Good evening to all!
How was your week? Did you feel accomplished, productive, disappointed, bogged down? Excited? Did you feel you made use of your time wisely? Did you spend it doing something to make you feel better, or spend it with people you like? Do you feel you grew a little in an area? Did you make someone smile? I know some weeks, I can get very introspective, which really is a drag for everyone around me.
Having this World Race coming up, has really changed that though. I see this goal ahead of me and I feel that I am planning ahead for some momentous event. There is so much that has been occuring to me, so many feelings and desires and revelations. In the core of our beings we always long to be an MVP… The Most Valuable Player on a team. But how do be become that or how do we view the MVP’s?
During the World Race, this 11 month incredible journey there will be many, countless challenges and difficulties. I can try as hard as I want to predict anything and everything that could go wrong, and pack stuff to alleviate every one of those experiences and to make it more comfortable… Which honestly is my usual approach to life- worrying so much about being uncomfortable that it sucks the fun and joy out of the moment. Carrying a pack that has 100 things in it to make sure absolutely nothing ever could happen that I don’t have the cure to, then possibly moaning about the pack because it is heavy and bulky and no fun to log around. Having the cure to everything in your pack won’t make you an MVP. But how you react when you don’t have the obvious solution, might.
However, this week a lot of things have occurred to me, which is news to me. Live in the moment – don’t sweat the small stuff and yes! Just Live! Let opportunities arise and jump at them without fear of the unknown and experiencing the moment. Don’t worry so much about the list of things you meant to do, but instead taking the road which leads to a different adventure and letting it consume your attention for that span of time completely. Nobody watching but you, your friends and God.
This week would have went a lot the same as always if I had my own way. Instead – so many things happened which were benefiting my soul and spirit and body. Things I would not have thought to plan for myself. And it was fun, exciting and felt alive. I had planned on Monday to go shopping, have coffee with a friend and prep meals for the week. Instead I went out and rode a horse and had the most fantastic day outside, basking in God’s splendor and goodness. (The food situation took care of itself in its time too.)
On the race we could very possibly get stuck at a bus station, in the rain, at night, in the cold. Or having to hike up a very large mountain, hungry and hot and do ministry as soon as our feet touch the ground of a small village filled with kids who are starved for affection. Not that this WILL happen. But it could. Naturally we won’t try and plan for this stuff to occur. But truth is this… In those instances, when we can overcome and push our tired and worn out mates to let Jesus shine through them despite our own weariness, that is being an MVP.
The disciples of Jesus followed him and learned from him and served with him. They served people starving for hope, with real needs in a country that can be both mercilessly cold or hot. They served thousands upon thousands after an entire day of teaching in the hot sun, and had not eaten yet themselves. They would walk for days and as soon as they got into villages with needy people, there came running the people that were possessed by demons, racked by disease and filled with deep questions of their identity.
Catching a break is not always allowed or possible.
Being prepared for the stuff you cannot prepare for is true love. Putting your needs on the backburner for a little while to be part of the team and to be a vessel through which the light of Christ is able to radiate, that is being a MVP.
This day to day grind is the training ground for this race and there are so many moments each day, when we need to make the choice: Will I put my needs on hold to serve this person as well as I can, or will I just go on as always?
I am seeing this challenge ahead of me and taking it very seriously. I want to be able to be filled with joy when I am hurting or hungry or cold or sad. Circumstances will always change and challenge us, but Jesus stays the same!
As much as we want to be the squad’s MVP – the only and true MVP is Jesus. He has the power, he supplies the grace and the miracles and the strength and the resources needed for the success of this mission. And in Jesus eyes, we are all MVP’s, because he came to die for each of us! In his eyes, we are most precious, most valuable most adored players. We each will bring a side of a dice to the team and together be able to serve God as the body of Christ. Functioning as one. Not one better than the other. But one for all. To Glorify the Only living God.
Once again, thank you for reading and for supporting me, for talking to me about the race, for teaching me things, for praying for me and for your financial support!
Grace and peace to you,
Angelika
