With roughly 90 days left on the World Race and the NBA finals currently underway, it’s crunch time and I want the ball. I’m on month 9 out of 11 on the Race and at this point a lot of people who do the Race are tempted to coast through or emotionally check out and look towards what’s next in life. But I say NO just like LeBron said to Andre Iguadola in the 2016 NBA finals by pinning his lay up on the backboard. I’m on the home stretch of the World Race and I’m trying to “get mine.” These next 3 months I want to stay present and get all that the Lord has for me and see him move in a mighty way in Central America.
I want to press in and seek the Lord more intimately than ever before. Not allowing myself to be lazy, apathetic, or just emotionally checking out and counting down to when I’m coming home. I’m too hungry to leave the dinner table before I get dessert.
But first, before I get hype about what is next on the race, let me take a moment and publicly reflect. Although I can’t tell all of the notable experiences that have happened on the Race, let me first provide a quick recap/highlight reel of these past 8 months.
ESPN Top 8: (Ethan’s Specific Pinnacles and Notes)
Serbia– Filip- “there’s something different about you guys and I don’t have this Jesus guy but I want him”.
Also, a lady (whose name I forget) in the market who knew English and it ended up being an 8 person conversation about Jesus once they realized I was a foreigner.
Having the honor to speak at our host’s church.
Getting to go to Budapest. Expensive though…
Romania– Seeing so many people coming to accept Jesus through street evangelism and speaking in the gypsy communities.
Meeting our host named Raul, a man and his family who truly live by faith and pursues the Lord consistently.
Having the honor to preach at Raul’s Church.
Going to one of the nicest indoor water parks in the world, and visiting the Black Sea.
Malawi– Preaching and praying boldly at a disability group of about 25 people for them to receive miracles and be healed on the spot. No one got healed… but everyone was eager to receive Jesus.
Seeing sheet lightning for the first time. At night, the lightning was so overpowering it felt like daytime more than it felt like night time. Kind of a scary storm. #OG
Cliff diving and flipping off of a 30 foot high cliff in Lake Malawi. Also, swimming across the Bay of Malawi.
Zimbabwe– Speaking at a school with over 2,000 students, where many came to receive Christ.
Fitting 11 people into a 5 seater car.
Chasing down a would-be thief that stole my home-girls Nalgene water bottle. #heroalert
Botswana– Meeting our host Mphoe who is killing the game being a leader in CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ). I didn’t even know CRU was international? Making moves!
Seeing people in the Botswana University campus receive Jesus.
Seeing a lion in the wild. We made eye contact. “Real recognize Real”.
A water ‘park’ with a suspect roller coaster. Got to be at least a 10% mortality rating on that thing.
Also, playing basketball most nights, becoming good friends with a guy named “twice”, and playing against a guy who played in the D-league in America!
Cambodia– Visiting the ‘killing fields’ concentration camp which was the genocide that happened in Cambodia in the 1970’s.
Getting my first Asian massage for only $6.
Working with a man named ‘Rambo’ who labors for Jesus despite the persecution and discouragement he continually goes through.
Thailand– Staying at a girls’ orphanage where the girls overflowed with the love of Christ and loved us more than I have ever experienced before.
Running a summer camp where 10 kids accepted Jesus.
Also, the last night we were there the girls washed our feet. I cried… a lot.
Getting to see my parents as they came to visit for a week and do ministry with us.
Climbing on top of an elephant while he was bathing in the river and calling him “my son”.
Malaysia– Working with FCA (who knew FCA was in Malaysia???).
The awesome hospitality of Elim Gospel Church, that continually fed us, gave us air conditioning, and warm showers! (valuable at this point in life)
Doing a few crossfit workouts… (still not convinced it’s better than good ole fashion weight training).
Playing Frisbee and Soccer with the Malaysians and straight ‘Mossing’ kids.
The honor of preaching at Elim Gospel Church.
Although a lot more has happened, I cannot possibly put all the experiences into one blog post. I prayed for God to show up in a mighty way on this race and to use me each month to further God’s glory. Looking back there are several things I would have done different, however Jesus has definitely answered my prayer. And I’ve also got to experience a lot of fun and adventurous things while traveling through these countries. But there are still things I am hungry for and won’t be satisfied until they are answered.
These few highlights do not do these past 8 months justice. But they are a few cool things that might help provide insight on how good these 8 months have been. If it was not for the financial prayers and support I would have missed out on all of this and getting to share Jesus with people all over the world that I would have never met otherwise. So I appreciate the love, sincerely.
But now let’s get back to the main point of this blog.
I prayed for God to show up in a mighty way on this race and to use me each month to further God’s glory. Looking back there are several things I would have done different, however Jesus has definitely answered my prayer. There are still things I am hungry for though and won’t be satisfied until I see them come to fruition.
I still have so many prayers I am laboring for:
-falling more in love with Jesus
-Seeing revival happen in Central America;
-God utterly transforming me into a more Christ-like Ethan;
-my future/what I’m doing after the Race;
-a wife (ha just kidding, but not really. Actually ignore this whole parenthetical this is a completely serious prayer request).
What I’m trying to say is that, I’m not satisfied yet and I’m not trying to leave the gym cutting reps.
PICTURE THIS:
Pretend you are at your grandmother’s house and all the family is there and they brought their favorite dish. You loaded your main plate and your side plate on the first go round. But then a family member showed up 10 minutes into the meal (as that certain family member always does) with their homemade baked beans, and you realized you had to get another plate. But if you get a second main plate, you can’t JUST get baked beans. So you add a little of the things you were skimpy on the first go-round. Before you know it you have had two full plates and a side plate (which is awkward because you have made a lot of self-promises about dieting as of late). At this moment you are stuck with a tough decision to make. You take a quick gander over at the dessert table and see a plethora of cookie, cake, and ice cream options. Do you go make a dessert plate? Or do you stop because you have already over-eaten and don’t need to be a glutton. Don’t get me wrong if I left the dinner table now I would be full and happy and no complaints. However I wonder what that dessert tastes like? Furthermore, I can’t just stand by like a chump and watch as the rest of my family eats cake and I don’t.
Just like with the family dinner, I could stop the World Race now after these 8 months and be truly thankful for everything the Lord is done. It has already been more than worth it and I have been blessed beyond measure in what I have seen and experienced. However I’m greedy and I have a sweet tooth, I need my cake and ice-cream before I leave Grandma’s house. Bottom-line (and 2nd and 3rd lines from the bottom) I want all that the Lord has for me on this Race and I want to pursue the Lord harder these last 3 months then the previous 8.
It’s the 4th quarter on the World Race, the score has had many lead changes and ups in downs these past 8 months. I WANT THE BALL.
