At the beginning of the Race, I asked Jesus, good friends, and yours truly: what sort of change needs to happen?…“What is God eager to do in me this year?”
Looking back, again, I am very encouraged at what He has done in me. I’ve become more of a man who is:
1) –less concerned with what people think and more concerned with what the Lord thinks—not motivated by competition or comparison but by the Lord
2) –willing to take greater risks to get closer to the Lord—more concerned with character rather than comfort
3) –has a great understanding of how to encourage my sisters in particular after walking with many sweet sisters this past year
Lessons learned:
I often point out inconsistencies in others’ lives when simply frustrated they exist in me
You don’t know people’s stories—you have no idea where they’ve come from and what they’ve come out of
Learn lessons well the first time—dig in and learn them or He’ll have to return to them
If I don’t desire heavenly things than I am shortchanging heaven
He’s already forgiven me everything I’ve done and everything I might or could or will do- stop bringing up things He’s already covered
This past year I went to 15 countries, ate a fried tarantula, spent New Year’s in Bangkok, slept in slums, dug a French drain on top of a mountain, and sat courtside at a Filipino professional basketball game. And, those are just a few of the memories running through my mind presently; there are so many more that I will guard for years to come.
Really, I went around the world to learn a few simple things:
What is my chief aim, today? To love God and love others.
It’s not about you.
Stop trying to break free and live free.
Why do we make it so complicated? Why do I allow confusion to settle in to decision-making and interactions with others? Why do churches talk about so many steps?
One step process for life: Jesus.
