Today marks 2 weeks of ministry left for me on the World Race. What?? The last 9 months have been the most impactful of my entire life. It has opened my eyes to so many things, and has changed my perspective in the way I look at the world around me. This trip has forever changed who I am, and I cannot put into words how thankful I am for this opportunity. I have learned SO MANY valuable lessons. I have created a list of some of them that have stuck out to me. In no way is this even close to an exhaustive list. Some maybe of value to you, others probably won’t make any sense and that’s okay! I would LOVE to talk to you in more specifics about these things if you have questions. My phone number is 580-606-7922 if you would like to text or FaceTime (Facebook also works). Please also keep in mind that there is an 11 1/2 hour time difference between you and me (mornings and evenings work best). If you gain anything from this blog I hope it is that our God has a grace and a love that surpasses all understanding, and that joy in this life isn’t found in circumstance, financial status, or anything else, but only in his presence! He is so GOOD! Please enjoy and seriously feel free to call or message me about anything and everything! I would love to talk to you!!! Sending lots of love from Myanmar! God bless!!
- You have to choose in to every single day. You only get it one time.
- God’s will will be accomplished, and he can use anyone and anything to make it happen.
- Entitlement has NO place in the Kingdom of God, and a grateful heart is how you combat it.
- Psalm 100:4
- 1 Thes 5:18
- Any room that 9 guys are living in is going to smell really bad
- Worship is so much more than a song. It is a lifestyle and a position of the heart.
- Col 1:15-16
- Psalm 34
- John 4:21-24
- Psalm 9
- Comparison is a thief of joy, and it devalues God’s unique creation in our minds. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, handcrafted for a specific purpose.
- Keep your phone inside your bag because people DO steal things occasionally.
- You can unknowingly steal someone’s dog in Tres Rios, Costa Rica and almost get away with it.
- ALWAYS bring spare TP.
- People will stare at you until you are extremely uncomfortable. Just get used to it.
- Unconditional love crosses the boundaries of language.
- Guilt and shame are not the same thing as conviction.
- In the fire, we find the Lord
- Daniel
- The love of Christ is the only constant in this world. There is nothing else worth clinging to.
- Romans 8:35-39
- His love is better. period.
- 2 Cor 12:9
- Psalm 63:3
- Always carry an empty bottle with you on long bus rides. You never know…
- They put ham on the hamburgers in Costa Rica. It probably got lost in translation.
- If you blare Spanish rap music loud enough, people will come.
- Your focus determines your reality.
- *sniffs* “Yeah I can wear this shirt one more time.”
- Jesus was focused ENTIRELY on the Kingdom of God.
- John 18:36
- Talking about American food never gets old.
- We have to be able to give up everything that is valueless for the one thing that is priceless.
- Luke 9:23-27
- You can fit 15 fully grown adults into a Nissan X-Terra.
- We aren’t working for the love of God. We are working from it.
- “Privacy? Let me join you!”
- Safety is just a suggestion.
- There are no good prank ideas at 3AM.
- “That water slide definitely wasn’t up to code.”
- Costa Rican kids are ruthless.
- True rest is only found in the Lord’s presence.
- Air conditioning is a gift from above.
- My life is not my own.
- You can’t experience biblical awe without biblical devotion.
- The evidence of Christ in us is in the love we have for one another.
- John 13:35
- Your juggling routine isn’t as good as you think it is.
- The only gardening tool you need is a machete.
- People in Thailand are totally okay with you crashing their wedding.
- Canada’s legit.
- I have never lacked for anything. I have been so blessed and have largely taken that for granted my entire life.
- We have been given in order to give.
- Acts 20:35
- Brass knuckles will get you detained at the Hong Kong airport. @ Alex Olson
- Floor? Bed? What’s the difference?
- Don’t be an ostrich.
- Dropping expectations of what I “deserve” out of this life, and being willing to be obedient in whatever God has for me.
- Philippians 1:21
- Sometimes you just have to…change the trajectory.
- Life isn’t about right and wrong. It’s about life and death, and Jesus has offered us life through the resurrection.
- You’re going to look like an idiot ordering food in a foreign country, and people will laugh.
- The very core of the Gospel is sacrifice.
- 1 John 3:16
- John 3:16
- You can, in fact, get a tattoo while the power is out.
- Prayer is essential.
- Sometimes it’s better not to ask what’s in the food.
- True leaders point people to the one true leader.
- “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” -John 4:18
- If you’re willing to risk everything, then there is nothing God can’t do in and through you.
- Easy answers produce shallow convictions.
- No distance is too far to walk for Krispy Kreme’s.
- Western style toilets is man’s greatest invention.
- There are some smells you can never un-smell
- I am the world’s worst at “what are the odds” and “farkle.”
- *talking to myself* “Cy you’re 21. You don’t need an African baby.”
- Discomfort drives us to the Father.
- He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
- Psalm 42
- Free refills are not universal.
- We are not fighting for victory. We are fighting from victory.
- Romans 8:37
- They only put cheese on the cheeseburgers in Myanmar. It probably got lost in translation.
- God’s glory isn’t an accessory. It’s a necessity and an inevitability.
- Rev 5:9
- Ephesians 6 isn’t a “cool metaphor” for our lives. It’s a reality that we need to take very seriously.
- The name “Cy” isn’t pronounceable.
- When you allow the Holy Spirit to direct your day, there is NO telling where you’ll end up.
- People want to tell you their story. You just have to get outside of your own bubble and show that you care for them.
- I will never again take for granted bottomless chips and salsa.
- There is so much darkness in this world, but the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.
- John 1:4
- It is outside of your comfort zone where true living takes place.
- 50 Americans are a spectacle no matter where you are at.
- There is no distinction in the way God looks at people. Who am I to judge anyone?
- Romans 3:22-23
- Fullness of joy is found only in the presence of God.
- Psalm 16:11
