Well friends, it’s been two whole weeks since I sat anxiously between luggage carousels at the bustling Seattle-Tacoma airport. I was waiting for my mom to fly in for our reunion roadtrip after this wild, epic year on the Race. My squad landed just after 7 a.m. local time, but my mom wouldn’t land in Seattle until 3 that afternoon. This seemingly inconvenient waiting period was actually forced space for me to consider what it was I learned this year, in big ways and small.
When I wasn’t nodding off into a jet lag induced nap or making friends with strangers, I was thinking about what the heck this past year actually meant. I pondered what it was that brought this version of me to life – this person who gives God her most confident yes, the girl who stands firm in the truth even if it doesn’t please the world, this woman whose soul is set on fire for Jesus and desires more than anything to see His Kingdom on earth. I asked the Lord for more clarity, more wisdom, and more revelation of all that He showed me, spoke to me, and taught me this year. And in that forced space, He was faithful to reveal more than I hoped.
Maybe I landed on U.S. soil two weeks ago, but this journey is not over. I will continue to follow Jesus, tripping over His feet, wherever I am. The testimonies I have from this year serve as prophecy for what the Lord will do again and again, a million times over. I believe that even as you read this blog, He wants you to consider how the things He did in and through me this year can be part of your story too. The things I learned are not only for my remembrance of God and they aren’t reserved just for mission trips; their purpose is to reveal His very nature to those who maybe haven’t experienced these sides of His character yet or need a fresh reminder of who He is.
In that busy, crowded baggage claim, God spoke loud and clear. He brought to mind lessons learned through the highs, lows, and every point in between. He reminded me that His love was the only reason I was even doing this thing, and it’s why I made it through the roughest days on the Race.
There are countless things I’ve learned through my voyage to 11 countries, I can’t possibly list every one. Here are 33 big lessons I learned this year. When you reach the end of the list, I would love if you would leave a comment with the biggest lesson God taught YOU this year. Let’s celebrate together!
33 Lessons from the World Race
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A life marked by chasing my own glory, spotlight, commendation, acknowledgment, achievement, or popularity is not a life fully lived for Christ.
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Seeing things through the eyes of a child is a gift like none other.
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When the host serves you food, eat the dang food. It doesn’t matter how sick of rice you are or how much you just want mom’s chili, but it does matter that you honor the person in front of you.
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I fit in with Christian community (aka The Church) because I fit in God’s family. He made space for me at the table, therefore I belong there. Nothing, not my past, status, ability, expression of worship, aesthetic, upbringing, or material possessions, can make that more or less true.
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“What Are The Odds” is a dangerous game.
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Love transcends language, age, socioeconomic status, education, and experience.
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Trashcan vs. Table is a worthy debate as well as a great source of bonding.
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God is just as much a healer today as He was in Bible times and He wants to use YOU AND ME to bring that into reality through agreement and petition. He promised that the door will open if and when we come knocking on it!
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Living in small spaces, working, eating, and traveling with a group of people takes some getting used to, but wow is it the most uplifting, sharpening community I’ve ever been a part of.
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Spiritual gifts aren’t weird or reserved only for the special Christians. Our Heavenly Father wants to give us ALL good gifts!
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Spiritual warfare is very real.
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Vulnerability is powerful. We could use more of it..
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Packing light is both liberating to my spirit and my back on those seemingly endless travel days.
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Discipline hurts like hell, but deeper closeness with my Creator is better than life.
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Birkenstocks are heaven sent (I learned this in greater depth as they went around the world with me and quickly became a must-pack item).
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Our actions speak of what we value way more than our words do.
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I’m never going to arrive at perfection. How boring would that be?
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Boundaries are biblical and they allow us to love our neighbors better. God sets them and so should we.
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I can always look at my phone screen, but I can’t always look into the eyes of a joyful Ama sitting on the dirt ground in a Nepali slum. Being present is key.
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Intentionality is a love language.
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I don’t have the power to control the outcome of people’s lives. I have to lay that in the hands of the Holy Spirit and offer the love I can give to those in front of me.
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There’s no such thing as “bad people,” but there is brokenness, sin, and bad judgement.
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Strength is found in the underdog women who go against the grain of a society that says they don’t matter, provide for their families, and teach their daughters that things can be different for them.
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Sometimes worship looks like a five hour dance party in the bush of Côte d’Ivoire and that’s just as sacred as anything we can offer God.
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A lot of people just want to be heard and a little listening on my end can go a long way in blessing them.
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To be interruptible is to be like Christ.
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Real friends lovingly tell you when you have something in your teeth. The same is true when you have a blemish in character that doesn’t belong there.
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The Church has nothing to do with the building we’re in, and it has everything to do with loving God and one another.
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Leading like Jesus means doing the hard things, serving wholeheartedly, and being overjoyed when others get the spotlight.
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Not one of us has the right to throw a stone at someone for their wrongs. Kindness trumps condemnation.
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Spontaneity is beautiful.
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We can try to run from God, stomp our feet, and throw a tantrum, but at the end of the day, He is sovereign and His love is bigger than our lack of understanding.
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Home or away, this world needs Jesus. If I believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, my life should be one big, continuous mission trip.
It’s an honor and privilege to partner with the Lord in so many different places, soaking up the different cultures that all reflect His nature in some way or another. I am excited to continue learning from Him, following Him, and finding new testimonies to share with the world. Don’t forget to share what He’s been teaching you this year, too!
Look out for one last blog on here with news of what I’m doing post-race. I shared about this in my last newsletter, but I’ll be giving you all the details in the coming days.
As I close the chapter on the World Race, I want to say one more “thank you” to all of you who supported me financially, in prayer, by reading my blogs, or sending me a message of encouragement through this journey. I’m truly humbled at the support I saw over the last year and a half. You, me, and God did some AWESOME stuff this year! Thanks for being a part of this journey in such a monumental way. Love you BIG TIME!
Now that I’m back in Florida, I would love to meet up with you and chat about what the last year has been like for both of us. Please let me know if you are in the Tampa/St.Pete area or Gainesville and want to grab coffee sometime!
Love and blessings,
McKenzie
