The one thing I am able to count on for sure this year on
The World Race is that change will happen….
July 24th I arrived in White, GA for training
camp not knowing a soul yet feeling a strong unity with my new brothers and
sisters…there was a shared passion for the unknown for the adventure that God
had in mind for this year as we followed Him around the world….that very first
night we were asked to separate into small teams and grab a lantern.
My team gathered around the lantern each grabbing it with
one hand and started to move forward slowly, cautiously into the darkness.
Occasionally a snaking tree root would catch our footing and make us stumble;
whenever anyone tripped it was beautiful because the entire group would hold
tightly together catching the person before they could fall completely, then we
would continue into the dark.
nothing of the dark wooded paths so we walked on leaning on each other for
guidance. Along the way we came to a person holding canvas who asked us if we
were willing this year to lay down our expectations…expectations of what the
countries would be like, of what ministry would look like, of what food and
physical comfort would be like, and finally what our TEAM would be like. As I
looked around at my group we heard each question at each station and
eagerly/passionately said “Of Course! Yes we lay down our expectations…bring it
on! We’re ready for ANYTHING!” We then dipped our finger in paint and pressed
it to the canvas in front of us symbolizing our surrender of those
expectations.
I’m absolutely astounded at how many expectations I kept with me after that
night in the dark forest. As I move forward into each new country, into
uncomfortable ministries and stretching times of leadership God has continued to carefully strip away those expectations. Just like this canvas (seen above) is made up of all our symbolic expectations being laid down, my Race is also a collage of letting God release me of the expectations I have clung to my whole life. Some moments have been more raw than others to realize and release but as each expectation is laid down
more of His glory and wonderful character are unveiled and more Freedom is experienced….
expectation I hadn’t realized I’d been holding onto was that I’d be the
team leader of Team Liberators for the entire 11months on The Race. In my mind I knew
anything could change but in my heart I still held onto that expectation pretty
tightly….until God asked me to release that too….
