Amanda and I have been friends since training camp when we had to combine our efforts and choreograph a squad dance. Since then we’ve realized that we’re pretty similar, so we were pumped to be put on the same team when team changes happened. We decided to share each other’s perspective on how our race has gone so far, so we interviewed each other! You can find my answers to her questions on her blog.
Before the race what areas of your life did you expect to grow?
I expected to grow in rhythm with my life and daily habits and to become more confident in the daily life of living with the Lord. Also being in a mindset of living for the Lord at all times and being confident in our relationship. I am such a person of habit and it has been cool to see how the Lord has shown me that I don’t always have to expect for a huge challenge that is right in my face but He is cool and calm and constantly showing me daily how He wants me to live my day for Him. I mean how crazy that I get to live a life for Jesus and why wouldn’t I want everyday to live for Him!
Are those the areas you’ve seen growth, or have you seen growth in other areas?
I have seen way more confidence in my daily routine and being able to see how much God and mine relationship has grown, but I have also seen a growth in my prayer life and listening to what He has to tell me and teach me. My prayer life has just increased so much in these past 6 months it’s crazy to go confidently into prayer knowing that He will answer them! Having a firm foundation in Him has just made me more confident and comfortable to ask the harder things from Him and know He will answer me with His calm that he always has!
What has been the most alarming or shocking thing you’ve learned about the lord’s character in the last 6 months?
Something that I have dug deep into on the race would be how I will never know why things happen. I can pray and search the bible but their are parts of life and things that happen that I can never understand and it is alright to not know all the answers. It is something about Gods character that will always be hard to understand but He is all powerful and I have to trust in His ways. I just finished reading Job and the last few chapters of the book the Lord strongly talks about how we will never know all the things that He knows and we may never be able to even understand that because he is the almighty and if that isn’t cool and scary in the best way I don’t know what else it could be. But that has really pushed me to dive deeper with the Lord and just trust in him for everything and know he has good intentions with what he does even when I can’t comprehend things, God is cool and deep and it’s amazing to learn more!
How have you done with living in community 24/7? What’s your favorite part and the hardest part about it?
I have really enjoyed living in community and yes it has been hard but something rewarding is getting to do life with so many people. You get to see how people live and serve the community your in and just get to experience and grow from how they love others and the Lord, it’s also cool to get new perspectives on things as well since we all are so different! The hardest part would be its kind of hard to get any real alone time. You used to have your own bedroom, car, maybe even house and now your sharing everything with 6+ people.
You’re six months in – what is something you would want to tell month 1 Amanda?
I would want to say to go all in with hosts and your team as fast as you can. Don’t be afraid to get comfortable with the people you are doing ministry with and just know you have the same heart for people! I have seen how beautiful a team can be when you are all after the same thing and are able to see how a team that is together on all things can make a ministry better and just your experience better but you have to push others and yourself!!
What is something you want to tell month 11 Amanda?
Be confident that the Lord will tell you your next move in His time. Don’t worry about finishing and not knowing your next move cause He’s got your back. I am always stuck in this mindset that things will go as planned and that everything will be all in control when you just trust in His timing! So be ready to go home and continue with what the Lord has done with your life and never stop trying to learn more.
Check out Amanda’s blog to read the questions she asked me and read more about me and see how Amanda and I are same-same but so different! www.amandalarue.theworldrace.org
