Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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Those of you who know me personally can attest to my “issues” regarding
the roles of men versus women. 
John & Staci Eldredge’s books Wild at Heart and Captivating (among others)
generated a lot of conversations/debates among me and my friends/mentors. 
 
I cling to the idea that we are all equal, and I haven’t quite yet figured out how that can also mean that
we are nonetheless designed to be different.
 
You’d think I would understand it, considering my own relationships and
how I have been treated during my world travels thus far.
 
Matt Peters (WR Jan 08: Team Open Road) addresses this discrimination in a recent blog post.  He has witnessed the women on his squad be assaulted with aggressive stares, rude comments and gestures, even inappropriate touching.  He realizes that they (we) often live in fear, unable to trust any men because of the behavior of a few.  He confronts all men – including himself – for their ambivalence and pride, and he admonishes them to respect, protect, and honor both the women in their lives and the women they see on the streets.  
Read more …
 
 
He also wonders, as many of us have, where have all the good men gone? 
Particularly, why aren’t more men participating in the World Race? 
Adventure, travel, the Power of God at your fingertips – this is typically the stuff guys go for …
or is the seduction of “success” too demanding? 
Are they compelled to accumulate wealth in order to “provide” for their needs
and those of their potential future family? 
Don’t they know that there is no need to worry? 
The Lord will provide for all of our needs (Luke 12:22-34), and 
we should instead “store up treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-21)!
 
 
We on the October 2008 squad are incredibly blessed to have amazing men of God joining us.
They bonded at training camp by cutting down trees, decorating their bodies with war paint, and grunting
(I made that last one up, but it sounds likely).
They drafted a secret covenant to be intimate with Christ and vulnerable with us.
One morning, they segregated themselves from the women to have breakfast together. 
Intrigued, we spied and eavesdropped on them from afar and were so touched
to hear them sing praises and to see them join hands and pray. 
Don’t be ashamed, men.  And don’t tease, readers.  
It was a precious moment.

I have met a few truly Godly men in my lifetime, and it is indeed an honor to know them. 
I struggle sometimes with letting them “be men” because, like I said, 
I still don’t know what that means, but
I am very excited to learn more about it this year. 
I commit to humbling myself and taming my feminist, individualist attitude.  

Aaron Darlington and John Linkous of Team Judah wrote a letter
to the parents of the women on their team, declaring their admiration for the women and 
promising to be “the vessels of God’s protection” during the year.  
Read the letter … 

This might sound cheesy or romantic.  It’s not.  
It is the kind of love relationship that God has called us to as community. 
    
Jesus replied:
” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:37-39
 
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Man or woman,
if you – or someone you know – might be interested in short-term missions
or living in intentional Christian community,
 
Embrace who you are and who God has called you to be!
Love and honor each other!