Hello New Year! Here I find myself in a new country, in the bush of Africa spending the first month of this year in community, prayer, nature and a life where I get to serve a local Ethiopian village. I get to serve them by making bricks for a disability center, cutting grass for the ox to eat, play with the orphan kids and help the house moms with chores.

This is a beautiful life. More than I could ask for to begin this new year. It’s strange to think about the unknown of the coming year. Making resolutions and trying to plan out a road map for what might be coming. But this is one of those years where I really can’t predict much because I am truly depending on God to guide me into deeper waters.

I have 5 1/2 months left of the race, time to explore new countries and continents and then the adjustment back home in America. Many people ask me what my plans are for after the race. God has given me visions and words and has spoken to me about where I should go or where he wants me but I believe this year is going to be a year of opening my palms and saying yes in the moment to whatever God asks of me. This is a scary feeling.

I feel naked before the Lord.

I feel stripped of all my comforts. I feel like God has allowed me to heal and release so many things in my life that have been holding me back. There is nothing left for me to hold onto. I feel like any familiarity of relationships, home, or a job is so far away at this point.

I am left here in the stark cold air naked before God. I don’t mean this literately but God continues to ask me now that I am left with just me & Him what am I going to do?

Now that I can run at full speed, how am I going to run my race? (Scripture)

Hebrews 12:1-3New International Version (NIV)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

God is alive and speaking to me. He sees me exactly for who I am. He is staring down at me with such tenderness but also with a deep sense of potential. He knows I am capable of so much. To build his kingdom.

I look back at him & tear up feeling so overwhelmed by his love and by the ways he knows me in such depth. I see that is there is nothing left for me to do but to keep pursuing my life as a disciple and to dedicate this next year, and every year after to building his kingdom.