Family. That word holds a lot of weight. It means the family who raised you. It means people who love you when you can’t love yourself. These are the people you share laughter with. Share memories with and cry with. The people who see you when you are at your worst. And then in the biggest moments of your life! This being said…
I gave my key away this past weekend! And my Key said “Family”
What does that mean?
Well at the World Race launch one of the guys who makes giving keys, prayed over each one of us and the Lord gave him a word for all of us. He didn’t know any of us or our stories. When we went to pick up the keys, I was with my mom and sister.
I opened the envelope and pulled the key out. My mom and sister gasped and I looked at the word, it said “Family.” The looked at me and smiled, they had this look of happiness on their face that said Gods gonna teach you some big things this year.
I was honestly blown away by this key… and that’s where my Keys to the Kingdom Journey started.
I’ve learned a lot about what Family means this year. Not even what the word means but what it means to me. It’s pretty dang important to me, let me tell you that. This word has been my life since I was born. The beautiful memories I have, and the hard memories I have endured through.
Before I left on the Race I was at this point where I felt like I had to be everything to everyone. I put pressure on myself to be my families Savior and try and be everything to them. Not only that but I felt like I had to bring peace and be the peacemaker to everyone. When my mom was sick with depression I felt like I had to be a mother to my brother because I wanted that for him. When my parents split up I felt like I had to love everyone more, I felt bad that there was so much sadness. When my childhood home sold last year, I wasn’t there to say goodbye.
I was putting myself in front of God for them. I was trying to be their Savior. And the Lord rocked my world and said “Nope that’s my job, you can’t fix any of this.”
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” -Philippians 4:6
This year has been a journey. And my family is still my family and I love them dearly. But I can now say I am free of trying to be perfect for them or trying to take care of them, or fix my families problems. After my mom came to PVT I felt even more peace about my family. She affirmed me that my family was okay without me, yes they miss me, but they are thriving and God is taking care of them! Amen!
Two weeks after PVT, God told me to give my key away. I gave my key to a woman named Virginia. She came to our house here in Bulgaria and she speaks fluent English, she is actually a language teacher in the north. I shook hands with her when I first met her, and then we didn’t talk for a little.
A little time later I was sitting outside, trying to figure out how to even strum my guitar, when she came around the corner and sat right across from me. She looked sad, and I said “Are you okay?” She said yeah I’m okay so I proceeded to go on attempting to play my guitar.
Later after dinner my teammate Meg asked if we could pray for Virgina. Meg went on to explain some things that were going on in Virginia’s life, some hard things.
I immediately felt the tug on my heart, after the prayer I pulled Meg aside in the kitchen and asked her more about her story. She shared a little bit, but didn’t know much. I said I think I need to give her my key… Meg smiled and said wow do it!
I came back with my key and sat next to Virginia explaining what this meant, how God loved her and how he will take care of her and her family.
She smiled through tears and said “Thank you so much, this means so much to me.”
She put it on, and later asked me “Are you sure you don’t want this back?”
I smiled and said “No, God wants you to have it.”
After this we got talking about her family and she just explained everything about her life. A couple years ago she lost seven family members in one year, SEVEN. One of them was her Dad, who struggled with the belief that her and her mom believed in Jesus. He was saved three months before he died (but that’s another amazing story). She then explained how she lives with her 95 year old grandma and has to take care of her, while working a 10 hour shift each day. Virginia has been struggling with making friends and community, she loves the Lord very much. But she has fallen into a depression that there is no one out there that wants to be friends with her. She works full, full time and does part time translation on the side.
We really connected and I loved how God wanted her to have this. After giving the key to her and talking with her I knew there was purpose in it.
Please continue to pray for Virginia.
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” -Galatians 6:10
My family is near and dear to my heart. I love them so much!!! But now I can say I trust the Lord with their lives… Amen!
Blessings to you all!
