There is something to be said about not knowing all the little details of everything going on around me that is quite a relief. When I was in the states, I liked knowing all the details: the time, where I was suppose to be, what I was suppose to be doing, who I was suppose to be with, where others were around me, when my next appointment was, what I was going to eat next, if my hair looked good, do I have enough gas, when was the last time I had a drink of water, and so many other little thoughts. It was what life looked like at that time. But as I sit here in my bed today, sick with a stomach bug, it has given me the time to reflect on how the World Race has transformed me.
When I signed up for the race, I knew that my world would change. I knew that I would be traveling to 11 countries and getting to do different types of ministry. I knew that I would have at least 5 other people with me on a team, and that I would LOVE adventure days where I would get to explore the country with my new friends. But what I didn’t realize is that we all would be coming from different backgrounds. We would all have different sweet spots in ministry, different knowledge about how to take care of the sick, different knowledge on essential oils (which is a must!), different understandings of what clean looks like, and different skills acquired from previous jobs. While some are good with numbers, others are good with survival skills, or with medical information, or with communication, or even a little bit of all the above. When these different backgrounds come together though, it is a recipe for something!
At the start of this year, I knew the Lord was calling me to ‘relax’ in a sense. At training camp back in October, I had 2 watches that each broke on the wrist strap. I was so frustrated because I NEEDED to know what time it was so I wasn’t late to my next appointment. Needless to say, the Lord had different plans for me. While it is true that watches can be cheap, I felt the Lord telling me that I didn’t need to know what time it was. So here I am, in month 3 of the race, in West Africa, without a watch, and somehow at peace with it. How did I get here?
I’ve realized that time isn’t accounted for like it is in America; it’s counted by the laughs and the love that you pour out by the second. It’s about extending a smile to someone as you walk by them and their faces light up and they wave back at you. Time isn’t just about the 86,400 seconds that determine its length, but what we put in to those seconds. I’ve realized that it’s easier for me to live with women than what I thought it would be. I’ve realized that I actually love Africa, and the people who live here. I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter where you grew up in the world, because we all have the same desires to be loved and to love. I’ve fallen in love with the wonderful hosts that have taken my team of 6 ladies in because they each have taught us different characteristics of Christ that I haven’t necessarily witnessed myself. I’ve grown to love local markets where I get to talk to people who I normally wouldn’t see in a store front. I’ve been able to come alive in dancing and learn to be free and dance like a chicken if I feel like it. And I’ve also learned how to be okay with not knowing all the details of what ministry looks like for a day.
At the beginning of each week, we sit down with our host and learn about what ministry will look like for the remainder of our time in country. A lot of the time in these meetings, teammates will have their phones out and take exceptional notes on what is going on, and I am normally head in the clouds. It’s not because I think these meetings are unimportant, but because I know that there are 5 other people around me who are great at communication and who will make sure I’m where I’m suppose to be, doing what the Lord wants us to be. I’ve learned that when I take a step back, when I choose to actively ignore the details that change every hour (because we are on Africa time here where 3pm means 6pm or something), that it allows more space for me to have with the Lord. I frequently burst out in laughter because the Lord tells me a joke and I get stared at by my team because they think I’m crazy. I have been able to strengthen my walk with the Lord because of my dependance on His word, His promises, and His truth of what He will do. He is teaching me daily surrender, what it looks like to forgive like Christ forgives, and how to have grace. But none of these things would have happened had I not surrendered my time to Him. Had I chose to want to know the details, I wouldn’t have been able to spend so much time with Him learning from the greatest teacher of all.
And y’all, it’s crazy to think that these short 3 months in Africa have transformed me this much! I can’t even explain all the things the Lord has been doing, but I can say that IT IS REMARKABLE that the LORD IS ALIVE AND ACTIVE! I wish I had more internet to be able to share more with you, but I’m just so thankful for your love, your support, your prayers, and your continued reading of these blogs. God is so faithful and I’m thankful that He chose me to be a part of His greater story. I hope you all have a blessed day! XOXO
