Grab a bowl of popcorn and find a comfortable seat, friends.
I’d like to tell you a story about expectations.
Monday, October 16: 7:30am
Our mighty team of eight women greeted our driver Carlos and headed to a village outside of Cusco. The plan was to hike a mountain range (collectively deemed Rainbow Mountain due to its vibrant colors). Excitement was in the air the morning of our journey. Our Nalgene water bottles were filled, Polaroid cameras were packed and playlist was ready to worship our Father at the summit. It was going to be a perfect day.
Or so we thought.
Monday, October 16: 11:30am
As Carlos weaved his way up the mountain past herds of alpacas and locals tending to their fields, we noticed it was becoming increasingly more wintry. Clothed in rain jackets and athletic shoes, this was clearly not our expectation; but we found joy in the unexpected and continued up the snow capped mountain. Carlos stopped a couple thousand feet below the 17,000 ft summit and so began our hike.
And that’s when it happened.
Storm clouds began to roll in. Thunder boomed in the distance. A hail storm ensued. And a perfect bolt of lightning struck down just feet from where our group was standing! Hair standing straight up from all the static electricity in the air, our guide yelled for us to turn back and escape the terrifying yet exhilarating storm that was brewing in the Peruvian Andes around us.
Awestruck wonder and intense fear flooded our bodies, but the Lord placed a shield of protection over us that day; a day I will most certainly never forget.
Thinking back on this expedition, I’m reminded that our expectations don’t often align with reality. Leading up to the World Race, I had expectations that played out much differently than I would have ever chosen for myself.
After I applied for nursing school, I expected the Lord to challenge me in a way He never had before; but I didn’t expect Him to ask me to cancel my application and apply for the World Race instead.
After I applied for the World Race in late February, I expected the Lord to provide enough for me to launch in August; but I didn’t expect Him to provide close to $16,000 in under 6 months.
After I began to prepare for the Race, I expected the Enemy to spiritually attack this decision to leave; but I didn’t expect my perfectly healthy mom to be diagnosed with cancer two months before I left.
After sharing this journey with my best friend Megan, I expected to be there for each other through the difficulty of leaving home while our mothers battled cancer; but I didn’t expect Megan’s mom to pass away a week before launch and for her to have to stay behind.
After being on the Race for a month, I expected the Lord to reveal Himself to me above and beyond what I could have ever imagined; but I didn’t expect Him to reveal spiritual gifts to me and draw me into deeper intimacy with Him so early on.
After revealing such beautiful Truth to me during the first couple of months, I expected the Lord to continue speaking to me as He had been; but I didn’t expect to feel as spiritually drained and confused as I am right now, unable to hear Him through the static of the world and my own selfish thoughts.
And that’s the point, isn’t it!?
If I had the foresight to know some of these things would happen, I would have leveled with Jonah and fled from the face of the Father; but I didn’t have the foresight and praise God that I never will. Faith means so much more to me.
And so as I journey through this uncharted territory of spiritual confusion, I’d like to take a moment to praise God for the valley. I’ve found it’s where He does His best work; and though I might not walk away unscathed, I will be refined by the fire. And I’d say that’s pretty rad.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4 NIV)
