it's true,
I couldn't have run this Race without each one of you.
A gift to me from above,
My J-squad and my team "Just Love."
This was my poem to my leaders and my team at our final debrief. This was the only way I could sum up what these past 11 months have meant to me…. so many memories, so many lessons learned, too many things to say, not enough words to express what's in my heart.
On this journey, The Lord has used His creation, His children, and this world He loves to disciple me. I have grown in my spiritual disciplines, learning more about my spiritual gifts, understanding the Church and the Body of Christ more and more, and fallen in love with the global family of God. Everywhere I traveled, I've had family because God is everywhere. I've seen His light shine in some of the darkest places on earth, and I've witnessed His power like never before. But what stands out to me the most, is that this adventure in missions has made me more human. I have a greater knowledge of why Jesus had to come to earth and live as a man, with human limitations… geographical limitations, relational limitations, power limitations… Jesus could do nothing outside of what Father God did through Him; that's why He told the disciples that they would do even greater things than He did, why He told them it was better for Him to ascend to Heaven so the Holy Spirit would come to give them power. What I've experienced these last 11 months is that God's heart is to understand us and love us, so Jesus had to be human.
My journey around the world has made me more human, and with that my perspectives, perceptions, and ideals have collided with grace, understanding, and love. I have learned to love better, and that includes myself. There is power in love. It will love you into new things you never thought possible, and it will love the hurt, brokenness, pain, hopelessness, perfectionist, and legalist right out of you! God's love truly helps us in every way possible. And it is just. For experiencing true love makes me WANT to be holy and honest and righteous and pure and REAL!
Final thought… God taught me a lot about the supernatural and spiritual stuff, but where I really saw Jesus was in my relationships. Relationships, family, friendships are important to God. He loves on us through each other. That's where my J-squad and my team "Just Love" come in. They were Jesus with skin on to me… they discipled me the most. I learned that I needed them, that I needed others, that I'm not supposed to do life by myself. I knew that in theory before the Race… I know that in my heart and in reality now. If we take care of each other in the Body, we can be a healthier Body to take the Church out of the building and into the world. That's not by pretending that we're "okay," that's by being open and raw and allowing us to love each other well with grace and accountability- joy with joys, sorrow with sorrows, holding hands in the valleys, encouraging each other in the climb, and celebrating together on the mountaintops. Family. God's family, growing Heaven.
To my squad and my team…. Cheers! We did it!!! …"Y'all!" ;D
To my friends and my family at home…. No words will ever fully describe my gratitude to our Lord for you.
To my supporters and blog followers… A thousand thank-you's!!! Seriously. You rock!
“In friendship…we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years’ difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another…the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting–any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” can truly say to every group of Christian friends, “Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another.” The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others.” -C.S. Lewis
Run on my friends! There's a world out there to win and it's a glorious adventure! 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Jesus Christ is real and He really loves you!
Big, BIG hugs and an abundance of love to you,
monica
