life transformed.

Life at home so far?  Crazy.  Good. 
Overwhelming at times.  Restful at others.  The number one question I
get asked is, “How was your trip?”  One of the challenges I’ve faced,
that all returning Racer’s face, is trying to sum up a year’s worth of
experiences and changes  in 5 minutes or less.  It’s impossible.  But
while sitting on the lawn in a campground in Ireland, at the request of
our coach, Papa Mike, I thought about what this year has meant to me,
how I’ve changed and how I will live my life as a result of what I’ve
learned and experienced.   What I came up can be read in 5 minutes or
less and if I could just read this to everyone I talk to I would but
that would be awkward….so I figured a blog would be more appropriate.
=D Here’s a peak into my journal, into my heart:   

 

“We arrived in Dublin last
night! Wowzers! I’m actually in Ireland!
(Yes, I actually write expressions like that in my journal – nerdy, I
know.) I/we got here just by the skin of
our teeth. They made the flight over 20
minutes late just to wait for us all (at least I think that’s how it happened)
and then only half of us got our bags. I
was one who didn’t get their stuff so I ended up sharing someone else’s a tent
with Mimi and even though I was up all night with frozen feet I couldn’t have
been happier. And that’s the point,
right? I am learning to be content in whatever circumstances, knowing that my
absolute worst day or moment of greatest discomfort is still better than much
of the world’s very best day or better than anything they’ll ever experience
in
their whole lives. And what a glorious
moment when looking around me I see over 40 people who would give up
all that
they had and sacrifice their own comfort for mine and knowing that I
would do
the same for them. I am worth it. They
are worth it. Because He is worth
it. Because He died. Because the Father said that we are worth
it. How great the Father’s love for
us. How vast beyond all measure. I believe it again. I truly believe it
and I am better equipped
to fight now – to stand up against the lies and continue in FREEDOM! I
cannot and will not go back to the old life
I once had. As I always told my Cadets –
the best way to repay people for their investment in you is to go and
live the
life they’ve told you you’re capable of having – to be the person they
believe
you can be – to be all of that and more. That is what I want to do,
what I will do. I will remain one of the 99 so that Jesus can
go after another one. I will be one of
the ones
rejoicing when another one comes home. I’ll bake the cake and help make
the banners and offer up my praises to
God as I watch the flock grow. I’ll be
one of His dancing fools and I’ll do my best to encourage and teach the
ones
returning whether for the first time or hundredth, as well as the other
98. I will pray. I will speak the truth and I will continue to
listen to the voice of my Shepherd, my Daddy, my One True Love. My
toast in our Final Debrief session was
this: To the discovery, experience of and belief in True Love; to a
life worth
having, living and giving; to people worth loving, serving, giving to
and dying
for. I meant every word of that
toast. This year has transformed
me. I told Mimi that for the first time
in my life I am completely fearless. I
can face the Sun/Son and know that no matter what it will be okay. I am
loved, accepted, approved of, valuable,
and free of shame. I am a child of God,
of the Creator – if God is for me, and He is, then who can stand
against
me? God of the angel of army He fights
for me. I have NOTHING to fear but God
himself. So, I am ending the Race, this season, full of hope, peace,
and joy
and the greatest of all, LOVE! Every
tear and bead of sweat has been worth it. Every death I would die
again. Every ounce of pain felt during the tearing and mending process
I’d
endure all over to be who I am now, to know Who I know now.”

That’s how my trip was.

 *This picture was not edited in any way. Sweet, huh?