I’ve made it home. It’s been a joy seeing (and squeezing) my family and friends as well as experiencing American life for the first time in a long while. So far, I have discovered that I still can drive a car, sleep with 4 pillows and survive an hour or two of alone time. Ah the finer things in life.
Now that I have had a chance to settle and reflect a bit, I’d like to try to share with you some of what this past year has meant to me. This task is a tad daunting due to the vast ways I have been changed and amazed throughout the past 11 months, and hopefully it will impact me in numerous ways I haven’t even noticed yet.
In my first couple of days back in the States I was asked what my greatest take away from the race was. At first, I thought this question was too big and there was no way I could truthfully answer it in a respectable sentence or two. So I gave a the cop out answer and said too much happened for there to be one take away. But as I reeled through each month, country and ministry I realized the one thing was consistent throughout. The people. Each country had faces and personalities that I love and miss. This year showed me beauty is to be found in each individual, and it is worth taking the time to discover it.
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”Genesis 1:27
People I met and each face I saw were all carrying a piece of the creator with them. He had made them in his image and put his character in them, and it was my greatest joy from the year to get a chance to discover God displayed in his people. I met individuals of boldness, steadfastness, hope, joy and so many other qualities that reflected God. It is remarkable to think of how many people have been created, and to realize that each of them holds a different facet God. Part of me wonders if that’s why God is still creating; if he is using each person he creates to reveal another aspect of his character to us. The depth of his character can never be fully discovered, but he gives me glimpses with each man, woman or child I encounter.
It wasn’t the scenic views, crazy stories, or passport stamps that made this season of life so special to me, but it was defiantly the people. The Cambodian kids who had little but radiated with joy, the Nepali man who experienced hope though prayer, the Thai woman who chose freedom, the ministry host who took hospitality to a new level, the teammates who became family and all of you who became prayer warriors as I was away. That’s what made it all worth it.
Thank you so much for your support from start to finish of this journey.
Don’t forget to get your questions in for the last Q&A blog!
