How The World Race Gap Year Changed My Life!!
Where do I start? These last 9 months were amazing. There have been some fun times and some very hard times. I am extremely thankful for this whole experience and all that has happened during this time. It is very hard to sum up the race in just a few short paragraphs but here are a few things that the Lord has put on my heart and worked through me.
Made me realize how important community is
Although my squad and my team have gotten on my nerves at times and I just needed my space and to get away so often but I just couldn’t. Community is still so important and I am very appreciative that I was able to be with these amazing people for 9 months. In community we can constantly lift eachother up and help others get through the tough times. When all I want to do is give up on something they are always there to keep on pushing me to continue and help me push through those hard times. When you have such a close community you know that you can trust them and bring anything to them and they will accept you and love you for who you are. It is important to press into those relationships and to fight for them. It will be hard when they are not there and if you don’t fight for them then the time will not be as rewarding as you had hoped for. I could not imagine this race without any of them. They are a true gift.
How much of an impact I can have on those around me
Even just a simple smile or a ¡buenos días! while walking can change someone’s day. The children that we tutor in San Lorenzo love it when we come to teach them english or have art class with them. The other day my team and I gave about 600 kids in this village a gift that consisted of crayons, a notebook, a jump rope, bubbles, and some other things that they don’t get the opportunity to have. The children and their parents were so appreciative of these gifts. Even just a simple hug puts such an impact on these kids’ lives. To show them the love from the father and to tell them that they are children of God is just amazing.
Changed the way I view God and helped me have a much deeper intimacy with Him
This Race would have been nothing without Christ in my life. God loves me for who I am and He sees me and wants me where I am at. He sees me as His daughter and wants to spend all the time with me. He is my best friend and He chooses me and wants me. I am worthy of His love. It is extremely important to connect with Him and spend time with Him in some way everyday. I have learned that there are so many ways to do this other than just praying or reading the bible. It can look like just sitting and resting with Him, or enjoying His creation, or spending time in community with those around you just in His presence.
To trust and lean on God when pushed beyond my limits
Sometimes things do not go the way as planned and I don’t want to continue on. Sometimes life gets hard and I get pushed and unhappy; all I want to do is complain. Then when I trust in the Lord and ask Him to give me the strength to push through the day or ask Him to change my mood and to keep a smile on my face, He does. Sometimes when the days get long and hard I just need to lean on Him and continue to follow Him and He always helps me get through. He taught me to trust him through all the changes that would happen between people leaving, changing countries, or things coming up unexpectedly. He has taught me to change things from ‘I have to do this’ to ‘I get to do this for His glory.’
How important it is to rest and to get alone
Time here is really what we want it and what we make it to be. If you fill your time with so much then you will be busy and then when ministry starts you will be exhausted and not want to continue. It is important to take time for yourself and get what you need. Rest and rest in the Lord. Spend time with God and then He will fill you up and give you the strength to pour out to those around you. If you yourself are not filled up then you have nothing to pour out.
I can’t believe that I come home in just a week and that this amazing chapter of my life is coming to a close. I get to start a new chapter and glorify the Lord in what I do next. I am so thankful for all the good and the bad that Christ has brought me through during this time. Thank you all so much for supporting me and praying for me this past year. I appreciate all of your blessings.
– Megan
