Well that’s a wrap. My time in Ethiopia has come and gone quicker then any other month on the race so far. My squad and I got to enjoy an impromptu all squad month during our time in the capital. It actually worked out great given it was the holiday season. I got to enjoy early morning donut runs, the best egg special from Messys, greeting the locals on the way to the market, evenings with the fry lady, and on occasions buying avocados from our favorite vender. After a month of trying my teams guac dishes I’m still not sure if I like it but it is growing on me.
I’ve been reading scripture lately, more specifically into the life of Abram. Abram was chosen by God to be his hands and feet. In the story of Abram, He is asked to live a mobile life, a life in a tent. Picking up an moving, always moving toward God and His plans for the world and choosing to never settle. When you think about it, that should be all of us now. God has big plans for each of us and we are called to live radical lives and that starts with us walking in obedience to Him. If we find ourselves settled in one place and distracted by the American dream then we are most likely not be obedient to God. I strongly believe that if we are comfortable in our walk and not being pushed out of our comfort zones then we are just playing it safe.
This has been a hard thing for me to grasp this last month. Not that I don’t want to live a radical life for God but some days I love to find a routine. This past month has been just that. I love living in community with people, I like having friends around that are there for you to play card games into the wee hours of the night or sharing community meals through out the day. I enjoy having everything I need within a 10 foot radius of where I am sleeping. It’s so hard to give that up and now that I have moved into a new month with a smaller team I have realized how much I find comfort in that. If it was up to me, I would choose all squad month every day of the race but I also know that’s not what God would want for me. And the truth is we grow more in the uncomfortable because we choose to trust God with all our needs.
I have been able to witness this realization through my squad leaders over the last six months. They each possess a yes spirit and choose to be obedient to God’s voice. Choosing to surrender their own wants and desires to God, and walk in confidence that God has bigger plans for them. I recently had to say goodbye to Nico, Kiersten, and Thomas because it was time for them to hand over the reigns. Each of them walked in obedience and through that God was able to use each of them to showcase God’s character of servanthood, love, and grace. They poured out all they could and have left an imprint on my heart and many of our squad hearts as well. With them leaving and the squad moving countries God has been laying all this on my heart.
I have chosen this life style. The lifestyle of constant movement and constant pouring out to the people I pass on the streets and the people I live in community with. It can become very difficult to have everything in constant motion around you. People you have opened up to and have shared the depths of your heart too, sometimes have to leave and you have to begin this process again with a new group of people. And that is the life we have been asked to live. To water the ground where we are planted and once the ground is flourishing we move to the next place that needs to be watered.
Just like Abram, we have been chosen by God to be the hands and feet. To constantly be moving towards God and encouraging others to do the same a long the way. We each have been asked to pick up the cross and be image bearers of Christ. I don’t think that we can do that by being complacent, go against the world’s expectation of you and start walking in boldness of what God has asked from you. Live radically for him. Keeping moving towards God and don’t be content in routines.
Lacy Jolene
