How do you sum up a World Race training launch in a blog? That is my question.
So we spent our first week in the Dominican Republic, preparing to go out on the field, encountering new challenges and growing together as a team. I can’t believe I have already spent a week with the people who will be my family for the next year! Time seems to pause in this culture of the World Race. Teachings blend into growing as a team, ministry flows into worship and praise becomes prayer without even realizing the tropical sun has passed from one horizon to the other in process of the day.
For me personally, there has been some major break throughs in my walk with Christ, drawing me deeper and challenging me to take it to the next level with the Holy Spirit However, that desire to go further was met with the spirit of fear in my life; fear of doing something wrong, of stepping out and being met with disappointment. I didn’t want God to let me down.
When I realized that I was letting something hold me back in my relationship with God, I knew something had to change but I didn’t know how. I was weighed down and burdened, held back by fear, too fearful to try and do something about it. That’s when my team stepped up and my wonderful leader Kayla confronted me on how I was doing. They supported me as I shared, and prayed over me, challenged me to deny fear power in my life and to act in faith alone. God has delivered me from that spirit and when I am attacked by fear again I will not give it power again in my life!! By the way, have I mentioned that I LOVE MY TEAM?!?!?! 😀
Today we left the Domican Republic with 3 other teams and headed to Haiti for the month while the other 7 teams remained in the DR. We saw God in action as the bus was 2 hours late, halfway there the brakes had to be fixed and we got to the border 20 minutes after it closed, yet after a few dollars put in the right hands we FINALLY made it across the border. Not only did we get into Haiti, but when we got there we were met with a scrumptious meal and as I type this I sit in a refreshing breeze on the rooftop of a beautiful villa in Haiti…. God provides!
So stay tuned for the continuation of Shawndell’s story on the World Race! 😀
