I’m finished with almost half of the Race, but I’m sometimes not sure I’ve ever really started. This first half has not been what I was expecting when I came on this trip. That, I realize, is the first problem. I had expectations about what this trip would look like. While we were in Turkey last month I was about to go crazy from not having a set ministry we we doing. We started off the month with the intent of working with local colleges and universities, but that quickly fell through. We were left the rest of the month to fend for ourselves. Also during this time, probably since I had so much free time, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do after the Race. I thought about going to G42 Leadership Academy in Spain for six months and then going into full time missions. I also considered enrolling in Seminary when I got home and see where that would take me. About halfway through November I talked to my mom and dad explaining to them how I was feeling about not doing the things I expected. The missions work I was looking for was too work with those orphans in Africa how just needed a little love. These are the ones that seemed to fit in the “least of these” category that Jesus mentioned in Matthew 25. I realized there was plenty of work in Europe, but that just wasn’t what I wanted.
I have learned a few lessons through this period. The first lesson I realized, and I’m still working on it, is that it’s not about me at all. Everything I do needs to be with the intent of bringing Kingdom, and not be so worried about bringing Ralph. I’m not going to be the one to save them. The second lesson is that everything happens in God’s perfect timing. I may have not been doing what I wanted to for these first few months, but God had a reason for me being where I was. The third lesson I learned was that I need to stop worrying about what I am going to be doing in six months, and focus one what I’m doing right now. I have so much time left here, in this place, that I need to stop planning life before I skip over what may be the greatest experience of my life. About halfway though last month I decided to stop researching, at least until I get closer to the end, what I was going to do after the Race.
In a few days I will be in Africa where God will have a whole new set of lessons to teach me.
