I have been home now for about four weeks, and it is very much time for an update. It has been so great to see and catch up with many of the people that mean so much to me! But I know there are still so many more that don’t live close to me that I have yet to visit with. So, I want to go ahead and let everyone know how the transition home is going…and what I feel God leading me towards next.
Overall, I would say that my initial feeling in coming home was that it was so surprisingly normal…it was weird. That’s the best way to describe it. It was utterly and completely normal to slip right back into life here…friends, family, restaurants, shopping, driving…even Dallas traffic. Everything about it is familiar…and I found myself having to remind myself that I did in fact just travel to 16 countries over this past year – many of them far from Westernized in culture. I thought this new “normal” I had become accustomed to over the past 11 months
would cause me to have a season of adjustment moving back. But apparently not. I would imagine it helped that we spent our last month, especially, in the more westernized European countries. Eased the transition a bit.
Now that four weeks have ticked by, my house is unpacked, all the comforts of “home” have been restored (I had a little trouble getting the power on initially), my schedule has started filling up with lunches and coffees with friends, my previous vice of eating out has revived itself as a recurring Achilles heel to me, I’ve begun to spend some time reviewing my year through a sea of videos and pictures that I am trying to organize into something presentable, and I’ve begun to settle into the reality that I will only get to see my squad via the pictures they post on Facebook. Those last two are tough…and I think the first steps since coming home that are bringing me into conscious reality that this year did in fact happen…and is now over. Did I make the most of every opportunity I had this year? Did I let God do in me all that He wanted to? Did I hold back? What is He calling me to next? Those are the questions I’m asking myself these days. I don’t know the answers yet to most of them.
But the last one, “what’s next”, God has opened up some opportunities that I want to share about. You have been very much a part of the things God has done in and through me this past year, and I would really love it if you were a part of what God is doing next. As many of you know, I left a 7 year career in architecture to come on the Race, and I knew that when I left that field, it was likely for good. I feel like a lot of the principles and concepts I learned in architecture will play a big role in where God leads me in my future and what I do. I have felt called to do full time ministry for years…and step by step, that future is beginning to take shape.
So what is next is this…I will be working for Adventures In Missions, beginning as early as January. Just after the first of the year, I will be flying out to Michigan to meet the growing logistics crew for the Race. There were over 400 Racers that went out on the Race this past year, twice as many as last year – and the numbers are expected to more than double for 2010. With an explosion of feet on the field, logistics for the Race has had a hard time keeping up – and I found out this year, I really like logistics a lot (which apparently most people don’t). So I will initially work with them to help wherever needed, and hopefully assist them as they continue to streamline and refine the process of logistics for the Race. There’s, not surprisingly, a lot involved in getting large groups of people from point A to point B in some of the remotest crevices of the world – and it needs to be the most simplified of processes due to the limited resources of Racers on the field. I’m really excited to help them with that.
Additionally, I am currently talking more with the director of The World Race about another possible position for me within AIM. I am still in talks with the leadership about what that position will entail, but it does have to do with the complete restructuring one of AIM’s other existing programs that they would like me to help with. It’s definitely a position that would stretch me far beyond my comfort zone – which is usually a very good thing. I will certainly inform everyone as I learn more about what this will look like.
Regardless of the position I take within AIM, it is a non-profit missions organization, and every person on staff with AIM must raise their own support to live off of. There are missionaries that travel overseas and do God’s work in far away places…and those who live here and work to get those people over to those far away places. I was honored to spend a year being one of the many workers who went to the far reaches of the World to tell them about Jesus, and to be His hands and feet. Now, I have the opportunity to join with an organization that I deeply believe in after my experiences this past year, to help them send more of those in this generation out into the harvest. If you would like to continue joining with me in this journey – helping to accomplish the things God is doing from right here, please consider committing to pray for me, or giving financially. Initially, I have committed to working with AIM for a minimum of 6 months in an apprenticeship program, which requires me to raise $9000. Before I can start working, hopefully in January, I need to have $3000 in my support account. You can give monthly or as a one time gift through the “*Support Me!*” link to the left on my blog. If you are willing to commit to praying for me, please send me a message and let me know. I would like to form an email list for those who want to be updated on my prayer needs.
For now, please pray for me as I process through…really process through what the Race meant to me, and what I’ve learned about God – who He is to me, to the lost, to this culture, and every culture around the world. Pray for me to hear His voice in these next steps I am moving towards at the beginning of the year. And pray for Him to pour the necessary funds into my account. One thing the Race for sure taught me is do NOT worry about the money! God always provides for His kids when He asks them to step out in faith – I saw MANY testimonies of God’s faithfulness in finances. I know that is true, but it’s still hard to walk out – so pray that I’ll walk it out boldly. Pray also for greater intimacy with the Lord – an increase in hunger for Him. I need greater closeness with Him before I can take these next steps.
Thank you all for your unwavering support this year…in prayers, financially, in blog comments. You all were part of this Race this year, and my heart is full of thankfulness for each of you. As you impacted my life and interceded on my behalf, you made a difference not only in my life, but also in the lives of people in 16 different countries! So thank you for helping me go on the Race, and for coming with me! Merry Christmas!
