“This trip is going to stretch and break me in ways I can’t imagine. I know it will be an invaluable experience that will prepare me for the rest of my life. I feel like this set apart year will help me become the lover of God and people that I was created to be.”
This is what I wrote in my support letter a while back. Little did I know how true it would be. Already in my first 5 weeks on “The Race” God has been doing exactly what I said He would do. Stretching and breaking me, preparing me for the future and molding me into the lover of Him and the people around me.
I’ll break it into four bullet point summaries for y’all and even include a Brian Regan video at the end of the blog. But you have to promise that you will read the blog before you watch the video. So hand over your heart please, make the promise and then proceed to read the rest of this blog.
· The Ramos Family
Any blog I write about the trip so far would have to start and end with the Ramos family. This is the same family I wrote about in two previous blogs Death and Demons (Death Part II). In the past five weeks we have laughed together, worshiped together, praised the Lord together and have become great friends.
I had incredibly peace as I left last Sunday. The Lord was really telling me that the work He wanted to do through me was accomplished and that He will continue to work in this families life. I know He has great plans for this family. That He is going to make them into a family of righteousness and they will be a great testimony to all those around them.
It was absolutely incredible to see how God took some random Americans who happened to be there on the same day of a tragic death and then proceeded to weave their lives together bringing comfort, freedom and joy to one and lessons on authority and providence to the other.
Jesus has anointed us as Christians to heal the broken hearted and to comfort the widow. And that is exactly what happened here even as I and others awkwardly fumbled through how we were supposed to help them during a very rough time.
The only requirement is willingness. Jesus will do the rest.
· Community 
My Lovely Team……….
Let me paint the picture for you:
Worship is playing in the background as you watch other team members get on their knees in the dirt to wash each other’s feet. Someone gets on their knees in front of you and asks you, “Can I wash your feet?” They proceed to take your smelly, dirty feet and tenderly wash away all the dirt before drying them off with a towel.
The whole time this is going on, all you can think about is how just 30 minutes earlier there was a disagreement so sharp between the whole team that it had the potential to separate your community for good. The tension so thick and the walls so high that only by the power and grace of Jesus could people in the circle walk away in peace let alone with a deeper love for each other.
Yet here you are getting your feet washed while you watch people who were just disagreeing washing each other’s feet. And in the end the community walks away stronger and with a deeper love for each other.
This is the community I am a part of right now. And honestly it’s so beautiful sometimes that it makes me want to cry tears of joy and so difficult sometimes that it makes me want to cry tears of frustration. But it is the community of Christians that I have always dreamed was possible.
· Biggest Lesson 
I wanted so badly for this section to have one central point. This _______ is the biggest thing God taught me but the more I tried to narrow down the more difficult it got. And honestly there is so much going on in my life right now that its really difficult to even makes sense of it.
I have seen myself and my whole team fall under the power of the Holy Spirit. Learning that God desires deeply to set us free from Satan’s lies and the wounds of our past.
I have been part of casting a demon out of affecting a grieving sister’s life anymore. Learning that I have incredible authority in Jesus Christ.
God has spoken to me personally about His love for me. Literally naming things He loves about me one by one. Learning that God loves me just as He created me.
I have been sick for 10 of the 35 days I have been here. Striving to learn that God cares more about developing me personally then me doing things for Him.
I have been blown away by the community God has put me in. Learning that true community must be marked with repentance, humility, praise, serving and a common bond in the love of Christ.
I have had stripped away many things we consider normal in America including air conditioning, bed’s, warm showers and personal space.Wanting badly to learn to be content no matter the situation like Paul talks about in Phillipians 4:17-19.
Thank you so much for your support and following along with me these first 5 weeks. I feel the strength from your prayers and love the comments you leave on my blog. Please continue to pray that I can have a deeper intimacy with Christ, protection for my team and for the Lord to continue to work in the Ramos’ families life.
I Love You Guys!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy the funniest comedian known to mankind……………
Brian Regan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUU9CqrtFiU
