During training camp, every person on our squad was asked to pack our packs full (to about 50 pounds), and walk/jog a route about 3 miles long in under 38 minutes. Piece of cake at the time for me because 1. I was in a lot better shape then than I am post 3 months of African beans and rice dinners and 2. I cheated a little bit and didn’t pack mine quite as “full” as I could have. But no big deal, the past is the past, and all I remember thinking was, “it’s not actually going to be this annoying on the race, I’ll be fine.” And yes, I’m fine, but let me tell you. I HATE THAT FREAKING PACK.
My team recently had a travel day from Panang, Malaysia to Pahang, Malaysia… which we actually thought were the same place for a while and ended up being pretty shocked when we found out it wasn’t, but that’s a story for another day. Anyway, our travel day consisted of a 5am grab (like uber) ride from our hostel to the ferry, then a ferry ride and walk to the train station, then another grab to the bus, then another grab from the bus to the town we are staying at that is definitely NOT Panang. So we wake up at 4:30am, and pack on a total of 75+ pounds onto our bodies (see how my cheating at training camp kinda messed with me here?). To put a cherry on top of the sundae, it was pouring rain outside.
Stay with me here, it’s gonna circle back to something relevant, I promise.
So I drop my freaking pack on the ground of the ferry terminal, toss my day pack beside it, and almost throw my guitar straight into the water (yes, on purpose). Then I sit down near the edge of the boat, just out of reach of the rain, and think “well, I guess this isn’t too bad really.” Flash forward 30 minutes when I have to pick that FREAKING PACK back up and walk from the ferry terminal to the train station and suddenly I’m remembering that I HATE THIS PACK AND THIS IS THE WORSTTTTTT. We all plop into a pile in the train station and I proceed to drink a red bull and chocolate milk (save the hate please, I was desperate). All of the sudden the moods shift and we’re all chipper and full of life and not mumbling expletives at our bags. As we ready ourselves to pack back up and head to board the train, my teammate points something out, “Wow, we all turn into b*tches when we have to put our packs back on.” Yep, she was right, already the dark cloud of I-am-fully-over-this-ish was on the horizon.
OKAY HERE’S THE RELEVANT JESUS PART!
GUYS. THE PACK. IS. A. and hear me out. METAPHOR.
I know, just stay shook, it’s fine.
The moment’s during travel that I can LITERALLY see Jesus are when my teammates, or strangers, or hosts, come alongside me and grab my guitar, or sometimes even grab my BIG FREAKING AWFUL pack from me??? Like what a better way to show Jesus than take a physical burden like that?
But Jesus want’s to take our burdens all the time!
LOOK!!
—> “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my load is light” Mathew 11:28-30
—> “Give your burdens to the Lord and He will take care of you” Psalm 55:22
His load is light? Give your burden to the Lord? OKAY. That sounds awesome! But wait, why would He just take that from me no questions asked? Oh, right, BECAUSE HE FREAKING LOVES ME.
mic. drop.
Take it from someone who overstuffs her bag with stuff she doesn’t really need. Just give that stuff to Jesus, He can take it, and you don’t need to carry it. You know what you need to drop, just do it, He’ll take care of you.
