I have been home from the Race for three days now. It has been a whirlwind of emotions. Joy has been the prominent feeling. I have also experienced another emotion, one that I didn’t know how to described until now.
Before my quiet time with Jesus, I talked to my parents about the culture shock I was walking through. There is a difference between World Race community and home community. I’ve already found myself in situations where I feel the Lord prompting me to speak or act. My response has been in two ways: disobedience and jumping in head first. Disobedience has come from fear, fear of people’s reactions. Jumping in head first has come from not praying about it first, which as led to God convicting me of my pride.
On our way out to the lake my frustration at myself was setting World Records. So I took a walk to the beach and had my alone time with God. I read scripture but didn’t find the encouragement for my situation. God’s encouragement didn’t come until a family was taking pictures on the dock where I was sitting.
The mom was trying her best to capture her father, husband, and four sons all under the age of six as a tugboat pushed a barge through the channel. She asked the common question, “I wonder what is on the ship?” I remember thinking that it was a good and valid question, which made me curious. As I looked I saw shredded pieces of a dark red, orange material. I had no clue. Then the husband said, “you can smell it, it’s rusty metal”.
That’s when it hit me. This was God’s encouragement (I just love how God speaks to us)!
I was that barge.
The World Race was the process of identifying the “rusty metal” in my life. However, I assumed my struggles from the past had already been shipped out and would never be seen again.
Wrong!
God revealed to me that I am in the season of departing from the World Race port. However, the past three days being home I’ve been a barge sitting stagnant.
For my World Race journey to continue to mold me and positively impact others, I need help. I need someone to push me. I need a tugboat. God is my tugboat and He will use family and friends as His vessels to help me transition.
As most of you may know, I am learning to be less independent and more dependent on God. Therefore the concept of being encouraged by others is kinda foreign to me. But I’m trying to receive help, wisdom, and love.
The process is going to be long but good. I’m excited about the ways God and you all will serve as my tugboat.
I was also looking forward to the day when I get to drop off all my rusty metal in the middle of Lake Michigan. But God told me that it won’t happen because it’s not realistic. He’s going to use my past struggles for His glory. I won’t be going to the middle of Lake Michigan, instead I’ll be traveling to more ports. This means more people will witness God’s work through my past. Also, more rusty metal will be identified. At first, I didn’t like the sound of that but God affirmed it won’t weigh me down or slow me down. His plan for me is to continue to move forward, sharing His goodness because He is and will be supporting me.
To conclude I want to say “full steam ahead” to God’s plan for me as His obedient servant!
