In roughly 40 days I will be back in the states. Whoa…..I have read blogs from previous racers from around this time and now I cannot believe I am here. (I wrote this blog but struggled posting it and now I will be home in 26 days….)
This past year has easily been the best year of my life. I have learned bits and pieces of new languages, eaten food I never would have back home, lived with 20+ strangers, walked miles with 40lbs attached to my back, been an all you can eat buffet for bugs, cried, laughed, watched lost accept Jesus, cried, danced, climbed mountains, stayed up until the next day discussing the Bible, spent days traveling on buses/ships/airplanes and trains, cried some more and saw Jesus in a whole different way. I have seen life in a whole new way.
I am in Mongolia currently with a new team building relationships. My pastor says we are all missionaries and I never fully understood that but now I do. I have met people that the Father loves while I have walked to the gym, standing in line at the ATM, picking out fruit at the grocery store, everyday life.
We are told the race isn’t over June 23rd but instead month 12 will be starting and that the way I have lived, loved, and seen Christ can continue on. Here we are…40 days. What will my month 12 look like? Month 13?
In January I started praying and asking God what would be next. I wanted to be able to do a few things, I would love to be offered a place at Stonepoint, I loved my job that I had before the race, a place at mercy ships, or even coming back to Adventures in Missions as an alumni leader. I prayed hard for closed doors and as always, He was faithful to close them. The door that I am walking through will be continuing with Adventures as an alumni leader for a squad that will launch in August.
My launch window and they are preparing to go to training camp in a few weeks and as I pray for them I remember my weeks leading up to training camp, equal parts excitement and nerves.
It is like standing on the edge of a cliff above water and you know you are going to jump but you’re so insanely scared that ONLY God can calm you enough to jump. Here I am again about to jump.
I could never really express my thanks and deep gratitude for the people that have helped this past year with prayers, notes of encouragement and finances.
I would love more than anything to get to tell you more from this last year and the sweet things of what this next year holds. If you would like to know more, I will be home soon.
