A year ago today I was in Novi Sad, Serbia. It was my first time in Europe in general, my first week with my team, my first week on the world race. I was stoked, a bit tired, and had absolutely no idea what I was doing or what the world race was. I had no idea I would be totally wrecked, in the best way, almost exactly one month from then. I had no idea the depths of surrender I would voluntarily experience or the way my brain would be re-wired to recognize acts of fear in just eleven months.
These past few weeks have been weird as all get out. I’ve been to a wedding, a family vacation, and a training camp. I’ve spoken at an American church (that I’d never been to) for the first time, the YMCA afterschool program, and learned so much wisdom from supporters. My hometown got YoungLife. I still haven’t seen my best friend (Amanda come home) but I’ve eaten dinner with her mom. I’ve had a couple of my craziest prayers be answered and got a library card all in the same month.
I’ve been learning and wrestling with a couple of things in these weeks of rest.
- Sitting still. Sitting in stillness. It’s not effective for me until after I’ve been well exercised, or else I feel like I’m just going to explode.
- It’s a really beautiful thing when relationships withstand tests of time, distance, distractions, and different experiences. There’s a couple of people in my life I am feeling so blessed to know in these few weeks. Friends from middle school and parents of friends from middle school and honestly even elementary school friends.
- Reading books is a serious discipline and I’m trying really hard to like it more than I do.
- Learning to ask questions when I don’t understand, or I don’t know rather than being quiet. Especially when it’s about the bible or the way the Lord answers things.
I’ve spent a lot of time in prayer over my friends, family, strangers, hometown, state, future, present, sickness, celebration, mourning, houses, travel, encounters and I’m seeing things happen. I’m getting, what seem to be random, opportunities. I’m getting chances to tell people about how Jesus is alive and doing big things and small things. I get to encourage people that if something seems hopeless and unfair Jesus isn’t done yet.
A year ago in Novi Sad, Serbia I wasn’t in that place. I wasn’t okay with wrestling and killing my pride. I used self-preservation instead of investing in wherever I was, and I didn’t even know it. I’ve talked about personal grow quite a bit on blogs before, but it still is wild to me the place I’m in. You recognize differences in yourself through interactions and experiences in re entry that you would never see on the field.
ALSO – My prayer is to be fully funded this week. That might sound a little ambitious, but I’m about halfway there and I’ve only had about 5 financial supporters. So if you wanna be an answer to prayer, a part of my ministry, or get a tax deductible hit that Donate! button! Who knows? You might get another Christmas card from Thailand!
With love,
Alexis
