Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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In one week, we’ll be going into our 6th country! That’s crazy! Africa is going by a lot quicker than Europe so far, although we do still have a month left so we’ll see if I feel the same at the end of next month. To be honest, I’ve been missing home quite a bit lately. I miss the cool air of fall in Michigan, going to the Cider Mill with the fam, wearing a comfy hoody with jeans, tailgating with my friends at CMU and watching the leaves come to life as the colors change. I miss my family and friends that I feel like I’ve barely spoken to in 5 months.

 my family that i love oh so much finishing up some bow and arrow-ing in my backyard 🙂
 
I’m bummed that I’ll be missing out on our still recently made holiday traditions:

we love to shoot guns…but never at animals of course! 🙂

 
 I’m learning a lot about myself that I didn’t know before, and I’m curious how that will translate back into the real world. I’ve been wondering what life is going to look like when I go back home, as well as what I want it to look like. I know I’ve tried making it look how I wanted before and it didn’t work out so great, so I’m going to go ahead and continue giving God the reigns. 

I’ve seen a lot of crazy things out here. I’ve seen suffering. I’ve seen joy in people that have every reason not to be joyful.   I’ve seen extreme poverty. I’ve seen true and unprecedented hospitality from people who have very little give yet they give all that they have. I’ve seen women with HIV dance and sing like they were on top of the world. I’ve seen orphans grasp onto us as if we were their only source of receiving love and affection. I’ve seen widows hold their babies as they work with all that they have day in and out to support their families. 

By stepping out into the world, I’ve learned how small the world is and how big of a difference one person truly can make. 

You can make a difference. Often times, I think we have this idea of what other countries around the world are like. They may be in poverty. They may seem to have more sickness and disease than we see in the U.S., but they are joyful and they walk in the spirit of the Lord which is oh so prevalent when you look into their eyes. They aren’t looking for handouts. They aren’t looking for pity.  I think we need to step in and help more for our own sake than for their sake sometimes. God calls us to love widows and orphans, feed the hungry, clothe the naked and help the poor.   We are so quick to ask why God allows certain people to be sick or homeless or hungry, when we should really be asking ourselves that question. We are called to share what we have been given with our brothers and sisters around the world but sometimes it’s easier to wait on someone else to make the move.

“Freely you have received, so freely give.” – Matthew 10:8 

I encourage you to read (or re-read) the story of the widow that gives all that she has in Mark 12: 41 – 44.

When I talk about giving what we have, I’m not just talking about giving money. I’m talking about giving your time and your love to those in need. Most people would much rather spend time with you, get to know you, and build a relationship with you then receive a donation.

Now the question at hand is, what will I do with this? Simply keeping the knowledge of what the world is like to myself is not enough.  I now have a responsibility to fight for the men, women and children I’ve met throughout the last 5 months around the world.  I’ve never been the type of person to not want to see things because they might make me sad or uncomfortable, so I stepped into what could possibly be some of the saddest and most uncomfortable situations in the world…literally. 

Soon will come the time when I put what I’ve seen and experienced into action. What kind of action, you say? I haven’t the slightest idea.  A common question we get asked out here is what we did before the race and what we’ll do after we get home. The truth is, I have absolutely no idea what I’ll do when I get home. I have absolutely no idea if I’ll stay in Michigan or if God will call me somewhere else. To think that it was only a year ago that I found the World Race and within 2 weeks, I was signed up and ready to go, I can only imagine what else God has up His sleeve for me that I have no idea is coming my way.

I do know that I’ll follow wherever He leads me. I know that I have complete trust in Him and that He’s preparing me for the specific purpose and plan that He’s had for me since before I was born.  

Everyday we make a choice. We have the choice to follow our own path or to follow the path that God has laid down for us. Although it’s not always easy and it may require us to make sacrifices, the gift of following God is so much greater than anything we give up. As I’ve experienced and shared with you these past few months, God wants our lives to be an adventure.  He wants us to live while we’re alive.  He wants us to live in a way that glorifies Him which will look different for everyone.  I don’t believe that you need to travel across the world to figure out where God wants you, you just need to be open to His calling for you. He wants us to find life and an overwhelming satisfaction and love in Him before anyone or anything else. 

I have no idea what the rest of my life will look like.   Honestly, I have no idea what tomorrow will look like! haha 

The truth is, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love not knowing what’s next because it means the possibilities are endless.   It’s like reading a good book and not knowing where the next chapter will lead you as you continue on with building anticipation. And really, what better author to write your life story than God where literally anything is possible??

 

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers. – Galatians 6: 9- 10