Debrief is something that I have always been intrigued by. I’ve had past racer friends try to explain it to me, stalked countless Instagram accounts, read all the blogs, but I never could fully wrap my brain around what goes down during this week of crazy community living. Last Sunday my team and I loaded up in our little van (Big brother Brian wouldn’t let us take the chicken bus because its sketchy, so he drove us <3) and went back to Antigua. The first day was super chill; there wasn’t much going on, and my team wasn’t to happy that we were spending the next week away from the YWAM base and all of our friends there. We actually Face timed all the people back home (YWAM) that night.
From that night on, God began showing me a similar pattern: my expectations and his plans were not matching up, but he was always good. For example, I didn’t like my team at first but he had a plan. I had disqualified some people on my squad, believing that they would never be able to pour into me the way I needed to be loved, and they proved me wrong. I believed the lie that there was nothing for me at debrief, and now I can confidently say I SO needed that. Our squad is not perfect. We struggle in our teams, and we had struggles at debrief, but coming together and being able to talk to each other about them, pour into each other, and call each other higher, was such an encouragement in itself. God blessed me with an amazing team that was willing to fight to make it work, and this week we had the chance to encourage the squad with what God has already done in us. We never believed our team could be an example for people to look up to, but my God specializes in the impossible.
As the days went by, talks got deeper, coffee got stronger and my wallet got emptier. I experienced so many new people and places this week as we all competed to see who could eat the best on our budget of $4.50 a day in a super touristy town. Street food becomes a natural part of life, and the 3Q ($0.40) cookie buffet was a big hit. But every now and then you have to splurge, like one day when I was on a one on one with Bri at a super cute coffee shop, and we met a dude that was an author/painter/business owner/chef/ice cream inventor who owns an exotic ice cream shop that I was instantly addicted to :))) Then there were the times when you decide to go on a late night one on one and get locked out of the hostel till 1:30 am, wondering wether you’re gonna have to sleep on the streets tonight.
Full stomachs or empty, hot shower or cold moldy one, warm bed or no bed, smelly clothes or really smelly ones, I have learned that my situation does not determine my attitude. In the end I am exactly where Jesus wants me and thats all that matters.
Philippians 4:12-13 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
