Last Wednesday night (January 4th) my mom and I sat together until 2am in the morning trying to fit my life for the next 11 months into a backpack. Finally the task was completed, and I couldn’t have done it without her. The next morning with my favorite Denver breakfast burrito in hand, my parents and I headed to the airport. We must have hugged at least 100 times before they waved me through the security line. The longest we have ever been apart is 6 months at a time. My heart and soul will miss them, but I decided a long time ago that when I have that hurt deep down inside its actually a great thing because it only signifies to me that I have something great back home to miss.
After leaving Mom & Dad I spent 3 ½ days in Florida with my grandparents who then took me to my World Race launch location. Those 5 days of launch were amazing! I fell in love all over again with this organization. I felt so empowered. They speak with such a healthy and life giving spirit. They are always calling us upward in everything we do. It is a culture of high honor, high preference for others, high consideration, and high safety where you can feel free to be a person in process. I feel safe to be different from others and to explore the definition of God and who he is, not from what I just know about him or what I have been taught, but by who He shows me He is when I’m out here on the field. The mantel and authority I see on my leaders who are only in their late 20’s matches those of my greatest life heroes who are in their 50’s in 60’s. It is a true Timothy anointing that shows me that I too don’t have to wait till I am older to live my life in such a way that calls others higher. What a blessings to have our heroes shoulders to stand on.
Launch was fun there were 120 of us all sleeping and cooking in one church. That was a true experience of living in community. Friday morning we woke up at 5 am after 3 hours of sleep and our travel journey began. We cleaned the church, walked for 30 minutes to the bus stop with our 70 pound packs on, then took the bus, then the train, then waited for a few hours at the airport, then took a 2 hour flight to the Dominican Republic (Yeah!), then we took a 4 hour bus ride to San Juan where we were to sleep for the night. In the middle of the four hour bus ride two of our teams met up with their ministry contact and 13 of them piled into a pick up truck all hanging off the sides and back. It was fun to pray for them as they headed out. When we finally arrived to the house we could stay at for the night it was 11 pm. Whew that was a fun 17 hours of travelling that included us travelling through four cities in two different countries to get to where we needed to be. God is awesome with his protection! I’m excited for what this journey will hold. I don’t know what it takes to be a missionary or what it looks like to be a missionary. All I know is that my friend once told me that obedience is the highest form of worship, so that is what I am seeking to do ask God to speak and to teach me how to hear when he does, then to give me the grace and strength to obey in the big and the small things.
Check out my photos so far by clicking here!
