334 days away from home in 15 countries.

About a week ago I was able to have my own room to sleep in for the night. I was visiting my dear friend Katy from back home. She is now in India on her 5th month of the race and our paths happened to cross. even though i was extremely exhausted, it was such a blessing!!! when I woke up the next morning… I felt weird. I suddenly realized it was because i was in a room by myself. I had no noise to wake me up or anyone to immediately say good morning too. It had been so long since I had been alone that I had conditioned myself to community living as my norm. who would of thought? I began to think how weird it is going to be sleeping in my own room once I am home. at least i have abbey and izzie :]

how do i even begin to process this past year? with only 17 days left on the race before I go back to life as I use to know it, the culture I was raised in but haven’t lived in in a year… i have lots of thoughts flowing through my mind. i don’t have the time or energy or even ability to share my scattered brain right now, but I’m going to do my best.

traveling from country to country our eyes have seen lots of things beyond our imagination. from the worst poverty in the mountains of Haiti to the super eager hearts in the red dirt of Africa.

this year has been overwhelming to say the least.

I’ve seen God heal the brokenness throughout the world- the brokenness we have all created as humans- and looking back at this I’ve been thinking. The World Race isn’t a sacrifice. spreading His Word to the nations has been an opportunity of a lifetime. sure, for the past year: I haven’t seen my family or friends, I haven’t been able to eat Mexican food, I haven’t had the same bed/tent/sleeping space for longer than a month, I haven’t had the freedom to drive or even be alone ever (except for in the shower!), and I at times I haven’t even had a shower or electricity or AC, i haven’t had the latest iphone app or seen the newest movies… you get my point.

BUT through losing all those things I have gained more than ever before. I have been able to see the world from Christ’s eyes- I have seen the sick healed, teammates completely transformed, hope rise in cities of poor spirits, the blood of Jesus wash away failures and the Holy Spirit wreck and mend hearts of many- myself included. I have been able to hear God’s voice more clearly and see depths and ways of Him I didn’t even know existed 11 months ago, even 2 months ago. By abandoning my possessions, my rights, my “entitlements” as being a wealthy western, my job, my desire to have a marriage, my identity as who i was back in America, my selfish goals… I have gained God’s ABUNDANCE.

and let me tell you my friends His abundance IS present and moving around the world. In poor countries, in wealthy ones, in Muslim ones- everywhere. was gaining God’s abundance easy? absolutely not. Jesus never says it will be.

I have a teammate Natalie. She always brings great intellectual conversations to the table. most of the time too intellectual for me ha but the other night her and I were talking. about the definition of mercy vs. grace. about how when reading certain words in the Bible we should double check our own meaning of them. our own definitions compared to what it may of been back in Old Testament times and even compared to God’s definition of it. we talked about the true meaning of justice. that to most it is a means of revenge, to get back at someone. but to God isn’t it just bringing right to something that is of wrong?

we then discussed the definition of sacrifice and how it has changed for our generations. in the Old Testament, they used alter sacrifices literally as a means to make themselves good and clean in God’s eyes. but now after Jesus came as our ultimate sacrifice… our definition of sacrifice has changed. we see it as when people surrender something they highly value because they are perceived as already good or devoted to something or someone. in our case of discussion Jesus.

my point being, what are our hearts focused on? following Jesus isn’t a sacrifice. it is an honor. He loves us who are unworthy of His love so much that He wants to share His intimate thoughts with us, He wants to have a personal relationship with us. His abundance is FREE! Jesus has already paid the sacrifice for us, we only have to have the desire to follow and then to put it into action. His freedom and glory are waiting for you whether you are in the states or across the world, i know this because I have seen it first hand, so what are you waiting for my friends?!!

I wouldn’t be able to tell you all this without you guys. I know taking the time to read my blogs can be hard to remember and maybe sometimes just not how you want to spend your time, but you guys have no idea how much it means to me knowing there have been people back at home and even in other countries sharing this journey with me and with God. Thank you for reading. Thank you for joining me on this journey of faith. Your encouraging words and prayers and ya’ll just “listening” to my stories have blessed me this year more than you will ever know. I hope that God has been able to speak through me to you as well. I hope He has been rocking your world. I know words hold a huge power in the ability to change a generation… through your prayers and my blogs I pray this is happening. and I also have learned that a body of believers that love each other have the ability to push open closed doors. this is us working together for the next generation. for the Kingdom of God. this is me sending you all a HUGE thank you from the bottom of my heart until I can get home to thank you and hug you in person… for your continual love. your financial support. and for the many many prayers this past year. God is good.

Please pray for my team and I as we finish up our last week of ministry, especially for physical strength as the farm work is wearing us out.

love. love from Malaysia.