I stood in the back of a lowly lit room with my arms raised and my voice shouting. As I sang the words, I couldn’t help but smile, reminiscing on being in the same spot just 20 months prior but being a radically different person, leading a completely different life. It was the first night of training camp for about 300 new participants and leaders. God’s presence was palpable, just as it had been the first night of my training camp, but this time, I could recognize it for what it was and call out to Him in pure worship without desperately pleading for something in return. Instead of a fear or uncertainty of what lies ahead, I was filled with an excitement for the journey the Lord is about to take these sons and daughters on.
But I will admit, that it will not be all puppies and rainbows from here on out. The race does not magically give you all the answers and improve your life. In fact, I’d beg to say the opposite. It has, in a sense, wrecked mine.
Everyone warns you that life after the race is hard. You hear the stories and see their grief, but my optimistic (sometimes prideful) self was sure that I would be the exception and not the rule. <insert big laugh here> That was definitely not the case.
I never expected the permanent effects of a “temporary” season -like the inability to eat a McDonald’s value meal without feeling terrible afterwards, my hair falling out excessively and being a little thinner than it was before, the scars covering my ankles and feet from the ungodly amount of bug bites I fell prey to, the pudginess that has settled around my midsection, or the co dependency I developed from spending 24/7 in a tight knit community for 11 months.
But I think the hardest thing to adjust to after the incredible year I had was the realization that I just don’t fit in anymore. I had built up a pretty awesome life leading up the race, but when I returned, I was a round peg in a square hole. The race had wrecked my life for the better. It shook me awake from the slumber I had been lulled into from going through the motions of my everyday life. I was awaken to the beautiful world my God created, all it had to offer, and all it was so desperately in need of. I now had different values, priorities, passions, and desires. How do I begin to pick up these new found pieces of who God has created me to be and walk forward with them?
The answer for me has been a program with Adventures In Missions called The Fellowship. It’s kind of funny because when my options to continue on with Adventures were presented, The Fellowship was at the bottom of my list of things I would be interested in. So, when I was selected to join and God told me to do it, I walked forward obediently a little unsure of what the purpose was. Half way through the program now, I get it.
The Fellowship has been the tool to help me pick up the pieces, evaluate what they mean, and propel me into moving forward with them. This program is designed to help you figure out what’s next, and I can certainly say that it has been a game changer for me in this transition period.
Instead of feeling stuck as a round peg in a square hole, The Fellowship has cultivated an environment that encourages me to not just find a new hole to fit into, but to carve out my own. It has enabled me to SAY YES TO NEW ADVENTURES.
That is the inspiration behind my newest fundraiser. Last week it was brought to my attention that I need to have raised $6,500 by June 30th to continue on with Adventures in The Fellowship. I’m $2,080 shy of that deadline. Please consider investing in me during this crucial time of transition. Help me to continue discovering how God created me to make big waves in His kingdom.
Donate here through my blog and/or buy a t-shirt by clicking here.
What new adventures have you said yes to lately? Is there a new adventure that He is calling you towards right now? Say yes. I dare you.
