I think a lot of people think that the World Race is just a fun trip all around the world where we get to do mission work and everything is fun and dandy…well let me tell you, there are hard times. A LOT. There are a lot of times I miss out on exciting things at home.
I love the adventure side of the race and I love the opportunity to love people all over the world, but I especially love being able to have a community and press into a healthy, God-centered community. I have 23 other individuals around me who love God with their whole hearts and are here to serve, love and GROW.
So, with that said, I love the community on the race and I love knowing that the Lord will give me community when I go home (even though that’s really scary right now). But also, being on the race, I miss out on a lot of community at home. I miss out on my sister being home, my other sister graduating high school, I miss just growing with my brother and sister-in-law, I miss a lot of growth within my family. I’ve been absent for the death of my grandpa. And more recently, I missed the engagement of one of my best friends, Julianna.
I honestly didn’t think about the possibility of this happening while being gone but then it did. And I missed it.
I am so thankful that she thought of me and face timed me right after it happened! I felt so loved in that moment knowing that I am special to her and not forgotten.
So, although there are so many fun and incredible opportunities I get to live in while on the race, I do miss things at home. And that is what abandonment for the Kingdom can look like.
Luke 9:57-62 says, As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.“
This scripture really hit me the other night when my squad mate talked about how we left things behind, we abandoned things and we left knowing the possibility of significant things happening while we were gone. Those are things we have to lay at the feet of the Father whether it’s easy or not.
I have had to walk through a physical process of laying these special and significant events that I’ve missed at the Father’s feet. If I don’t, the enemy has all the room to sneak in and try to speak lies to me. I have to daily lay things at the Father’s feet and die to my desires in order to continue serving Him wholeheartedly.
But also, HUGE congratulations to Julianna! I am so extremely excited for you in this next season of life! I love you, tons!
This is a never ending process. What do you have to lay at the Father’s feet today?
