on final debrief, my squad mentor Kate Goeler asked my team and i one thing we wished we could tell ourselves month 1 of the race. as i thought about it, more and more came to mind. for the sake of being who i wish i had, i wrote it down for you. do not be disheartened by my harshness. if i had read this before the race, no doubt i would’ve started crying at feeling exposed or even attacked. here’s to growth + encouragement. 🙂
Dear Future World Racer,
hey you.
congratulations. i’m really proud of you.
i know and bet your heart is fluttering, or your stomach hurts, or your palms are sweaty just at the thought of the race.
i want to give you some tips that i learned over my race that i wish i knew from the start.
-you’re gonna do so so great. you’ll also mess up. teehee.
but don’t worry! you will learn or be reminded that only grace and love keeps you floating. you’re surrounded by people that love a lord of mercy. thank goodness for that.
-when you first get to your ministry, leave the screen.
don’t worry about getting the pictures. you’ll have plenty of time, later.
-don’t spend too much time looking back, or forward.
you’ll get homesick. you’ll also get pre-emptive nostalgia. (missing something before its even over) recognize them both, and let it be fuel towards gratitude. you don’t want to spend the first half of the race crying about missing your old friends and then the second half of the race crying at the thought of leaving your new ones.
-when you do talk to friends from home, don’t forget to ask them how they’re doing.
what you’re doing is no doubt amazing- and you’ll be tempted to go on and on without end- but if they are important to you, their lives would be important to you, too. it was easy for me to forget this and my heart aches because of it.
-if you don’t feeel Him, no need to worry.
God isn’t a feeling. that’s where faith + hope come in. He will bless your faith and the times that you step out and do the thing anyway, despite feeling Him or not. -take off the fascade.
-get real! if it’s not sooner it’ll be later, and you’ll have wished it was sooner. this is where you will see real growth. real trasnformation, real community. if you aren’t okay, reach out to your squadleaders.
-if you’re trying realllllly hard to be a certain way for the sake of friends or being the center, here isn’t the place.
there is so much power in letting God move you to be you. i promise it’s really beautiful.
-if you’re crawling within your own skin and feel smuthered, trapped, or controlled… be still.
sit in it. God probably has some healing to work within you. He wants to. Just sit in it enough to let HIm.
-if you hate the idea of having leadership and rules, seek humility.
If God-the one that can be as vast as jupiter, the grand canyon, the milky way, and all things + more combined-chose to become under 6 feet tall for the sake of being with us, and if we have His spirit of power, love and self control, you have it within you to follow buddy rule or have knee length shorts for the sake of being with Him without complaint.
-you are not a human doing. you are a human being.
you are not doing morning devos to do morning devos,
you’re doing it to be with and know the one you long to be devoted to.
you are not having monday night worship to sound beautiful and be happy with how you sound you’re doing it to be with Him and because He’s so worthy.
you aren’t serving others so you can look good for people back home, or to post that cute missionary pic, it’s to be with Him that is within others and to lead them to know Him, too!
so, this is the whole point. you’re going on this race to know God. to know Him more and to live with Him. to be with Him. He has taken you in to lead you out.
when the ad says “it’s more than a mission trip,” it’s true.
i wasn’t hired or paid by Adventures in Missions to say these things, it’s just that true.
this is life with God. the race is a really special opportunity for transformation to look more like jesus only if you surrender yourself.
with all this, don’t be afraid!
He’ll show you all these things. He will also be gentle with you. He knows what you need and when you need it.
He’ll show you where He is.
i am so so sosososososo excited for you. to go! you have the God of all peace that surpasses understanding WITHIN you!
also, don’t spend a breath of worry about fundraising. 4 words for that are Have Faith + Have Fun. he’ll be faithful to your steps of faith by reaching out & trying.
you got it bug. chase him. he’ll be there.
WOO!
todo es posible,
cami!
if this was at all helpful or applicable to you as a future racer i would love to hear from you or answer any questions you might have/ pray for you through it!
currently my phone is a goner due to Cambodia’s humidity, but you can reach out through my email [email protected] or my Instagram _Camiramon32
