I am an extrovert. I love people and need people. I can’t go for long periods of time alone (although I do have to admit lately I have had some introvert characteristics taking over me. It is super strange and unknown territory). I love being surrounded by people and have always had a rather large group of friends I like to hang out with. However, recently I have been realizing how much I not only like community but need it! God did not design humans to be alone, in fact he states “it is not good for man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18). Not only do we need each other to support, encourage and challenge one another in our faith, we need the strengths of those around us to balance out our weaknesses. I have to admit I was always (and still am) the type of person that secretly dreads group projects in school. I do not like having to rely on other people for part of my grade. I know myself and have a system of doing things that works well for me and I don’t like having to work with other people to come up with a system that will work for all of us. However, some of my best projects have been group projects and my biggest learning and growth periods have been because of my involvement in some sort of group or team. Learning to rely on those around me has been a tough lesson. It has pretty much taken me getting to a place where I had no choice but to lean on the people around me for me to realize how much I need the people around me and how much more successful a project can be when you work as a group. I don’t want to make this same mistake again- Especially when it comes to the race. I know that I need the support and community of those around me and I will have different communities to fulfill different needs.
1) Church Family and Support Network
The idea of leaving for a year both excites and terrifies me. Leaving behind everything and everyone I know for the unknown for 11 months is crazy to think about! Sometimes I have serious doubts about whether I will be able to raise enough funds to go and whether this is really what I should be doing. But what gets me through is knowing that this is God’s will and this is where he wants me for the next year. I know that this is what God wants and he has given me two amazing church families (one in Calgary and one in Innisfail) that I have full faith will be surrounding me and supporting me in prayer. This reminds me about the importance of community and that we are all part of one family, one body, working together for the same thing. We just have different tasks and even locations we are called to minister.
2) Friends and Family
I know I am going to get home sick while I am on the race. I am sure I am going to miss nearly every aspect of Canada (well maybe not the snow) but I am so thankful for technology that will allow me to stay in contact with those I love. I know it can be an inconvenience to stay in touch with people when you don’t see them on a regular basis and there is great distance separating you but I know I will need the love and support of those dear to me. I will need people to remind me that they miss me and are thinking and praying about me. I want to know what is happening in the lives of people back home because although there is great distance between us I didn’t drop of the face of the earth and still want to talk to my friends back home. You guys are awesome and hilarious and can always put a smile on my face. You guys encourage, support and challenge me and have walked through life with me. God blessed us with friends and family to speak to us in tangible unique ways and I know that the bonds I share with all of you can go far beyond any barriers of land.
3) Race Family
This will pretty much be my family for 11 months and these people are going to be SO important for me. These are the people I will be sharing life with. The people I will laugh with, cry with, minister with and grow and change with. I look forward to meeting my squad family and doing life with them and I will need there support SO much!
So God created us to be in community and I am learning that this is SO important. I have been so blessed by the communities I have been a part with and am so excited for the people God puts in my life on the Race to support me, to teach me and grow with me. I am excited to go on adventures, to laugh with people, to try new and crazy things with people and everything else God has in store for me.
