With four days to go until I head back home, I'm excited to share this: one of my last blog posts on the field! The World Race has been filled with God speaking to me and teaching me things. I have grown through different experiences to become more of the woman who God created me to be. For this, my final blog of reflections from my race, I have compiled the lessons that I have learned in every country. He used situations, people, and circumstances on the race to grow me. These are the main lessons I’ve learned over the last 11 months:
World Race Lessons
India: culture shock: learning quickly what it means to be dependent upon God because of personal sickness and India’s darkness, having expectations broken of going to the Taj Mahal and seeing Santoshi, God romancing me and my understanding him more as a lover, stepping into more confidence in confrontation, learning that I always have a message to share even when I don’t think that I do (door to door), learning to die to myself and put others first
Nepal: Reading 1 Corinthians 13 and really grasping God’s perfect love for me, learning how to and actually deciding to stop being a people pleaser, learning what it means to be content in all circumstances: it was so hot that we felt miserable, but we had to keep going and through it all God gave me joy and endurance
Thailand: I was so detached this month from ministry. I was apathetic and selfish. I learned what I don’t want my life to look like when I get back to America, because Thailand had many luxuries that reminded me of home in America. I learned that I can live with a lot less than I thought I could.
Malaysia: Words really matter. In James 3:11, he asks “Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” I learned that my words always need to be edifying because they are powerful. Choices really matter too. Choosing in rather than out makes all the world of difference. Even in difficult circumstances, it’s of the utmost importance to choose to use uplifting words and to make positive choices.
Cambodia: I saw more poverty and deprivation in the villages this month than I’ve ever seen in my life. My heart was broken for the lack that God’s children daily have to deal with. I learned how to be thankful and not take things for granted. I treasured quiet times in the morning and clung to God to help me through each day. I re-learned about dropping expectations. Learning to trust God more.
Vietnam: I really learned about how there is always ministry available to me no matter where I am or what I’m doing. Every moment is a chance to share the love of Christ. I chose to say “yes” to every opportunity and saw how God used that choice to grow me in confidence in risk taking for Him.
Uganda: I got so hungry for the Word this month; all I wanted to do was read my Bible. Seeing the beauty of African community in the way they welcomed us and showed us hospitality. Uganda is so full of churches and people who are committed to Christ; it helped me to realize that my soul longs for the challenge of Asia in that I would rather be used to break down strongholds instead of encouraging people who are already strong believers
Kenya: diving into Christian books and truly enjoying learning and gaining understanding, finding my passion in sharing my testimony and the Word with people when we went door to door, I started memorizing more verses and found that I was so much more confident in sharing the Bible when we went door to door because of the knowledge I had of the scriptures.
Tanzania: learning what generosity in the church really means through the girls on the passport trip selflessly giving us their things. God totally provided through them for the cold months of Europe. Understanding what “abiding in Jesus” means by working on my prayer life. I spent time with the Lord and He spoke to me so much about my complete identity in Him.
Latvia: God opened the idea of me going back to school for my Masters. I saw joy in the 76 year old woman who we lived with this month. Through her I learned about opening up her house to absolutely everyone to share the love (and joy) of Christ with them. She didn’t care what anyone thought of her as she plunged into the freezing Baltic Sea every morning, and through that, I learned more boldness in being myself.
Estonia: I learned about waiting on the Lord this month. I like to make plans and dive head first into them right away. But I learned about yielding to His voice because whatever He has for me is better than anything I could plan for myself. I learned about putting my future completely in his hands and letting Him do more than I ever could.
