God made me excited about Nicaragua.
Before training camp, AIM announced they were adding a fifth route to the January group. It included Europe, making it four-continent route. My interest was piqued, needless to say. I would have gained El Salvador in the new route, but I would have given up Nicaragua and Costa Rica from the route I was currently on.
I couldn’t do it. I was given complete peace about staying with my current route. It was the beginning of The Lord not allowing me to give up on Nicaragua.
Transitioning from an all-squad month like Honduras to another month with just the Joy Bombs made me excited. I was excited for this country and for deeper friendships with my girls. I had this urgency, this unexplainable energy, and I knew God had something to teach me.
Upon arrival to our city of ministry, Palacagüina, we were informed that we wouldn’t be alone. We were paired with Adelphoi, and after a week of fun, movie nights and construction in the crazy hot Nicaraguan sun, we were shocked by the news that there had been some miscommunication with our location. Adelphoi left the next day to their proper ministry sight in Leon, four hours away.
I can’t lie. It took a couple of days for us to recover after they left. In that short week all fourteen of us had fully embraced our super team, JoyPhoi, and truly enjoyed every minute we had together.
I took a step back and asked myself why I was so upset they had to leave. Did I enjoy having them there? Of course, but I have another nine months on the field to enjoy them.
The Lord spoke to me clear as day in those moments of soul searching. “It’s not about you, Taylor. This race, it’s about Me and what I want to show you. You couldn’t have learned what I want to teach you with them here. Look to me. Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”
I had a good feeling deep in my soul about Nicaragua. A little over two weeks in, and here’s what I’m discovering about why I felt that way: God is asking me to fight. Fight for my team, fight for my attitude, fight for my ministry to be everything it can be even when I can’t always understand why we do certain things, fight for my friendships back home and fight for more in every area of my life.
He’s asking me to fight for my race. “Don’t give up. Don’t get comfortable. Don’t back down when it’s hard. Don’t put your hope in the distraction of another team around. Don’t sit back and let days pass you by, when each one is perfectly designed to contain sweet moments with Me and you.”
He’s asking me to fight for my life.
There is always more to discover. There are always new ways to see a day that seems completely ordinary and mundane. There are always deeper levels of intimacy God can take us to. There are so many facets of God’s personality. He is infinitely more than I could ever ask or imagine, and that makes each day with Him special and beautiful and completely out of the ordinary. There is no ordinary day walking next to an extraordinary savior.
Excitement for a country turned into confusion, because my circumstances this month have been hard. Confusion turned into determination, because I was reminded that I didn’t come on the World Race to be comfortable. Determination turned into an eagerness to fight, because I was not made to roll over and take it when life throws some punches.
Fight with me. Fight for more for your life and allow God to show you the world through His eyes. It’s technicolor. It’s rich. It’s a narrow path to an eternity with a creator who loves all parts of you unconditionally. It’s waiting for you to live every second of it to the fullest, instead of letting it happen to you. It’s here, and it’s all you’ve got. Come join the fight. Jesus is the best wingman you’ll ever have. Guaranteed.
