It’s been over 10 months since I left home. 10 months filled with: Laughter. Love. Community. Trials and tribulation. Breakthrough. Adventure. Wild experiences. So much Jesus.
There’s no way to describe in written words exactly what has happened to me. What my eyes have seen. What my heart has felt. What God has revealed. However, here is a small glimpse into what’s been going on around me.
•I’ve been to 22 countries in just 11 months. #11n11? Not today.
•My passport has 2 pages left, it started with one stamp.
•As the crow flies, I’ve traveled over 10,000 miles.
•I’ve walked over 1,800 miles.
•874 hours have been spent on trains, planes, boats, cars, and buses. That’s 36 full days spent on just traveling.
•3 of those days were spent on a single train crossing the entire country of Kazakhstan. 3 of the sweatiest, most uncomfortable days of my entire life. I absolutely loved it.
•2.5 more of those days were spent on a single bus traveling from Athens, Greece to Barcelona, Spain.
•I once prayed for kabobs on an adventure to the lake and God gave me a feast and “Russian tradition” that I will never forget.
•I crossed the Caspian Sea by ferry. Didn’t see any dragons named Eustace.
•I’ve hitchhiked and been picked up by cars, a dump truck, a watermelon truck, and a logging truck.
•I walked over 160 miles of the Camino de Santiago. I’ll be back to finish the rest one day.
•I’ve seen people healed instantly before my eyes all in the name of Jesus.
•God speaks to me all the time and I’ve learned to hear His voice.
•I hiked 60 miles in the Caucus mountain range in Georgia with no cell phone, no idea what I was getting my team into, and 6 days worth of food. Turned out to be 9000 vertical feet full of goats, glaciers passes, drop dead gorgeous sunsets, laughter, tears, coming to the end of everyone, and memories to last a life time. Probably the gnarliest hike I’ve ever done. We’re all still alive.
•I’ve had more conversations about Jesus with total strangers then I’ve had in my entire life.
•I’ve worn the same clothes for 11 months. Some of those clothes haven’t been washed for 4 months… Oops. Everything I own smells like a wet towel.
•Haven’t pooped my pants since Nepal. All is good.
•Scissors haven’t touched my beard or my hair once. John the Baptist would by hyped.
•By living in such a tight community, I’ve learned to control my behavior and how I treat people in a way I’ve never experienced. I’ve learned what loving others well truly means. Even when you don’t want to.
•I haven’t had more than a few hours BY MYSELF once in the past 320 some days.
•I wouldn’t trade a single moment spent with the people around me. This is my church. This is my family.
•I’ve come to the end of myself about 36 times. Every day. This has been one of the hardest years of my life.
•I’ve discovered more and more what’s important to me. What God has designed for me and this wild life. For one of the first times in life, I’ve got vision and know what I value most in this world.
•I will never be the same.
•I’ve been to the Parthenon in Greece, Hercules Temple in Jordan, and stood outside the Atlas Mountains where Hannibal led his army of elephants towards his invasion of Rome. I’m living history.
•I’ve seen prayers answered over time, in less than 2 minutes, and instantly.
•God has used me to preform countless miracles. Me! Ben Towne! Boom.
•I’ve stood where Moses stood when God showed him the promised land.
•I walked the same streets Paul did in Corinth.
•I’ve walked where Jesus himself once walked. The bible has literally been coming alive all around me.
•I floated the Dead Sea.
•I got to see Barcelona Football play at Camp Nau. Messi even scored a goal. American football is still far better. Go Hawks! Go Cougs!
•The Familia de Segrada in Spain will knock you off your feet with how gorgeous it is.
•I’ve watched dead bodies burning and witch doctors dancing.
•I’ve smelled things I don’t even want to figure out what it was.
•I wasn’t able to flush toilet paper once for at least 10 months.
•Bidets are a mans best friend.
•Good thing I don’t do drugs anymore. With the amount of times I’ve been offered this year, I’d be lit the rest of my life. #7yearssober
•I’ve slept in hostels, hotels, mansions, tents, churches, houses, and the occasional street.
•I’ve slept on the floor. Every. Single. Night. #goalsmet
•I’ve ate at more strangers houses who I just met than I’ve cooked for myself.
•I’ve handled 18 different currencies.
•I found the crescent moon valley which led me to Petra. The penitent man passed however the holy grail was nowhere to be seen. Instead, I almost got my face chewed off while trying to take a selfie with a grumpy camel.
•Chad and I slept under the stars with an Arab man we just met the day before. Lost in translation would be the best way to describe that encounter.
•I’ve met far more foreigners who like Trump then Hilary. Who would have thought.
•Walking down streets and seeing women wear hijabs and burkas is pretty normal to me.
•I’ve watched a sheep sacrificed to Allah in remembrance of the ram provided to Abraham.
•Ephesians 6:12 has been lived out every single day.
•I’ve gone to foreign city’s and walked the streets exactly like it says to do in Luke 10. Word for word.
•I’ve drank some of the greatest teas and coffees this world has to offer. You can’t get them at Starbucks either.
•I’ve gone out fishing for men and ended up fishing and cooking traditional foods on the beach with men.
•I’ve been spit at, rejected, and cussed out. Not even close to some of persecution stories I’ve heard throughout my journey.
•God is alive and present every single place I’ve been. No matter how dark or lost.
•I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. Be radically changed. There is absolutely no way I can go back to my old life.
Would I do anything different this year? Not a chance. God has been good. I can’t wait for whats ahead.
