Many of you know about my job and how it leaves me working on weekends (aka Sunday aka missing church). Believe me, it irks me more than you probably know. Any who, I like to get my Wednesday and Thursday services on as much as possible though and boy did they hand it to me this past week…
Note: These are my FAVORITE kind of services. You know, the ones where you're crying so hard you weeze/drip snot/make-up everywhere on your face and good clothes/clapping when no one else is/just a general hot mess/but God says it's beautiful so it's okay 😉
I focus so much on fundraising and how I should do this, this, and that to make it all better. To find ways to reach thousands and to become fully funded. How I needed gear, shots, and to meet these little deadlines. The launch for the race is coming upon us all so fast that I slipped out of His grace and having faith, I went into 'me' mode.
This week at church was Baptism night and it was the first one like it I had experienced (one person was baptized at my church when I was 9). One after another 48 people received the gift of redemption, the gift of adoption, and welcomed into the Kingdom. Baptisms have been on my heart quite a bit lately and it struck me so hard that night, I wanted to be down there with them. Even the guy who slipped into the tub and fell…I wanted to hang out with him down there. As a Christ follower I want more of Him and what He has planned for me..it didn't become about JUST the World Race anymore, but MY LIFE. How did I miss this connection? As if I wasn't preparing my life with God, but just preparing for the World Race.
The next night I went to a brand new church that I had been wanting to hit up SO BAD. I cut plans that night short..raced over there..not a soul was there except for the band (insert giant question mark). I stood there and shouted to them if this was the right night. It was. They explained how they are a newly planted church and Thursdays are still 'iffy' on attendance, so tonight was just me (and the band). We prayed aloud with one another and prayed all on the exact same topic – repent us of our selfish ways! How many times do you pray for yourself, your finances, your family, your _____ ? How many times do you pray for your community, strangers, co-workers, or anyone to just become saved? How did I miss this overwhelming issue?! I was so focused on me and everything that is moving with the World Race that I forgot my neighbor. Let us be strong in our faith and profess our love to anyone because there is nothing offensive about love. To a world where everyone claims they need more love..it is right in front of you and free. Let us be firm and not afraid to offend anyone, because the cross is MADE to be offensive. It is offensive to NOT share His story and if I lose friendships then I guess I lose friendships and if I make you mad then I guess I make you mad. My relationship with my Father means far too much to me to worry if I'm going to offend you.
This week moved me. From being 1 out of 1,000 at a church or being the 1 out of 5 at another church, they both moved me so hard. Fundraising has been hard and always on my mind (especially with MAJOR setbacks this month), but the World Race isn't my life and it certainly isn't something you have to do to be a child of Christ.
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." James 1:2-3
