Heading out this month looking for new contacts I started feeling like one of the original disciples. The book of Acts still in the making and we are the main characters while God is writing it. Going from place to place for a few days and then moving again. The disciples did this as well to encourage the believes and let the Spirit move within them. In Acts 4 Peter & John were told not to speak of this name, their response; we can’t help but speak of this name! This is a small part of what we are doing.
This is adventure, this is daring, being lead to places you would not think would be possible. My team leader and I met with with someone to hear his story and his dream and vision he got from the lord. What an amazing man he is! On the way back we got off the train to see a monastery built into the rocks. Its quite a hike for the time we were shooting for. The way up we encountered a shepherd (or farmer) moving his sheep. I believe this was something the disciples and Paul encountered bringing the Good news. We spent some time with him on our way up (he couldn’t speak english). As we walked up, we shared even more stories with each other and what could be next the Lord has for us this month. The road was steep and windy and running out of time. So we hitched hiked up the mountain, we made great time and oh man, what a view! On the way back I stuck my thumb out to get a ride back to the train station. It worked again but even better, they took us back to the city we were with.
20140306 132122 from Ryan Johnson on Vimeo.
Think of Bilbo Baggins if he stayed at the Shire with the other hobbits. He never would have found the ring and fought a dragon and made new friends and his community cause they fought for each other. Its the same way with the race, if you stayed at home and didn’t try to leave you would miss out on so much! Never would have found the monastery, explore new areas, and fight for my teammates.
While going as Bilbo says it “We’re going on an adventure.” It is full of things that I would not expect. Going where the Spirit leads and that is what the disciples did. By doing this we found some contacts who knew everyone else and got connected that way. As we met and lived with some of potential future contacts we were such an encouragement to them. At the same time they encourage us to as well. To me that’s a picture of Paul and Silas as well as what Timothy was to Paul, Peter to John, must I go on? We need to encourage and cheer each other on and so fight for each other because that is what brothers do. The race is also full of not only adventures and hikes but it has extreme stuff that scares the poop out of you ( well for me that is.) Seeing such beauty over cities, the people you meet, and the life changing things you do and encounter.
I have done repelling before but not off a bridge before. This was scarier cause you on have rocks to push yourself off its just air. I took it a step further and went face first down a well. Scared of heights? This will fix that problem. This is a great example of putting full trust in the rope which is what we need to do for God. Put our entire trust in him cause he will not only get us down safe but keeps us from harm. The person we did this with could be a future potential contact for the race. How would you like to spend a month in Bosnia rock climbing, repelling, and white water rafting sharing and shown g the love of Christ to young adults. I know I would!
