Where you go, I’ll go. Where you stay, I’ll stay.
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“But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go, I’ll go and where you stay, I’ll stay.”
-Ruth 1:16.
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Go, go, go.
It’s the culture America is wrapped up in. Always going, always moving.
I’m just as guilty as the next of falling into this trap. I’m already planing my next trip before my current one is even finished. My life has been one big whirlwind this past year. It’s how I thought this next year would pan out too. A few months home for the summer, then I’d launch out into my next adventure with the World Race. My gypsy soul longs for travel, and new experiences. I don’t like to stay put for very long.
I’d much rather go, then stay.
Going is exciting, unknown, fun, mysterious and adventurous.
Staying is… well, predicable.
I had finally begun to wrap my head around the fact that I was actually doing this thing. I’d be on a plane in September, headed to live and serve in Europe. Then I’d spend christmas in Africa, and then the next six months in Asia!
But when the funds weren’t coming in as quickly as I had hoped, I slowly started to freak out. Suddenly my training camp was only a week away, and I was substantially behind on funding.
I was suddenly forced to stand, and take a good long look at my myself. And let me tell you, I did not like what I saw.
I saw a girl, entertaining feelings frustration and fear, running around and spinning her wheels, but getting nowhere. I saw a girl whose trust in the Lord dipped way down when life began to push back at it. I saw a girl who stopped looking up at the father somewhere along the way, and started looking around at all the challenges around her. I saw a girl, alone in the wilderness.
Thats what I saw when I looked upon myself with my own eyes. It was raw, and it was ugly.
Then I felt my father leading me to see me the way he sees me. At first, I didn’t want to look. “I’ve seen enough”, I argued. I couldn’t bear to see any more of my failings. Couldn’t bear to see more ways I was disappointing him.
When I finally gave in, it all looked so differently then what I had originally pictured. I looked upon a girl, loved more then she could ever imagine, being redefined, being trained and equipped for something bigger than herself. I saw a girl, consistently being gently lead and guided in a desert. I saw small creeks of water along the way, to give her just the right amount of water she needed.
I saw a girl, so loved by her father, that he would take her through really hard places. I saw the way this path was answering her countless prayers to make her more like himself. I saw the way he was singing his love and delight over her, even though she couldn’t hear it at the time. I saw the way he was standing right next to her, even though she couldn’t see him.
Suddenly I was overcome with peace, and I was able to make the really hard decision that needed to be made:
I will no longer be launching on the World Race in September.
Instead, I will be launching in January 2016, with the World Race fusion Route!
The fusion route is a new venture of the World Race, where we are now able to compose a squad of racers from all over the World!
My new Route is currently set for:
Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa!
(Please prayerfully consider supporting me, as I am still needing $14,140 to reach my fundraising goal!)
This wasn’t my original plan, but since when is following the path of the father ever what I planned for myself? It’s always better. And he is always right there with me, sustaining me, and carrying me though this crazy thing called life.
Father, send me and I will go. Father ask me to stay, and I will stay.
