There are many many things I could write about to future racers. But these are the two things I personally think are the most important.
1. Don’t get too attached to your route. My NUMBER ONE advice for future racers when picking their route is to actually not pick it for the countries. Instead, I encourage you to pray over the squad you’ll be on and the team you’ll be on. Because that’s the one thing that doesn’t change. You’re guaranteed to be on the same squad all 11 months. And you’re guaranteed to be on SOME team with the people on your squad for all 11 months. Team changes happen a lot, but your squad stays the same.
Out of the original 11 countries I said I would do, only four of them stayed the same. 4/11. Not great odds. But out of the 38 people on my squad, one has yet to go home. No one has left my Race yet, and none of us are going to.
It is very likely you’ll get a route change. It is very likely you’ll have your heart broken by the route change. But the World Race isn’t about where YOU want to go, it’s about where God has already laid your footsteps for you to go. I’m not saying you’re not going to go to the countries you have your heart set on, but I also just want to warn you, you might not end up going there.
I personally never had my heart broken because I didn’t set my heart on any country. My squadmates though, have had their hearts continually broken because “I chose this route for Kenya.” “I chose this route for India.” But we didn’t go to either one of those places. So in those moments of heartbreak, remember that God knew, God KNOWS, right now, what countries you’re going to. And it might not be the ones you are signing up for. But that’s what makes the Race amazing, because you are in God’s hands and God’s control. And His plan is perfect.
2. Have a journal that is dedicated to writing down any and ALL feedback you receive. No matter how stupid, silly, hurtful, funny, good, bad, wise, unwise… write it down. You do feedback every.single.day. Even on your day off when it’s not a scheduled thing. You start living and breathing bringing other people up in their potential for growth with Christ. So, especially during the formal feedback sessions, write it all down. You’ll be amazed and surprised at how God uses those words to grow you in crazy ways, and you’ll be able to look back on the exact day and person who caused you to look at yourself differently and more like Christ.
Within feedback: don’t fear constructive feedback. Feedback is actually my number one love language, ESPECIALLY constructive. For whatever reason, the word constructive has a negative association with it. In my mind it reminded me of “destructive,” even though synonyms for “constructive” include: positive, helpful, beneficial, productive, useful, building up. And yet we cringe when someone says, “I have constructive for you.” It’s silly! Silly I tell you. As soon as I stopped saying the word constructive, and started calling it “potential for growth,” everything changed. Because 100% of the time on the Race, when I have received constructive feedback, I walked away from it feeling MORE ENCOURAGED than I did when I received just encouragement. (No this is not true of everyone on the Race.)
P.S. Constructive feedback is not, “You need to work on your face, you always look so angry.” Or, “You are being extremely rude right now.” Or, “You were being lazy today, you could’ve done more in ministry.”
Constructive feedback is, “Hey, I noticed that you are really not a morning person. I don’t know if you know this but your face very clearly shows your emotions. You have a powerful presence, and when your face is clearly showing unhappiness, it has the potential to also bring others down. Is there a way we can love you in the mornings that won’t offend you?”
Or, “Hey, I noticed that when you’re really tired, you get cranky and snap at people. I’d just love to encourage you, when you know you’re tired and cranky, to let us know, and let us know how we can love you through that. If you need to walk away for five minutes to pray it out, that’s ok, just communicate that with us. We can even pray for you, or get you chocolate/a soda etc.”
Or, “Hey, you are SO good at teaching English to those kids. You have such great ideas and really radiate when you’re up there. I’d love to see more of it. If you have an idea, share it. I’d love to challenge you to push yourself to not just teach the English lesson, but then also help the students when they’re doing their exercises. Or play with them during the break and really love them well like how I’ve seen you love us.”
Why do I feel encouraged from constructive feedback? Because people are seeing potential in me to grow and be more like Christ. And isn’t that what we all want? To be more like Christ? I do. So when people see that potential in me, I want to be called up!
Love,
Ari
