I arrived yesterday to Morocco and into the last month on this 11 month trip of exploration, community, and faith. Twenty-six other people, who have been on this journey with me, holding on to how this year has crafted them into better, stronger, more adaptable people.
I spent the last few days at a leadership academy in Spain where a lot of World Racers choose to continue diving into theology, business and service. We met many World Race alumni and were welcomed to attend a couple days of classes that were both healing and challenging.
What I did not grow up with was a very tight-knit group of friends who were believers, and I’ve come to realize that faith community is FULFILLING, HARD and NECESSARY at the same time… and IT IS A REAL THING. A real place people love each other despite the junk we might be carrying and help us to cut ties with it. A place we can come and be filled with truth about ourselves and our situations. A place we can grow in character because we embrace praise and correction when our flaws are on display. A place I feel pursued and loved for who I was created to be, not anyone I try to imitate. All because we are rooted in Christ, intentional about mirroring His character, and embracing the freedom that comes with vulnerability.
“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” – Colossians 2:6-7 ESV
One day last week, I heard this teaching:
“Walk into a room with a heart wide open. Give everyone the opportunity to break it and love them anyway.”
“Be thin skinned. The boundaries you build up are not helping you, they’re hurting you.”
Sometimes we think the higher and the thicker walls we have, the tougher we are. That’s not true. The higher and thicker walls we have, the more isolating life becomes and the greater we are slaves to what it is that withholds us from freedom.
It’s a choice to be transparent and thin skinned. It’s an understanding that opening up creates opportunity for healing, freedom and deeper relationships.
After the first day of meeting some of the alumni at this academy in Spain, I thought to myself ‘These people love so well. This is my family and these are my brothers and sisters.’
After that point, every time someone spoke up in class with concern, excitement or wisdom, I felt Christ’s heart for them… like, ‘Yeah! That’s my sister!’ or ‘Yeah! That’s my brother!’
“And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” – Mark 3:32-35 ESV
How quickly we can be of one heart and mind when we live with the heart and mind of Christ guided by the Holy Spirit. It feels like home. A glimpse of my eternal home.
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:1-4 ESV
“And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” – Ezekiel 11:19-20 ESV
