Today was Easter!
I LOVE holidays- but holidays on the World Race are always…different.
Maybe you've read my stories about God stealing my Thanksgiving plans (http://christinadombrowsky.theworldrace.org/?filename=god-took-my-thanksgiving) or perhaps you read my Facebook gripes about how we ended up spending Christmas on a bus in Thailand…but you know what? God continually breaks my preconceived notions about how things 'should be' to teach me about the importance of how He sees things.
On Thanksgiving – God asked me to sacrifice my plans to take a little vacation and have a huge dinner with a whole bunch of Racers from my squad, and instead he gave me an intimate dinner with my 'Moldovan family' and a turkey dinner that we actually got to slaughter! I learned I aaaaalways have a lot to be thankful for. No matter how I celebrate it.
On Christmas, I didn't decorate a tree or hang a stalking, I didn't get to eat Christmas dinner with my family, and I didn't actually open a single present (don't be sad) — but God taught me about how I have the greatest gift – Him. And He isn't found in holiday traditions or even religious festivities – His presence is with me. And THAT is the essence of Christmas. I had Christmas on a bus, but He was there 🙂 …And I also decorated the entire bus with garland and oraments and stuffed little Santa hats with candy for the girls. Even Jesus can appreciate some Christmas candy 😉
This Easter season, I thought I had already gotten the best of it on Good Friday:
"On Good Friday, I'd usually be enjoying the elaborate, serene night of prayer that Christ Fellowship does and then dinner on the town in City Place.
Instead, last night I preached the gospel at a dirt floor, tarp-walled church in a tiny village in Uganda. I talked about the last things Jesus said on the cross before He died -and my message was chalk full of "Hallelujah!'s" and "Amen!'s" from the audience! After I preached, the Pastor spoke about the last supper that Jesus served to his disciples and how He washed their feet before He sent them off. And then… he pulled out a wash basin and a towel – and he washed OUR feet. We were SO humbled. We cried 🙂
Then a woman from the church anointed our heads, hands, and feet with olive oil, as she prayed over us. And another woman brought us communion –which has been so cool to take in all these diff countries. In Thailand, I once took communion with green tea and sticky white rice. Tonight in Uganda, it was Coca Cola and chipati – like indian pita bread but thinner. No matter what the composition-it represents the body of Christ 😉
It was so beautiful.They wanted to send us off to Rwanda the way Jesus sent His disciples off into their ministries.
He goes with us.
He goes ahead of us – to prepare the hearts of the people who we will minister to and the people who will minister to us 🙂
I am so honored.
He LIVES!"
Yeah- so that was preeeeeetty special.
A Good Friday I will never forget.
But ya know what?
Today was an Easter I won't forget.
I planned an Easter Egg Hunt for my teammates 🙂
I had communion and worship with my squad.
I got to chill out and relax with some of my favorite people.
And then….my whole Race changed.
I was asked to step into leadership.
You see, for 9 months I have been on the World Race, as a Racer- as a participant. And at first, it was hard for me. I wanted to be in leadership. I expected to be in leadership. I was offended that I was not singled out at Training Camp as a 'high potential leadership candidate,' ya know? I was like, 'Who are these people that they don't see my obvious leadership qualities?!" I felt like Ron Burgundy on Anchorman, "Do you know who I am? I am kind of a big deal" hah. In my mind it was like, "Hellooooo?! I started a non profit, I was an Ambassador at the Chamber of Commerce, I was nominated for this and that, I did this and haven't you seen my resume? and blah blah blah." But God chose to humble me. And He knew what He was doing. I learned what it looks like to follow. I learned that I'm not the big deal, He's the big deal. I learned that leadership in the spiritual world is different from leadership in the natural world -and it comes with added responsibility, but also added blessing. Several months into the Race, I fiiiiinally got to a place where I was OK with being 'just a Racer'. I enjoyed not having a lot of responsibilities. Not needing to know what was going on or when it was going on, I learned that it's kinda nice being a sheep when you trust the shepherd.
And just then- when I thought for sure I had missed that leadership train, when the Race has only 2 months left, God spoke. He called me into it. I had a few dreams about it happening- but I was like, 'naaaah. My dreams are way off.' But then it came true.
And now, with 2 months left on the Race, I step into leadership and I am now suuuuuuper humbled because I know I am going to learn SO much and learn to rely on God in a whole new way. This isn't like any kind of leadership position I have had before. This one has 'spiritual authority' and 'spiritual coverings' and all kinds of crazy Holy Spirit stuff that I have never dealt with in the leadership realm. Where I come from, you get voted in or appointed by your boss. Then there's a handbook that tells you what is expected. Where I am now, you get called by God – He tells people that He wants you in leadership. You get dreams about it. And then once they give you the position, it's all 'There's no handbook! Ask the Lord what you should do!' It's….well, it's different 🙂
So this Easter- I celebrate that my Savior died and rose again, so that I could have all the abundace that He has for me in this life. And I cling to the truth that THIS, where I am now, this IS His best for me. This IS the abundant life. This IS the next step in my calling- in my journey called life – in my destiny. Thank you God for being so good. Your timing is never ours, but you always know best.
And that's how it all went down — the day my Race changed.
It's gonna be a wild ride!
Please keep me in your prayers as I listen for God's voice and try to serve and lead with HIS eyes & ears, not my own 🙂
Happy Easter!
