So a big part of this whole World Race experience is living in community. These small teams of people we travel the world with get to see us at our best and our worst. We get to learn from and about one another and sometimes it is hard and sometimes it is amazing. Coming into this whole year I was honestly looking forward to the community experience. I knew it would be tough for me to do and to open up with my team, but I also knew that I really wanted the community life.
I was right when I said it would be hard for me to open up with my group. It has honestly probably taken me about 6 weeks to be totaly myself with them. I wasn’t exactly hiding away from them, but I sure wasn’t letting them all in on exactly who I was. Making new friends has never been a strong skill for me, but when I’ve stepped out it has always been good. I knew that I needed to open up with them and it became even more apperent this month. I’ve made it my goal this month to push myself beyond my comfort zone and let my team know who I really am and it has been a blessing even if it was hard to do at times.
I guess I just want to take a blog and tell you why I’m so glad that I’ve been put on this amazing team and why my teammates are awesome.
First, if you know me well you know I am quiet and shy and I don’t like to do things I’m not super comfortable with. Well, I pushed myself last week thanks to the encouragment of my teammates to sing and play guitar in church on Sunday. That was big for me. I’ve done some of this back home, but only once on my own and it is different eeryone there already knows me, these were people who I’ve only known for a few weeks and nobody had heard me sing. I did it though and my teammates were the first to offer encouragment and lift me up. It was a huge help and may help me step out a bit more next time.
Sunday was also Valentines Day as you all know and a few of my teammates went out of their way to make it specail. The guys gave us all (the girls) some candy and notes they had written. We are blessed with fantastic men of God on our team who lift us up as sisters in Christ. Rachael also gave us each a pdf valentine on our jump drives. These both pretty much made my day.
I have been super blessed by all of my teammates with words of encouragment, with their laughter and sense of humor, and with just spending time with them over these past weeks. I know that God put this team together for a reason and I’m so glad I get to spend this time with them. I pray that as the year goes by we only grow closer in unity together. I also ask that you pray for each of them when you pray for me. We are a family out here and we need each other and we all need prayer. So next time you think of me and say a little prayer, say one for each of them too.
David, Luann, and me
Brian and Charity
Tash and Rachael
