We starved ourselves all day in anticipation for the meal to come.
We brought out the lipstick that was buried in our packs to feel a little dressed up.
We’ve gone around the table and declared what we are thankful for.
We’ve spent 5 days worth of our food budget on sweet tea and one American-style Thanksgiving meal.
We’ve reminisced about our holidays at home with our families.
We’ve swallowed that last bite of pumpkin pie.
We are excited and giddy and start humming “Deck the Halls,” and wondering what Christmas movies are playing on ABC Family’s Countdown to Christmas back home.
It’s been a beautiful season. And now we wait for the next season: CHRISTMAS.
We’ve spent 4 months together in 4 Asian countries.
We’ve sweat and skipped showers and smelled so bad we could hardly sleep.
We’ve been served food we never thought we’d eat and consumed levels of spicy we didn’t think were possible.
We’ve climbed the Himalayas and gotten sucked dry by leeches.
We’ve swam in questionable lakes and taught brave, laughing, Cambodian teenagers how to swim.
We’ve disagreed about how often we should be on our phones and on wifi.
We’ve witnessed souls being saved as people made the conscious decision to know Jesus.
We’ve learned that miracles aren’t always what you expect.
We’ve seen more stars than ever before.
We’ve cringed when we’ve been told to “press in.”
We’ve pressed in anyways.
We’ve preached in villages where the only form of communication was our translator and 4 phrases that we overused and mispronounced.
We’ve eaten more carbs than an Italian honeymooner.
We’ve seen our lives flash before our eyes driving on the edge of mountain cliffs and thrived off the adrenaline rush for a week afterwards.
We’ve been conditioned to think $2 is a splurge meal.
We’ve learned that to live is to depend on the Lord, and that we don’t have to do it alone.
We have prayed for healing and then prayed for understanding when prayers weren’t answered the way we had imagined they would be.
We’ve learned to lift each other higher through honest feedback and tough love.
We’ve shared our testimonies, fears, struggles, and hopes with one another.
We’ve laughed and sobbed and learned to love our teammates in a way that we were created to love.
It’s been a beautiful season. And now we’re in the waiting for this next season: TEAM CHANGES.
With team changes being announced in just a couple of days, tensions and anxiety levels are rising. “Who will be on my next team? Will I be on an all girls or co-ed team? Who will be the next team leaders and squad leaders and will my bffs be on my new team?” THE PEOPLE WANT ANSWERS.
But do we, really?
When you lay down for your Thanksgiving evening nap, you don’t immediately reach out and expect to open your Christmas presents do you? You enjoy the season.
I remember living in Georgia and teaming up with my sister to rummage through Mom and Dad’s things to try to find our presents before Christmas. As it turned out, Mom was either really not creative or had a lot of trust in us because we found them in the first spot we looked, her closet. The funny thing is, even though we loved the toys we found, we were bummed we had found them early! It took so much of the excitement and fun out of the holidays.
From that year on, we stopped looking. We knew we were going to love whatever our parents blessed us with (remember that Furbee? And that bike? and Pirates of the Caribbean!?), and we didn’t want to rush the holidays, we wanted to savor them as long as we could.
This is exactly how I feel about the upcoming changes. They are inevitably going to happen Monday morning, but these new decisions are intentional and for our own good. We are once again going to grow from being thrown overboard out of our comfort zones.
Do you trust in the Lord? He loves us so dearly and he wants to give us good gifts… & that’s exactly what these new teams are: gifts. So this “holiday season,” let’s slow down, stop worrying about decisions out of our control, quit snooping through Mom’s closet for answers that will be announced in just a few short days, TRUST & REST in the Lord and His timing, and enjoy our current teammates and everything they’ve given us (and as always, thank your team treasurer).
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” -Matthew 7:11
“Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” -James 1:17
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and hope.” -Jeremiah 29:11
“May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” -Romans 15:5-6
“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy” -Colossians 1:11
“But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.” -Romans 8:25
To my team, Plants and Pillars, thanks for the laughs, challenges and love. Y’all are unforgettable.
