In the past two months I feel like I have grown more then I have in the past 24 years of life. The perspective you gain from doing something similar to what the World Race offers is so valuable. It changes the way you see people and the way you interact with the world. The travel part is so much fun but honestly the relationships you make with people that you minister to are much more important. I have traveled plenty before the World Race but now I am “traveling” with a Jesus centered mindset. Every day God is putting opportunities in front of me to learn from.
Since being on the field I have been journaling a ton, I do my journaling in my electronic journal aka iPad. Which has been great because I don’t like to physically write down things, I can’t write fast enough to keep up with my thoughts so I find myself actually skipping details. Which is pointless because thats the reason to write it down in the first place. My electronic journal has everything though; blogs, journal notes, pictures, videos, prayers, voice recordings, drawings, etc. Everything to help me look back and recall what I was going through and what God was teaching me in that time.
I want to share with y’all some of those lessons and realizations for what God was teaching me in those moments. Just gonna list off a few stories and the lessons God drew out of them for me. Italics means its from my electronic journal!
1- February 24th-
“I remember crying when I was talking with dad because I was looking at our prayer wall, basically each time someone prayers for what’s on your post-it, they circle it. And as I was looking at the numerous circles as they seemed to get more and more bold. It was overwhelming to see visually, how many people where praying for me. I broke down, I felt God lifting that burden of stress and weight off my shoulders. I talked with dad about how we need to trust the Lord in the fact that he is in control. I felt immediate release from that situation. It was hindering my time on the World Race, not being able to let go on control of certain things in my life. I went to bed that night feeling physically lighter. One of the best talks I have had with dad.”
— Lesson Learned- God uses others to carry out His love for us. —
2- January 21st-
“This morning I went to the local church and talked with Pastor Dah. The worship was all dancing to the beat and just being free. Obviously didn’t understand a word of it but my dancing was spot on. I suck at dancing in the States but over here, they look and me and laugh and then try to mimic what I’m doing. I did the floss and they loved it!! Pastor Dah even commented! Church lasted for about 3 hours and there was more songs then actually sermon teaching.”
— Lesson Learned- God loves my dance moves. Sounds silly but seriously it was so freeing to just worship knowing that there is no shame looking like a fool. —
3- March 16th-
But something bad had happened. I saw everyone as they were surrounded by a evil spirit, frozen in time, the only thing able to move were the tears down their face. They had seen something, something that hurts deep down. Children being used for money. They would come up to us and beg for money or for food, holding on and hugging us, children of all ages. Then they would complete their task by getting our money, and return everything to this man who was overseeing and ruling over them. It wasn’t right. The kids getting their affirmation and love from someone who is so clearly empty and passing that lack of worth onto the kids. They kids had no chance, and we cant do anything about it. The devastating thing is that earlier that night we had a group of kids come up to us and ask for food and money but haven’t realized that they were being used to help feed and support this man who was controlling them. How did we miss it? Last month the lesson that God taught me is that I cant choose who I impact I can only choose to be obedient. That is so much harder then said. First night in Asia and we get obliterated with this absolute bomb. But in all things God is there. We need to allow the tears to flow but don’t drown in them ya know. We need to desire to be obedient, that is how we make a change in peoples lives. Being there for that child is great, but we will leave eventually. I remember seeing a small girl hold onto one of my teammates and then when it was time to go, the little girl was would not leave her. Realizing that the little girl, at such a young age knew that she was safer in my teammates hands then in her owners. It was difficult just to watch and visualize what the little girl had gone through. They need a life change, and the only person in charge of there life is this empty man, who was created by God. Remember that, God loves this man who is doing such evil things. It was so hard to see something so unfair and try to find God in it.
—Lessons—
1. I can’t choose who I impact, I can only choose to be obedient. *Huge Lesson*
2. There is no days off, I went to go eat nasty bugs and lost focus of why I am here. If God took a day off we’d be screwed.
3. That I can preach and pray with authority. I preached and prayed for everyone involved and truly felt the Holy Spirit working through me. And it was a privilege to be apart of that.
4. When we steward the things God gives us well, he will give us more. We killed it the first two months of the Race and God is reveling more and more about how much he is needed everywhere everyday. Long after the race there will still be people who need to hear Jesus.
