In the last 10 days I learned more about myself and my religion than I ever thought possible. for those of you who don’t already know I was just in Georgia for the last week and a half for worldrace training camp. Going into it I assumed it was mostly going to be a physical strength training to make sure my squad and I could handle the foreign foods and physical endurance of living in third world countries. It turned out to be a test of compatibility with squad mates, understanding the importance of community, missional living, and most importantly intimacy with God.
The worldrace isn’t just a mission trip to help make the world a better place. it’s a trip to strengthen and expand my relationship with God. I learned how to take a step back and actually listen to God with all of my senses. It sounds crazy but for the first time in my life I can confidently say God speaks to all of us. He speaks to us in more ways than we can even fathom. He speaks to us through the people around us, nature, dreams, experiences in life, scripture, prayer, worship, and any other imaginable way.
God spoke to me and answered a lot of questions i’ve had rattling around my head since I signed up for this trip. The biggest one being why I fear losing relationships with people in my life when I leave. through prayer the Holy Spirit guided me to the root of this fear. I was shown that the immediate circle of people in my life are there for a reason and wont be going anywhere. whether their purpose is to be there to build me up or for me to return and guide them to Christ with my experiences. Community is so important for us as Christians, it is the foundation of discipleship. We seek to give each other new ways to understand God and in turn be able to further spread the word and understanding of the gospel.
I was shown that being a Christian isn’t a duty or task but a relationship. prayer should not be a task it is something we should be eager to do. The more you do it the more you will start to hear. It’s hard to get close to someone if you never talk to them. the more you allow God to fill you with the Holy Spirt the more your eyes will be opened. It will start to become so much easier to understand purpose and self worth. We were all put here to love one another and spread the word from the farthest point east to the furthest point west. We are not sinners saved by grace, but sons and daughters of Christ, we all hear the Holy Spirit.
As missionaries we are asked to leave the comforts of home and live minimally. We will band together these next nine months and listen to everything God has to say to us. through us we will spread the word of God a little bit further through experiences and the power of the Holy Spirit. We will gain knowledge and wisdom we never thought was possible. This is Gods plan for me now and it will forever impact the community around me when I return back home. I am finally ready to except Gods plan for me entirely and share it with everyone I come in contact with.
John 16:33 “… take heart for I have overcome the world.”
