I tend to think backwards. When I’m preparing for something, I picture the end result and work backwards. With that said, as I consider the upcoming 11 month journey, I can’t help but think about who I will be and how I will have changed when it is all said and done. Of course, there is no way I can even begin to guess what the next season of my life will look like, but I like to think about the things I would like to learn. That way, I can make steps towards that goal along the way. If I don’t have any goals, how will I know when I’ve accomplished anything or any progress I’ve made? So, in honor of my 11 month, 11 country journey…. Here are 11 things I am anticipating.
- I expect to fall in love! I expect to fall more passionately in love with my Creator and His creation. I am going to see people and things that I can’t even begin to imagine. I am going to see aspects of the Lord that I don’t know yet! And the more that I learn about Him, I won’t be able to help falling more and more in love with Him.
- I expect to leave parts of my heart and myself all over the world. I expect my heart be stolen by different people and different cultures. There is so much in this world that is just waiting for me to discover it! There are people waiting…waiting for love. I tend to get very attached to people! I believe in being fully present and fully engaged with the people who are right in front of you. Every person is completely and passionately loved by Jesus and is worthy of being fully loved by me too. But, in the process of fully loving people… and then leaving… you can’t help but leaving parts of your heart and yourself behind when you leave. Or at least… I can’t.
- I expect the kingdom of God to invade the earth. Mark 16:17-18 says “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My [Jesus] name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” I believe… and I expect all of these things to follow me. Jesus, when He is sending out the 12 disciples, instructs them saying: ‘And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give’. That is what I expect to do and see – not because of me…but because Jesus is willing and able! Its what He paid for through the cross and His resurrection!!
- I expect to see. I expect to see joy, pain, beauty, suffering, hope, resilience, life, death, hope, brokenness, love… and many other things. I expect my eyes to be opened so that I won’t just look at people and things anymore…but I will truly see.
- I expect my view of God, myself, and the world to be broken and rebuilt. Broken and rebuilt, broken and rebuilt. Over and over again … all year long.
- I expect to be uncomfortable. Really, really, gloriously uncomfortable! Both physically and spiritually.
- I expect to laugh… a lot. At crazy circumstances, at myself, at the goodness of the Lord, with beautiful children all over the world, with my team, and about all kinds of other things.
- I expect to be frustrated and for the Lord to teach me, stretch me, and help me through it.
- I expect to eat really weird, really gross food. Seriously, there is some weird stuff out there…and people eat it. Yikes!
- I expect to discover the beauty of the body of Christ as I live in community with my team. I expect it to be hard…but awesome!
- I expect to get really great at packing and unpacking and repacking as I carry my life for 11 months with me in a backpack.
