Since my last blog I have spent the month of October in Guatemala, got placed on a team of all new people, had a layover in DC and was able to see my family & now I have lived the last month in Zambia, Africa. Almost six months into the race and I am still in awe of this crazy adventure God has lead me to.
The only way to describe this month so far is Freedom. To be completely honest, it has taken this long, but I am finally “buying in” to the World Race and totally surrendering to what God wants for me. I am learning about who I am & not being defined by my past and walking in the truths of who God has made me to be instead of living as the world sees me. As a result of that, I have been able to share the love of Jesus so freely with people. The chains on my heart have broken, which has allowed me to serve God without any boundaries. It really is such a beautiful thing.
So many wonderful happenings have occurred in the last month, or really five months, but as much as God has been using me wherever I am-I have been impacted and inspired from back home as well.
One of my best friends decided a few months back she was going to run her first marathon. She then had this amazing idea to turn it into a fundraising event for my race & run in honor of me. That alone, the fact that she believed in me that much, was enough to make me cry- but it only got better. This amazing friend sent out letters, made her own fundraising page & did whatever she could to spread the word about what I was doing.
Let me tell you – coming on the World Race is abandonment & you are no longer living for yourself. The race is eleven months of full service to God and the people you are living in community with & its great but it is hard. So, when someone you love back home takes time out of their life to support that, to dedicate even just a small portion of their life to you & to help you-thats huge. Like this humbling feeling of love being poured into your heart huge.
The marathon was this past Sunday. Alli finished 5th in her age group out of 6,000 runners, incredible. The fundraiser for my race was the most successful Ive had, but that isn’t even the best part. Through this God moved in huge ways. I was more determined than before to really make the most of this adventure because of all of the reassurance from the support back home. How can I complain about going to ministry when I have people at home taking time out of their day to help me stay on the race.
Alli is an incredible friend & I truly think through this God taught the both of us a little something more about service and humbleness.
Supporting someone on the race is more than just a kind service of donating your money. You are following what God is calling you to do & you are telling that racer that you believe in what they are doing-that following Jesus into the unknown is incredible and you want to see them grow and learn a little more about life.
I want all of my supporters to know that-and I want to thank you. Thank you for encouraging me, for taking that step and showing me love. It is impacting me more than some might think and you are investing into changing my life. I am not the same person I was when I left Atlanta back in July-Im not even the same person as I was three weeks ago. I am out here serving God and doing whatever He asks me to do and I am now starting to live out out my life as the person He has made me to be.
So thank you, thank you, thank you to every single person who has supported me-it truly means the world.
I am still in need of a little over $2,000 to reach my final deadline. Any amount helps if you feel lead to support me. Thank you!!!
