Slender, tall, and graceful, Amy was a fellow teammate of mine on my gymnastic team. And like all competitive gymnasts, we worked hard in the gym six times a week all year round. But one particular day in the Boca Twisters gym stands out in my mind forever.
It was a balance beam day. I hate balance beam. No matter how many years I’ve competed in this event, it still scared me to death. Our coach put Amy and I together on the floor beam to practice our newest skill: Back-handsprings. While we have the ability to do back-handsprings in our sleep on a spring floor, the 4-inch wide beam-of-death was an entirely different story.
The practice seemed to be going well for us. After all, we had been working on these all week. Until suddenly, Amy missed her footing and came crashing to the floor. Her little body instantly curled up in a ball and tears began to flood her eyes. Quickly all eyes were on her as our coaches picked her up and rushed her out the door, and further, to a hospital. Both her feet were broken.
After many weeks in casts, walking around on crutches, and coming to full healing, Amy was ready to get her feet back on the ground. However, the thing about broken bones is that once they are healed, they need physical therapy. They need to re-learn how to move. The body needs to be reacquainted with the very thing it has done for so many years. The healed bones have been made new.
In Amy’s case, her feet needed to figure out how to walk, run, jump, and eventually, let an entire year pass until she could back-handspring once again. She couldn’t simply come out of the casts and jump back in. She needed the help of a doctor, the support of her family, and the patience of her coaches and teammates before she could come back into the gym.
You’ve probably heard a story similar to this before or may have experienced broken bones firsthand. The news isn’t shocking. We break bones. Bones heal. The body needs physical therapy to properly and healthfully find their new normal.
So why, World Racers, are we surprised when we need to be reacquainted with our homes?
Over this previous year, I have been broken.
My areas of sin, exposed.
My heart was wrecked for people, around the world and back at home.
The Lord brought me through difficult and painful circumstances.
Over this previous year, I have been healed.
My heart has been freed, consumed with His joy and peace.
My identity has been secured by Jesus Christ and I am now confident in this.
The Lord has been faithful, loving, and gracious.
I have changed. I have been made new.
And dear Racer, so have you.
The Heavenly Father has done a work in your life that you will find hard to put into words.
Now, we come home.
We are coming back to a place that looks familiar and back to people who we’ve known our whole lives. Our bedroom may look exactly how we left it. Our town still has the same favorite shops and restaurants. We’ve been here before. We know these places. It all seems familiar, but it’s not. You are different and you may find the people around you are also different.
So like those newly healed bones, we too must enter into a time of “physical therapy”. We need to find a way to healthfully re-enter into our previous surroundings.
To be clear, I don’t have all the answers. I have been home for only a month and sometimes it feels as though I haven’t a clue how to reorient myself. I know to give grace to myself and to those around me. I know it is essential to process the journey, whether through journaling, sharing stories of the Race, or crying (just because). I know it will simply take time. Most importantly, it will take complete and utter dependence on the Lord.
The beautiful part of our World Race organization is that they listened to the Lord and Project Searchlight was born. This week I have been encouraged, loved, and inspired. I have taken copious amounts of notes during sessions and breakouts. I’ve been prayed for, prophesized over, and counseled. I have wept and rejoiced alongside squadmates. I have been guided by the Father into my next season of life. Project Searchlight has been the physical therapy to my newly healed bones.
And like most physical therapy sessions, you are properly equipped with the exercises that you need to take back home. Because that’s the point– to take what the Lord has done in you and bring it into the future seasons of your life, whether that’s in your hometown, overseas, or somewhere in between.
My encouragement to you, World Racer, is to not simply take off the casts and ignore that there needs to be some reacquainting. The process and time may vary, but know that it is essential to your spiritual and emotional health. Enjoy taking off the casts, going through the physical therapy, and running around as the person your Heavenly Father created you to be– wherever He takes you!
Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Never stop pursuing Him. And continue to be open to being broken and healed by the Ultimate Physician.
“[…] And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
— Hebrews 12:1-2
