This past weekend some friends and I went out of town for the holiday weekend. We didn’t go to the beach like most but instead went to Raleigh to house and dog sit for my roommate’s brother and his wife. It was a weekend filled with friends and fun!
I slept in a bed all weekend with two other girls and a not so little dog (Bella) crammed into my back. Needless to say, I didn’t get the best nights sleep while we were gone. But none the less, we enjoyed our time together doing things like watching out favorite shows, listening to music from our childhood and lounging by the pool.
One night we decided to go to an arcade downtown that housed all the classic games- Pac-Man, donkey kong, and dance dance revolution. After about an hour of playing games I discovered that I have no more rhythm now than I did when I was little and still can’t score above a C+ on DDR. I also learned that I will never be able to effectively avoid those silly little ghosts that chase you on Pac-Man. Despite my ability to win a single game against my friends, I played those games for hours- smiling the whole time!
On our last day in Raleigh, we headed to the mall (sadly the rain kept us from spending one more day by the pool). On the way, I had the bright idea to stop by REI and start looking at all the gear I would need for the race. I told my roommate not to let me buy anything because I still haven’t met my first financial deadline and didn’t need to buy equipment until I met that goal. I walked in REI and was immediately overwhelmed. Two floors of outdoor equipment, most of which I wouldn’t know how to use if I tried. After finding a salesman and asking for help I became even more overwhelmed. Did you know you had to be sized for the kind of backpack I would be wearing? Once sized you have to remember the proper way to pack it and how to pull all the tabs to right way so that weight is distributed evenly. And that’s just the pack… we still had tents and sleeping bags/pads to talk about. After what felt like an eternity in REI I had all the equipment and knowledge I could ever need. I walked in saying I wasn’t going to buy anything but the Lord challenged me have faith that I would meet my first financial deadline and buy the equipment I would need.
To most, this seems like a semi-normal weekend- nothing too exciting or extreme. But God taught me a lot over the course of the weekend. Beyond the obvious knowledge that Chris from REI gave me, the Lord began to reveal to me how he is preparing me for the race. First, he taught me my sleeping conditions will not always be ideal on the race. Yes, it wasn’t necessity comfortable having Bella’s paws in my back all night or cold nose pressed against my neck but I was in a bed with a roof over my head and that alone is a blessing. Many people have asked me where I will stay on the race- with host families, hostiles, churches? Truth is, that will change every month. And just like God taught me, my sleeping conditions will not always be what I wish they were but regardless of this, he will bring me a good nights sleep and give me the energy needed to serve the next day.
The Lord also spoke to me through that silly game of Pac-Man. Like I mentioned, I’m not very good. But despite this fact, I consistently put my tokens in the machine and played game after game of Pac-Man… and LOVED it. God challenged me that night- what if I approached every situation like that game? What if I was as perseverant with life as I was with Pac-Man? How much more would I accomplish? How many more ways could the Lord use me? This new perspective has already proven to make me more confident, resourceful and obedient to the Lord.
While I may have a lot more to learn in preparation for the Race, I am slowly learning that the Lord is providing me with everything I could need… including the funds. With my first deadline this Friday and still being $1,200 short, I am confident the Lord will provide!
Please pray that the Lord continues to provide for me in every way! Pray that I become more aware of my calling and obedient to the Lord daily.
