How in the WORLD am I already halfway done with the World Race!? This is actually crazy. These past 5 1/2 months haven’t been easy, but they have been magical. This is not supposed to come out bad, but second month Nicole sitting on a bus driving to ministry listening to Taylor Swift never thought this day would come so soon when it used to feel so far away. I remember my first month in Colombia fully, but at the same time, it feels as if it was years ago…
I wanted to share some of the main lessons I have learned since being on the race even though I know I am going to keep learning more each and everyday…
Importance of Rest
I have struggled with anxiety and panic attacks for the past few years. Sometimes my brain was moving so fast that all I could do was sit in silence. I would put a journal next to my bed just so if I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about something I needed to get done, I could write it down. The problem with that was the tasks ranged from doing my homework and finding my school report from 5th grade because I “will probably need it one day” (an exaggeration but you get where I am going with this). I couldn’t slow down. I thrived on being busy. I spent my last semester of my undergrad bragging about how I could live off of three hours of sleep a night and a sugar-free Redbull. When did that become something to be proud of? The Race has taught me to slow down. I can finally and freely think for myself and control those thoughts because my only responsibility was the Race. I could stop biting my nails out of anxiety and actually teach myself to stop. I could finally read a book without having a wandering mind. I could sleep at night peacefully. I have learned to lead a peaceful life with the Lord.
Spending Time With Jesus
Leading a peaceful life with the Lord, however, also includes spending time with him DAILY. A non-negotiable. I did not take it to seriously some of the months I was out here. Why? I am honestly not sure and that is the problem. When I got to Rwanda, I made a goal of finishing the New Testament before the following month and that is a good amount of pages. So it started as an OCD tick of “I need to finish these pages each day” and it turned into the light of my mornings. The thing that made me excited to wake up each morning. My 6 am alarm clock that I did not want to snooze. I am in the word in all my free moments and not even out of obligation to my OCD tick but because I truly crave the word of God. I crave my new version of the bible that includes historical context translated from three separate languages. It’s made me fall in love with learning and growing. I talk my team members’ ears off with all the new things I am learning. This time is my favorite time because for that bit of time, I am experiencing Heaven.
Going With The Flow
HA. If you knew me back in the states, you’d know I thrived off my 8 different planners and to-do lists. My life was chaotic organization and this means I had everything scheduled to a T, but my apartment looked like a tornado struck because I spent little time there to clean up my mess from being organized. Have you ever had moments like that? Anyways, I brought a planner on the Race for NO reason!? Now we are in month six and I wake up with my first question being, “So what are we doing today?” It feels good to live in the flow. It feels like a vacation for my mind. I write blogs for another company and still run my co-founded company back in the states, so having something like that to plan brings joy to my heart, but also knowing I can wake up, spend sweet time with Jesus, and actually enjoy what I am doing each day brings joy to the Lord.
Taking Control Of My Life
Taking control over every aspect. Learning self-control in each and every way. It feels sooooo good. When you are a missionary, your main priority is the people you are serving, but little do you know, that you are also making yourself a priority in that. When you are pouring out your cup, you are also being poured into spiritually by those same people. In my first month, I was terrified to go home and basically face the reality of being an adult but right now, I am so excited to go home, start my online master’s program, and apply for jobs! I am no longer afraid because I have taken such a control over my life being out here that I know how to make proper decisions for myself. Even if it means turning down ice cream.
How To Love Others Better
This one was a struggle to learn considering not everyone will be your cup of tea. We are all in God’s pot though so basically everyone should be your cup of tea. I have learned how to love people even if I didn’t want to, learned how to cohabitate in a hostel environment, learned how to make friends in a group of strangers from all over America, and learned how to understand people have their bad days and we cannot always be upset or take it personally. That’s the main thing I learned while living in community, actually looking around and observing behaviors. Then you take what you learn and bring it to God who is going to say, “I love them regardless” so at that point you have no excuse. There is so much beauty in being un-offendable.
I cannot wait to share everything else I have learned at the end of the year but for now, cheers to being halfway done with the craziest thing I will ever do! Thanks for your support and your love xx
