Before each month, I would pray and ask God for a specific word to focus on for that period of time. I wanted to share each of those words and what I learned that month related to that specific word.
Month 1: Community- I am an only child, and before going on the World Race, I had mostly lived by myself. I was used to eating, showering, etc. when I wanted to. Suddenly I was thrust in to living with 6 other girls who had their own schedules and opinions and I was forced to give up my own needs and make sure the group as a whole was served well. I never knew I needed people to be closely involved in my life, but this first month was a great example of a community coming together to help each other navigate a new season of life.
Month 2: Submission– In Romania, I served as our ministry host’s personal assistant, which meant I was at his beck and call at all hours of the day. This also meant that I was the liaison between him and our squad. I had to make a daily schedule of where each person would go and sometimes I felt like the mom of 29 children with different extra curricular activities. At least once a week, I hid in the utility room to avoid people asking me questions. This had to have been from God, but one day I had the thought “You want to have a family one day, but you don’t know how to submit to the needs of others”. It was like a stab in the gut, but that’s exactly what I learned to do that month.
Month 3: Dream- I knew well before I applied to the World Race that God was calling me to live overseas. For about 6 months, I didn’t know exactly what that would look like, so I applied to teach at international schools, emailed autism clinics abroad, and even considered getting my certification to teach English as a second language. None of those doors were opened, and I was pretty bummed. In Bulgaria, we taught children at a private school in the morning, taught English to adults at night, and worked at a special needs home. I felt like God was allowing my dreams to come true and that I didn’t have to just pick one to pursue.
Month 4: Praise- Vietnam was a hard month for me as a I had a stomach virus and we didn’t have a specific ministry for the month. I began to feel sorry for myself because I couldn’t do much and found myself bored every day. I even thought I should go home if I was just going to lay in bed all day. One Sunday at church, I heard a sermon from 1st Samuel about Hannah praising the Lord despite her inability to have children. I realized that if she could praise the Lord in her situation, I could as well.
Month 5: Dignified- In Cambodia, I was able to share my testimony with my new team and part of my story is that I have always felt like the combination of a doormat and a wallflower. The way my team responded and also treated me that month made me feel dignified, which means “noble and worthy of respect”. My team reminded me that I am a daughter of the King and that He thinks the world of me.
Month 6: Freedom- This was one of the most important lessons on my trip. The first part of this was that we learned about the sex trafficking industry in Thailand and were able to intercede with long term missionaries who sought to bring freedom to the women stuck in this vicious cycle. It made me long for everyone to have physical freedom, as well as feel the freedom that comes with living life with Jesus. The second part is that I, myself, finally understood the meaning of freedom from my past life and for my future as well. I’ve always thought that God was controlling my life and that He would just always pick the path for me. This month, I learned that God gives us free will and will bless my choices, as long as they are aligned with Him.
Month 7: Strength- I try to be vulnerable and open with my feelings, which in my past has not always been appreciated. Some people would describe me as a crier, but I would describe myself as a weeper. I feel everything very deeply: The Holy Spirit, other people’s struggles and triumphs, etc., and tend to blubber when those feelings hit. Because people have made negative comments about my tears being dramatic in my past, I tend to try to repress those feelings. I learned in Myanmar that my vulnerability is my super power and encourages others to open up about their true feelings and desires.
Month 8: Obedience- This month was very physically and emotionally strenuous for my whole team and there was at least one day that month that each of us needed a mental health day. I made sure to tell God every day that if He asked me to work at this current ministry, I would say “no”. He taught me that I do have the freedom to say no, but if He asks me to do something, it’s because it is the best thing for me. Even if it is really hard and I feel like I can’t do it, He would be with me.
Month 9: Wisdom- I sometimes think that people get annoyed when I offer advice or share experiences from my life, which I realized is a lie from the enemy. I have experienced a lot in my life and people can benefit from my mistakes and triumphs in life. I also realized how much I needed someone to drop some nuggets of wisdom in my life, and in walks Kei, a 66 year old nurse from Ohio working in Ecuador. She took care of my team that month and shared her life experiences with us. I was able to talk to her about my fears and dreams and, boy, did she have some wise advice for me.
Month 10: Perseverance- This month felt like I was rounding 3rd base and if I got to home plate, I would win the game for my team. I was so close to being done, but you never know what can happen during the home stretch. I was ready to go home and see my family and friends, but I needed to keep going to finish the Race (literally and figuratively). I also had been praying for a long time about something, but wasn’t getting an answer. I felt like God was telling me to persevere in my prayer life as well and that He hears me.
Month 11: Extravagant- God showed me His extravagant love this month through the people of Bolivia’s hospitality and the natural beauty of the South American landscape. We were told before heading to Bolivia that the people there severely disliked Americans and that we should prepare for them to be rude to us. After a few hours there, we realized that it couldn’t be farther from the truth. The people there showed us so much love and served us when we were supposed to be serving them. It was a great way to get acclimated back in to southern hospitality I find at home.
