My time in Botswana has been such a balance of comfort and being uncomfortable. This may be confusing for some of you reading so I’ll explain.
When I left for the race I left knowing I was leaving the comforts of home in the states. Comforts of home being: a bed, air conditioning, hot showers, good water pressure, wifi at my fingertips, good American style food, friends and family surrounding me, my church I know and love, and many many other comforts.
Here in Botswana I’ve experienced almost all of those comforts. Woah. Crazy right?
I have a bed for myself, air conditioning, wifi that works most of the time, we cook for ourselves and have taco Tuesday/salad night/ burger night at least once a week for dinner, and good friends surrounding me becoming like family.
It’s been too easy to become too comfortable. It’s too easy to expect comfort and get mad when we don’t receive these comforts. Almost like we are entitled to these luxuries.
The discomfort of my time in Botswana includes: sweating. All the time. Having to grow as a leader and in public speaking, when the wifi doesn’t work, being in community 24/7, going to a church which is not my home church, and missing home like crazy (holidays away r hard.)
The discomforts I listed are all things I knew were going to happen when I signed up for the race. Those are things I was expecting yet I still struggle walking through those things.
It’s funny to see how when I am surrounded by comforts of this world I feel entitled and like I deserve these things even though I never expected to have these things. But when I’m confronted with the hard things I knew were coming I want to run in the opposite direction.
Comforts v. Discomforts are a wild thing because it’s a hard balance. I honestly don’t know what a healthy balance between the two are. But I do know that when we begin to feel as if we are deserving or entitled to our comforts that’s when we need to 1st seek God and 2nd pull yourself away and into the uncomfortable and in the uncomfortable trust in God to pull you through to find comforts in your discomfort.
When you sit in your discomforts and give it to God is when He teaches you so much more. About life. About yourself. And about Him.
Just a little of what I’m growing in and wanted to share!
also, if you didn’t know or couldn’t guess; I find major discomforts in asking for funds to keep me on the field. With what I just wrote about I’m going to practice what I preach and run into my discomforts. :,)
I still have $525 to fundraise to keep me out here spreading the word and living this crazy life. please please please consider donating, as my final deadline is quickly approaching!! thanks a billion!
-Em
