As I write from Michigan, I am grateful. It’s been a rich journey—one that words will never be able to fully express or captivate. Soon, I will be posting a blog with a few more specific reflections as I thank God and look ahead to what’s next.
But today, I wanted to share a testimony from my travels home. Last Sunday, M-squad flew from Shanghai to LAX International Airport. Sunday, June 23rd. This flight concluded the 300+ day journey that has left my heart transformed, in awe, humbled by all that God has done. After the squad said some emotional goodbyes and see you laters, I hopped onto a bus to Union Station.
Back in Kazakhstan (March), Mosaic took a couple long distance trains. I mean like long distance trains. I ABSOLUTELY loved taking these trains. It allowed us to slow down, sit in the quiet, process and listen to God with such intentionality. During one of our train rides in Central Asia, the thought crossed my mind—I should take Amtrak home from the airport. Ever since I was little I thought it would be so cool to take the cross country train from the Atlantic to the Pacific. After I found out we were landing in LA, I thought why not?!
I ended up on a train that went through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and then up the Midwest (YES!) To get from LA to Holland was about a 72 hour journey. Throughout this journey, I had a lot of time to simply sit. Thanking God, praying, singing, sleeping. All good things. But, I also had many beautiful and unexpected interactions with other passengers on the train and near the train station.
All year we’ve been living by and growing into the motto— life is ministry, ministry is life. If I’m being honest, I was kind of thinking this train was going to be a nice couple days to sit in the quiet and take some time to process this wild year. While that still happened, God also just really surprised me and reminded me that this new way of living is just beginning. God simply overwhelmed me with joy as I got to meet these other journeyers.
I’ve picked a few short testimonies of people I met and shared them below:
Big D: a fellow brother in Christ and Michigander who was living in LA. He is homeless and living at the train station. I met him while I was buying shampoo. Simply, we were able to sit down, eat together and get to know one another. We got to share our faith and pray for one another before we parted ways.
Sara: a young lady who was going on one last trip with her little brother before going to bootcamp for the Navy. It was her dream to be a nurse someday, and she just enlisted as a hospital corpsman. Through some fun rounds of uno and a few meals, I got to hear her story and share about my faith and journey with Jesus.
Abbie: my nine year old neighbor, who was moving across the country with her dad. She was wearing a cross necklace. When I asked her about it, she was so proud to tell me that she just got baptized two weeks ago! We got to share about what Jesus meant to both of us. And I got to share some stories with her from the past months. Night two of the train we were able to have a ‘ladies night’; we did so many crosswords and watched rock climbing together on my phone.
Tony: a middle aged man working in the dining car. He’s been working with Amtrak and living on the road for 19 years. It was a beautiful privilege to hear parts of his story.
Amari: Another fellow Michigander who had taken the train from Texas after the passing of one of His family members. I was eating breakfast day three in the dining car. Because I was traveling alone I was seated with random passengers. Amari and I were placed at the same table. We started talking and he opened up a lot about his life. Through many tears, this tough man told me of many struggles and some of the details of this very difficult season. This brother had previously had a radical conversion in prison and met Jesus with a firey passion. He walked with God for some time, but through the trials he was walking through, had fallen into old patterns and turned away from God. In his own words he said “my fire had gone out for God. But God has been chasing me this whole trip and especially on this train, that’s for sure” The day before, a man named Marvin, another train passenger sat down with Amari for a few hours—listening, praying and reading scripture. People were placed in Amaris path, and that morning Amari was ready to start anew. I had the absolute and humbling privilege of praying with Amari as he recommitted his life to Christ in the dining cart of a train, somewhere in the Midwest. As I sat with Amari, listening and engaging, letting the Spirit do the work, it was so clear that June 26 was a day that will mark Amari’s life forever.
After eating breakfast with Amari, I went back to my little area to pack my bag. It was the last day and I had to prepare to get off. I was so encouraged. I will never be able to comprehend or process all that God did this year. In a lot of ways, walking out of this season feels exactly like walking away from the breakfast table with Amari. WHAT JUST HAPPENED? The vastness of his blessing, of community, of His work will forever be beyond me. The power of relationship and community is so important. And, as I thought about the invitations, even just those written about briefly above, I continue to be so encouraged and shook that THIS JOURNEY IS SO YOUNG.
This journey with Jesus isn’t something that‘s only available to some of us. It‘s the purpose for all of us. Each Jesus follower is being invited constantly to answer the invitations of God. We serve a God who’s invitations are so constant and so beautiful.
Since arriving home, I’ve stumbled upon the following quote in a book called “Practicing His Presence”. It is really fitting for this year, this train ride and this transition as I both thank God for all He has done and anticipate all that is to come.
“To be able to look backwards and say— ‘this has been the finest year of my life’—that is glorious! But anticipation! To be able to look ahead and say, ‘the present year can and shall be better!’—that is more glorious!
If we said such things about our achievements, we would be consummate egotists. But if we are speaking of God’s kindness, and we speak truly, we are but grateful. And this is what I do witness. I have done nothing but open windows—God has done all the rest. There have been very few if any conspicuous achievements. There has been a succession of marvelous experiences in the presence of God”
